Video games, trading cards, build scale model... read?

Real Estate is the best hedge against inflation.

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I'm 54, I grew up with video games, really can't stand them now. Have a trunk full of trading cards from the 70's. I even have laugh-in cards (the show).

I collect ho scale slot cars and have a big track. I also have built many other scale cars. Here are two hard body slot cars built from several model kits.

I hate reading novels. They bore me most of the time.

Any other suggestions?

Renting is the worst.

I have such a good deal on a place right now even though I want to move that I might just wait it out another year (rent control at least..) and maybe see about buying a condo..

I hate throwing away the money that places where I live are asking for.

Especially now when it's actually cheaper to buy than to rent. It's one thing when renting is $800 and owning $1000. The $200/mo equity (after taxes interest blah) might be better invested in stocks or something. But when it's $1000 to rent $800 to own the place it's a no-brainer. (assuming you are going to live there for like 3-6 years so the closing costs don't ruin it for you)

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Well, you could get a head start on building your AC units for this summer ..... :D


humfrz

Pretty much. With my garage though I cannot really go back to renting an apartment or most condo's here unless I pick up a few storage units and cram everything into. It was quite the quick notice and really has me running around.

Days like today I really wish I could give up possessions which would make life so much easier. Probably go postal though if it weren't for distractions.:cheers:

Oh shit, you're right.

Yeah.. Even here the cost to own is high. But it's like you said, if I'm paying roughly the same amount to own vs rent then I might as well own and at least I'm investing the money and keeping the value for myself.

You definitely need a garage for those cars you have :D But yeah, I can't imagine downsizing like that.

At least for me right now I have an apartment and only need an apartment.. so a condo would be just fine.

Pretty sure a coworker was in the same situation last year though and he ended up buying for like 400 or 450k..

If you are serious about buying property, I would suggest that your first step would contact a lender and obtain a "pre-approval" letter (not just a pre-qualification letter).

This will establish the price range of properties you will qualify to buy.

Then go into a local (to the area you wish to buy in) real estate agency and ask the managing broker to assign you an agent/broker.

Show the agent/broker your pre approval letter and put forth some parameters for a property you would be interested in.

* timing
* location (area)
* price range
* house size
* number of bedrooms and bathrooms
* style (single story, two story etc)
* lot size

Let the agent do the work for you.

If he/she says there isn't anything on the market that fits your criteria .... then adjust your criteria.

See, how easy that is ...... :thumbsup:


humfrz

Rules don't apply in a market where a 1200 sqft pos goes for 1.3 million cash as is.

Ya, replace that butt ugly table cloth you got there ....... :eyebulge:


humfrz

Yeah I always use a buyer agent. It doesn't cost you anything, they get a portion of the commision from the other seller agent (paid by the seller) of the house you finally close on.

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My post was directed to Kiske (in Kansas City MO).

NOT San Jose, CA.

In San Jose, the strategy would be to obtain a pre approval letter, then jump on the Zillow site and find out that there is nothing on the market that you are qualified to buy ........... :cry:


humfrz

In PA you can get a decent 2000 sqft place for under 200k... Just sayin'...

Already did. In that order actually. I was pre-approved by 3 out of the 4 places I applied to. I don't have any of the approval letters on hand as they still mail them. All the realtors I've talked with pretty much told me given the current market if I don't have the letter in hand they won't even show me places because how quickly they will sell. :iono:

Which is odd as I did everything on my end online or over the phone, with the exception of faxing one document to Chase bank.

The time table is what makes it tricky. Saturday afternoon is when I got with my current land lord. I had a list of homes that evening, and everything else done Today. The whole process being a bit overwhelming right now, a mad rush it's been. I have 26 days to find a place, close/move before I need to be out of the house I'm renting. :) To add to the rush I have to leave for a mandatory training trip next week for 10 days in South Carolina.

Well now, as your agent explained, it's important to have that pre approval in writing. Even if you are paying cash ...... it's best to have proof of funds in hand.

