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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

You are completely out of your mind if you think 500k is middle class anywhere on this planet.

[Anonymous]

Good grief. I am a single mom of two and I "only" make $200k but in addition to my SFH in Fairfax I was able to buy a beach house.

OP I don't know what you are spending your money on but you really do sound nuts.

Maybe buy a piece of land and build a house Then it will all be "new". I did a redfin search for half an acre max $250k and there were 426 properties. Not super close to DC but close enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You are completely out of your mind if you think 500k is middle class anywhere on this planet.

You just can’t take these forums seriously anymore. These people have an extremely distorted version of reality.

[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.

This has nothing to do with your salary. You want a $720k house on a half acre close to DC? That doesn't exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can get a new home on a half acre (or more) in Calvert County. We live in a rowhouse in the middle of DC and that suits us fine but I have contemplated moving once the kids are out of the house. (But Calvert has good schools, so don’t let that stop you.)

This is exactly what we did. We have 3 acres, recently renovated 5 br house for $535k. Lots of new construction around here as well. DH’s commute is 45 minutes. If you’re willing to give it a try, look in Owings, Sunderland, Dunkirk, and Huntingtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What size house do you need?

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

The half an acre is a ridiculous ask for close-in.

WTF. Newer build?? People are insane. You have to level your expectations with your income rate.

When we were at $350K, we bought a house in FFX Co suburbs on .2 acres, 2200 sq ft, in a older but nice neighborhood. Kids went to and continue at public. We now make much more and completely renovated the house to our liking so as not to incur a hefty mortgage by buying a new build home.

It can be done people. So many of you opt to be house poor and then complain about it. It is ok to live within your means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You are completely out of your mind if you think 500k is middle class anywhere on this planet.

You just can’t take these forums seriously anymore. These people have an extremely distorted version of reality.

I go to the Money and Finance forum to get a good laugh when I’m feeling down about something. Where they think a $300 HHI means you’re poor.

[Anonymous]

Whatever.

I think you have more of a YOU issue vs a market issue

[Anonymous]

What on earth is wrong with you? I am not working right now, so our HHI is 150k. We have realistic expectations so are looking at a condo that - shock! - we can easily afford in a very good DC neighborhood. Adjust your expectations. Or move to Alabama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Peop le are being too hard on OP. What he/she wanted was possible - 10 to 20 years ago ( adjusted for inflation). Prob people chiming in now got theirs and don’t realize how different things are now.

No it was not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Peop le are being too hard on OP. What he/she wanted was possible - 10 to 20 years ago ( adjusted for inflation). Prob people chiming in now got theirs and don’t realize how different things are now.

No it was not.

I bought my house 10 years ago. I could not buy a .5 acre, new build close in to DC so we settled for an older home on a smaller lot in the suburbs. We have been making the trade off for decades. The problem here is that OP thinks that she is entitled to a new build home on a large lot right next to DC. Someone has to talk her down. Kids these days...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:?

We saved for years, then bought a house in Bethesda in 2010 on an 80K HHI. If you adjust for inflation and your income level, you'll see you can afford plenty of houses.

It's just that you don't like any of them

+1000 OP has caviar dreams on a pizza budget.

[Anonymous]

What about…

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/1800-Courtland-Rd-22306/home/9817990

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/6126-Valley-View-Dr-22310/home/160654392

https://www.redfin.com/VA/West-Springfield/6106-Dabney-Ct-22152/home/9745037

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Springfield/8712-Etta-Dr-22152/home/9772461

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Springfield/6905-Spur-Rd-22153/home/9767360

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Burke/9603-Villagesmith-Way-22015/home/9765882

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What size house do you need?

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

The half an acre is a ridiculous ask for close-in.

This. In order to get a lot that size, you’d need to live to the outer burbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 300+ in equity and credit scores in 800+. Also make ~$350+ and we cannot afford anything in this area. It sucks. We feel we need to move to lower COL area to live comfortably.

Thinking about moving to Georgia or Alabama for affordability.

Any suggestions?

I know how you feel. We have almost the same stats (we had more home equity than you) and used to live in the Bay Area, so we moved to the DC area to find cheaper housing. LOL