Selling your Home

[Amaris]

I understand what you mean. We were living in an 1000 square foot one bedroom co-op, our son was just a year old and we were pregnant with our second child. So we were really interested in getting into a house. This house seamed so massive at the time. However we really made this our home. Our original plan was to be here at least ten years. However this amazing opportunity came up and screwed it all up. I love this house, but we need to sell it and move on, hopefully one day soon.

My wife spoke with her future chairman and it was great news. He said, if you need three or six more months, not an issue. He's thinking five and ten years down the road and these small delays are nothing. So that's a huge weight off our shoulders. So we can wait it out a little bit.

Well, I wish you all the best in getting your new home! I know what it's like to be thankful to have a roof over your head. I've been there before. It may be only 800 sq ft, but we've lived in such lovely homes as this:

and this:

It can take it's toll on you. No one should have to worry about having a decent place to live, and I'm glad that burden is off your shoulders!

 

[Tom Hendricks]

You see this is whats wrong with the internet. Everyone believe they have a right to comment on everything. Something they wouldn't do in real life. I doubt that you would say to me in person you feel free to say on here. You could have read my post, still had the same opinion and moved on without commenting. I do it all the time, read a post and NOT comment. Because I would not offer any real addition to the conversation, and thats what you did. Your original reply is nothing more then name calling. I'm not asking you in particular to feel any sympathy for my situation but I'm also don't appreciate you taking some sort of morbid pleasure in it because you feel that I have some means and I should not have the right to comment on the shitty situation I am in. Facts are, I want to sell my beautiful house. No one currently wants to buy my beautiful house. I love my beautiful house and only want to get out because we have a greater opportunity somewhere else.

I'm not asking you to pat me on the head, not asking anyone to do that. What I was doing was looking to commiserate with other who are in similar situation, which I found and people who are way off worst then us. The problem here is your not offering anything constructive, basically you were trolling. Look back at some of the posts, many were not hand holding, patting of head or commiseration. They were offering facts about the situation and ideas about what to do in the situation. I get a feeling from your posts, you didn't really read my original post or the entire thread. You obviously can't tell the difference between racism and a parody of your ignorance. Because if you read some of the post you would realize that the housing market prices where I live are much higher then save a few place in the USA. We pay a bloated price for houses here in New York. So while you may think that house is an extravagance, it truly is not by Long Island standards.

I'm glad I don't have cancer with logic like that, you would probably be glad if I died.

Oh my, aren't we dramatic. Who are you again? I voiced my annoyance with the tone of your posts. Yeah, you don't care, I don't care you don't care, you don't care I don't care you don't care, the usual. Doesn't mean I hate your guts or something.

I guess I should feel sorry for you, living in your hovel that the romans built. Probably walking up and down the donkey path to fetch your water from the one well in the town square. Having to forage for mushrooms and grubs to eat. Nah, I have no sympathy for you what so ever, I'm heartless like that.

Aaaand we go for the anti-Italian remarks in two easy steps. Good job, man. Sorry you can't deal with people not patting you on your head without lashing out borderline-racist remarks: life must be quite stressful for you.

That's the difference between Americans and Europeans. In the USA, people are happy for other peoples accomplishments and wealth. In Europe we find any opportunity to knock it.

I have no qualms with others people's accomplishments. I have my own. I am just annoyed when people whine about how terribly unlucky they are when they are swimming in (metaphorical) gold.

 

[sidious618]

I live on Long Island and that house is pretty big. Certainly much bigger than my house which currently comfortably holds four people.

 

[Misfit Toy]

You see this is whats wrong with the internet. Everyone believe they have a right to comment on everything. Something they wouldn't do in real life. I doubt that you would say to me in person you feel free to say on here.

Harlan Ellison says the same thing.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Touché, very well played sir. However in my defense it was meant in fullest sense of hyperbole. I would probably say it to his face, but then he would destroy me with his wit and cynicism.

You see this is whats wrong with the internet. Everyone believe they have a right to comment on everything. Something they wouldn't do in real life. I doubt that you would say to me in person you feel free to say on here.

Harlan Ellison says the same thing.

 

[Mr Silver]

As for stereotyping, erm, you were the one who insinuated that all Europeans knock people who are successful, remember? Pot, kettle, black and all that.

Touche...

(although mine was self deprecating, because I class myself as one of those Europeans)

 

[Locutus of Bored]

While the latter attitude is encountered in Britain, mostly by Daily Mail and redtop readers

That's a bit stereotypical isn't it? I know plenty of people who read trashy newspapers and who are among the most polite, educated and non-bitter people around.

I also thought I'd point out that the Daily Mail has become the most popular online newspaper in the USA.

Unless something has changed recently, I don't think that's correct. Nor is singling out the US entirely accurate, since it was discussing world rankings, not just the US. Going by the comScore rankings for online newpapers, The New York Times is the number one online news site in the world by a large margin, followed by The Daily Fail, which recently surpassed The Huffington Post.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/19/mail-online-website-popular

I'm not sure what criteria comScore uses to determine what a newspaper is though, since HuffPo would hardly seem to qualify as a traditional newspaper in that sense. Likewise, it leaves out all these high ranking news sites when judged by Alexa global traffic rankings and US traffic rankings:

http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/news-websites

Or, you can judge by the most linked to newspaper sites from blogs, with The New York Times on top again:

http://www.labnol.org/internet/most-popular-media-sites/8622/

 

[iguana_tonante]

You see this is whats wrong with the internet. Everyone believe they have a right to comment on everything.

