[zzz]

AN, I’m amazed people are picking apart your comments. You do have patience to answer all these what ifs. Your comments all seem very logical and reasonable to me. FLU summed it up best. Its called adapting to current market conditions, and seizing opportunities should they arise. Not posing what ifs on how you might “feel” based on someone’s theoretical scenario because we could play the what if game all day long and it will never end. And don’t listen to the haters, as many people have said, buying a house your family lives in isn’t just about the numbers and you really don’t need to justify it to anyone.

[zzz]

AN, I’m amazed people are picking apart your comments. You do have patience to answer all these what ifs. Your comments all seem very logical and reasonable to me. FLU summed it up best. Its called adapting to current market conditions, and seizing opportunities should they arise. Not posing what ifs on how you might “feel” based on someone’s theoretical scenario because we could play the what if game all day long and it will never end. And don’t listen to the haters, as many people have said, buying a house your family lives in isn’t just about the numbers and you really don’t need to justify it to anyone.

[zzz]

creechrr, I shoot with a Nikon dSLR and love the pictures I take. I don’t think you can go wrong with either a Canon or Nikon.

Here is Ken Rockwell’s take on it.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/nikon-vs-canon.htm

flu, I’m with you on deviating from my miserly ways of ubber saving and have been spending a lot lately. One, I had to buy some new things due to age anyhow, but also because there are so many smoking deals on everything from appliances to furniture to travel.

I think the difference though is we’ve probably been delaying gratification and the friends I mention are constant and insatiable consumers and have to do so with debt.

[zzz]

creechrr, I shoot with a Nikon dSLR and love the pictures I take. I don’t think you can go wrong with either a Canon or Nikon.

Here is Ken Rockwell’s take on it.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/nikon-vs-canon.htm

flu, I’m with you on deviating from my miserly ways of ubber saving and have been spending a lot lately. One, I had to buy some new things due to age anyhow, but also because there are so many smoking deals on everything from appliances to furniture to travel.

I think the difference though is we’ve probably been delaying gratification and the friends I mention are constant and insatiable consumers and have to do so with debt.

[zzz]

creechrr, I shoot with a Nikon dSLR and love the pictures I take. I don’t think you can go wrong with either a Canon or Nikon.

Here is Ken Rockwell’s take on it.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/nikon-vs-canon.htm

flu, I’m with you on deviating from my miserly ways of ubber saving and have been spending a lot lately. One, I had to buy some new things due to age anyhow, but also because there are so many smoking deals on everything from appliances to furniture to travel.

I think the difference though is we’ve probably been delaying gratification and the friends I mention are constant and insatiable consumers and have to do so with debt.

[zzz]

creechrr, I shoot with a Nikon dSLR and love the pictures I take. I don’t think you can go wrong with either a Canon or Nikon.

Here is Ken Rockwell’s take on it.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/nikon-vs-canon.htm

flu, I’m with you on deviating from my miserly ways of ubber saving and have been spending a lot lately. One, I had to buy some new things due to age anyhow, but also because there are so many smoking deals on everything from appliances to furniture to travel.

I think the difference though is we’ve probably been delaying gratification and the friends I mention are constant and insatiable consumers and have to do so with debt.

[zzz]

creechrr, I shoot with a Nikon dSLR and love the pictures I take. I don’t think you can go wrong with either a Canon or Nikon.

Here is Ken Rockwell’s take on it.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/nikon-vs-canon.htm

flu, I’m with you on deviating from my miserly ways of ubber saving and have been spending a lot lately. One, I had to buy some new things due to age anyhow, but also because there are so many smoking deals on everything from appliances to furniture to travel.

I think the difference though is we’ve probably been delaying gratification and the friends I mention are constant and insatiable consumers and have to do so with debt.

[zzz]

On the affordability topic, do many of you still see people spending and living like its 2004?

I’m still shocked by how many people I know who think putting as little down as possible and buying a house where their total monthly payments make them house poor is still ok. Taking on “more” credit card debt to furnish their homes, eat out, take vacations, etc. On top of which, people think having 3-6 months of savings is good enough. If you’re buying a 750k house for instance, its not like you can just get a job temping and cover your mortgage so I’m a bit surprised at how optimistic people feel that if they lose their job, they can just get another one.

I’ve had people look at me like I’m insane when I tell them a 1 year savings cushion is what I believe everyone should have.

