Comments on: Cool Off Your House Fever With a Long-Term Financial Plan http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/ Live simply, stay sane. Life hacks for home managers. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:08:30 +0200 hourly 1 By: jj http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-56714 jj Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:41:42 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-56714 WOW. I am very thankful for this article. We are currently staying in 1 room (kitchen inc, bathroom apart) apartment above a garage. Since the baby is born. It was very tough in the beginning and now that he is going to crawl - will be very hard too. My hubby's friends are all very well off, big houses and so on. Now that we want to live overseas so that we can have a better lifestyle, they say we are leaving friends and family. I have been very jealous on their homes and have a tremendous need to settle down. Thank you for the encouragement. We keep on reminding ourselves that a whole family could have lived in our flat :) WOW. I am very thankful for this article. We are currently staying in 1 room (kitchen inc, bathroom apart) apartment above a garage. Since the baby is born. It was very tough in the beginning and now that he is going to crawl – will be very hard too. My hubby’s friends are all very well off, big houses and so on. Now that we want to live overseas so that we can have a better lifestyle, they say we are leaving friends and family. I have been very jealous on their homes and have a tremendous need to settle down. Thank you for the encouragement. We keep on reminding ourselves that a whole family could have lived in our flat :)

]]> By: TGIF Link Round Up: Film Festival Edition | Frugal Living Tips & Money Saving Ideas | Living Well on Less http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-41010 TGIF Link Round Up: Film Festival Edition | Frugal Living Tips & Money Saving Ideas | Living Well on Less Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:50:13 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-41010 [...] Mom cools off house fever with a long term plan. We’re already looking ahead to a house purchase even though it’ll be years before we [...] [...] Mom cools off house fever with a long term plan. We’re already looking ahead to a house purchase even though it’ll be years before we [...]

]]> By: MB http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-37771 MB Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:50:56 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-37771 We bought a house we knew we could afford on one income, even though we had two at the time. It's also a duplex that came with a built in renter. Not bad as he pays half our mortgage. It's an old house in a historic neighborhood. Full of arches and character and beautiful wood floors. BUT, I will never buy a house this old (1930) again unless I have stacks of money to buy one that has been completely gutted and renovated. If it's not one thing, it's another. There is always something with an old house. Then, when you go to repair something...get ready, because they might find something else that needs to be totally replaced too. I am always telling my friends, particularly the ones who are cash strapped, to wait. Wait until you are really ready to take on the repairs and the costs of maintaining a house and yard. So many people forget about those costs, especially when shows on HGTV make it all so wonderfully appealing to own. I know I did. Now, I'm not saying I don't enjoy owning my home. I do, most days. But then there are also those days when I really wish I didn't have to plunk down more of my cash, that I could be saving for our bigger 'plan', on repairs or whatever. And, it would also be nice to move to a home that was a bit more suited to our lifestyle and laid out better. If we were renting, it would be a heck of a lot easier to just look for something else and go. But, when you are owning...a much more involved decision. Anyway...got off on a bit of a rant there...sorry. :) <abbr><em>MB´s last blog post...<a href="http://flyawayfamily.com/?p=331" rel="nofollow">Menu Plan Monday</a></abbr></em> We bought a house we knew we could afford on one income, even though we had two at the time. It’s also a duplex that came with a built in renter. Not bad as he pays half our mortgage. It’s an old house in a historic neighborhood. Full of arches and character and beautiful wood floors. BUT, I will never buy a house this old (1930) again unless I have stacks of money to buy one that has been completely gutted and renovated. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. There is always something with an old house. Then, when you go to repair something…get ready, because they might find something else that needs to be totally replaced too.

I am always telling my friends, particularly the ones who are cash strapped, to wait. Wait until you are really ready to take on the repairs and the costs of maintaining a house and yard. So many people forget about those costs, especially when shows on HGTV make it all so wonderfully appealing to own. I know I did.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t enjoy owning my home. I do, most days. But then there are also those days when I really wish I didn’t have to plunk down more of my cash, that I could be saving for our bigger ‘plan’, on repairs or whatever.

And, it would also be nice to move to a home that was a bit more suited to our lifestyle and laid out better. If we were renting, it would be a heck of a lot easier to just look for something else and go. But, when you are owning…a much more involved decision.

