At odds with spouse ove how much house we can afford

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here, I appreciate the suggestion, but we are trying to leave the District for a better school system.

It would seem to me that with a HHI of $1 million you would be able to pay for the private school of your choice and get to live in D.C. too?

We most definitely could pay for private, but we are both (luckily in agreement on this issue) major public school advocates. Private not an option philosophically.

This is very interesting to me. So you are major public school advocates, but only if those public schools are good. Around here (and probably everywhere), quality of school is directly related to average income. It no longer sounds egalitarian and democratic to support public schools if you only support schools full of wealthy children. I would like to hear more about your philosophy of education and whether it also applies to middle class and working class children.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely think you can afford a $1.7m house. To suggest otherwise seems crazy to me. However, it seems as though your husband just isn't comfortable with that. I would suggest splitting the difference and spending $1.3-$1.4m. The difference between a $1m house and a $1.4m is huge. Can you show him exactly what that means in terms of mortgage payments each month? Assuming you bring home about $50k/month, the marginal difference won't impact you very much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Near Ballston metro, $959K, 4BR, 3.5 bath total reno with huge deck and yard:

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/851-N-Abingdon-St-22203/home/11244150

Bottom line, you're not looking hard enough, or you want too much.

Wanting too much? Have you taken a look around? I basically want an average home in one of several zip codes. This house is ho-hum in my opinion, I MUCH prefer the new open floorplans with few walls with the living/eating area all connected.

I think this house has a pretty open floor plan but it is ho-hum. Way too much granite, the wrong color floors, looks a little too new and a little too quickly done.

[Anonymous]

Not my taste at all, but this is probably what the OP is looking for: http://www.redfin.com/VA/ARLINGTON/4211-15TH-ST-N-22207/home/18963050

Personally, I hate all new construction but OP wants a lot at for the price and in the suburbs... That typically means new construction.

[Anonymous]

OP, this is gorgeous: http://www.redfin.com/MD/Chevy-Chase/31-Quincy-St-20815/home/10641237

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not my taste at all, but this is probably what the OP is looking for: http://www.redfin.com/VA/ARLINGTON/4211-15TH-ST-N-22207/home/18963050

Personally, I hate all new construction but OP wants a lot at for the price and in the suburbs... That typically means new construction.

If I had that kind of cash to spend on a house, I certainly would not buy this and especially when it practically sits on 66...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not my taste at all, but this is probably what the OP is looking for: http://www.redfin.com/VA/ARLINGTON/4211-15TH-ST-N-22207/home/18963050

Personally, I hate all new construction but OP wants a lot at for the price and in the suburbs... That typically means new construction.

If I had that kind of cash to spend on a house, I certainly would not buy this and especially when it practically sits on 66...

I was being snarky because OP seems to find something wrong with everything. I thought *maybe* this would be the one house that she likes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here, I appreciate the suggestion, but we are trying to leave the District for a better school system.

It would seem to me that with a HHI of $1 million you would be able to pay for the private school of your choice and get to live in D.C. too?

We most definitely could pay for private, but we are both (luckily in agreement on this issue) major public school advocates. Private not an option philosophically.

This is very interesting to me. So you are major public school advocates, but only if those public schools are good. Around here (and probably everywhere), quality of school is directly related to average income. It no longer sounds egalitarian and democratic to support public schools if you only support schools full of wealthy children. I would like to hear more about your philosophy of education and whether it also applies to middle class and working class children.

Wondering about this too. Care to respond, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not my taste at all, but this is probably what the OP is looking for: http://www.redfin.com/VA/ARLINGTON/4211-15TH-ST-N-22207/home/18963050

Personally, I hate all new construction but OP wants a lot at for the price and in the suburbs... That typically means new construction.

If I had that kind of cash to spend on a house, I certainly would not buy this and especially when it practically sits on 66...

