$80,000

So I just did a quick calculation on how much money I've "thrown down the terlit" by renting since moving out of my parents' abode in the year 2001, with the total residing somewhere in the land of $80,000. Adding property taxes, home repair, HOA fees, general upkeep, and interest to the fold brings the total to... $80,000. Yeah, you like that, idiot. Oh sure I never got a sweet mortgage deduction tax credit, but then again, come on people, do the fucking math: getting $10k back from the IRS doens't mean squat if it cost you $40k in various payments to them in the first place. Yes, it's better than the paltry $60 renter's credit I used to qualify for (and might once again this year, hooray!), but still. Not that great of a deal really. So even though obviously my own job security is 100% guaranteed in that I'm not currently working, every several months I start taking a serious look at buying a house. Hey, I still live in dwelling that, during normal economic times, is an UNSTOPPABLE STRONGHOLD OF DUAL INCOME, so why not shop around at least? Because those days shall return. Someday. Hopefully.

I've been reading articles lately that discuss how the low-end of the housing market has returned to reality, but the mid-range stuff is still ridiculous, and finally the high-end rests up in some corner of the globe known as Who Gives A Fuck. After several days worth of research, I must concur that this is correct. There are deals right now. A lot of them. I've found all kinds of starter homes in the $50k to $90k range, which, while not in the nicest of areas, are plenty affordable for a whole lot of people (nearly including myself, sorta). Unfortunately, in the area where I live and would like to remain for the time being, housing is still foolishly Stuck On Stupid. Down the street from us I have watched a pad sit there motionless for nearly 6 months, beginning with an asking price of $375k, quickly dropping to $269k, and now settling at $229k. Still motionless of course, still too expensive. Similar properties are the same. While I won't get into the Pending Alt-A Madness waiting just 'round the corner, I do know that if I want to buy in this area, I will have to wait for that other shoe to drop. Granted, with a huge hospital close by there are a shitload of doctors and nurses in this area so I don't ever expect all the nice joints to go for way cheap here, at least anytime soon, but good deals are certainly looming. Someday. Hopefully.

So, since I "wasted" $80,000 already, what's another several grand over the next year or so? Not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things (oh so punny!), and for the time being, especially given my continuously jobless ways, I'd much rather sit on any extra money I still thankfully have rather than plunking it all into a downpayment that is just as likely to disappear before escrow closes than actually speed along the process. Oh sure, I could have paid cash for a cheap house right now if I lived with my parents over the last 8 years, completely demolishing my pride, sanity, and sex life all at once, but even looking backward I still don't consider that to be the smartest of all possible options. I do think a few stupid mistakes I made were purchasing two brand new vehicles, one before finishing college and another just 2 years later, along with running up about $10k worth of credit card debt at one point, but blowing money on a rented domicile or three is not something I consider a mistake. In this country, few have the luxury of living under a free roof. It's just how things work, unless of course we all go back to happily living in caves, after realizing the utter folly that mankind has truly become. Which eventually we just might do. Someday. Hopefully.