Anyway…got off on a bit of a rant there…sorry. :)

MB´s last blog post…Menu Plan Monday

]]> By: James Miles http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-20387 James Miles Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:15:02 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-20387 Are there subscriber only forums? I know that there are forums you can get to without the subscription. I go there occasionally. Don't know if you can post, although you can read them all. Also, you can catch the whole three hours live if you can listen 2-5 eastern. <abbr><em>James Miles´s last blog post...<a href="http://www.the-miles.org/2008/12/21/conversations-with-will/" rel="nofollow">Conversations with Will</a></abbr></em> Are there subscriber only forums? I know that there are forums you can get to without the subscription. I go there occasionally. Don’t know if you can post, although you can read them all. Also, you can catch the whole three hours live if you can listen 2-5 eastern.

James Miles´s last blog post…Conversations with Will

]]> By: Chris http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-11656 Chris Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:28:45 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-11656 This is my first time @ Simple Mom and an amazing coincidence! A friend of mine and a huge fan of yours (Emma from http://baby-log.com) always goes on and on about your blog, so I decided to check it out and landed straight on this post - when I run a blog named Home I Own myself :) Your post means a lot to me - it actually describes a lot of my thoughts a couple of years ago. My partner and I moved to Australia and rented there for a while, until we finally saved up for a deposit and bought a house. I must say that buying a house is such a learning curve! So when we were only beginners in that house-buying thing I decided to share everything I learned about houses in Australia in my blog http://www.homeiown.com. When you have just arrived to a new country, everything is so different and you don't really know what is the right way to do something - but there's no one to ask. And sometimes people are ashamed to be asking about stuff everyone else seems to know so well. Anyway, I just wanted to tell everybody here, don't give up on your dream to own a house - we arrived to Australia with only 2 suitcases and a dog 2 years ago and now we own a house. So I'd say - anything is possible if you want it badly enough, just do your best and pray for success. Cheers! Chris <abbr><em>Chris´s last blog post...<a href="http://www.homeiown.com/what-everyone-should-know-about-buying-a-house-at-auction-part-2/" rel="nofollow">What everyone should know about buying a house at auction (part 2)</a></abbr></em> This is my first time @ Simple Mom and an amazing coincidence! A friend of mine and a huge fan of yours (Emma from http://baby-log.com) always goes on and on about your blog, so I decided to check it out and landed straight on this post – when I run a blog named Home I Own myself :)
Your post means a lot to me – it actually describes a lot of my thoughts a couple of years ago. My partner and I moved to Australia and rented there for a while, until we finally saved up for a deposit and bought a house.
I must say that buying a house is such a learning curve! So when we were only beginners in that house-buying thing I decided to share everything I learned about houses in Australia in my blog http://www.homeiown.com.
When you have just arrived to a new country, everything is so different and you don’t really know what is the right way to do something – but there’s no one to ask. And sometimes people are ashamed to be asking about stuff everyone else seems to know so well.
Anyway, I just wanted to tell everybody here, don’t give up on your dream to own a house – we arrived to Australia with only 2 suitcases and a dog 2 years ago and now we own a house. So I’d say – anything is possible if you want it badly enough, just do your best and pray for success.
Cheers!
Chris

Chris´s last blog post…What everyone should know about buying a house at auction (part 2)

]]> By: Christine @ Live to Learn http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-11628 Christine @ Live to Learn Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:09:41 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-11628 I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your article and all the comments. We bought our house 6 years ago and following Dave's principals, we bought less than what the banks thought we could afford. When we bought we had 2 kids 3 and under and now we have 5 plus one on the way! We curbed the house fever this year by saving up $20,000 cash and adding on two rooms to our house. We added a huge laundry/craft/family closet and a sunroom/dining room. It has made a tremendous difference in our comfort level in our home. We figured moving, selling, and buying would be more of a hassle than paying cash for an addition in a house we loved, with great neighbors in a wonderful homeschooling environment. We hope to stay here several more years until we truly outgrow our home. <abbr><em>Christine @ Live to Learn´s last blog post...<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/uagn/~3/449090719/i-would-be-kidding-myself-if.html" rel="nofollow">I would be kidding myself if . . . .</a></abbr></em> I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your article and all the comments. We bought our house 6 years ago and following Dave’s principals, we bought less than what the banks thought we could afford. When we bought we had 2 kids 3 and under and now we have 5 plus one on the way! We curbed the house fever this year by saving up $20,000 cash and adding on two rooms to our house. We added a huge laundry/craft/family closet and a sunroom/dining room. It has made a tremendous difference in our comfort level in our home. We figured moving, selling, and buying would be more of a hassle than paying cash for an addition in a house we loved, with great neighbors in a wonderful homeschooling environment. We hope to stay here several more years until we truly outgrow our home.

