Marionnette
Children see magic because they look for it
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2009
1984
Eh, I consider us debt free already because our net worth is greater than our debts.
I just turned 38 last week. We were on a 5year plan with DH working OT and having everything paid off. (When our youngest will graduate). We decided to accelerate that by downsizing to a smaller/cheaper house and then I also wound up getting a new job last month.
We do need to do a bit of renovation and sell our current house in the next few months, but I think 2 years is probably doable for having the new house paid off.
Most people we know think we are insane because our house is “so nice”. We live in an area where people move every 3 years or so because you have to keep moving up to bigger/nicer/newer. We just don’t think this house is necessary and I know we will be just as happy in the new place (likely more so because we will have extra money to travel, help the kids with cars, etc)
My house isn’t as big as yours but I do find myself wishing I had a house the size of the old one,but in the current location. Also our house needs lots of repairs too. I told my husband I need a new house with 2 masters and my own bathroom. We have one bathroom. Sharing with my 19 year old son is just gross. And my husband snores so bad some nights I end up on the couch.I can relate with the smaller house. We moved about 2 years ago into a 2500 square foot house. We had been living in a 1000 square foot house. We are a family of 5 plus two dogs. It’s a much nicer neighborhood and better schools but lately I’ve been feeling overwhelmed. I underestimated the amount of work it takes to keep up a house of this size. I feel like all I do is work my regular job and then do chores.
I guess it’s easy to fall into the grass is greener trap. I never thought I’d say this but I miss my old house and way of life. I’m now dreaming of the day we could downsize.
Plus we bought a house that needed lots of repairs. Like real types of repairs...hvac and plumbing/electric. That’s how we got into a neighborhood that we wouldn’t have afforded otherwise.
Looking at the debt we went in over these last two years it’s looking like it will take a good 5 years to clean up the mess.
When I die.
Probably never, esp with the way to works in South Carolina. With property taxes, you never fully outright own anything 100%, there is a property tax on nearly everything, home, car, boat, autos, RVs, trailer, jet ski, mobile home, etc. With the out of control growth rate my county has, 80% of our homeowner's tax goes to the school district millage, who just voted on another 365 millon tax bond for the school district.
Our local lake stretches over 60 miles, with lots of little 2 bedroom 1960's era cottage lake houses, that cost maybe 35-40K originally, are being lost to senior citizens on fixed incomes who can't afford the yearly tax hikes, and your non-primary residence is taxed higher than your primary home.
Even if you don't have a car note or mortgage you still never 100% fully own it