Some people say, "NEVER buy a flip" I wouldn't buy this house. Also OP, very few people in your income bracket do public school. One way or other, they end up private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I viewed some of the houses linked. I live in a suburban area of Minnesota. I live in a brand new home (built 2005) that is actually more spacious than most listed, certainly newer, over 3000 sq ft with 5 bedroom, 3 bath ... and paid $389,000 for it. It is incomprehensible to me, the cost of real estate in DC area. I hadn't realized when I read the OP that $1.7 million in DC would be equivalent to around $400,000 where I'm from. Salaries have got to be much higher there. We'd never be able to afford a million dollar home, and from the looks of homes in that price range, they'd be a huge step down for us, too.

Enjoy Applebee's!

And Red Lobster. How is your house in Minnesota relevant. Your $389K in a 'burb of Minnesota, Cleveland and the rest of flyover country will buy a 1bdrm condo in DC, nothing fancy. A 850k original detail, 4 bdrm, 3.5 bath Logan rowhouse will buy a 1 bedrm, 1 bath coop in Manhattan. Since real estate is all about location, location, and location - your comparison is ridiculous.

Applebees and Red Lobster, representing. Also, land of lutefisk. I followed a link to the DC board and enjoyed the ... heated exchanges, so I'm here to stay. Wasn't really trying to make a comparison ... I was just astonished at the differential between what $1 million buys in DC vs. The Land O' Lakes (and mosquitos). I seriously cannot wrap my brain around what kind of serious $$$ we'd have to make just to afford what appears to me to be very nice, but middle to upper-middle class homes (and this scale means something to me only .. again, not making value comparisons, just trying to wrap my brain around the differences). I was actually just wondering if salaries are higher in DC, in accordance with the huge differential with the price of real estate.

I did enjoy the snark, bitches

You're welcome. I was the one who chewed you out and it's hard to believe that you had NO IDEA that the COL was so much, much higher in major urban areas like DC, NY, and SF. Enjoy living in your bubble of total ignorance, and thanks for making everyone in the Midwest look like an uninformed hick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Near Ballston metro, $959K, 4BR, 3.5 bath total reno with huge deck and yard:

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/851-N-Abingdon-St-22203/home/11244150

Bottom line, you're not looking hard enough, or you want too much.

Wanting too much? Have you taken a look around? I basically want an average home in one of several zip codes. This house is ho-hum in my opinion, I MUCH prefer the new open floorplans with few walls with the living/eating area all connected.

Maybe you should just build your own house b/c it seem there's no house out there to please you in a price range that both you and your spouse can agree upon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here, I appreciate the suggestion, but we are trying to leave the District for a better school system.

It would seem to me that with a HHI of $1 million you would be able to pay for the private school of your choice and get to live in D.C. too?

We most definitely could pay for private, but we are both (luckily in agreement on this issue) major public school advocates. Private not an option philosophically.

This is very interesting to me. So you are major public school advocates, but only if those public schools are good. Around here (and probably everywhere), quality of school is directly related to average income. It no longer sounds egalitarian and democratic to support public schools if you only support schools full of wealthy children. I would like to hear more about your philosophy of education and whether it also applies to middle class and working class children.

I have to agree with this 100%. Heaven forbid you should live in a "tear down" that most people would kill for AND send your preciouses to school with poor minorities. The HORROR! Some of us little peons out here in houses 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of what you are looking for are living just fine. It's all about your values and priorities. I want my kid to know that, though we make nowhere near what you do, we are still in the top 5-10% of earners in this country and have more than the vast majority of the people in this world. Stop whining about your "dilemma" already - it sounds like insufferable, entitled bragging to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is gorgeous: http://www.redfin.com/MD/Chevy-Chase/31-Quincy-St-20815/home/10641237

"But it doesn't have an open floor plan and the bathrooms are ho hum. I mean, what is UP with those boring vanities? However, it is a rich white school district though, so. . . ."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I viewed some of the houses linked. I live in a suburban area of Minnesota. I live in a brand new home (built 2005) that is actually more spacious than most listed, certainly newer, over 3000 sq ft with 5 bedroom, 3 bath ... and paid $389,000 for it. It is incomprehensible to me, the cost of real estate in DC area. I hadn't realized when I read the OP that $1.7 million in DC would be equivalent to around $400,000 where I'm from. Salaries have got to be much higher there. We'd never be able to afford a million dollar home, and from the looks of homes in that price range, they'd be a huge step down for us, too.

