My aunt started working as a maid at the Watergate after graduating HS & bought a home in Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hispanic are buying houses in DMV their their landscaping or maid income. Many of them own houses in Rockville, SS, Gaithurberg. 20-30 years from now,, the value of their houses will double$ or triple.

Do they pay taxes on their income or they work under the table?

I don't know (not that pp) but the hispanic families who own in my neighborhood usually have several adults living in the house and they all park their work trucks on the street. I mean, there is enough room and they don't cause any issues yet. Seems like adult kids and other adult relatives live with them and they all pool together to afford the house.

My white relatives did this during the great depression. Had three generations living together: grandparents, three uncles, and one aunt, her dh and kids. Same kind of thing.

I have a landscaper down the block from my. A rambler in original condition dipped in price to 990k and a corner house on 1/2 acre. A Spanish family jumped in Parked work truck side of house, junkyard barking dog in yard and six or seven cars piled in driveway. It seem in Dc area anything under one million is the slums. Around 1.4 and up is breaking point to have non shady neighbors

Spanish family? You sound provincial and ignorant, actually you sound like the shady one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family is much like the maid in the OP. Middle-school educations, came to US in the early 1970s. All bought houses throughout the 1970s and 1980s, are now multi-home owning landlords. Here is how they did it.
1. They WORKED. I don't mean just a single job. Watergate maid was likely doing housekeeping work for other families who (key point) paid her under the table. My family was in various businesses - restaurant, construction, painting. The key thing is that they all ran cash businesses and they worked from 7am to 11pm, 6 days a week.
2. They spent VERY LITTLE MONEY. Think beans and rice, heat set to frozen, cold water showers. No cable TV, no dinners out, no health insurance and no doctors visits unless you were literally dying. Kids activities? LOL. Kids activities was having us join them at their jobs.

Housing now is more expensive relative to wages, yes. But you are still seeing immigrant families buying property, even in many close-in neighborhoods. This is how they do it. They live very spartan existences and work crazy hours. My 9-5 work life is a true luxury. My parents worked their *sses off so that I can experience it!

I agree. I came to US in 2000 as an Au-pair. Long story short, I stayed in US, studies and worked hard, got married to an American, and became eventually US citizen. I live in a house worth about $950000 that will be paid off this year. Yes! And that's working on my and my spouse's combined annual salary of $150000. I grew up without any BS like eating out, nail salons, spas, vacations, kids activities etc. I can live spartan life. I also like luxuries purchases from time to time, don't get me wrong; but am very careful overall with any purchases. I guess, I don't waste money on an everyday basis like most Americans.

So in other words you hit the working class immigrant jackpot and married a well to do American lad

How do you know she is not the breadwinner of the family or makes more than her husband?

[Anonymous]

It amazes me that people can tell stories like this and actually believe that it was cutting coupons that allowed them to own a million dollar house and not marrying someone with a much larger income and having the luck to be born at a time where that house that costs $950,000 today probably cost $400K or less. It's like those people who credit God with curing their cancer and not their Oncologist or the scientists who spent millions of man hours and billions of dollars coming up with state of the art therapies.

People want to know how it was possible and I'm telling you how it was and how it still is for many immigrants. You are right, it isn't coupon clipping that brings you out of poverty -- it is doing things that most native borns would never tolerate.

And you still don't get it.

What was your income when you bought your house? Not your household income, your income. Now adjust that for inflation and show me where you can buy a house comparable to yours today with that income. Because if you can't, then it had nothing to do with "doing things native borns wouldn't tolerate," it was entirely the luck of being around when real estate in DC was cheap and the luck of marrying up. And marrying up is certainly not something "native borns wouldn't tolerate," unless you're saying you are literally a mail order bride who stays in a terrible relationship only for the money.

[Anonymous]

My husband works with a woman who bought a huge row house in DuPont circle in the early 80s on 1 fed salary. They still live there now. Ask yourself - what is today’s crime / neighborhood amenity equivalent of DuPont in the 80s? They didn’t buy into today’s DuPont, they took a risk.

Another fed we know bought in Lyon Village, Arlington before there was a Metro. 2 fed salaries, but very early on. Their friends thought they were moving “to the country”. What is the equivalent today to the commute and amenities from Arlington in the early 80s? They too many risk and it worked out.

All the people who moan about not being able to buy in Arlington, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Falls Church, etc. are not recognizing that those towns were not the towns they are today. There was never a time a maid or a landscaper could afford a home in the closest neighborhoods with the best schools and amenities. If you want to live that dream, make a bet on the next place and move there before it’s built up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband works with a woman who bought a huge row house in DuPont circle in the early 80s on 1 fed salary. They still live there now. Ask yourself - what is today’s crime / neighborhood amenity equivalent of DuPont in the 80s? They didn’t buy into today’s DuPont, they took a risk.

