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> ... You've got millions of homeowners 50+ who are expecting to use that asset value to live on... Wealth and cash flow are two very different things. I can't

> ... You've got millions of homeowners 50+ who are expecting to use that asset value to live on... Wealth and cash flow are two very different things. I can't tell you what the future holds for sure, but a few things. If they have significant equity in their home, chances are good that they have significant equity in other places as well. I don't have data to back this up, with the exception of my role on the board of a my employer's 457b plan. Timing, more than anything, has more to say on any matter in retirement that we give credit. One doesn't know when cancer hits. One doesn't know when COPD hits, and you have to move to Arizona. One doesn't get to pick when the market bottoms or tops. Housing is a lousy investment from a purely numbers point of view. I became an owner very reluctantly and it has cost me dearly. Taxes have gone up 15% every year. While they house ages it breaks and I am on the hook for everything. $75 in weed/bug stuff today... next week it will be something else, and the week after. I've spent multi-thousands on this thing outside of mortgage that I will never recoup... also time and it pisses me off. My sweat equity will never be recaptured, really. I am only 36 once, and I spent a good three months last year remodeling a bathroom (due to mold) and missed a ton of good run days, time with family. BUT I saved a bunch of money doing it myself!!!! Don't care, laying tile sucks ass. never again. I can't wait until home ownership becomes a relic of the past.

nitrogen 10y ago
I can't wait until home ownership becomes a relic of the past. We need some way of replacing the customization that is possible when you own. Rentals tend to be fairly generic.
- Robin_Message 10y ago
  In Germany, rentals tend to be for much longer terms and allow much customization - so much so, my brother had to negotiate hard to get a kitchen left in his house when he lived there for a few years, as the previous tenants wanted to take it with them!
  - XorNot 10y ago
    Can confirm - German rentals are crazy weird (and awesome). You will have no light fixtures - just the terminal blocks when you move in.
icebraining 10y ago
Housing is a lousy investment from a purely numbers point of view. I became an owner very reluctantly and it has cost me dearly. Taxes have gone up 15% every year. While they house ages it breaks and I am on the hook for everything. $75 in weed/bug stuff today... next week it will be something else, and the week after. I've spent multi-thousands on this thing outside of mortgage that I will never recoup... also time and it pisses me off. Whatever makes you think you don't pay for those things when you rent? Sure, rent can be cheap if the landlord considers it "free money" while waiting for the property to increase in value, but if home ownership becomes a relic of the past, you can be damn sure rents will be more than enough to cover taxes, bug sprays and every other expense, plus some margin.

nitrogen 10y ago

I can't wait until home ownership becomes a relic of the past. We need some way of replacing the customization that is possible when you own. Rentals tend to be fairly generic.

Robin_Message 10y ago
In Germany, rentals tend to be for much longer terms and allow much customization - so much so, my brother had to negotiate hard to get a kitchen left in his house when he lived there for a few years, as the previous tenants wanted to take it with them!
- XorNot 10y ago
  Can confirm - German rentals are crazy weird (and awesome). You will have no light fixtures - just the terminal blocks when you move in.

icebraining 10y ago

Housing is a lousy investment from a purely numbers point of view. I became an owner very reluctantly and it has cost me dearly. Taxes have gone up 15% every year. While they house ages it breaks and I am on the hook for everything. $75 in weed/bug stuff today... next week it will be something else, and the week after. I've spent multi-thousands on this thing outside of mortgage that I will never recoup... also time and it pisses me off. Whatever makes you think you don't pay for those things when you rent? Sure, rent can be cheap if the landlord considers it "free money" while waiting for the property to increase in value, but if home ownership becomes a relic of the past, you can be damn sure rents will be more than enough to cover taxes, bug sprays and every other expense, plus some margin.