The problem with America’s high homeownership rate

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

https://www.axios.com/2023/08/26/housing-crisis-homeownership-nimby-mortgage-rates

Ridiculous article but some interesting points. We need to build more housing, period.

[sneakypete]

I OWN my home,and have had it paid off for over 10 years now. It is the only house on an island,and I own 13 acres to go with the house.

I lived in the Civil War-era house that was so rotten I could crumble door openings in my hands for maybe 5 years while saving money to buy a used  double-wide,get sand hauled in to raise my yard above flood level,and get a septic tank put in.

I eventually found and bought a 2 year old 65x24 3br 2bath double-wide for 13 grand in cash,which  included having it moved and set up on my land.

Later,I had a 65x45 Quonset hut set up next to the house,and it has ac,heat,an "office" with a walk in shower and hot water. The rest of the shop is filled with antique cars,parts,and tools.

Another "price" I paid that doesn't show up on the books was having to spend several years driving around 125 miles or so a day  round trip to work and back home,while working 12+ hours a day 6 days a week,sometimes 7,to pay cash for all this.

And continuing the same long daily drive for a few years more after getting everything "put together".

BUT.....,now it has been paid off for over 10 years,and I am living rent-free in retirement,and only paying property taxes.

Hell,I even have county water now because I signed up for it when the county first started talking about putting it in,and I guess nobody was paying attention to where my house was located.  The truth is I never thought they would put a line in over 200 feet long for just one house,but signed up for it because the county  needed "X-amount" of signatures to get federal funding.

Came as a major surprise to me to come home one day and discover the county had ran a water line all the way to my house,and left a note on the door telling me I had "X Amount of days" to pay the fee to get it hooked up.

Surprised me a little more to go into the house and discover my water pump  had burnt up and I had no water. I even called in sick the next morning so I could drive up to the courthouse and pay my fees to get the water turned on and to contact a plumber to run the line from the meter to the house and shop.

I have no idea what my house and land is worth today,but I do know I am not going to sell it because I just don't have the energy  to move again.

I hope it is worth a lot because when I die,all my stuff,including my house and land,get sold,and half the money goes to Feline Hope,and the other half goes to St.Judes Children's hospital. Can't take it with me,so I might as well spend it on something meaningful to me.

[Idiot]

I OWN my home,and have had it paid off for over 10 years now. It is the only house on an island,and I own 13 acres to go with the house.

I lived in the Civil War-era house that was so rotten I could crumble door openings in my hands for maybe 5 years while saving money to buy a used  double-wide,get sand hauled in to raise my yard above flood level,and get a septic tank put in.

I eventually found and bought a 2 year old 65x24 3br 2bath double-wide for 13 grand in cash,which  included having it moved and set up on my land.

Later,I had a 65x45 Quonset hut set up next to the house,and it has ac,heat,an "office" with a walk in shower and hot water. The rest of the shop is filled with antique cars,parts,and tools.

Another "price" I paid that doesn't show up on the books was having to spend several years driving around 125 miles or so a day  round trip to work and back home,while working 12+ hours a day 6 days a week,sometimes 7,to pay cash for all this.

And continuing the same long daily drive for a few years more after getting everything "put together".

BUT.....,now it has been paid off for over 10 years,and I am living rent-free in retirement,and only paying property taxes.

Hell,I even have county water now because I signed up for it when the county first started talking about putting it in,and I guess nobody was paying attention to where my house was located.  The truth is I never thought they would put a line in over 200 feet long for just one house,but signed up for it because the county  needed "X-amount" of signatures to get federal funding.

Came as a major surprise to me to come home one day and discover the county had ran a water line all the way to my house,and left a note on the door telling me I had "X Amount of days" to pay the fee to get it hooked up.

Surprised me a little more to go into the house and discover my water pump  had burnt up and I had no water. I even called in sick the next morning so I could drive up to the courthouse and pay my fees to get the water turned on and to contact a plumber to run the line from the meter to the house and shop.

I have no idea what my house and land is worth today,but I do know I am not going to sell it because I just don't have the energy  to move again.

I hope it is worth a lot because when I die,all my stuff,including my house and land,get sold,and half the money goes to Feline Hope,and the other half goes to St.Judes Children's hospital. Can't take it with me,so I might as well spend it on something meaningful to me.

Really nice Pete, I'm sure those charities will really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

[Hoodat]

I eventually found and bought a 2 year old 65x24 3br 2bath double-wide for 13 grand in cash,which  included having it moved and set up on my land.

You may be a redneck if 'helping your friend move' involves putting the wheels back on the house.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

You may be a redneck if 'helping your friend move' involves putting the wheels back on the house.

 

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I OWN my home,and have had it paid off for over 10 years now. It is the only house on an island,and I own 13 acres to go with the house.

I lived in the Civil War-era house that was so rotten I could crumble door openings in my hands for maybe 5 years while saving money to buy a used  double-wide,get sand hauled in to raise my yard above flood level,and get a septic tank put in.

I eventually found and bought a 2 year old 65x24 3br 2bath double-wide for 13 grand in cash,which  included having it moved and set up on my land.

Later,I had a 65x45 Quonset hut set up next to the house,and it has ac,heat,an "office" with a walk in shower and hot water. The rest of the shop is filled with antique cars,parts,and tools.

Another "price" I paid that doesn't show up on the books was having to spend several years driving around 125 miles or so a day  round trip to work and back home,while working 12+ hours a day 6 days a week,sometimes 7,to pay cash for all this.

And continuing the same long daily drive for a few years more after getting everything "put together".

BUT.....,now it has been paid off for over 10 years,and I am living rent-free in retirement,and only paying property taxes.

Hell,I even have county water now because I signed up for it when the county first started talking about putting it in,and I guess nobody was paying attention to where my house was located.  The truth is I never thought they would put a line in over 200 feet long for just one house,but signed up for it because the county  needed "X-amount" of signatures to get federal funding.

Came as a major surprise to me to come home one day and discover the county had ran a water line all the way to my house,and left a note on the door telling me I had "X Amount of days" to pay the fee to get it hooked up.

Surprised me a little more to go into the house and discover my water pump  had burnt up and I had no water. I even called in sick the next morning so I could drive up to the courthouse and pay my fees to get the water turned on and to contact a plumber to run the line from the meter to the house and shop.

I have no idea what my house and land is worth today,but I do know I am not going to sell it because I just don't have the energy  to move again.

I hope it is worth a lot because when I die,all my stuff,including my house and land,get sold,and half the money goes to Feline Hope,and the other half goes to St.Judes Children's hospital. Can't take it with me,so I might as well spend it on something meaningful to me.

I looked up Feline Hope, and that looks like a really good one.  Lots of sadness out there because too many animals and not enough homes, so spaying and neutering is huge.  Right now, we have three cats of our own.  Had one, he died, so then we got a brother and sister pair of kittens.  Dog rescued a starving little feral cat Lassie-style, so we kept her.

Then, my stepdaughter's slacker husband walked out on her and their 9 month old son.  So they moved in with us, and since I didn't have the heart to tell my stepdaughter she had to give up her two cats along with losing her husband and house...we have them too.  So now five, at least for the next year or so.  Fortunately, all spayed and neutered.

You're a good guy, @sneakypete