Another fed we know bought in Lyon Village, Arlington before there was a Metro. 2 fed salaries, but very early on. Their friends thought they were moving “to the country”. What is the equivalent today to the commute and amenities from Arlington in the early 80s? They too many risk and it worked out.

All the people who moan about not being able to buy in Arlington, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Falls Church, etc. are not recognizing that those towns were not the towns they are today. There was never a time a maid or a landscaper could afford a home in the closest neighborhoods with the best schools and amenities. If you want to live that dream, make a bet on the next place and move there before it’s built up.

Grew up in Old Town in the late 70s. There were dozens and dozens of abandoned and boarded up old houses on Lee, Duke, Prince, etc. Those same houses now sell for 2 million without ever even going on the market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It amazes me that people can tell stories like this and actually believe that it was cutting coupons that allowed them to own a million dollar house and not marrying someone with a much larger income and having the luck to be born at a time where that house that costs $950,000 today probably cost $400K or less. It's like those people who credit God with curing their cancer and not their Oncologist or the scientists who spent millions of man hours and billions of dollars coming up with state of the art therapies.

People want to know how it was possible and I'm telling you how it was and how it still is for many immigrants. You are right, it isn't coupon clipping that brings you out of poverty -- it is doing things that most native borns would never tolerate.

And you still don't get it.

What was your income when you bought your house? Not your household income, your income. Now adjust that for inflation and show me where you can buy a house comparable to yours today with that income. Because if you can't, then it had nothing to do with "doing things native borns wouldn't tolerate," it was entirely the luck of being around when real estate in DC was cheap and the luck of marrying up. And marrying up is certainly not something "native borns wouldn't tolerate," unless you're saying you are literally a mail order bride who stays in a terrible relationship only for the money.

The response wasn't about the Au Pair who married her way into middle-class american life, although marrying out of poverty is certainly one way of getting ahead. You missed the earlier response about double-shifts, no healthcare, no paid childcare, no education expenses. THAT is what most Americans wont tolerate, because it is frankly a dangerous and difficult way to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, Bethesda was full of families with a dad who was a fed. Three maybe four bedrooms upstairs. If you were lucky, a little tv room addition off the side and your parents had their own bathroom.

yes I think about this so often! Grew up in Bethesda in the late 70s through 80s. Back then, there were many single income families with 3-4 kids. A fed salary could buy a 3-4 bedroom house, take 2 modest vacations a year, and send all the kids to college.

Those were the days!

Now you have to be rich to be able to do all those things, especially the college for 3-4 kids part.

Do you remember the Shakey's restaurant across the street from the Bethesda metrorail station?

NP. I certainly remember the Shakey's: it was the BOMB! Hot Shoppes wasn't quite so much my taste. Chesapeake Bay Seafood house seemed great, too.

Yeah, as another 70s and 80s denizen of Bethesda, it's odd thinking how many single mothers could afford it. And a lot of those women were still doing 'women's work': nursing, nonprofits, etc. There still were big time lawyers and politicians and lots of people who went on to make MUCHO bucks. But it wasn't the current monoculture.

Do you remember the convenience store directly across the street?

It was always full of young shady looking individuals who probably went on to inherit their parent's Bethesda houses.

Are you talking about the old school Dart Drug on E-W HW?

I am pretty sure it was a convenience store with a gas station in front but I could be mistaken. I was quite young at the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It amazes me that people can tell stories like this and actually believe that it was cutting coupons that allowed them to own a million dollar house and not marrying someone with a much larger income and having the luck to be born at a time where that house that costs $950,000 today probably cost $400K or less. It's like those people who credit God with curing their cancer and not their Oncologist or the scientists who spent millions of man hours and billions of dollars coming up with state of the art therapies.

People want to know how it was possible and I'm telling you how it was and how it still is for many immigrants. You are right, it isn't coupon clipping that brings you out of poverty -- it is doing things that most native borns would never tolerate.

And you still don't get it.

What was your income when you bought your house? Not your household income, your income. Now adjust that for inflation and show me where you can buy a house comparable to yours today with that income. Because if you can't, then it had nothing to do with "doing things native borns wouldn't tolerate," it was entirely the luck of being around when real estate in DC was cheap and the luck of marrying up. And marrying up is certainly not something "native borns wouldn't tolerate," unless you're saying you are literally a mail order bride who stays in a terrible relationship only for the money.