Enjoy Applebee's!

And Red Lobster. How is your house in Minnesota relevant. Your $389K in a 'burb of Minnesota, Cleveland and the rest of flyover country will buy a 1bdrm condo in DC, nothing fancy. A 850k original detail, 4 bdrm, 3.5 bath Logan rowhouse will buy a 1 bedrm, 1 bath coop in Manhattan. Since real estate is all about location, location, and location - your comparison is ridiculous.

Applebees and Red Lobster, representing. Also, land of lutefisk. I followed a link to the DC board and enjoyed the ... heated exchanges, so I'm here to stay. Wasn't really trying to make a comparison ... I was just astonished at the differential between what $1 million buys in DC vs. The Land O' Lakes (and mosquitos). I seriously cannot wrap my brain around what kind of serious $$$ we'd have to make just to afford what appears to me to be very nice, but middle to upper-middle class homes (and this scale means something to me only .. again, not making value comparisons, just trying to wrap my brain around the differences). I was actually just wondering if salaries are higher in DC, in accordance with the huge differential with the price of real estate.

I did enjoy the snark, bitches

You're welcome. I was the one who chewed you out and it's hard to believe that you had NO IDEA that the COL was so much, much higher in major urban areas like DC, NY, and SF. Enjoy living in your bubble of total ignorance, and thanks for making everyone in the Midwest look like an uninformed hick.

Thanks for making everyone in urban sprawl look like snarky, pretentious jack-anuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I viewed some of the houses linked. I live in a suburban area of Minnesota. I live in a brand new home (built 2005) that is actually more spacious than most listed, certainly newer, over 3000 sq ft with 5 bedroom, 3 bath ... and paid $389,000 for it. It is incomprehensible to me, the cost of real estate in DC area. I hadn't realized when I read the OP that $1.7 million in DC would be equivalent to around $400,000 where I'm from. Salaries have got to be much higher there. We'd never be able to afford a million dollar home, and from the looks of homes in that price range, they'd be a huge step down for us, too.

Enjoy Applebee's!

And Red Lobster. How is your house in Minnesota relevant. Your $389K in a 'burb of Minnesota, Cleveland and the rest of flyover country will buy a 1bdrm condo in DC, nothing fancy. A 850k original detail, 4 bdrm, 3.5 bath Logan rowhouse will buy a 1 bedrm, 1 bath coop in Manhattan. Since real estate is all about location, location, and location - your comparison is ridiculous.

Applebees and Red Lobster, representing. Also, land of lutefisk. I followed a link to the DC board and enjoyed the ... heated exchanges, so I'm here to stay. Wasn't really trying to make a comparison ... I was just astonished at the differential between what $1 million buys in DC vs. The Land O' Lakes (and mosquitos). I seriously cannot wrap my brain around what kind of serious $$$ we'd have to make just to afford what appears to me to be very nice, but middle to upper-middle class homes (and this scale means something to me only .. again, not making value comparisons, just trying to wrap my brain around the differences). I was actually just wondering if salaries are higher in DC, in accordance with the huge differential with the price of real estate.

I did enjoy the snark, bitches

You're welcome. I was the one who chewed you out and it's hard to believe that you had NO IDEA that the COL was so much, much higher in major urban areas like DC, NY, and SF. Enjoy living in your bubble of total ignorance, and thanks for making everyone in the Midwest look like an uninformed hick.

Thanks for making everyone in urban sprawl look like snarky, pretentious jack-anuses.

Urban sprawl? That's an oxymoron, buddy. I live in a 90 year old house in the middle of a densely packed city. Sprawl is what happens in a 50 mile ring around major cities when people want to buy 3000 sf McMansions. That's fine if that's what you want, but that is reality.