To be realistic, it's highly improbable that you can close on a financed house in 26 days. So, I would suggest you negotiate an extension, for at least 30 days (plus the 26 days) with your landlord.


humfrz

In PA have mountain roads/twisty/canyon/touge?
Im considering moving to US but i want a state with "car friendly" (no smog or shit of any kind)

Say that to my wife. I dare you. She is a blue belt.

But you are right.

Don't listen to him. Haven't you been considering engine mounts? Tonight, doing a little drifting up the fire road to my daughters house, seeing my gearshift slap wildly reminded me that I need to install a pair of the STIs. I quit hooning because I can't bear to abuse the poor little thing. :(

Canyons, no. Mountains, not really. Hills, yes. Fun roads, kind of? Pennsylvania is a big state. There's good places to drive, but you gotta do some searching.

PA has yearly emissions tests and safety inspections but there are a few loopholes one can use to be legally exempt from emissions if you have a DD in addition to anything fun. Also, there's no central system to keep track of when a car is inspected, so noone would know unless you got pulled over by police.

'Car friendly' states are going to be in the South or Midwest. But I can assure you, there are no fun roads in the Midwest. There's a reason US car companies took so long to figure out things like suspension and handling...

I'm not afraid ...... I have two granddaughters that are yellow belts and a feisty toddler granddaughter that is not afraid to jump right into any fray, to protect me ....... :thumbsup:


humfrz

I suggest West Virginia, where the median house sales price is about $138,000.

Yes, lots of hills and twisty roads.

Smog control ...... they never heard of it ...... ;)


humfrz

Well, hell ya, what did you expect ...... :rolleyes:


humfrz

I expect it'll be much better once I replace the stock gummi bear mounts. :D

https://i.imgur.com/dcq0bROl.jpg

Bubba suggests that you just bolt the engine straight to the frame ...... :D

Oh, I hope nothing startles the cat while it's sitting on your hood ..... :eyebulge:


humfrz

Hell, I don't care. I'm not that guy. ;)

Have had some awesome music for my workout so far today.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d809cda337.jpg

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If you must listen to teenagers at least do it right!
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KHwuOtcALQ"]Silverchair - Freak - YouTube[/ame]

I've switched up to ELO now. They've had an insane amount of great songs, but never a truly great album in the way that say, Supertramp has.

You want great full albums then go with Stix, Boston, Rush or Pink Floyd. Those guys all knew how to put an album together that wasn't a random selection of songs.

No kidding. I listen to Dark Side of the Moon at least biweekly. I could stand some more Rush in my life though. Zeppelin is another band I listen to a lot. But not In Through The Out Door. That album was not good.

Or, in Georgia you can get a 8,000sqft house on 27 acres of land for $800,000. Yes, it's in the middle of nowhere but about an hour from Atlanta.

Pretty sure its a distress sale. Been on the market for a while and started at $1.8M. It would cut my work commute in half though. Too bad I probably couldn't afford to heat/cool it.

The master bathroom is larger than a lot of apartments on the west coast!

They all have albums that are no good even if they sold well. Kilroy Was Here should have stayed where it was. Breakfast in America was out to lunch, In Through the Out Door should have just stayed out, Hemispheres was better over the horizon and Animals was for the dogs.


Ya, I didn't care for what many bands did in the early eighties!


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDH_bhPAjLo"]Styx - Mr. Roboto (Live 1983, HQ Audio) - YouTube[/ame]

Have also found a brand new appreciation for Elton John.

Bennie and the Jets is killer

Well, in some cases we can agree to disagree about some of those albums.

Oh for sure. That is strictly my take on them. I cringe whenever I hear the breakfast in America pap come onto the radio. Like I said they sold well so somebody liked them. I am also not a fan of the Wall and it was probably Floyds most popular album of them all.

That's ok. I don't care for the Wall either.

Started a major home remodel this morning. Master bath demo today. After the bath comes the kitchen, all interior doors and floors. Hey, it's only money. Going to be messy for a while.