DP. And I think that YOU are the one who doesn't get it. There still is housing in your price range. It may not be in your desired area but there is still housing. Notice what all the stories from the past have in common - the people bought in undesirable areas.

Listen to me well: large swaths of Arlington and Alexandria were eminently undesirable, especially the parts that are now considered desirable. It was all war housing for blue collar workers and government pogues. But get over the "inflation" chip on your shoulder. You will need to be uncomfortable and you will need to exert some effort.

If you want to find comparable then you can. Move there. Buy a house. Fix it up. Encourage other people to do the same.

And for heaven's sake, stop whining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, Bethesda was full of families with a dad who was a fed. Three maybe four bedrooms upstairs. If you were lucky, a little tv room addition off the side and your parents had their own bathroom.

yes I think about this so often! Grew up in Bethesda in the late 70s through 80s. Back then, there were many single income families with 3-4 kids. A fed salary could buy a 3-4 bedroom house, take 2 modest vacations a year, and send all the kids to college.

Those were the days!

Now you have to be rich to be able to do all those things, especially the college for 3-4 kids part.

Do you remember the Shakey's restaurant across the street from the Bethesda metrorail station?

NP. I certainly remember the Shakey's: it was the BOMB! Hot Shoppes wasn't quite so much my taste. Chesapeake Bay Seafood house seemed great, too.

Yeah, as another 70s and 80s denizen of Bethesda, it's odd thinking how many single mothers could afford it. And a lot of those women were still doing 'women's work': nursing, nonprofits, etc. There still were big time lawyers and politicians and lots of people who went on to make MUCHO bucks. But it wasn't the current monoculture.

Do you remember the convenience store directly across the street?

It was always full of young shady looking individuals who probably went on to inherit their parent's Bethesda houses.

Are you talking about the old school Dart Drug on E-W HW?

If I remember correctly the store was located right where the Round House Theatre is located today. The entrance doors still look the same. I remember seeing lots of shady looking teenagers around there trying to score either cigarettes or alcohol. Some of them must have successfully made underage purchases because I would see them behind BCC HS (this was years ago before the remodel) where the old basketball courts were standing around hanging out drinking and smoking. They were several years older then me so I would stay far away and not go anywhere near them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, Bethesda was full of families with a dad who was a fed. Three maybe four bedrooms upstairs. If you were lucky, a little tv room addition off the side and your parents had their own bathroom.

Ha! We just met with an architect to add a little to room off our kitchen and add a bathroom to our master. I grew up in a huge suburban home and used to marvel at the charming homes like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It amazes me that people can tell stories like this and actually believe that it was cutting coupons that allowed them to own a million dollar house and not marrying someone with a much larger income and having the luck to be born at a time where that house that costs $950,000 today probably cost $400K or less. It's like those people who credit God with curing their cancer and not their Oncologist or the scientists who spent millions of man hours and billions of dollars coming up with state of the art therapies.

People want to know how it was possible and I'm telling you how it was and how it still is for many immigrants. You are right, it isn't coupon clipping that brings you out of poverty -- it is doing things that most native borns would never tolerate.

And you still don't get it.

What was your income when you bought your house? Not your household income, your income. Now adjust that for inflation and show me where you can buy a house comparable to yours today with that income. Because if you can't, then it had nothing to do with "doing things native borns wouldn't tolerate," it was entirely the luck of being around when real estate in DC was cheap and the luck of marrying up. And marrying up is certainly not something "native borns wouldn't tolerate," unless you're saying you are literally a mail order bride who stays in a terrible relationship only for the money.

DP. And I think that YOU are the one who doesn't get it. There still is housing in your price range. It may not be in your desired area but there is still housing. Notice what all the stories from the past have in common - the people bought in undesirable areas.

Listen to me well: large swaths of Arlington and Alexandria were eminently undesirable, especially the parts that are now considered desirable. It was all war housing for blue collar workers and government pogues. But get over the "inflation" chip on your shoulder. You will need to be uncomfortable and you will need to exert some effort.

If you want to find comparable then you can. Move there. Buy a house. Fix it up. Encourage other people to do the same.

And for heaven's sake, stop whining.

So...your just going to ignore all the posts about single income feds buying in places like Bethesda which was always desirable? What you’re talking about only applies on the VA side. The areas in MD that were “undesirable” are still undesirable.

[Anonymous]

Folks also forget huge “lifestyle creep” today.

My dad worked a blue collar job and had a SAH wife and had four kids then bought a starter house.

But luxury rentals were not a thing, car leases not a thing, buying lunch out going on vacations, cable tv not a thing.

