JayB Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 (edited) Anyone feel any sympathy for this lady? I certainly don't. -Didn't get the memo that a coastal city with a much larger population will be more expensive than a smaller city in the interior that's surrounded by an infinity land suitable for building. -Feels that owning a home that suits their tastes in their favorite neighborhood is a god given right. -Moved to a more expensive city and discovered that the higher cost of living associated with living in the neighborhood of their choosing involves certain tradeoffs. -Etc, etc, etc, "Seattle too pricey for normal people" CHRISTY L. THOMAS GUEST COLUMNIST It's been one year since my boyfriend, Tom, and I spent a lovely, long weekend in Seattle and decided to move here. As new empty-nesters, we were up for an adventure. He applied for an artsy, downtown job and got it; I'm self-employed, so I stayed in Boise long enough to sell the house and start sending out r�sum�s to build Seattle-area business. I joined him here in July. Our goal was to rent for a year, look around and buy the home where, if we're lucky, we'll grow old together. We signed a lease on a cute but rundown place in Ballard, trying not to think about the fact that, at less than half the size of our last house, it cost more than our 15-year mortgage. We told ourselves: "Well, this is a bigger city. We'll adjust the budget a bit and make it work." Every Sunday, we'd pore over the newspaper real estate sections and a Seattle map, pick a new neighborhood and visit open houses. When that got too depressing, we cut back to every other week. Houses we'd never have looked at twice sport half-million-dollar price tags. One seemingly incredible bargain actually had been condemned -- for the same price we sold our Boise property ($320,000). Real estate agents either have tried to shoehorn us into tiny condos, or clucked sympathetically and suggested moving "at least an hour out of town." I've lectured many of them about our situation: "We moved here to be part of the city. We're good citizens and interesting, productive people. We're just not, at this stage of life, willing to spend every penny on a house. We need to save something for retirement." Finally, Tom calmly proclaimed: "No more tears. No more wrecked Sundays. I'm getting up early and throwing away the real estate listings." We've adjusted, all right. Instead of going to movies, we stay in and rent them. The rare restaurant meal is breakfast or lunch, less spendy than dinner. We had season tickets to the Boise Opera but, as much as we both love it, opera is not in the leaner, meaner Seattle budget. The car insurance and health insurance went up. Our heating oil bill topped $1,500 in four months. Groceries cost more and sales tax is higher. I used to be an active volunteer on charitable boards and a member of a city commission. Here, I can't afford to be generous with my time; I have to focus on getting paid work. Few employers, including this newspaper, have bothered to respond to my queries, even for job descriptions that perfectly match my skills and experience. Novelists appear to be held in high regard, but I write speeches, textbooks, how-to manuals and such. I never thought of myself, or my assignments, as boring until now. Yes, it's been an adventure. We were so excited about getting a fresh start at midlife in such a beautiful place. Now I wonder, how could two hard-working people with good hearts and the best intentions end up feeling so ... unwelcome? You tell me. Is Seattle only for rich folks now? How do normal people manage? If we head back to Boise, are we giving up, or just being realistic? We've set an April 1 deadline to decide. Christy L. Thomas lives in Seattle. Edited February 19, 2007 by JayB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crux Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 post deleted by Crux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snugtop Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I wonder if she extended such sympathy to the people who bought her house in Boise? Did she lower the price for buyers who were good citizens, patrons of the arts, and "interesting, productive people"? Or did she take just take the highest bid and feel good about moking money in the real estate market? Also, seems like you should check out the housing prices and job market BEFORE you move to a city. At least if you are planning to live a comfortable life in a hip neighborhood like Ballard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaskadskyjKozak Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 Anyone feel any sympathy for this lady? I certainly don't. waaaah.... life is tough. If she thinks it's bad here, try moving to the Bay Area... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foraker Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 Obviously, she's someone from the 'But I went to college/grad school! I'm hip! I'm urban! I'm entitled!' school of thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snugtop Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 If she thinks it's bad here, try moving to the Bay Area... ....no kidding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvashtarkatena Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I felt the same way when I moved to Tokyo to make a fresh start.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 Her underlying assumption is that she's normal. Too bad sister, normal people don't come from shit-holes like Boise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted February 19, 2007 Author Share Posted February 19, 2007 Obviously, she's someone from the 'But I went to college/grad school! I'm hip! I'm urban! I'm entitled!' school of thought. Exactly. I sucks that a historic confluence of low interest rates, the yen-based carry-trade, market psychology, etc have coalesced and resulted in a situation where hardworking folks that are financially prudent find themselves outbid by some folks fresh out of the Carlton Sheets seminar sporting the stated-income,neg-AM, I/O, payment-option 80/20 financing - but that's life. If someone is prepared to pay more money and/or assume more financial risk to secure the same asset - they get the asset. When it comes to owning a home, we are all entitled to jack shit, much less an affordable home in our favorite neighborhood, etc, etc, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counterfeitfake Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 Zero sympathy- you may as well complain about how gravity makes you feel weighed down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dechristo Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 she should be able to afford a very nice modular outside of town just fine. it's disgusting to read of those who only think they're part of the nouveau riche/parvenu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexual_chocolate Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I don't see her as being "whiny". She's simply encountering the market realities of a new area, and understandably surprised, given the environment she came from. Plus, she can use one of the new mortgage options, like a negative amortization interest only package that might make sense in her situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Maybe she should look in Renton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 The Sonics like Renton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordop Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 (edited) While I have no sympathy for her, she represents an interesting idea in that folks in these situations forgo having kids due to the financial strain. Edited June 4, 2021 by jordop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snugtop Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I agree. I'm not popping out kids so I can afford shade-grown, organic soy lattes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figger_Eight Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Yup - more dogs than kids in Seattle for a reason. I may be faced with the prospect of actually moving down to the Bay Area in the next couple of years. Not looking forward to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Schuldt Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I wonder if she extended such sympathy to the people who bought her house in Boise? Did she lower the price for buyers who were good citizens, patrons of the arts, and "interesting, productive people"? Or did she take just take the highest bid and feel good about moking money in the real estate market? Also, seems like you should check out the housing prices and job market BEFORE you move to a city. At least if you are planning to live a comfortable life in a hip neighborhood like Ballard. My thoughs too. The woman is a whiner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archenemy Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 What gets me is that folks somehow think that owning a home is some god-given right. Rent, bitch. And I also get pissed whenever I hear about how a special group (teachers come to mind) should get a special mortgage rate or some shit like that so that they can live in the community they work in. WTF? I can't afford to live in the community I work in. Tough shit. Crazy I tell you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Come one people, look at these sacrifices! "We've adjusted, all right. Instead of going to movies, we stay in and rent them. The rare restaurant meal is breakfast or lunch, less spendy than dinner. We had season tickets to the Boise Opera but, as much as we both love it, opera is not in the leaner, meaner Seattle budget." Surely one of you can find it in your hearts to cut $275K off of the sale price of your home to lighten their burden. We're talking *rented* movies here. NO OPERA for God's%$#*ing sake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archenemy Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Sometimes I am embarrassed to be an American. Then I go out to the movies and I feel better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 the best cure is emptying a few clips at the gravel pit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archenemy Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 How did you hear that story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Plus, she can use one of the new mortgage options, like a negative amortization interest only package that might make sense in her situation. Your inhumanity knows no bounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 i wrote that story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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