Disgusted/Deflated. We make combines $350 & can't afford jack

[Anonymous]

I understand. I come from NY area and make a good salary, nothing fancy, 500K a year which is solidly middle class where I’m from. We were able to afford a SFH, 2,800 square feet, within 30 min driving commute of Park and 46th. This is what most people really should be able to have just like before. But here in DC having a real hard time finding something like this. It’s really screwed up when you think just 30 years ago something like this could be had on teacher salary like 40k a year but now unaffordable even for my family. It’s just unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We want half acre. We are on postage stamp now and hate it. We want newer build so we don't have to replace appliances, roof, windows, electric.

And for those accusing troll. We want to spend max $720. For our salary, etc. it is upsetting we can't get what we want.

Do you even know what a half acre looks like? That’s 3x the standard 6-8k sq ft lot in Arlington. There is a big difference between a postage stamp and a 20k sq ft lot. If you want a smallish house on a big lot, move to rural America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We want half acre. We are on postage stamp now and hate it. We want newer build so we don't have to replace appliances, roof, windows, electric.

And for those accusing troll. We want to spend max $720. For our salary, etc. it is upsetting we can't get what we want.

We spent $400K for a great house on a nice lot in PG. Our neighborhood is amazing with block parties and a great elementary school in walking distance. We go to community events at our library (in walking distance) and we go out to eat with neighbors at one of our awesome restaurants, also in walking distance. We thought we would stay here just through elementary school, but we like it so much we are in for the long haul. Look outside the areas you are considering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We want half acre. We are on postage stamp now and hate it. We want newer build so we don't have to replace appliances, roof, windows, electric.

And for those accusing troll. We want to spend max $720. For our salary, etc. it is upsetting we can't get what we want.

OP, I’m not going to flame you like everyone else. We have a HHI of 300k and we were adamant about not being house poor because we enjoy traveling with our 2 kids and we want to be able to send them to the college of their choosing. We did not have 300k in equity (more like 100k) and we learned after carrying 2 mortgages for a few months (we held the old house for a few months to take advantage of the spring market) that we would have comfortably been able to afford 800k-850k. We also wanted a relatively updated house (we’re renovating the master bath but that’s all that was needed) but the close in suburbs weren’t going to provide us what we wanted, so we moved further out. Start assessing what is most important, short commute, the house that checks all the boxes, staying under 700k, etc. You just need to accept that close in Bethesda or Arlington isn’t going to be possible and focus on what is possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What size house do you need?

3br, 2ba. Relatively newer build. minimum half acre

lol minimum half acre? Where tf do you think you are? You could easily afford something out in Loudoun. If you want a half acre and a new build in DC, you're gonna need to add some zeros to that $350K of HHI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We want half acre. We are on postage stamp now and hate it. We want newer build so we don't have to replace appliances, roof, windows, electric.

And for those accusing troll. We want to spend max $720. For our salary, etc. it is upsetting we can't get what we want.

Do you even know what a half acre looks like? That’s 3x the standard 6-8k sq ft lot in Arlington. There is a big difference between a postage stamp and a 20k sq ft lot. If you want a smallish house on a big lot, move to rural America.

Gathersburg? Olney? You can easily afford something close in but clearly just don’t want to. There’s some risk involved with buying something more expensive and other people are willing to take the risk so they get the houses you want. Those are the breaks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What size house do you need?

3br, 2ba. Relatively newer build. minimum half acre

If you are looking to stay in DC (and not VA or MD) there is literally nothing on the market right now that fits that description. It's not even a matter of price, what you are looking for flat out does not exist at this time.

You might get a half acre in Mass Ave Heights or maybe parts of Forest Hills, but that will run you in the many millions.

[Anonymous]

OP you are not a serious home buyer. You are completely out of touch with your wish list and reality.

[Anonymous]

Not troll!

We want to be able to afford a mortgage on one salary. We don't want to lose retirement $$ on a home that is too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What size house do you need?

3br, 2ba. Relatively newer build. minimum half acre

Ohio is nice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We want half acre. We are on postage stamp now and hate it. We want newer build so we don't have to replace appliances, roof, windows, electric.

And for those accusing troll. We want to spend max $720. For our salary, etc. it is upsetting we can't get what we want.

Do you even know what a half acre looks like? That’s 3x the standard 6-8k sq ft lot in Arlington. There is a big difference between a postage stamp and a 20k sq ft lot. If you want a smallish house on a big lot, move to rural America.

You can find this near Glenmont metro, but it won't probably be up to your standards and won't be new. If you go out even further, you might be able to find a new sfh on half an acre or more. It's the "newer" around here that is a problem at any price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What size house do you need?

3br, 2ba. Relatively newer build. minimum half acre

Ohio is nice

You can't get 1/2 acre in a nice area in OH for 720K.

This is the cheapest option in Upper Arlington, but it's old and over 1MM.

https://www.redfin.com/OH/Columbus/1250-McCoy-Rd-43220/home/75606682

[Anonymous]

1984, 1/3 of an acre
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Silver-Spring/405-Woonsockett-Ln-20905/home/10580010

.73 acres, 1999
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Brookeville/2800-Gold-Mine-Rd-20833/home/10726998

Half acre, 1973
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Gaithersburg/13128-Colton-Ln-20878/home/10607947

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not troll!

We want to be able to afford a mortgage on one salary. We don't want to lose retirement $$ on a home that is too much.

Okay. Maybe start by selling your current home at a price you consider affordable. I assume it would be far less than $720k, since it isn’t new or on half an acre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We refuse to be house poor. We want to keep monthly payment affordable. With property taxes, increased interest rates, upkeep, it is just a lot of $$. And we don't want to sink $$ into a home to lose it if there is an adjustment in the market.

*Sigh*

At some point everyone is a little sad when they realize they can't get a unicorn. Then you buck up and move on.