ANGRY and DISCOURAGED (renamed by Greebo)

[Palooka]

It has been suggested to me, cowardly, via pm, that I naturally endorse renting, because I am a landlord, and I rent properties out to people, which allows them to buy houses for me.

In other words, it's been suggested to me that I am offering advice to people based on what benefits me, as opposed to what benefits them.

Seriously? *I* haven't ever seen or thought that. Like it's going to benefit you if people rent all across the states. heh

I know that renting is not such a bad thing anymore. I've owned two homes and rented several times. Owning a home can be financially draining... oh so many times. When I rented, I dreamed of owning, but it's not all it's cracked up to be and rainbows and fairies.

Sometimes I dream about my past renting my old very nice 3 bedroom duplex that was 550.00 no water bill, no trash, no lawn care, no buying a new air conditioner, no plumbing repairs that came out of my pocket and no taxes.etc.

Owning a house cost way much more than a monthly mortgage and also a big chance for people to make huge costly mistakes when it comes to refinancing. It's only smart to give advice about buying a home and what it entails.

Okay, done.

[Greebo]

Seriously?

Yes, seriously. What was said to me was,
"Of course you agree with rent; you rent houses out and people are buying you a house. "

*I* haven't ever seen or thought that. Like it's going to benefit you if people rent all across the states. heh

Yeah, I'm sure my advice here has major impacts on the attitudes of the rental population of Dundalk, MD, where my properties reside. The neighborhood was 65% renter when I bought there - but hey, maybe my advice will make it 65.00001%! Better slant my advice!!!

[Palooka]

The neighborhood was 65% renter when I bought there - but hey, maybe my advice will make it 65.00001%! Better slant my advice!!!

Hey, you keep going for it and you will get it there soon!

[Natalia]

Greebo: why in the world would you consider taking the 2 month's rent "cheating" someone? He was the one cheating you by gypping you 2 months rent, and you let him do so.

[kita]

I don't think that I would have questioned your integrity but perhaps wondered about a subconscious bias. Maybe thinking "those renter's have it so easy, I have to foot all the repairs and take all the risks in this situation."
There are irratations to renting. Like being told you can't paint colors you want. Having screaming three-year-olds live upstairs from you. Knowing way too much about the side-neighbors love life. And my current pet peeve...having the downstairs neighbors scream everytime I want to use the balconey. Spending weeks and weeks looking for a place that will allow dogs.
None of that means I have money in my pocket to own a house but renting ain't no picnic either.

[Nishu]

Is it really fair to call it cowardly just because they pm'ed you? Isn't that what we're supposed to do when we have a beef that isn't really relevant to the topic? It wasn't anonymous, was it?

[Greebo]

Greebo: why in the world would you consider taking the 2 month's rent "cheating" someone? He was the one cheating you by gypping you 2 months rent, and you let him do so.

No, taking 2 months rent owed me wouldn't have been cheating him.

ADVISING HIM to pay me, as if it were in his own best interest, would have been.

[Greebo]

Is it really fair to call it cowardly just because they pm'ed you? Isn't that what we're supposed to do when we have a beef that isn't really relevant to the topic? It wasn't anonymous, was it?

No, I suppose cowardly isn't the right word. Not sure what is... although there was more to the pm than that, and it actually was on-topic material mixed in with bragging, whinging and wheedling.

But you know me - if the person had openly *asked* me, "Greebo is it possible that your own landlord activity biases your opinion?", I'd have not been offended at all. That's a fair question to consider - am I giving X the best advice for X or the best advice for me?

This person didn't do that - they didn't ask, they asserted knowledge with no basis - and they almost seemed to be conspiratorially saying, 'Hey I know the real truth about you but lets find some common ground' like I was some politician or something.

[sunshine]

[quote=Greebo;1437796]No, I suppose cowardly isn't the right word. Not sure what is... although there was more to the pm than that, and it actually was on-topic material mixed in with bragging, whinging and wheedling.

But you know me - if the person had openly *asked* me, "Greebo is it possible that your own landlord activity biases your opinion?", I'd have not been offended at all. That's a fair question to consider - am I giving X the best advice for X or the best advice for me?

This person didn't do that - they didn't ask, they asserted knowledge with no basis - and they almost seemed to be conspiratorially saying, 'Hey I know the real truth about you but lets find some common ground' like I was some politician or something.[/quote

Sorry - decided I should not make off topic comments.

[mek42]

On the off chance that the OP is still around, look into the public service student loan forgiveness program. Under IBR, you just might have a monthly payment of $0 that counts toward the payments needed for the 10 year forgiveness, which, under the public service plan, is a tax-free event. The 25 year forgiveness for everyone is a taxable event.

Also regarding student loans, when my wife and I started our debt snowball, she requested a temporary hardship forbearance from her student loans to help us "kick off" the snowball process. We included her loan payments as part of our monthly snowball amount, just put them toward the smallest (or, for card 3 paid off, the most hated) debt to get it gone faster.

With your PhD have you considered supplementing your income by being an adjunct faculty somewhere?

Lastly, if you insist on buying instead of renting, make sure you're comparing PITI to current rent, not just the mortgage. Taxes and insurance can easily add up to another $200 - 500+ per month.

Good luck with everything.

[LuvMyHubby]

Has anyone gone through a PhD program? It was tough for me and now I just feel like my degree in THIS economy isn't really paying off. I know it was my decision to get an education, but coming from an extremely disadvantaged background, it was the only way I could escape that. And now, here I am not really diggin myself out of that because I feel "limited."

And I'm not angry at my fiance. I'm just questioning her motivation to improve herself and help with our situation. I understand that making more $ isn't necessarily the answer, but it WOULD help.

In this world and day and age, I don't think that promotions or pay increases are a given.

I don't know your fiance of course so cannot predict or say that she could handle the stress and anxiety of a job that would bring in the kind of income that you seem to believe she should get, but it seems to me that her debt ratio is far less than yours even before getting married so to me she is already pulling her weight. She is working and bringing an income into the marriage, so certainly she is no slacker and she is bringing the least amount of individual debt.

I know that every state has a varied economic level but where I am sitting 4grand in take home is pretty darn good and plenty for two people to work with. Not everyone is going to be able to get married an move into white picket world, it takes time and patience.

[littleplum]

Seriously? *I* haven't ever seen or thought that. Like it's going to benefit you if people rent all across the states. heh

IKR?! LOL.

Plus, I believe that Greebo has been advocating renting until a decent down payment and emergency fund has been saved, not renting forever.