After one difficult and trying month, I have a home as of this morning. I'm going to save up my pennies and then try the whole buying a house thing in the Spring while using a realtor. This place I'm renting ensures my girls stay in the same school district, and more importantly my youngest doesn't switch schools.

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I think I might just by a van and live down by the river. I mistakenly thought the market would be less bad in 2022 at this time. I was wrong. It is actually WORSE.

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I think I might just by a van and live down by the river. I mistakenly thought the market would be less bad in 2022 at this time. I was wrong. It is actually WORSE.

You are too late......it's already been done!😆 But you WOULD be a great motivational speaker!
"Zero2Farley"!
😆🤪😁

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You are too late......it's already been done!😆 But you WOULD be a great motivational speaker!
"Zero2Farley"!
😆🤪😁

I think I may have already outlived him age-wise. 😬

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Yeah, the real estate market is bonkers at the moment. With the interest rate hikes it feels like we're at the peak and it might start to slow down though. Of course, interest hikes are a double-edged sword, even if prices start to fall a little the higher rates mean you'll end up paying as much or more. Slowing down could mean appreciation starts to return to regular levels, and there isn't any real decline in the price of homes. So waiting for it to get better is probably a risky bet.

We just bought a house in Denver (my wife got a new job out there), and the whole process was kind of ridiculous. It's such a competitive market out there that you basically have to make an as-is offer (ie: regardless of what the inspection says you're buying it). And you have to offer significantly over asking, I was tracking the prices of houses we liked for a few months and they sold on average about 15% over asking. The ones we really liked sold up to 30% over. I feel sort of "lucky" to have paid "only" 12% over. But man it would have been nice to do this last year when I could have had a 3% loan rather than 5.5%

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It makes you feel any better, our first house we bought with a 10% mortgage and we thought we were getting a bargain because at that time most mortgage rates for 12%.

In 1960 my parents had a house built. A two story 4 bedroom home, with a 2 and a half car garage.
They paid $19 thousand for it.
Of course I believe my Dad made around 15 grand a year.
But when you think about it, that's only about the equivalent of a year and a half wage
Today's prices for a house is ridiculous. A cheap house is 200 grand
How can a family afford that?

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Yeah, the real estate market is bonkers at the moment. With the interest rate hikes it feels like we're at the peak and it might start to slow down though. Of course, interest hikes are a double-edged sword, even if prices start to fall a little the higher rates mean you'll end up paying as much or more. Slowing down could mean appreciation starts to return to regular levels, and there isn't any real decline in the price of homes. So waiting for it to get better is probably a risky bet.

We just bought a house in Denver (my wife got a new job out there), and the whole process was kind of ridiculous. It's such a competitive market out there that you basically have to make an as-is offer (ie: regardless of what the inspection says you're buying it). And you have to offer significantly over asking, I was tracking the prices of houses we liked for a few months and they sold on average about 15% over asking. The ones we really liked sold up to 30% over. I feel sort of "lucky" to have paid "only" 12% over. But man it would have been nice to do this last year when I could have had a 3% loan rather than 5.5%

To give you guys an idea of how petty I am (or principal driven), my rent was jacked up $125 per month and I'm telling him to shove it up his ass. So, back on the house search from again!

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Here in Phllly, price drops by 30% supposedly.

https://www.msn.com/en-u...t-price-drops/vi-AAYLUpw 

My neighbors had interest in their home dry up in the last two week. It really frightening. I don't know if its recession fears, higher rates, or both, but there are some markets getting crushed.

Being over-leveraged is never good...

and remember..."happiness consists more in small conveniences of pleasures that occur every day than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life.”

Everything is so screwed up. The cost of living is almost making it impossible to "live".
Gas prices are insane, food prices are ridiculous. How are families supposed to survive?
Rent (as Zero stated) has jumped up. And I don't see things improving any time soon...or ever.
Makes me glad I'm old.