Also way too many people telling me what a great time it is to buy a house. I’ve been looking in Mission Hills, Hillcrest, University Heights and North Park ( areas hugging the park), and these homes are listed for quite a bit above what was paid for them in 2003-2005. I ask them what homes they are seeing in these neighborhoods that are such a steal and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

What is everyone else seeing out there? I’m afraid I don’t see major behavior modification amongst my social circle and frankly am shocked.

Its this mentality that I still think fuels the knife catching.

[zzz]

On the affordability topic, do many of you still see people spending and living like its 2004?

I’m still shocked by how many people I know who think putting as little down as possible and buying a house where their total monthly payments make them house poor is still ok. Taking on “more” credit card debt to furnish their homes, eat out, take vacations, etc. On top of which, people think having 3-6 months of savings is good enough. If you’re buying a 750k house for instance, its not like you can just get a job temping and cover your mortgage so I’m a bit surprised at how optimistic people feel that if they lose their job, they can just get another one.

I’ve had people look at me like I’m insane when I tell them a 1 year savings cushion is what I believe everyone should have.

Also way too many people telling me what a great time it is to buy a house. I’ve been looking in Mission Hills, Hillcrest, University Heights and North Park ( areas hugging the park), and these homes are listed for quite a bit above what was paid for them in 2003-2005. I ask them what homes they are seeing in these neighborhoods that are such a steal and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

What is everyone else seeing out there? I’m afraid I don’t see major behavior modification amongst my social circle and frankly am shocked.

Its this mentality that I still think fuels the knife catching.

[zzz]

On the affordability topic, do many of you still see people spending and living like its 2004?

I’m still shocked by how many people I know who think putting as little down as possible and buying a house where their total monthly payments make them house poor is still ok. Taking on “more” credit card debt to furnish their homes, eat out, take vacations, etc. On top of which, people think having 3-6 months of savings is good enough. If you’re buying a 750k house for instance, its not like you can just get a job temping and cover your mortgage so I’m a bit surprised at how optimistic people feel that if they lose their job, they can just get another one.

I’ve had people look at me like I’m insane when I tell them a 1 year savings cushion is what I believe everyone should have.

Also way too many people telling me what a great time it is to buy a house. I’ve been looking in Mission Hills, Hillcrest, University Heights and North Park ( areas hugging the park), and these homes are listed for quite a bit above what was paid for them in 2003-2005. I ask them what homes they are seeing in these neighborhoods that are such a steal and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

What is everyone else seeing out there? I’m afraid I don’t see major behavior modification amongst my social circle and frankly am shocked.

Its this mentality that I still think fuels the knife catching.

[zzz]

On the affordability topic, do many of you still see people spending and living like its 2004?

I’m still shocked by how many people I know who think putting as little down as possible and buying a house where their total monthly payments make them house poor is still ok. Taking on “more” credit card debt to furnish their homes, eat out, take vacations, etc. On top of which, people think having 3-6 months of savings is good enough. If you’re buying a 750k house for instance, its not like you can just get a job temping and cover your mortgage so I’m a bit surprised at how optimistic people feel that if they lose their job, they can just get another one.

I’ve had people look at me like I’m insane when I tell them a 1 year savings cushion is what I believe everyone should have.

Also way too many people telling me what a great time it is to buy a house. I’ve been looking in Mission Hills, Hillcrest, University Heights and North Park ( areas hugging the park), and these homes are listed for quite a bit above what was paid for them in 2003-2005. I ask them what homes they are seeing in these neighborhoods that are such a steal and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

What is everyone else seeing out there? I’m afraid I don’t see major behavior modification amongst my social circle and frankly am shocked.

Its this mentality that I still think fuels the knife catching.

[zzz]

On the affordability topic, do many of you still see people spending and living like its 2004?

I’m still shocked by how many people I know who think putting as little down as possible and buying a house where their total monthly payments make them house poor is still ok. Taking on “more” credit card debt to furnish their homes, eat out, take vacations, etc. On top of which, people think having 3-6 months of savings is good enough. If you’re buying a 750k house for instance, its not like you can just get a job temping and cover your mortgage so I’m a bit surprised at how optimistic people feel that if they lose their job, they can just get another one.

I’ve had people look at me like I’m insane when I tell them a 1 year savings cushion is what I believe everyone should have.

