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bearishgurl
ParticipantOh, and I forgot to add, during that “active duty” period, interest rates on all of our mortgages were 7% – 10 1/2%. 5 – 6% mortgages were unheard of.
ParticipantOh, and I forgot to add, during that “active duty” period, interest rates on all of our mortgages were 7% – 10 1/2%. 5 – 6% mortgages were unheard of.
Participant[quote=SD Realtor]I see it different. I have a few friends who have served and been called up. One of the tenants in a rental I have has served as well. I saw first hand the stress that the entire family had to endure during his deployments.[/quote]
[quote=CA renter]Yep. Just today, I was with someone whose husband deployed last week for seven months in Iraq. The family is a mess. I have no idea how they do it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking . . .[/quote]
SDR and CA renter, I was a military spouse myself for 26 years, 15 of those years the spouse of an active duty member. In that time, my ex was deployed 28 times (some short deployments). We owned all our properties and I managed the rentals myself, all in SD. In addition, I worked FT the entire duration of the marriage (there was no FML act until 1993 – if I didn’t return to work after 6-10 wk. maternity leave, I would have lost my job). Neither of us had/have any family in SD. Just prior to retirement (15 yrs ago) we were recieving $688 per month from the military in BAQ and FHA combined. NOW, the same-ranked member recieves OVER $2000 MONTH for housing allowance in SD. There are many more programs with spouses and mil. families now than there used to be and the Comm/Exchanges carry so many more products and are much more modern (for ex. the food and pharmacy checkouts used to be outside). Tricare can now be used with most doctors, unlike the old Champus, where you had to apply for a “Statement of Non-Availability,” from Naval Hospital before you could see a civilian physician. The housing units in SD (never lived in any of them) used to be substandard, some with concrete floors and walls. A “spouse” and “family” did not come in the member’s seabag back then, so they were just “extra baggage” for the member/Navy to have to “deal with.”
SDR and CA renter, if your military friends are in distress, IMO it is because they are NOT CONTACTING THEIR OMBUDSWOMAN/MAN FOR ASSISTANCE. It is also likely that they are NOT managing their money correctly and the MEMBER is the ONLY one bringing income into the family. There is no reason with that large of a housing allowance (or a free unit and utils in lieu) that they should be in financial distress. Remember, they get free or very low cost medical benefits also.
Spouses of military personnel KNEW what they were getting into when they married an already enlisted member, so IMHO, “whining” is counter-productive. If they are fed up with being an active-duty spouse, then tell them to get a divorce and give up the I.D. and all the benes that go along with that. Sorry if I don’t seem too sympathetic here.
Participant[quote=SD Realtor]I see it different. I have a few friends who have served and been called up. One of the tenants in a rental I have has served as well. I saw first hand the stress that the entire family had to endure during his deployments.[/quote]
[quote=CA renter]Yep. Just today, I was with someone whose husband deployed last week for seven months in Iraq. The family is a mess. I have no idea how they do it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking . . .[/quote]
SDR and CA renter, I was a military spouse myself for 26 years, 15 of those years the spouse of an active duty member. In that time, my ex was deployed 28 times (some short deployments). We owned all our properties and I managed the rentals myself, all in SD. In addition, I worked FT the entire duration of the marriage (there was no FML act until 1993 – if I didn’t return to work after 6-10 wk. maternity leave, I would have lost my job). Neither of us had/have any family in SD. Just prior to retirement (15 yrs ago) we were recieving $688 per month from the military in BAQ and FHA combined. NOW, the same-ranked member recieves OVER $2000 MONTH for housing allowance in SD. There are many more programs with spouses and mil. families now than there used to be and the Comm/Exchanges carry so many more products and are much more modern (for ex. the food and pharmacy checkouts used to be outside). Tricare can now be used with most doctors, unlike the old Champus, where you had to apply for a “Statement of Non-Availability,” from Naval Hospital before you could see a civilian physician. The housing units in SD (never lived in any of them) used to be substandard, some with concrete floors and walls. A “spouse” and “family” did not come in the member’s seabag back then, so they were just “extra baggage” for the member/Navy to have to “deal with.”
SDR and CA renter, if your military friends are in distress, IMO it is because they are NOT CONTACTING THEIR OMBUDSWOMAN/MAN FOR ASSISTANCE. It is also likely that they are NOT managing their money correctly and the MEMBER is the ONLY one bringing income into the family. There is no reason with that large of a housing allowance (or a free unit and utils in lieu) that they should be in financial distress. Remember, they get free or very low cost medical benefits also.
