Dialing back 401k until both kids are in PK3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's optional from the perspective of being livable. Not from being happy. The house isn't falling apart. We each have our own bedroom. We have a living room, a dining room, and a functional (but extremely awkward) kitchen.

1) The basement has some water intrusion prevention measures that need to be undertaken. Not optional.
2) The house has wall unit ACs. We can certainly *live* with that. But we don't want to. Central AC install is first and foremost.
3) The kitchen is totally functional, with the exception of the fact it has a portable (!) dishwasher: ie, it needs to be rolled to the sink and hooked up. In our current house, we run the dishwasher daily (if not more). While this could be truly "optional" to address, it's not really in my mind.
4) The amount of living space is limited - ie: no guest room, playroom, office, etc. Finishing either the basement or attic (eventually both) will provide that extra living space to make the house enjoyable. My thinking is that I'll finish the basement in coordination with the waterproofing.

So none of these are truly REQUIRED (save waterproofing). But I'm willing to spend the cash to make the house enjoyable for the sake of the whole family's sanity.

Omg I know this house. Op, yes it needs work. People who say it doesn't haven't been in it. I'd support your idea and I'm usually one to shit all over posts like yours. The house needs work to be a pleasant place to be.....

[Anonymous]

401k is for the white people, the asians a smarter and buy many houses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the District, your options for SFHs inbounds for a good elementary that feed to the ONLY viable middle school are few and far between. We're honestly in at the bottom of that market. The only way we could look elsewhere is to get lucky in the lottery - and that didn't happen. I can't understate what a huge financial payoff you can get from a lucky school lottery draw in DC. It's basically like winning the actual lottery.

So move out of the District. I would not buy this house in your situation. I want to have investments and passive income, not be a slave to a mortgage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's optional from the perspective of being livable. Not from being happy. The house isn't falling apart. We each have our own bedroom. We have a living room, a dining room, and a functional (but extremely awkward) kitchen.

1) The basement has some water intrusion prevention measures that need to be undertaken. Not optional.
2) The house has wall unit ACs. We can certainly *live* with that. But we don't want to. Central AC install is first and foremost.
3) The kitchen is totally functional, with the exception of the fact it has a portable (!) dishwasher: ie, it needs to be rolled to the sink and hooked up. In our current house, we run the dishwasher daily (if not more). While this could be truly "optional" to address, it's not really in my mind.
4) The amount of living space is limited - ie: no guest room, playroom, office, etc. Finishing either the basement or attic (eventually both) will provide that extra living space to make the house enjoyable. My thinking is that I'll finish the basement in coordination with the waterproofing.

So none of these are truly REQUIRED (save waterproofing). But I'm willing to spend the cash to make the house enjoyable for the sake of the whole family's sanity.

Omg I know this house. Op, yes it needs work. People who say it doesn't haven't been in it. I'd support your idea and I'm usually one to shit all over posts like yours. The house needs work to be a pleasant place to be.....

So, would you agree that the house with some of the improvements mentioned would be a sound investment / worth it? I think the neighborhood is on the upward trend given the dire state of the school lottery in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's optional from the perspective of being livable. Not from being happy. The house isn't falling apart. We each have our own bedroom. We have a living room, a dining room, and a functional (but extremely awkward) kitchen.

1) The basement has some water intrusion prevention measures that need to be undertaken. Not optional.
2) The house has wall unit ACs. We can certainly *live* with that. But we don't want to. Central AC install is first and foremost.
3) The kitchen is totally functional, with the exception of the fact it has a portable (!) dishwasher: ie, it needs to be rolled to the sink and hooked up. In our current house, we run the dishwasher daily (if not more). While this could be truly "optional" to address, it's not really in my mind.
4) The amount of living space is limited - ie: no guest room, playroom, office, etc. Finishing either the basement or attic (eventually both) will provide that extra living space to make the house enjoyable. My thinking is that I'll finish the basement in coordination with the waterproofing.

So none of these are truly REQUIRED (save waterproofing). But I'm willing to spend the cash to make the house enjoyable for the sake of the whole family's sanity.

Omg I know this house. Op, yes it needs work. People who say it doesn't haven't been in it. I'd support your idea and I'm usually one to shit all over posts like yours. The house needs work to be a pleasant place to be.....

So, would you agree that the house with some of the improvements mentioned would be a sound investment / worth it? I think the neighborhood is on the upward trend given the dire state of the school lottery in DC.

It's not in an area I know terribly well so I'd be ill informed spouting a view. It does seem like it is to me but that's purely anecdotal.