My current apartment is a 1 bedroom 750 sq ft I think I got the lease a year ago and pay 840. I'm in escrow on a house in Elizabeth lake about 20 minutes outside of town but doesn't have the ghetto across the street that goes shopping in my car when I'm asleep. New house is a 3+3 1760 sq ft with rv access and a 2 car garage, they asked 150 were paying 140 just got locked in at 5% so I'm figuring 1000 to 1100 each month out the door
Damn Wiskas! That is coming along nicely. My place is $1750/month but it's split two ways, and I rent out the garage. My share is $550/month. This is CHEAP for my area (especially in the bay), because it's a 3-bed/2-bath house (~1100-1200 sq/ft) with 2-car garage, decent fenced yard in quiet neighborhood. If I move, I'll probably live somewhere more rural or rent a room etc. for a better deal.
What are home values in your area worth now? I know a couple of years ago they were around the $700k mark but I'm sure they are way down around $400k.
100% It sure saves on the cost. I got the windows and doors for 1/2 price and my dad had most of the matching siding and plywood I'll need, stored out in the barn. Probably about three grand into this project now. I'm about to run the electrical and slap up the siding today. I got the roof dried-in just in time yesterday, it's been pouring down rain since five minutes after getting off the roof. It'll get those energy efficient windows installed on the old section too. Weighinging in at 780 sq. ft. it's small, but not much smaller than the apartment when you subtract the spare bedrom, so our living space will actually be bigger, just no second bedroom. This cottage is going to be an excercise in frugallity and minimal living.....a lifestyle change that includes no excess. I'm trying to addopt a Northern European view on energy consumption and space utilization.
mistawiskas, I was watching a TV program the other day called Grand designs. This time they were building a completely airtite house, triple glazed windows etc. In the winter no heat can excape and so no heating is needed. In summer it used some technology to stop heat getting in. It also had solar panels. They sold any unused power back to the power company, they worked out every year after all ectricity bills heating bills they would actually be making £1,800 a year ($2,600). So the house would actually be making money for them.
It's not going to be that efficient, but it'd be cool to do that. I have enough fall in the creek to generate some power, enough exposure to get some solar when the creek runs lower in the spring, summer and fall, and about an acre that gets total sun year round. it's a rather sheltered valley so the wind potential is low. I have enough (if that's ever possible) shop space to start building generators and windmills for sale. Might be able to finance a retirement that way....who knows.
We have paid $1050 per month for our 2br/2bath 1150 sq feet apartment here in Virginia Beach for the last year. That includes water. All bills are split down the middle between my room mate and I, so it comes out to about $675/month with electric and cable/internet. ~Will Courtier~
$1050/mo for a 2/2 by myself (woo woo home office). the complex has a full size pool and clubhouse (pool, foosball, etc), and also a gym i am about 15 mins NW of downtown (which is kind of far here) I am moving into a house or duplex next year though (er august actually). I am hoping to do a 6month lease and buy a house after that. i just need to save some money. been buying too many toys lately.
wiskas that's looking awesome! my parents own 20 acres of land and have a 2500 square foot log home up north in Bellingham area. plus they have a separate apartment. i lived there when i was in college. i could live in that apartment for free but there are no jobs up that way ;-(
I know they're down, but can't say for sure how expensive things were back in its prime (and I live in Fremont, a cheaper area than SJ or something)... but the house across the street sold for $450k around 9 months ago, and I've seen another 3-bedroom nearby sell for $350k.
agreed. it's just that most of the apartments in downtown used to be hotels and were built in the 20s originally and there just isn't any parking. most charge, some don't. it just depends. I wouldn't NEED a car if I lived in seattle but i'm stuck in a loan with no way to get rid of it at this point anyways.
I live where Obama came to show how shitty unemployment is. I pay $750, renting a ~1200 sq. foot 3/2. I'm going to buy a house next year, the prices are awesome... a few years ago I was afraid that I couldn't afford to live where I grew up, but now... hell yeah, I'm all about this recession.
I went out to work on the cottage today and got my ass soaked. I'm not going out tommorrow if it's raining the way it did today.
Update: had time to slap some siding on today. tomorrow, it's trims, gable laps/vent, and electrical.
That's wicked cool Mista! You gonna use some of that acre and make a little solar farm on it to draw some of that free juice in?...
i pay $1,015 for a 600 sq ft studio (it's essentially a 1 bedroom) ($895) + parking ($120) for capital hill in seattle. that being said, there are cheaper places on the hill. i live in a 1930s building that has 12 parking spaces available. i was lucky to get parking in the building since parking on cap hill sucks. you could always look places that are bit further away than cap hill/downtown and take the bus or ride your bike. i took the bus and rode my bike when i lived in fremont and it was super easy. the buses aren't that expensive either. i'd say just keep looking. there's going to be places available and lower rates as the economy continues to tank.
you guys talking about taking buses and biking and shit haven't lived in texas. we shun public transportation (actually, austin isn't bad, but everywhere else is just suburban sprawl) and spread out like its going out of style
You guys are smarter than me. I can't get solar to ROI until about 20 years, by which time the power drops to about 50%. Including the lifting of the cap and full 30% credit by the government. I know two solar installers and their numbers are BS as far as I am concerned. I can't figure out why the numbers don't add up. Maybe I am missing something, but I don't make leaps of faith with money. I could do very well with wind power. But I am concerned about maintenance, storm damage, footprint, and eyesore. I'm going to need more land before I go wind.
The ticket is to have redundant sources to cover the four seasons. I plan solr+wind for the months that the creek is low, wind+hydro for the times the sun doesn't shine as often, etc. meanwhile experimentation on magnetic driven forms of motation and HHO for the vehicles. It'll sure be great to get the shop in order after finishing this project. Right now there are two shops combined into one and you can hardly walk from one end to the other.....and the women folk are talking storage in my shop ( no way! ). The day i'm waiting for the framing/rough electrical inspections, I'm building a 16'X10' covered area at the back of the barn to house the gas powered equipment and free up some shop space. (woo-hoo!)
that's cause you're all republicans who love your gas guzzlers seattle is all about alternative forms of transportation. we're just a bunch of hippies up here remember? i actually love riding my bike to work when the weather coopperates. It just puts me in a great mood and wakes me up in the morning.