Spouses of military personnel KNEW what they were getting into when they married an already enlisted member, so IMHO, “whining” is counter-productive. If they are fed up with being an active-duty spouse, then tell them to get a divorce and give up the I.D. and all the benes that go along with that. Sorry if I don’t seem too sympathetic here.
Participant[quote=SD Realtor]I see it different. I have a few friends who have served and been called up. One of the tenants in a rental I have has served as well. I saw first hand the stress that the entire family had to endure during his deployments.[/quote]
[quote=CA renter]Yep. Just today, I was with someone whose husband deployed last week for seven months in Iraq. The family is a mess. I have no idea how they do it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking . . .[/quote]
SDR and CA renter, I was a military spouse myself for 26 years, 15 of those years the spouse of an active duty member. In that time, my ex was deployed 28 times (some short deployments). We owned all our properties and I managed the rentals myself, all in SD. In addition, I worked FT the entire duration of the marriage (there was no FML act until 1993 – if I didn’t return to work after 6-10 wk. maternity leave, I would have lost my job). Neither of us had/have any family in SD. Just prior to retirement (15 yrs ago) we were recieving $688 per month from the military in BAQ and FHA combined. NOW, the same-ranked member recieves OVER $2000 MONTH for housing allowance in SD. There are many more programs with spouses and mil. families now than there used to be and the Comm/Exchanges carry so many more products and are much more modern (for ex. the food and pharmacy checkouts used to be outside). Tricare can now be used with most doctors, unlike the old Champus, where you had to apply for a “Statement of Non-Availability,” from Naval Hospital before you could see a civilian physician. The housing units in SD (never lived in any of them) used to be substandard, some with concrete floors and walls. A “spouse” and “family” did not come in the member’s seabag back then, so they were just “extra baggage” for the member/Navy to have to “deal with.”
SDR and CA renter, if your military friends are in distress, IMO it is because they are NOT CONTACTING THEIR OMBUDSWOMAN/MAN FOR ASSISTANCE. It is also likely that they are NOT managing their money correctly and the MEMBER is the ONLY one bringing income into the family. There is no reason with that large of a housing allowance (or a free unit and utils in lieu) that they should be in financial distress. Remember, they get free or very low cost medical benefits also.
Spouses of military personnel KNEW what they were getting into when they married an already enlisted member, so IMHO, “whining” is counter-productive. If they are fed up with being an active-duty spouse, then tell them to get a divorce and give up the I.D. and all the benes that go along with that. Sorry if I don’t seem too sympathetic here.
Participant[quote=SD Realtor]I see it different. I have a few friends who have served and been called up. One of the tenants in a rental I have has served as well. I saw first hand the stress that the entire family had to endure during his deployments.[/quote]
[quote=CA renter]Yep. Just today, I was with someone whose husband deployed last week for seven months in Iraq. The family is a mess. I have no idea how they do it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking . . .[/quote]
SDR and CA renter, I was a military spouse myself for 26 years, 15 of those years the spouse of an active duty member. In that time, my ex was deployed 28 times (some short deployments). We owned all our properties and I managed the rentals myself, all in SD. In addition, I worked FT the entire duration of the marriage (there was no FML act until 1993 – if I didn’t return to work after 6-10 wk. maternity leave, I would have lost my job). Neither of us had/have any family in SD. Just prior to retirement (15 yrs ago) we were recieving $688 per month from the military in BAQ and FHA combined. NOW, the same-ranked member recieves OVER $2000 MONTH for housing allowance in SD. There are many more programs with spouses and mil. families now than there used to be and the Comm/Exchanges carry so many more products and are much more modern (for ex. the food and pharmacy checkouts used to be outside). Tricare can now be used with most doctors, unlike the old Champus, where you had to apply for a “Statement of Non-Availability,” from Naval Hospital before you could see a civilian physician. The housing units in SD (never lived in any of them) used to be substandard, some with concrete floors and walls. A “spouse” and “family” did not come in the member’s seabag back then, so they were just “extra baggage” for the member/Navy to have to “deal with.”
SDR and CA renter, if your military friends are in distress, IMO it is because they are NOT CONTACTING THEIR OMBUDSWOMAN/MAN FOR ASSISTANCE. It is also likely that they are NOT managing their money correctly and the MEMBER is the ONLY one bringing income into the family. There is no reason with that large of a housing allowance (or a free unit and utils in lieu) that they should be in financial distress. Remember, they get free or very low cost medical benefits also.
