The other thing to remember is that I was given a great opportunity to buy presale for my place. I never would have been able to afford a place this nice if it weren't for that. Not only did I get a good price, I was able to have a lower down payment.

ita, I've been following CA real estate prices on a housing bubble blog, and from what they're saying there (they're firm bear market types at irvinehousingbubble.com), the prices in southern CA might continue dropping for the next several years, so wait a few years and then start shopping--you might be able to afford something where you want to live by then. (The blog guy doesn't think the market in the Irvine area will bottom out until 2012.)

Yay for donating blood, Jesse!! I tried to give platelets a few Sundays ago, but it didn't work (the needle shifted and everything clogged up--it's a continual problem with my extra-thick platelet-rich blood), so I have to wait until Labor Day weekend to try again. It worked fine in June, so I have hope for the next attempt.

We couldn't own our house if a. it wasn't a Bank-owned foreclosure which no one wanted, and b. my Bro hadn't lent us part of the downpayment. We had money saved, but not nearly enough for an actual house with a yard. I am incredibly lucky to have it work out this way.

I couldn't have afforded any other house in LA but the one I'm in, I'm always flabbergasted at home high a mortgage some folks are willing to take on. And even so I sometimes worry that when I get older I'll regret taking the house instead of the money. I mean right now, our house is our nest egg.

Timelies all!

The place I'm living in is the first place I've owned(at least partly). I don't know if I could afford to buy a house on my own.

DH and I had to use retirement money to get a house. But then , the house is sort of retirement safety net. I don't want to leave the neighborhood ever, but who knows what the future will bring.

I mean right now, our house is our nest egg.

But isn't that true for most people who own a house. The house is essentially the savings plan and, in many ways, retirement plan?

I got the best blanket today. Why yes, it's oohgobbles hot out, but you know what? We've been running the AC and it gets chilly.

I am also loving Fridays off. Steph, how are you enjoying your fridays? I mean, the job sounds heinous all other times, but fridays must be a nice break.

One thing I'm not factoring into my Five Year Plan budget is that, when my sister bought her first house (when she was still single), my parents gave her the equivalent of what they would have paid for a wedding. When she got engaged two years ago, she and her fiance paid for the wedding themselves, so it all worked out on both ends. I'm sure Mom and Dad will more than likely give me the same offer when I'm ready to buy.

Also, think of how much money that you could save if you halved most of your expenses (rent, utilities, etc.) The only thing that costs significantly more when there are two people is food, and even then, it doesn't double.

That's such a good point! My friend who owns the nicest/most expensive place married a guy who came into the relationship with a ton of cash, mostly due to living with his parents for years when he had a good job that was mostly travel. It's not like that makes either one of them a better (or worse) person -- It just is what it is, you know?

I have to remind myself of just that point, especially when it comes to my brother and his family. They've got three kids, the first going to college this fall, so it's good that they'll have their houses (home in NJ and vacation place in FL) paid for by the time they retire, because college expenses are going to be high. That's something I don't have to worry about.

Also, SIL is an extremely frugal person, which is something I'm not and that's my own choice. Also, they have some family money coming in from her side, as well as her brother who is a very successful insurance exec who doesn't have anyone else to spend his money on other than his sisters and their kids, so they have lots of stuff that they wouldn't have had otherwise.

I really shouldn't compare my life to theirs, because there is no comparison--it's apples v. oranges.