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OK, but Philly != NY. I went to school in Philly and am fond of some parts of that city, but not enough to move back there.

Then again, as I recall paying $280/mo rent for a ginormous studio at 45th/Osage in 2001, the thought can be tempting!! I’d probably buy one of the big old houses west of Zoo of Penn, but not too far west.

By new town house, do you mean quality, or junque with particle board roof trusses thrown up during the bubble?

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Have to say that bathrooms and kitchens are cheap to do if you DIY. New cabinets, appliances, and terlit cost a few grand to ten grand if you’re really extravagant.

My apartment faces the street and a big courtyard, not an air shaft, so not much chance of a neighbor stinking it up.

Agreed that the typical tenement with 4 apts on a 25′ x 100′ lot per floor sucks to live in, since only one side of each apt gets good light.

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What comforts do you need other than a comfy place to sleep, a functional living room, a decent amount of sunlight, and a working kitchen and bathroom? Guess I have low standards — location trumps amenities every time.

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I rather like my apartment in a beautiful 1910s building. Infinitely prefer it to 1970s-2000s boxes of ticky-tacky.

Modern window A/Cs aren’t all that loud.

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contingent doesn’t mean it will go through — seems like (from what people here have said), people throw out multiple offers and see what sticks.

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NY is also a crap hole if you don’t have money. For one thing, I would never want to spend the sweltering summer in NY in a small apartment with no AC or only a window AC unit, not with global warming.

This gets better and better…

Your little rule would rule out probably 90% of apartments, including some very nice ones. Built-in/central A/C is rare, unless you’re in a building built after the 60s. The built-ins have the added disadvantage of being more expensive to replace, or being dependent on a building-wide chiller that throws a tantrum at inconvenient times.

Properly installed window A/C units will work just fine — mine drop the temp/humidity to comfortable levels even when it’s 95*F outside.

As far as women, nothing wrong with the late-30s to 40s professional types that sdrealtor mentioned. In fact they’re generally more fun to be with and talk to than 20-somethings, whose attraction often ends when they open their mouths.

Also, without economic growth and gentrification, thanks in great part to the finance industry, NYC would not be where it is today.

Don’t confuse real growth with inflation, or bubble-building with legitimate banking and lending. (here-we-go-again)

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Don’t get me wrong, I love NY. When I read the NY Times, I want to at least go see what they are talking about.

Wait, so you’ve never been, yet you claim to know what NY is all about by reading the Times?

And just because you’re not “supposed” to care about money in San Diego doesn’t mean that people don’t. Or rather, they care about the *appearance* of money without managing it well.

Spain/Greece/Ireland aren’t really comparable to the US. Different cultures, different economies, different starting points. And there’s no reason why something in between can’t be achieved — though I’ll always go with something that favors the ants over the grasshoppers.

As I said, the governor of my home state of NJ isn’t right about a lot. But he’s right about not spending a dime of state funds to buy out foreclosures. Market those f**kers, full speed ahead, let the chips fall where they may.

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Sorry if the credulous Kool-Aid(tm) drinker in you can’t see the logic. 😀 You also have to realize that most of the people who bought during the Bubble aren’t owners at all. They’re renters who are renting from the bank, or maybe paid a few % key money. They had no equity, so nothing to destroy by letting prices go pre-Bubble or a bit below. This would allow the younger generation to buy at a reasonable price, and have home ownership being a saving, not a form of slavery.

BTW – I don’t see “libertarian” as an insult. I’m very libertarian on some issues, almost socialist on others. (read health care) The closest you can describe me is “anti-authoritarian”, whether that authority comes from government, banksters, employers, or corporations.

BTW, If you do cheap things in NYC then you are not living the NY lifestyle.

So, for example, plenty of small/indy bands aren’t worth seeing unless they charge at least $50 per concert? News to me.

I like the SoCal lifestyle. Note that I’m looking to pick up investment property in SD. Perfect mix of decent cap rate on some condos + a good chance that prices will at least stay stable.

But it would get old after a month or so, and I’d be back in NYC. Or a certain Eastern European city that’s also dear to me.

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First, there are plenty of free/cheap things to do in NYC and just outside. You tend to find out about them if you live here for a while.

Second, are you really arguing that high prices in necessities (i.e. housing) are a good thing? I’d argue that genuine innovation and effort should be rewarded. 10% annual gain just for sitting on a house? Not so much. The bubble was an anomaly, and people who are asking to re-inflate the bubble don’t know what they’re asking for. Yeah, I’m looking to invest, but I’m looking for steady income properties, not flips. Flipping takes effort. Leasing provides a steady, predictable income to supplement the highs and lows of running a small business.

Lastly, define “real GDP” please. You’re assuming that the inflation numbers coming out of DC aren’t cooked. My point is that we have the worst of both worlds now. Remember the term “stagflation” in the 70s?

Speaking of cooking …

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briansd1 —

Already did – bought an apartment in 2009 🙂 Though buying isn’t necessarily the best thing in NY since rental cap tends to be 3-6% — i.e. you may be better off buying a rental in NJ and using it to pay your rent in NY. There’s no stigma in renting nor a huge push to become a homeowner.

NY is money-concerned, but in a very different way than San Diego. And at this point, I’m only interested in one person, so meeting someone isn’t an issue.

My point is that inflation doesn’t make a robust economy. It makes for slavery plain and simple. What’s been created over the past ~3 years is a false “rally” due to inflation, not a real recovery.

You’re correct. Not participating 100% is a choice, and one I have. I DON’T think it’s a choice for the majority of Americans, unfortunately. It’s either “get a job” and accept the 2 wks of vacation on bended knees, or not have an income.

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And I disagree. We’re up to a pre-crisis GDP only if you don’t adjust for inflation. What we’ve had is INFLATION in other things, combined with low housing prices.

In other words, a lot of Americans lost their shirts due to housing crashing. Now to add insult to injury, they’re paying 25% more for food, about the same for gas, more for energy, than before the crash.

Keep them on the treadmill, make sure they can’t save anything but are pressured by society into owning the latest and greatest.

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My question would be as follows. Let’s say you want to move an outlet three feet, or install a dishwasher. Both technically require a permit. If you tried to apply for a permit if you were DIY’ing the job, would the city inspector think you were nucking futs?

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Are you sure anybody wants to marry you if you drive a 30yo car?

In a place where only about 50% of people own a car, nobody asks what I drive.

As far as buying second best, that’s personally fine with me. There should be more to a country than the “best products.” Adequate leisure time. Time with family. Time to enjoy life. People are more than consumer-droids, required to buy the “first best.”

Slow down, jump off the rat wagon, and spook the horse so the wagon crashes into a ditch and kills the (slave)driver.

Full employment shouldn’t be a goal. ENOUGH employment so that anyone who genuinely wants to work can, should be that goal. Fortunately, as labor force participation declines, we’re actually headed that way. And lastly, the economy worked fine when there were a lot of families with one working parent.

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Unless you’re talking about contractors making $100/hr with any benefits. But even then, that’s still hard to believe.

I said $50-100/hr, and yes, I could see a contractor making near $100/hr. At $150-200k/yr, benefits become sort of irrelevant, especially considering that mortgage and self employed health insurance are tax deductible.

Lastly, how do you know HOW he bought the house? He may have had money from other sources.

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Electronic technician? Depending on what exactly he’s troubleshooting, he could be making $50-100/hr. Perhaps more than an engineer — skilled tradesmen aren’t easy to come by.

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