That isn't even in a bad neighborhood. Housing in Rochester (the city) is variable depending on the neighborhood, but I rarely see anything where I want to live over $150,000.

The house next door is for sale, too, and it has more updates (new kitchen, better paint, etc) and it is about $80,000.

Our salaries are lower, though, too. I just got a raise to $37,000 and I have worked here 14 years and had 3 promotions. I always get "exceeds expectations" on my reviews and I always get a comparatively good raise to other people.

Anyone want a trunk full of clothes from the 1920s?

Um... maybe? They are probably valuable to a museum, though.

Um... maybe? They are probably valuable to a museum, though.

I doubt it, honestly. They're just clothes. Museums surely have more and better specimens. If you want them, I'll send them to you, pending my sister's approval of course. I'd be glad to find something useful to do with them.

They are probably valuable to a museum, though.

The hardest thing is to look at items someone love and/or enjoyed and try to look at it from a stranger's point of view. We've had a bunch of 78 rpm records in the house that I've wanted to get rid of, but Hubby didn't want to part with. I did some research, and there were so many million 78s produced that unless you've got a rarity, no one wants them. It would be like having a random Elton John cd kicking around in 80 years and seeing if anyone wanted it.

I'm on Tumblr, but I have remarkable consistency of identity on the Internets.

Me, too.

After reading Tom's link, I think I may be renting forever.

Even if we weren't living in SF, I'm pretty firmly committed to renting my abode for the rest of my life. (Which isn't to say I might not end up owning property.)

Don't you know knob and tube wiring is a SCOURGE that cannot be known until you open walls and have to change your whole plan?? Generally because some sketchy contractor or former homeowner did a half-assed update job?

A house down the street from us had wiring that was half knob and tube. The new owner routinely badmouthed the previous owners.

Renting would make more sense for me financially, but I so hated living somewhere that belonged to someone else I really don't want to again. Also hated sharing walls with my neighbors. I may end up living in a tent at some point to meet both my financial and emotional requirements.

The clothes might be more valuable (not money valuable, just study valuable) as we get 100 years out. There is definitely interest in every day clothes for study-- I am about to go to an exhibit of everyday clothes from the 1880s!

But I would actually like them if you and your sister want!

A friend of ours had his family living in a yurt for most of a year as he saved money to buy a house. But he believes banks are part of the great Illuminati conspiracy to control people.

I did some research, and there were so many million 78s produced that unless you've got a rarity, no one wants them. It would be like having a random Elton John cd kicking around in 80 years and seeing if anyone wanted it

Yeah, people are always inheriting boxes of old 78s and presuming they'll be valuable and they're usually thrashed and worthless.