Spouses of military personnel KNEW what they were getting into when they married an already enlisted member, so IMHO, “whining” is counter-productive. If they are fed up with being an active-duty spouse, then tell them to get a divorce and give up the I.D. and all the benes that go along with that. Sorry if I don’t seem too sympathetic here.
Participant[quote=SD Realtor]I see it different. I have a few friends who have served and been called up. One of the tenants in a rental I have has served as well. I saw first hand the stress that the entire family had to endure during his deployments.[/quote]
[quote=CA renter]Yep. Just today, I was with someone whose husband deployed last week for seven months in Iraq. The family is a mess. I have no idea how they do it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking . . .[/quote]
SDR and CA renter, I was a military spouse myself for 26 years, 15 of those years the spouse of an active duty member. In that time, my ex was deployed 28 times (some short deployments). We owned all our properties and I managed the rentals myself, all in SD. In addition, I worked FT the entire duration of the marriage (there was no FML act until 1993 – if I didn’t return to work after 6-10 wk. maternity leave, I would have lost my job). Neither of us had/have any family in SD. Just prior to retirement (15 yrs ago) we were recieving $688 per month from the military in BAQ and FHA combined. NOW, the same-ranked member recieves OVER $2000 MONTH for housing allowance in SD. There are many more programs with spouses and mil. families now than there used to be and the Comm/Exchanges carry so many more products and are much more modern (for ex. the food and pharmacy checkouts used to be outside). Tricare can now be used with most doctors, unlike the old Champus, where you had to apply for a “Statement of Non-Availability,” from Naval Hospital before you could see a civilian physician. The housing units in SD (never lived in any of them) used to be substandard, some with concrete floors and walls. A “spouse” and “family” did not come in the member’s seabag back then, so they were just “extra baggage” for the member/Navy to have to “deal with.”
SDR and CA renter, if your military friends are in distress, IMO it is because they are NOT CONTACTING THEIR OMBUDSWOMAN/MAN FOR ASSISTANCE. It is also likely that they are NOT managing their money correctly and the MEMBER is the ONLY one bringing income into the family. There is no reason with that large of a housing allowance (or a free unit and utils in lieu) that they should be in financial distress. Remember, they get free or very low cost medical benefits also.
Spouses of military personnel KNEW what they were getting into when they married an already enlisted member, so IMHO, “whining” is counter-productive. If they are fed up with being an active-duty spouse, then tell them to get a divorce and give up the I.D. and all the benes that go along with that. Sorry if I don’t seem too sympathetic here.
Participant[quote=pabloesqobar]bearishgurl, just to avoid any confusion later: sdr (small letters) appears to be the realtor you are currently referring to.
SDR (capital letters) is SD Realtor. Someone who always freely gives out opinions/facts and never once has solicited a client on this board, never asks them to private message him and never brags about success or lack thereof.
2 completely different posters, both of whom have credibility on this board, but have glaringly differing approaches.[/quote]
Thank you for the clarification, pabloesquobar. I reread this thread and now see that SDR and sdr are two different posters. I intended to reply to to “sdr’s” post.
Participant[quote=pabloesqobar]bearishgurl, just to avoid any confusion later: sdr (small letters) appears to be the realtor you are currently referring to.
SDR (capital letters) is SD Realtor. Someone who always freely gives out opinions/facts and never once has solicited a client on this board, never asks them to private message him and never brags about success or lack thereof.
2 completely different posters, both of whom have credibility on this board, but have glaringly differing approaches.[/quote]
Thank you for the clarification, pabloesquobar. I reread this thread and now see that SDR and sdr are two different posters. I intended to reply to to “sdr’s” post.
Participant[quote=pabloesqobar]bearishgurl, just to avoid any confusion later: sdr (small letters) appears to be the realtor you are currently referring to.
SDR (capital letters) is SD Realtor. Someone who always freely gives out opinions/facts and never once has solicited a client on this board, never asks them to private message him and never brags about success or lack thereof.
2 completely different posters, both of whom have credibility on this board, but have glaringly differing approaches.[/quote]
Thank you for the clarification, pabloesquobar. I reread this thread and now see that SDR and sdr are two different posters. I intended to reply to to “sdr’s” post.
Participant[quote=pabloesqobar]bearishgurl, just to avoid any confusion later: sdr (small letters) appears to be the realtor you are currently referring to.
