Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 13:15     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:There's no way I'd move. Only paying $1,100 a month is amazing. What's your age and how much retirement savings do you have? How much money will you have left after you would put down $500,000?

Things like camps and before/after care, if you need it, are expensive. Clothing, tutoring if needed, sports, various fees, all add up.

DH and I make around 280k and have saved a couple million now in our late 40s -- we always kept our housing expenses low and thst was a key to our wealth accumulation. I love never having to worry about money and being able to buy whatever small luxury we need.

I find our house to be a headache and would never own by myself-- i hate having to shell out thousands on the random things that break. We've had to pay 20 grand in the last 2 years on fixing things on our house that was built in the 70s. DH has to do basic maintenance and if I was in my own I'd need to hire someone for that in addition to lawn care.


Terrible advice, talking about how rich you are, then telling the OP to do something different.

Also, this seems like the same poster again and again... how many people would keep bringing up clothing and sports, as if those are some sort of financial hardship.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 12:54     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:There's no way I'd move. Only paying $1,100 a month is amazing. What's your age and how much retirement savings do you have? How much money will you have left after you would put down $500,000?

Things like camps and before/after care, if you need it, are expensive. Clothing, tutoring if needed, sports, various fees, all add up.

DH and I make around 280k and have saved a couple million now in our late 40s -- we always kept our housing expenses low and thst was a key to our wealth accumulation. I love never having to worry about money and being able to buy whatever small luxury we need.

I find our house to be a headache and would never own by myself-- i hate having to shell out thousands on the random things that break. We've had to pay 20 grand in the last 2 years on fixing things on our house that was built in the 70s. DH has to do basic maintenance and if I was in my own I'd need to hire someone for that in addition to lawn care.


There is no reason a woman can’t do lawn care or basic maintenance in her 40s. You’re reinforcing sexist tropes with this attitude. With YouTube tutorials anyone can do basic maintenance and unless you’re disabled you can take care of lawn care too.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 09:26     Subject: 200K salary
There's no way I'd move. Only paying $1,100 a month is amazing. What's your age and how much retirement savings do you have? How much money will you have left after you would put down $500,000?

Things like camps and before/after care, if you need it, are expensive. Clothing, tutoring if needed, sports, various fees, all add up.

DH and I make around 280k and have saved a couple million now in our late 40s -- we always kept our housing expenses low and thst was a key to our wealth accumulation. I love never having to worry about money and being able to buy whatever small luxury we need.

I find our house to be a headache and would never own by myself-- i hate having to shell out thousands on the random things that break. We've had to pay 20 grand in the last 2 years on fixing things on our house that was built in the 70s. DH has to do basic maintenance and if I was in my own I'd need to hire someone for that in addition to lawn care.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 09:10     Subject: 200K salary
OP, go find a mortgage calculator and put in your desirables to estimate your mortgage — then try to live on that to see if it’s doable.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 09:07     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:The two little kids is what will drive your final outcome - I’d say a mortgage around 2K or 3K and somewhere between then. You could afford more but let me tell you little kids get more expensive (the activities the camps the aftercare the clothes the gifts the bills the food) so be conservative.


This. Camps can be expensive — you will need summer camps for each kid — possibly to include before/aftercare at camp, which is a separate expense. If you do the basic camps, you will pay anywhere from $300-500 per child, per week. 8 weeks of basic camp will between $2500-4000 per summer, plus aftercare, which can be an additional $1200 (this is just an example — my data is 10 years old) — so you are looking at roughly $5000 per kid per summer.

Sports can be an additional cost — I’m not sure what soccer costs, but my DD’s ballet was anywhere from $5000-10000 p0er year, depending on her level.

After school care is also an expense.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 08:55     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:No more than $4000/month.


This is what I think too.


We have double OP’s salary and our mortgage in $4200/month. While we are fine, we did not feel back when we made $300k — we didn’t even have childcare back then.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 08:54     Subject: Re:200K salary
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yes, I have separate rental income that I’m saving for retirement. Please focus on the question I asked.


Yikes. You’ll get no help with that attitude. I’m not the person who asked but it’s legitimate in trying to help determine a budget. Figure it out yourself.


Exactly. Ironic that OP apparently knows what s/he is doing with regard to retirement, but needs help determining how much s/he can afford in a house.
Anonymous
Post 11/25/2025 17:36     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t buy and would rent long-term. Your $500K will conservatively double every 7 years in VOO or similar. Invest your $ and rent something for $3K or less a month. You already own an investment property so there’s no need to buy just to get on the property ladder. The math for your situation clearly shows renting as the winner.


NP

Agree
W this
Anonymous
Post 11/25/2025 15:50     Subject: 200K salary
Marry a guy with a house.
Anonymous
Post 11/24/2025 20:17     Subject: 200K salary
The two little kids is what will drive your final outcome - I’d say a mortgage around 2K or 3K and somewhere between then. You could afford more but let me tell you little kids get more expensive (the activities the camps the aftercare the clothes the gifts the bills the food) so be conservative.
Anonymous
Post 11/24/2025 10:16     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Pool, 24/7 concierge, tennis courts, gym, sauna, jacuzzi, mail room

Wow, I would definitely stay in your condo with all those amenities.


Are you a condo salesperson? Those amenities are barely worth anything.


Plus how much are the kids using the tennis courts, sauna, and jacuzzi? Or single mom OP for that matter? She's paying for amenities they're not using. Better to put that money towards a place that would better suit their lives.
Anonymous
Post 11/24/2025 08:55     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Pool, 24/7 concierge, tennis courts, gym, sauna, jacuzzi, mail room

Wow, I would definitely stay in your condo with all those amenities.


Are you a condo salesperson? Those amenities are barely worth anything.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2025 22:17     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:Pool, 24/7 concierge, tennis courts, gym, sauna, jacuzzi, mail room

Wow, I would definitely stay in your condo with all those amenities.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2025 22:15     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:$1,100 per month condo fee is INSANE. What is that paying for?


No it’s not.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2025 22:14     Subject: 200K salary
Anonymous wrote:OP here: I currently live in a paid off condo that my parents own in Arlington. I pay $1100 condo fee/month. Should I just stay living here? Only issue is the space. It’s 2 bed but I would like a bigger home for the kids so we can all have our own room and a yard to play.

I would stay put and save.