-WiscoDave
Monday, August 07, 2023
The Urban Reconquista
The promise of the suburbs that once drew the middle classes from the oppression of the cities has now trapped them in a cycle of debt that most cannot escape. The inexpensive Craftsman houses which built the suburbs three generations ago are long gone. Suburban house prices (if a prospective buyer can even find a house to buy) have increased by an order of magnitude above median wages. According to the National Association of Realtors tracking, the median house price in 2019 was $254,700. By 2023 that number had ballooned to $410,200. As a consequence, mortgage and Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) debt now accounts for over 86% of the average American’s debt.
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A profoundly naive article written by a person who clearly knows nothing of the homesteader movement. We do not seek to reinvigorate the old broken cities, we seek to permanently escape them. Many of us see the collapse as unavoidable at this point, and the last thing on our minds is "making America great again".
ReplyDeleteThat ship is sailed.
I prefer the inconveniences of rural living to pricey city living.
ReplyDeleteLive good cheaper in the country.
yeah. it costs a bit ,more to live in the country but it is worth it. back in philly, we used to have to stand guard whenever we came home from shopping. and everything had to be locked up all the time. not a lot of fun to be on guard all the time either.
Deleteused to keep a AR carbine to hand while downstairs and a pump shotgun next to the bed upstairs. and that is with wearing a Sig 220 at all times.
I don't miss the city at all anymore. hell, I don't like going to town if I don't have too.
and it is a nice town too. dave in pa.
Well, there are cities (NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, et al), and then, there are 'cities'. I live in Lorain, OH, about 1/2 mile from the center of town.
DeleteI have medical care within a short distance, neighbors who are both very civilized and caring, and we are close to family (some of them disabled/old/ill).
I'm 72, and realistically, I don't have the physical strength to set up a homestead. That's fine for younger people (and, 40-50-is is young to me). I have several medical conditions that limit my activities, and my husband is even older.
Instead, I bought an inexpensive home in a stable neighborhood, that is occupied mostly by owners, who are putting time and money into improving their century homes. Every time I take the dog out, I run across another piece of evidence that the neighborhood is thriving.
We have our share of the Dems in our community, but also retired military, those who unironically fly American flags, and even those who put pro-2nd amendment signs on their cars.
So, basically a normal American small town, although the city limits are larger.
The best piece of advice I would give someone looking for a home:
Always spend less than the real estate people tell you that you can afford - about 1/2 of their estimate is right.
That will limit your potential houses, but it keeps you from being so strapped by debt that you cannot properly prep your home.
I wouldn't go into a "thriving neighborhood" - that's a neighborhood that will be filled with resentment for people of your color. And, unlikely to have your back.
There are downsides for country/small town living. They may be hesitant to network with newcomers. That's why the move works best for those with family in the area. It gives you a pass on your 'newness'.
the price of a house (in dollars) varies as the value of medium employed to purchase the house
ReplyDeletethe price of a bag of potatos varies as the value of medium employed to purchase the potatos
as the value of the dollar decreases, the price of the commodity (in dollars) increases
If we keep burning out the ball bearings in the printing presses and sending the results to other countries (ie: Ukraine) getting nothing in return, the value of the dollar will continue to fall
Most of that money is laundered right back to DC
DeleteMy house is in the county, on the edge of a once-town that is turning into a small city, but it's still rural enough that I can tolerate it. When I bought the house five or six years ago, I paid $150K. It's now priced on Zillow at $300K. I haven't done much to fix it up, so that's all housing prices going nuts.
ReplyDeleteHad to drive freeway through Portland. Haven't done that in years. Envision taking a tour of the receiving point of the sewer plant. Why anyone would want to live in that city is a mystery.
ReplyDeletenot to stand up for Portland (Oregon I presume), but it should be noted that the number of cities y' might not feel safe driving though without a loaded shotgun (or an AR15) has skyrocketed over the past couple o' years
DeleteI live in a rural area and have been trying and looking to move to the mountains since around 2020. I'm looking for something around 100 grand. For that they want primo dollars for shacks that need an additional 30, 40, grand or more and and who knows what else plowed into them before they're livable. No thanks. -sammy
ReplyDeleteThe cost of housing is a complex issue with a number of factors involved. One of those factors is the demand for somewhere to live. As the. criminals in power keep importing millions and millions of turd world wastes of skin the number of vacant dwelling will diminish, especially lower cost affordable offerings. This drives up demand and costs. All part of their plan.
ReplyDeleteAnd, the increase is temporary and likely to subside, once the bubble is over.
ReplyDeleteI’ll believe it when this person sets up his family farmstead along the Cass Corridor.
ReplyDelete