Reconsidering the wisdom of home ownership

[Frank Lee]

There may be something to that... but then in America you'll find lots of obesity across all social strata. There are regional differences- I found coastal California to be better than the Midwest, but it wasn't like a total blowout- there were more than a few on the beach that... ummm... maybe shouldn't have been out in skimpy swimwear. But even that was a sorta ritzy part of Cali- venture into the "regular" areas and I wonder if they're any different than the Midwest.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

There may be something to that... but then in America you'll find lots of obesity across all social strata.

Guess I wasn't clear: I didn't mean that there was a poor/fat link, but that the attitude towards practical suggestions for curing both problems is the same. So when one suggests that the obese can generally fix their problem with diet & exercise, the reaction is the same as when suggesting that education & thrift can fix poverty.

[Frank Lee]

Ha- I was wondering why you put that up before! Still doesn't protect homeowners from predators tho.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Still doesn't protect homeowners from predators tho.

True, but then a lot of the homeowners who get in trouble with predators are in much the same position as the wildebeast who runs up to the water hole without checking for crocodiles :-)

[Frank Lee]

How so?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

How so?

'Cause any intelligent wildebeast should have learned that there might be crocodiles in that inviting water hole, so it's a good idea to approach with caution. Likewise, an intelligent homeowner (or would-be homeowner) should be able to figure out that zero-money down loans on an inflated income, with interest rates that escalate after a few years, and a pitch that of course home prices are going to keep going up, up up! so you can refinance before the new payments kick in are all pretty much the same as crocodile snouts sticking out of the water :-)

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

True, but then a lot of the homeowners who get in trouble with predators are in much the same position as the wildebeast who runs up to the water hole without checking for crocodiles :-)

No one is truly a home 'owner' until there is no mortgage remaining. Only then can there be no 'predators' involved that can foreclose on the property.

Except (of course) the one predator (or, should we say 'parasite'?) no one can never escape: AKA the 'tax man'.

[Varn]

So you think you are predator if you want money (interest) for lending your own money. Wow. Don't purchase a larger home than you can pay for. Save your money, don't spend your money on car payments, cell phones, cable or satellite TV or internet. Live like a hermit. Don't borrow money Cancel your credit card.Don't blame others.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

'Cause any intelligent wildebeast should have learned that there might be crocodiles in that inviting water hole, so it's a good idea to approach with caution. Likewise, an intelligent homeowner (or would-be homeowner) should be able to figure out that zero-money down loans on an inflated income, with interest rates that escalate after a few years, and a pitch that of course home prices are going to keep going up, up up! so you can refinance before the new payments kick in are all pretty much the same as crocodile snouts sticking out of the water :-)

I am talking about all manner of dingbats raiding the homeowner's wallet via property taxes, not homeowner's screwing themselves with stupid financing tricks (they deserve whatever happens). Some examples of mine: ditch "improvements" that won't make ANY difference to water levels on my property, $1300. School funding, for the last 20 years it's always been about 1/2 my property tax bill for ONLY my residence; when I had a big pile of rentals at 3x the homestead rate can you imagine how much the school loved me??? Yet I've never had a kid in the $(%*^&#ing system. Street "improvements" but my street was already in good shape Airport expansion- yup, loving that new crosswind runway they put in that makes a flight path over my house- now they want to bill me for more projects out there that benefit nobody except a local bidness that relies on air shipments Need I go on?