This is a discussion board, dude. People commenting stuff should be, I dunno, expected? If you can't stand anything but support and agreement, get a blog.

 

[Scout101]

To be blunt, looks like you're not QUITE learning the lesson behind your current problem, if you're anxious to jump right back into the market for something that expensive. Given the market in the Syracuse area (in laws are from there), seems like you could get something similar for a couple hundred thousand less.

Not sure of your financial position, but if you're having so much trouble with the current house (both price, and having bought before you were sure you'd love the area), why would you repeat the same mistake with an expensive house without trying things out there first?

 

[Cmdr_Blop]

My aunt has been trying to sell her house in Lincoln City, OR, for the past two years, and has reduced the asking price more than three times, all to no avail.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

You see this is whats wrong with the internet. Everyone believe they have a right to comment on everything.

This is a discussion board, dude. People commenting stuff should be, I dunno, expected? If you can't stand anything but support and agreement, get a blog.

But you know, it's not like the guy has done nothing but whine and mope on this board. And this is a real problem for a lot of people in the US - plenty of us who did NOT pay for our houses with 'Monopoly money' but with REAL money (in my case, an over 25% down-payment, plus 6 more years of payments) that we have subsequently LOST in this housing crash over here. Money, not at all incidentally, that we worked VERY hard for. Paid a LOT of dues for, working 100 hour+ weeks sometimes, in extremely demanding professions.

Now, I suppose you can think this is all very funny and not feel a bit sorry or bad for any of us, but hey...that reflects more on YOU than on any of us. If you want to come off looking like a sour grapes individual who is so jealous of other people's success that they can't stand to see anyone actually HAVE anything, that is certainly your business. But I'll have you know that I, for one, worked VERY hard for the house that is now anchored to me, thanks to this recession/US housing crash. And while I don't know Tom Hendricks all that well, I DO know Digits...and I can tell you that he works very hard and has paid a lot of dues also.

Not everyone caught in this housing crash is some sort of irresponsible idiot who got in over their heads. I have lasted thru 18 months of unemployment in my house, without missing a single mortgage payment - and still maintain excellent credit with regard to ALL my bills. I have always lived well within my means...but NO ONE can continue to pay all their bills indefinitely, when they live in a city where there is no work. NO ONE. Not even YOU.

Jeez.

Sometimes, people around here REALLY make me wonder about the future of the human race....and just how 'human' we really are anymore.

 

[Kestra]

I don't think the issue has been that he has come off as irresponsible, but more that he is complaining about the fact that he's stuck in a very large, very nice house.

And don't shoot the messenger because I get it. We are making payments on a house that hasn't been occupied in more than a year. It's eating away at our savings. But I also know how incredibly lucky we are that we have been able to move and have a very comfortable life despite the housing situation.

 

[IndyJones]

Not everyone caught in this housing crash is some sort of irresponsible idiot who got in over their heads. I have lasted thru 18 months of unemployment in my house, without missing a single mortgage payment - and still maintain excellent credit with regard to ALL my bills. I have always lived well within my means...but NO ONE can continue to pay all their bills indefinitely, when they live in a city where there is no work. NO ONE. Not even YOU.

Jeez.

No one thinks that. And no one here is saying that. We all understand how terrible this economy is and what it's doing to families all over. We all empathize.

But...There's a lesson to be learned here, and it's probably not that Tom should be looking to buy an even bigger house before he figures out what he's going to do with the one he's already got. At least not while he's chosen to publicly complain about his current situation.

 

[iguana_tonante]

The economy is seven kind of shitty, I know. The housing crash took its toll on many families, I know. But, this is not the case for the OP: he's not homeless, he's not jobless, he's not financially ruined by the mortgage, he's not even economically troubled: he is "stuck" into a fantastic house, way above the standard residence for his area (and arguably, above their means), and because of this they can't fly to El Dorado for their new adventure. Well, they could, but that would mean downsizing their residence, and he is clearly too good for that. He wants his cake and eat it too.

The OP started this thread fishing for sympathy over his economic woes... and making a show of how well off he is. To me, it seems pretty much self-defeating in regards to the state purpose of this thread. Not to mention, quite tacky.

Maybe there is a cultural difference, but talking about how much do you earn, or how much your house is worth, or complaining about your money with people who are less affluent than you (and that is bound to happen in a public forum), it's considered very bad taste.

Now, I suppose you can think this is all very funny and not feel a bit sorry or bad for any of us, but hey...that reflects more on YOU than on any of us. If you want to come off looking like a sour grapes individual who is so jealous of other people's success that they can't stand to see anyone actually HAVE anything, that is certainly your business.