We lived a shithole rent stabilized apt that was 800 square feet. Dad took lunch to work with thermos of coffee. He did it from 1957 to 1973 and bought our first house when he was 50.

That house if he was alive and still owned it is worth 800k. He paid 36k. Sounds insane cheap. But I guarantee you the buyer today at 800k it is way way easier to buy. My block many of the first time buyers were mid 40s having spent 10-20 years in crap apts. maids, bus boys, janitors. My neighbor was literally a ditch digger.

So yes maid bought homes on maids incomes but it was not easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It amazes me that people can tell stories like this and actually believe that it was cutting coupons that allowed them to own a million dollar house and not marrying someone with a much larger income and having the luck to be born at a time where that house that costs $950,000 today probably cost $400K or less. It's like those people who credit God with curing their cancer and not their Oncologist or the scientists who spent millions of man hours and billions of dollars coming up with state of the art therapies.

People want to know how it was possible and I'm telling you how it was and how it still is for many immigrants. You are right, it isn't coupon clipping that brings you out of poverty -- it is doing things that most native borns would never tolerate.

And you still don't get it.

What was your income when you bought your house? Not your household income, your income. Now adjust that for inflation and show me where you can buy a house comparable to yours today with that income. Because if you can't, then it had nothing to do with "doing things native borns wouldn't tolerate," it was entirely the luck of being around when real estate in DC was cheap and the luck of marrying up. And marrying up is certainly not something "native borns wouldn't tolerate," unless you're saying you are literally a mail order bride who stays in a terrible relationship only for the money.

DP. And I think that YOU are the one who doesn't get it. There still is housing in your price range. It may not be in your desired area but there is still housing. Notice what all the stories from the past have in common - the people bought in undesirable areas.

Listen to me well: large swaths of Arlington and Alexandria were eminently undesirable, especially the parts that are now considered desirable. It was all war housing for blue collar workers and government pogues. But get over the "inflation" chip on your shoulder. You will need to be uncomfortable and you will need to exert some effort.

If you want to find comparable then you can. Move there. Buy a house. Fix it up. Encourage other people to do the same.

And for heaven's sake, stop whining.

So...your just going to ignore all the posts about single income feds buying in places like Bethesda which was always desirable? What you’re talking about only applies on the VA side. The areas in MD that were “undesirable” are still undesirable.

Your reading comprehension and lack of knowledge about our area is horrible. Close-in Bethesda and close-in Chevy Chase were also not desirable at all. Don't you get it? The only people who wanted to live close by were the blue collar workers who walked to work. Everyone else wanted to live far away. This really isn't that hard...

[Anonymous]

1975 the rich lived in Great Falls and Potomac.

2020 the rich live Capital Hill and Close in Nova.

Ever watch the movie brother from another planet. Great movie.

Premise is an alien land in earth in Manhattan but is planet is all black so has no concept of racism.

A black guy on subway headed uptown with him who befriends him is taking him home to his Bronx apt.

He tells guy at around 84 street in four train headed upturn he has special abilities too. He guess I can make all the White people disappear at 86 street. Sure enough at 86 street train opens all White people get off. Door shuts all black.

Next stop Harlem. So yea folks got bargains back then in DC and NYC by buying close in in area in sketchy areas.

I lived in one very sketchy part of NYC and in 1973 my neighbor on way to work a crack head stabbed him to death over he would not let him have his newspaper.

Guess what in 2006 drive by my old childhood neighborhood and all gentrified. But guess what it took till mid 90s to start turning. My parents could not live there in that danger for 25 years.

And as everyone running from nyc between 1971 and 1995 yes tons of chanced for maids to buy homes.

In 1980 the rich in nyc was in the Hamptons in summer, Long Island or CT or Westchester

Guess what in 2021 in NYC it is 1980 again

My dad was a limo driver for 30 years in NYC. I saw his drive sheets when he died. Rich surburbs of NYC, DC or Boston.

Think like Jackie Kennedy type rich for DC. They would fly to nyc lunch time. Dad would pick up
Airport, museums. Lunch shipping. Maybe board meeting. Dinner, my dad would load shopping bags in limo and they do play or benefit. At end they come out dad drive them straight to Chevy chase or Potomac, unload bags. Maid would serve him food and use bathroom and back. The rich had compounds and cities they had drivers like my dad and in and out. If anything maybe a pied a tier.

[Anonymous]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/grunts-screams-came-from-behind-lululemon-wall-apple-store-workers-testify/2011/10/28/gIQArvyaQM_story.html

Bethesda Apple store employees heard a woman screaming and begging for her life and they did nothing to help her.

Says a lot about what that entire area has now become.