SDR (capital letters) is SD Realtor. Someone who always freely gives out opinions/facts and never once has solicited a client on this board, never asks them to private message him and never brags about success or lack thereof.
2 completely different posters, both of whom have credibility on this board, but have glaringly differing approaches.[/quote]
Thank you for the clarification, pabloesquobar. I reread this thread and now see that SDR and sdr are two different posters. I intended to reply to to “sdr’s” post.
Participant[quote=pabloesqobar]bearishgurl, just to avoid any confusion later: sdr (small letters) appears to be the realtor you are currently referring to.
SDR (capital letters) is SD Realtor. Someone who always freely gives out opinions/facts and never once has solicited a client on this board, never asks them to private message him and never brags about success or lack thereof.
2 completely different posters, both of whom have credibility on this board, but have glaringly differing approaches.[/quote]
Thank you for the clarification, pabloesquobar. I reread this thread and now see that SDR and sdr are two different posters. I intended to reply to to “sdr’s” post.
Participant[quote=pjwal]Our house was built in 1978 (1-story, ~1400 sq/ft) and after fixing the fence last month, we’re starting to think about the advantages of the newly built homes (master bathrooms, closet, laundry room upstairs, etc).[/quote]
pj, IMO these are “superficial” reasons to go deeply into debt for a property with HOA, MR, street bonds and the like. Do you realize you can do a “minor remodel” on your house to get some of the items you mention above. Believe me when I tell you that I have been a posthole-digging partner myself and have replaced many fences. You will have to repair fences/gates on ANY property (incl. new constr.) every few years, due to termite infestation, unless you have block walls and wrought iron.
Why is it preferable to have a laundry room upstairs, or even inside the house at all? If a laundry hose snaps off, it’s prone to flood your entire home almost instantaneously before you may discover it.
You are in Carlsbad, no? This is a very good place to raise a family. Maybe when the market stabilizes you could build a room addition into your (larger) backyard.
PJ, I have owned nine homes in SD County, plus 3 out of state, from 930 sf (1 car gar) to 2220 sf (3 car gar) I’ve had a “wet bar” that no one ever used but my cat and a 37′ long living room and 24′ long MBR, both of which our voices echoed in. And yes, I’ve had both a laundry hose (on a one-story home) and a toilet valve break off and flood my house, both huge cleanup jobs.
I don’t know anything about the two developments you’re asking about here, but sometimes an “oasis” that looks appealing in a builder’s model with model-home furniture and plants is a cavern (or airplane hangar) when John Q. Citizen moves into it. Do you realize that heat and air conditioning bills are much higher with the 13-20′ ceilings of new construction?
[quote=sdrealtor]Having grandparents that are able to pitch in and watch the kids every once in a while is also a HUGE benefit you should not overlook . . .
You cant control your immediate neighbors and are just as likely to land a couple of whacko’s where ever you land. The extended area around your home is far more important and more under your control.
. . . Also bare in mind that selling your current home, buying a new one and moving will likely cost you about $50,000 after all is said and done. Thats alot of money…..[/quote]
Well spoken, SDR. It is clear you’re not on this Board just to troll for business, exp. since PJ’s apparently located in “your back yard.” I agree that if PJ does not have children yet that getting into (unnecessary) massive debt before starting a family is a recipe for future hardship.
Granted, young people today seem to need more square footage to raise a family than earlier generations needed. At the time I last had my RE license hung, there was a lot of new neighborhoods being built in the area which were such a draw to young people, even the ones at my “day job.” The older inventory was such a “hard sell” because of the “draw” of some of the the things PJ is mentioning here. Now, street after street of “Otay Ranch” is clogged with bank-owned, weedy, pool-drained eyesores on 3,000 – 4,000 sf lots. The driveways are so short that full-size pickups hang out over the sidewalk and into the curb. These were mostly purchased (and lost) by young families who no agent could ever interest at the time in touring the inside of a nearby 1950’s home on a 12,000 sf lot with no MR, HOA or street bonds.
It’s true what SDR said, you can’t control who your neighbors are – anywhere you move to. I agree about the in-laws living nearby being an asset. That is the sole reason in recent years for several young families moving into my older ‘hood with lots of WW-II boxes on 6,000 to 24,000 sf lots. (Hey, many carpenters/concrete contractors/roofers are low on work or out of work right now.) These “kids” want to be a few houses down or a couple of blocks from parents, for babysitting or after-school supervision purposes.
