Stormy weather only makes droughts better, not feelings. In the last few days I feel like my Fiancee have done a complete 180. We have decided to push back our house hunt for at least 10 months. We will continue looking, but only put down offers on a place that is 95% perfect, which means we 95% will not buy a house.
The bay area is ungodly expensive. It truly is. The cheap areas aren't worth living in, and the meh areas are quickly maxing out in price. The nice areas? Hah. If the economy spirals downward again, and it will, this is capitalism we are talking about here, that $600,000 three bedroom/two bath will be worth maybe half that, but you'll still owe all that money.
Instead, we have decided to look at alternative options, like investing and developing skills to start our own firm. We are also looking into alternative real estate options as well, like buying a 1 bedroom, renting it out, and making money that way.
This last week has been a maelstrom of emotions. The problem with housing is that it isn't just a financial decision. If it was, the housing crash of 2009 may possibly have never happened. Okay, that is a bit of a stretch, but in all seriousness, housing is a far more emotional decision than it should be.
The American dream is wrapped up in owning land like a video game with a console. They are useless without the other. If you can't own your own land, you haven't achieved the American Dream. Buying a house is a lifestyle choice. You choose a neighborhood to put down roots, to rear your kids, to say goodbye to your parents. You pick a home to grow old in.
Turning away from that was hard. Really hard, but ultimately for the best. Now I can concentrate on building my wealth empire. One day I will own a nice house in the Bay, but for now,
Bay Area.