$83K
$2050 monthly

$270K, bought at the peak of the bubble in the same school district as child's other parent.

It's tight. Really tight. But it's OK. We have a yard, a street where my kid can play outside, and again, same school district as ex, with whom I share custody.

We live in N. Bethesda/Bethesda area, HHI of $125k, mortgage & HOA is about $2700. We are extremely lucky that we do not have childcare cost, vehicles payments or any other major expense. We are only having 1 child and the grandparents have setup and funded his college fund. We recognize we are lucky but we are only having 1 for this reason.

Anonymous wrote:Thing is, if you're coughing up $2700 a month on a salary of under $100k, how much ability do you really have to enjoy all the amenities nearby?

Well, I don't have a lot of money but plenty of ability. There are entire books and websites devoted to doing stuff with your family in Washington for free. Besides the obvious (Smithsonian) we have found ways to enjoy lots of things for free like the NSO at the Kennedy Center. This is a great area for families and our calendar is overstuffed.
(All that said, I'd like more money and am trying to get a better paying job)

Thing is, if you're coughing up $2700 a month on a salary of under $100k, how much ability do you really have to enjoy all the amenities nearby?

Agreed, it's choices and circumstances. We make $92k and our mortgage payment is $1900. It's tight. But it's also our choice. We are saving oodles of interest with our 15-year loan and may choose to tighten our belts even further to convert to a 10-year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:100K last year
(85K when we purchased our house, and 40K a few years ago, DH's salary, I stay home)

House in downtown Bethesda, bought 2010: fixer-upper, 50% down and $2700 mortgage.

DH took out maximum loan so that we could also pay for renovations to gut the first floor and rebuild.

The key here is that we had saved a significant amount to afford a big down-payment.

that is still a crazy mortgage payment on that salary!

It is a stone's throw away from the elementary school, restaurants, yoga, martial arts, etc that we frequent. We looked at the overpriced condos, and decided a house was a better long-term investment.
I love living here.

Same here. It's about choices. HHI <$100k in this area means you can't have everything. For us, it means having only one old car, driving vacations and no cable TV. Glad to be where we are: things are tougher back in the area where I grew up:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/in-new-castle-pa-trying-to-break-free-of-poverty/2012/12/08/f41f20ec-3985-11e2-8a97-363b0f9a0ab3_story.html?tid=pm_national_pop

We're blessed, even with our crazy mortgage payment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:100K last year
(85K when we purchased our house, and 40K a few years ago, DH's salary, I stay home)

House in downtown Bethesda, bought 2010: fixer-upper, 50% down and $2700 mortgage.

DH took out maximum loan so that we could also pay for renovations to gut the first floor and rebuild.

The key here is that we had saved a significant amount to afford a big down-payment.

that is still a crazy mortgage payment on that salary!

It is a stone's throw away from the elementary school, restaurants, yoga, martial arts, etc that we frequent. We looked at the overpriced condos, and decided a house was a better long-term investment.
I love living here.

Anonymous wrote:100K last year
(85K when we purchased our house, and 40K a few years ago, DH's salary, I stay home)

House in downtown Bethesda, bought 2010: fixer-upper, 50% down and $2700 mortgage.

DH took out maximum loan so that we could also pay for renovations to gut the first floor and rebuild.

The key here is that we had saved a significant amount to afford a big down-payment.

that is still a crazy mortgage payment on that salary!

100K last year
(85K when we purchased our house, and 40K a few years ago, DH's salary, I stay home)

House in downtown Bethesda, bought 2010: fixer-upper, 50% down and $2700 mortgage.

DH took out maximum loan so that we could also pay for renovations to gut the first floor and rebuild.

The key here is that we had saved a significant amount to afford a big down-payment.

Anonymous wrote:I bet most don't live in the DC area.

Wow, someone is in a bubble.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet most don't live in the DC area.

Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, hotels, associations, etc all have employees and managers. Where do you think they live......in Delaware? Get real.

Plus non-profits.

And dancers, writers, journalists, editors, musicians, teachers, firemen, DC government workers, waitresses (gasp!), librarians, administrative assistants, janitors, retail salespeople. Etc.

Median household income is $61K in DC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet most don't live in the DC area.

Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, hotels, associations, etc all have employees and managers. Where do you think they live......in Delaware? Get real.

Plus non-profits.

And dancers, writers, journalists, editors, musicians, teachers, firemen, DC government workers, waitresses (gasp!), librarians, administrative assistants, janitors, retail salespeople. Etc.

58k in downtown silver spring
rent + all utilities= 1200
came in 2009 making only 44k
we feel comfortable, no debt or financial problems.

-68K in DC.
-Own condo in DC.
-Mortgage $1000/month, condo fees $300/month.
-Second mortgage of $100/month begins in a year.
-Not currently paying taxes due to DC tax abatement program, begins in two years. About $100/month.
-Purchased in 2008 for $209K. I made 48K then.

I would LOVE to refi to a 15y but I can't as part of the program I went through. That said, incredibly blessed. Love where I live.

88k in MoCo.
Own SFH inside the Beltway.
Mortgage is $180k.
Purchased for $310k in 2009 (foreclosure).
PITI is appx. $1900 for 15 years. About to refi for 10-year loan.