Late last summer, CVHS, which is about one mile away from me, had their Class of ’69 40-year reunion. A couple of my neighbors went and said the vast majority of attendees were all still “homies.” Apparently, many of them “walked” to the reunion. PJ, the kind of ‘hood you want to raise your family in is a *stable* one, where your neighbors will loan you tools occasionally and help you hang a door, fix your lawnmower or call the police if you need it. Older ‘hood’s have holiday block parties, too. Why don’t you begin by organizing one in your ‘hood for the 4th of July!
Participant[quote=pjwal]Our house was built in 1978 (1-story, ~1400 sq/ft) and after fixing the fence last month, we’re starting to think about the advantages of the newly built homes (master bathrooms, closet, laundry room upstairs, etc).[/quote]
pj, IMO these are “superficial” reasons to go deeply into debt for a property with HOA, MR, street bonds and the like. Do you realize you can do a “minor remodel” on your house to get some of the items you mention above. Believe me when I tell you that I have been a posthole-digging partner myself and have replaced many fences. You will have to repair fences/gates on ANY property (incl. new constr.) every few years, due to termite infestation, unless you have block walls and wrought iron.
Why is it preferable to have a laundry room upstairs, or even inside the house at all? If a laundry hose snaps off, it’s prone to flood your entire home almost instantaneously before you may discover it.
You are in Carlsbad, no? This is a very good place to raise a family. Maybe when the market stabilizes you could build a room addition into your (larger) backyard.
PJ, I have owned nine homes in SD County, plus 3 out of state, from 930 sf (1 car gar) to 2220 sf (3 car gar) I’ve had a “wet bar” that no one ever used but my cat and a 37′ long living room and 24′ long MBR, both of which our voices echoed in. And yes, I’ve had both a laundry hose (on a one-story home) and a toilet valve break off and flood my house, both huge cleanup jobs.
I don’t know anything about the two developments you’re asking about here, but sometimes an “oasis” that looks appealing in a builder’s model with model-home furniture and plants is a cavern (or airplane hangar) when John Q. Citizen moves into it. Do you realize that heat and air conditioning bills are much higher with the 13-20′ ceilings of new construction?
[quote=sdrealtor]Having grandparents that are able to pitch in and watch the kids every once in a while is also a HUGE benefit you should not overlook . . .
You cant control your immediate neighbors and are just as likely to land a couple of whacko’s where ever you land. The extended area around your home is far more important and more under your control.
. . . Also bare in mind that selling your current home, buying a new one and moving will likely cost you about $50,000 after all is said and done. Thats alot of money…..[/quote]
Well spoken, SDR. It is clear you’re not on this Board just to troll for business, exp. since PJ’s apparently located in “your back yard.” I agree that if PJ does not have children yet that getting into (unnecessary) massive debt before starting a family is a recipe for future hardship.
Granted, young people today seem to need more square footage to raise a family than earlier generations needed. At the time I last had my RE license hung, there was a lot of new neighborhoods being built in the area which were such a draw to young people, even the ones at my “day job.” The older inventory was such a “hard sell” because of the “draw” of some of the the things PJ is mentioning here. Now, street after street of “Otay Ranch” is clogged with bank-owned, weedy, pool-drained eyesores on 3,000 – 4,000 sf lots. The driveways are so short that full-size pickups hang out over the sidewalk and into the curb. These were mostly purchased (and lost) by young families who no agent could ever interest at the time in touring the inside of a nearby 1950’s home on a 12,000 sf lot with no MR, HOA or street bonds.
It’s true what SDR said, you can’t control who your neighbors are – anywhere you move to. I agree about the in-laws living nearby being an asset. That is the sole reason in recent years for several young families moving into my older ‘hood with lots of WW-II boxes on 6,000 to 24,000 sf lots. (Hey, many carpenters/concrete contractors/roofers are low on work or out of work right now.) These “kids” want to be a few houses down or a couple of blocks from parents, for babysitting or after-school supervision purposes.
Late last summer, CVHS, which is about one mile away from me, had their Class of ’69 40-year reunion. A couple of my neighbors went and said the vast majority of attendees were all still “homies.” Apparently, many of them “walked” to the reunion. PJ, the kind of ‘hood you want to raise your family in is a *stable* one, where your neighbors will loan you tools occasionally and help you hang a door, fix your lawnmower or call the police if you need it. Older ‘hood’s have holiday block parties, too. Why don’t you begin by organizing one in your ‘hood for the 4th of July!
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