Also way too many people telling me what a great time it is to buy a house. I’ve been looking in Mission Hills, Hillcrest, University Heights and North Park ( areas hugging the park), and these homes are listed for quite a bit above what was paid for them in 2003-2005. I ask them what homes they are seeing in these neighborhoods that are such a steal and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

What is everyone else seeing out there? I’m afraid I don’t see major behavior modification amongst my social circle and frankly am shocked.

Its this mentality that I still think fuels the knife catching.

[zzz]

I echo what flu said about “quality” of Chinese made products. Chemicals, pesticides. I have a friend who has come down with Parkinsons. She worked as a chemist for years at a major company tha makes everything from health care, pharmaceuticals to beauty products. Many of her colleagues also suffer from neurological diseases, brain cancer, etc. She said the prevailing knowledge amongst the doctors and chemists is that petrochemicals and pesticides cause these diseases.

China grows food using more than 3x pesticide levels than we consider safe. I have many Chinese friends whom DO NOT buy Chinese made products wherever possible and never buy the food. This is because they have Chinese mothers who read the Chinese papers and 10 years ago started reading about quality issues and people getting sick. People need to take it upon themselves to start learning about the chemicals that go into all things in our daily life whether it be the bed you sleep on, the sunscreen you put on your children, in your shampoo, to the food you eat. There were people getting sick in Florida from Chinese made sheet rock.

It doesn’t have to be more expensive to buy non China grown food. You just have to read the labels and shop wisely. Trader Joes generally carries local fresh food, but you do have to be careful reading the boxes on the packaged stuff as ingredients can be from China.

Finally, on non food products such as beauty products, sunscreen, etc…just because it says its organic does not mean it doesn’t contain chemicals as not all ingredients have to be organic. Not regulated by the FDA and not required to test for safety.

[zzz]

I echo what flu said about “quality” of Chinese made products. Chemicals, pesticides. I have a friend who has come down with Parkinsons. She worked as a chemist for years at a major company tha makes everything from health care, pharmaceuticals to beauty products. Many of her colleagues also suffer from neurological diseases, brain cancer, etc. She said the prevailing knowledge amongst the doctors and chemists is that petrochemicals and pesticides cause these diseases.

China grows food using more than 3x pesticide levels than we consider safe. I have many Chinese friends whom DO NOT buy Chinese made products wherever possible and never buy the food. This is because they have Chinese mothers who read the Chinese papers and 10 years ago started reading about quality issues and people getting sick. People need to take it upon themselves to start learning about the chemicals that go into all things in our daily life whether it be the bed you sleep on, the sunscreen you put on your children, in your shampoo, to the food you eat. There were people getting sick in Florida from Chinese made sheet rock.

It doesn’t have to be more expensive to buy non China grown food. You just have to read the labels and shop wisely. Trader Joes generally carries local fresh food, but you do have to be careful reading the boxes on the packaged stuff as ingredients can be from China.

Finally, on non food products such as beauty products, sunscreen, etc…just because it says its organic does not mean it doesn’t contain chemicals as not all ingredients have to be organic. Not regulated by the FDA and not required to test for safety.

[zzz]

I echo what flu said about “quality” of Chinese made products. Chemicals, pesticides. I have a friend who has come down with Parkinsons. She worked as a chemist for years at a major company tha makes everything from health care, pharmaceuticals to beauty products. Many of her colleagues also suffer from neurological diseases, brain cancer, etc. She said the prevailing knowledge amongst the doctors and chemists is that petrochemicals and pesticides cause these diseases.

China grows food using more than 3x pesticide levels than we consider safe. I have many Chinese friends whom DO NOT buy Chinese made products wherever possible and never buy the food. This is because they have Chinese mothers who read the Chinese papers and 10 years ago started reading about quality issues and people getting sick. People need to take it upon themselves to start learning about the chemicals that go into all things in our daily life whether it be the bed you sleep on, the sunscreen you put on your children, in your shampoo, to the food you eat. There were people getting sick in Florida from Chinese made sheet rock.

It doesn’t have to be more expensive to buy non China grown food. You just have to read the labels and shop wisely. Trader Joes generally carries local fresh food, but you do have to be careful reading the boxes on the packaged stuff as ingredients can be from China.

Finally, on non food products such as beauty products, sunscreen, etc…just because it says its organic does not mean it doesn’t contain chemicals as not all ingredients have to be organic. Not regulated by the FDA and not required to test for safety.

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