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So, I got pre-approved for loan today, rather this evening. I'm back looking and requested a showing for the first one. There are some others I like too. I am actually half excited about this.

https://www.coldwellbank...arydale-dr/pid_48151514/ 
https://www.coldwellbank...elvira-way/pid_48145865/ 
https://www.coldwellbank...4-downy-st/pid_48029413/ 

This one ain't bad, but not Central Air??
https://www.coldwellbank...verview-dr/pid_48020667/ 

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We managed to get our house listed and sold (*fingers crossed* we close at the end of the month) before any interest rate hikes or recession fears dampened the local market. But Iowa City is generally pretty stable (prices were flat after 2008/didn't nose dive as they did in other areas). We got 6 offers and ended up getting about 12% over our asking price, which is roughly what we had to pay to get the new house in Denver. Overall very pleased with that, because houses have been selling for more like 4% over asking here.

Also, I feel you on the lack of AC Kevin. The place we bought in Denver had central heat but no AC, so we thought it would be relatively easy to add. The initial quote was $12K, but when we had the techs come out they told us we needed to replace all of the ductwork because it was too small to work with AC - plus it was old and all of the insulation had deteriorated. The cost ended up being about $30K - a real kick in the dick, only made slightly better by our current house selling for more than we expected. Anyway, if you're looking at a house without AC make sure you get an HVAC guy in to inspect the ventilation so you know what you're signing up for.

Anyway, congrats on the pre-approval and good luck with the house hunt!

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The only way I could get a loan is if I was in a room by myself.😁😆

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The only way I could get a loan is if I was in a room by myself.😁😆

That's how I felt throughout my 20's and some 30's. My name was ran through the mud by other Kevin's in Wisconsin. I had to cut a lot out of my life and work my ass off to even get the bank to say Hi to my clown ass, lol. I was fortunate in my early 20's to hit complete rock bottom and say F-THIS, change my path and of course my daughter was the motivation. If not for being a dad, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have this conversation. I'd be finding the next park bench to sleep on.

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That's how I felt throughout my 20's and some 30's. My name was ran through the mud by other Kevin's in Wisconsin. I had to cut a lot out of my life and work my ass off to even get the bank to say Hi to my clown ass, lol. I was fortunate in my early 20's to hit complete rock bottom and say F-THIS, change my path and of course my daughter was the motivation. If not for being a dad, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have this conversation. I'd be finding the next park bench to sleep on.

You had your own park bench?!?
I had to share one with a wino!

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You had your own park bench?!?
I had to share one with a wino!

I've lived a fortunate blessed life!!

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Each place I listed already has an accepted offer. This housing world moves fast!

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So, I looked at place yesterday and tomorrow signing my offer. Never submitted an offer before. And so far no one else has submitted one either. The place was first listed Thursday at noon and seller won't be taking offers beyond Monday at noon. I told the realtor I was hoping for a wicked blizzard so no one wants to look at it over the weekend. My youngest daughter really likes it. Kind of neat. Of course, there is that chance I don't get it, but who knows.

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So, I looked at place yesterday and tomorrow signing my offer. Never submitted an offer before. And so far no one else has submitted one either. The place was first listed Thursday at noon and seller won't be taking offers beyond Monday at noon. I told the realtor I was hoping for a wicked blizzard so no one wants to look at it over the weekend. My youngest daughter really likes it. Kind of neat. Of course, there is that chance I don't get it, but who knows.

I hope you get it! (If you really want it!)
Oh....and the only "Wicked Blizzard" you can have at this time of year is at Dairy Queen!😁
(I'm a BAD BOY!)😏

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I'm sure your realtor has told you this but most houses are listed around Thursday and sell by Sunday these days, so hopefully, you'll know within a few days. When we sold we told everyone to have offers in by Sunday night and picked the best one on Monday morning.

A buddy of mine in Minneapolis just sold his place for slightly below asking, so the time of crazy offers and bidding wars may be starting to die down now.

Good luck!

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I'm sure your realtor has told you this but most houses are listed around Thursday and sell by Sunday these days, so hopefully, you'll know within a few days. When we sold we told everyone to have offers in by Sunday night and picked the best one on Monday morning.

A buddy of mine in Minneapolis just sold his place for slightly below asking, so the time of crazy offers and bidding wars may be starting to die down now.

Good luck!

I haven't seen any go that fast in the area I'm looking, it's been listed and then goes contingent 7-10 days later. That window is something I've been trying to be mindful of so if I find a place I like, I can act quick but smart.

I'm reading my offer letter now and I think I have to back out. This part freaks me out. I did not receive such recommendation. In fact, it was the opposite! lol
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