Oh well. I could offer a counterargument, arguing that if envy (not jealousy: different words, different meanings) is the only reason you can think of for my comments, that would reflect more on you than on me (I could even spell YOU in capital letters, but probably that would be overkill).

I could argue that you replied to my comment just because you are envious of, I dunno, my good looks and my scorching wit, for example. As you see, it's an argument that could be used by both sides, so I would suggest avoiding it: otherwise, we will be stuck with accusations of being a bitter loser on one side, and counter-accusations of being a spoiled man-child who is too thin-skinned to deal with the real world on the other (hypothetically speaking, of course). As you see, there is nothing good along that road.

If people can't take criticism without going overboard with defensiveness and launch into a raging attack on anyone daring to speak their mind, maybe they should avoid talking about matters of personal economics on a discussion board, quite frankly. I would suggest sticking to more mellow discussions, like merits and issues of Star Trek 2009.

Sometimes, people around here REALLY make me wonder about the future of the human race....and just how 'human' we really are anymore.

Lulz. Things that make you lose faith in humanity: murder, rape, child molestation, genocide, but above all, TrekBBS.



Also, because there are people that are way more poignant and concise than me:

I don't think the issue has been that he has come off as irresponsible, but more that he is complaining about the fact that he's stuck in a very large, very nice house.

This.

But...There's a lesson to be learned here, and it's probably not that Tom should be looking to buy an even bigger house before he figures out what he's going to do with the one he's already got. At least not while he's chosen to publicly complain about his current situation.

And this.

 

[Squiggy]

Sometimes, people around here REALLY make me wonder about the future of the human race....and just how 'human' we really are anymore.

Holy hyperbole, Batwoman. Before you lament the future of the species, look at it from his side.

To him, it looks like we're all complaining because we can't sell one mansion to fiance another the purchase of yet another mansion. What constitutes "standard" in the US is pretty redonkulous in every other nation on Earth.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

So if I was stuck in a smaller house he would have sympathy for me? If I was stuck in house he deemed acceptable then I would have his heartfelt compassion for my situation. So then it all comes down to the size of my house. I wonder if he has sympathy for PKTrekGirl, she's in similar situation but her property is much smaller. So that must be where the division line is.

We are actually going to rent for a year or two when we get to Syracuse. My wife is from there, graduated from Syracuse. She knows the area very well, we will live in the Manlius, Fayetteville/Dewitt area.

 

[RoJoHen]

I think it was just the way you presented the original post, which frankly made your situation seem a lot more dire than it seems to be. You went from not being able to move away and your wife losing the job and having big financial woes to suddenly looking at another giant house that you claim to be able to afford. There was some inconsistency to your story that made the initial complaint a little fishy.

Renting is probably a good idea when you guys eventually move so you can figure out exactly what you want to do and where you'd like to live before commiting to another house purchase.

 

[Captain Ice]

I think it was just the way you presented the original post, which frankly made your situation seem a lot more dire than it seems to be. You went from not being able to move away and your wife losing the job and having big financial woes to suddenly looking at another giant house that you claim to be able to afford. There was some inconsistency to your story that made the initial complaint a little fishy.

I'm inclined to agree with Rojo here. Especially since when I read the thread, my initial response was WTF? You start out lamenting not being able to sell your current home, and then later in the thread are talking about buying an even larger one.

And Tom, I think he's inclined to have a little more sympathy for PKTrekgirl not because of the size of her home, but because of her current employment situation. You are in a different situation there. If you don't move, you are not facing losing the house, I think she is. Apples and oranges, bud.

 

[Scout101]

Yep, it was the photo of the $600k house he announced he was looking at buying that kinda dried up the sympathy. Making the same mistake he was complaining had backfired the last time.

Actually, it was way worse this time, because at least on Long Island, supply/demand kinda dictated the high housing prices. in the Syracuse suburbs, houses are WAY cheaper than that, so looking at a $600k house when you can find dozens of examples of 3000-4000 sq ft mc mansions in the $400s came off badly. Could no longer figure out if the thread was a complaint about his situation, or bragging about it.

As for PKtrekgirl, different attitude. Buying modest things within your means, and then getting stuck as things go badly, that's one thing. Buying a giant house that you don't have to move from, or those that just plain over-extend, that'll get you less sympathy.

 

[An Officer]

I don't understand why these things have to turn hostile so quickly.

I read it as a lets talk properties and moves topic, not an invitation to criticise and nitpick the OP's situation. I just don't understand this type of group targeting of individuals. One person going at the OP just isn't enough? So what exactly is the problem? He is not miserable enough? Or he is not happy enough? There has to be a problem?

I believe the actual problem is, he just has it too good, and essentially, he must be punished. Even if he wanted to show off his home(s), so what? Is that so awful? I think he just wanted to exchange info with people in a similar predicament, but instead, those who saw themselves as worse off decided to use him as target practice for their woes. I don't think he actually did want to show off initially, not until he was attacked, and he posted that second place to make a point, one he was provoked into making. Basically, that he can choose whatever he wants, just like the rest of us. Unfortunately for him, apparently he is in a position to choose bigger than most - a mortal sin in this case!