Christine @ Live to Learn´s last blog post…I would be kidding myself if . . . .

]]> By: Lucie @ Unconventional Origins http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-11604 Lucie @ Unconventional Origins Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:02:03 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-11604 We are renters to although I must admit I am DYING for a house. Dying. BUT since I am not dead yet I am trying to be responsible and not buy a house until we have 20-50% of the down payment saved up, we find something affordable, and it is something we love (or, really really like). And in this economy I kind of doubt we could get a mortgage even if we wanted to! We rent an apartment now - I think as a way to satisfy my house-bug we are going to rent a home when our lease is up. In our city you can find decent little homes in our neighborhood that are about the same cost as an apartment. And then we can move out of the stage of our life where we share a building with a bunch of screaming, shrieking sorority girls and their loud, obnoxious, beer can crushing frat boyfriends. Did I mention I really really want a house? <abbr><em>Lucie @ Unconventional Origins´s last blog post...<a href="http://unconventionalorigins.wordpress.com/2008/11/13/and-im-back-what-to-be-looking-for-in-the-coming-days-at-unconventional-origins/" rel="nofollow">And I’m Back! What To Be Looking For In The Coming Days At Unconventional Origins</a></abbr></em> We are renters to although I must admit I am DYING for a house. Dying.

BUT since I am not dead yet I am trying to be responsible and not buy a house until we have 20-50% of the down payment saved up, we find something affordable, and it is something we love (or, really really like). And in this economy I kind of doubt we could get a mortgage even if we wanted to!

We rent an apartment now – I think as a way to satisfy my house-bug we are going to rent a home when our lease is up. In our city you can find decent little homes in our neighborhood that are about the same cost as an apartment. And then we can move out of the stage of our life where we share a building with a bunch of screaming, shrieking sorority girls and their loud, obnoxious, beer can crushing frat boyfriends.

Did I mention I really really want a house?

Lucie @ Unconventional Origins´s last blog post…And I’m Back! What To Be Looking For In The Coming Days At Unconventional Origins

]]> By: Laura @ move to portugal http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-11595 Laura @ move to portugal Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:08:29 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-11595 What a great, great post. I spent my twenties wishing to own a big, big house, and when I finally got it I ended up in debt. I now live in a medium sized house, and when we eventually move, it will be to a small home. Losing the need to own a mansion is the best feeling in the world, it sure does take the pressure off What a great, great post.
I spent my twenties wishing to own a big, big house, and when I finally got it I ended up in debt. I now live in a medium sized house, and when we eventually move, it will be to a small home.
Losing the need to own a mansion is the best feeling in the world, it sure does take the pressure off

]]> By: Courtney http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-11580 Courtney Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:44:51 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-11580 What a great article with so many wonderful suggestions! We bought our home six years ago, so this doesn't really, specifically, apply to us, but as I was reading it I was thinking about all the other things in my life that I tend to get very impatient about. Things that I want, things that I would like to do, etc. Your ideas helped me to see that I need to work on being more patient, but also work at being prepared and ready for when the right time strikes to go after whatever I'm dreaming of. Thanks! Courtney's last blog post...<a href="http://theworldaccordingtomommy.com/blog1.php/2008/11/11/not-many-winners-around-here" rel="nofollow">Not many winners around here</a> What a great article with so many wonderful suggestions! We bought our home six years ago, so this doesn’t really, specifically, apply to us, but as I was reading it I was thinking about all the other things in my life that I tend to get very impatient about. Things that I want, things that I would like to do, etc. Your ideas helped me to see that I need to work on being more patient, but also work at being prepared and ready for when the right time strikes to go after whatever I’m dreaming of. Thanks!

Courtney’s last blog post…Not many winners around here

]]> By: Candy http://simplemom.net/cool-off-your-house-fever-with-a-long-term-financial-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-11579 Candy Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:22:08 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=900#comment-11579 I so needed to read this post right at this moment! I do often feel like we're the only people in the world who don't own a house. Thanks for letting me know I'm not a failure for waiting until we're financially ready! Candy's last blog post...<a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16978807" rel="nofollow">Personalized Geometric Note Cards</a> I so needed to read this post right at this moment! I do often feel like we’re the only people in the world who don’t own a house. Thanks for letting me know I’m not a failure for waiting until we’re financially ready!

Candy’s last blog post…Personalized Geometric Note Cards

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