We have to decide what we are going to do about the house we saw yesterday. I really appreciate all of your advice. I just hate to go back into bondage on this house. There are many reasons to buy it. I will list them.
1.It is relatively new and in really perfect condition. (So much less maintenance or fixing)
2. It has a very small mowing yard for Hubs
3. It has a beautiful view ( no one can build around us)
4. It has great storage (something we have not has for 22 years)
5. It has lower utility bills
6. It has a much lower water bill
7. It is some what hidden away so I will be a little harder to find, which I like. My house now is a little hard to find and I am busier than he!!.
8. we won't have to change wards at church
9. Hubs loves it.
10. I really love it also, it is a little small for me but, later if that become a problem we can put in another shop. Ha ha!
11. it has room to store toys and the kids boat if they wish to keep it here.
12. It is on one level which will be nice as we age.
Anne is right no matter where I go my skills will be in demand.
Reasons not to buy
1. the price We would have to go about 70, 000 in debt. Well not really we would take it out of investments, I really do not want to do this.
2. It would take me at least 2-3 years to get money back where I need it to feel comfortable.
3. we will have to give up the dream of owning a small cabin or land for a long time.
4. Hubs will probably not live long enough to full fill the cabin dream if we do this.
5. I am stubborn and feel like I did not save all this money for my retirement to now pay for a dang house.
6. We will have to watch for rattlesnakes, more than we do here.
7. we will have to get the dog vaccinated yearly for snake venom.
We could buy a fixer upper, but hubs can do none of the work and we would be back to putting all of our money into contractors. We have been doing this since before Christmas and it is expensive and exhausting. Hubs also hate having work men around.
I am still sewing like a crazy woman and will leave for Spokane tonight. So I have several things I would like to get out, or done, like another wedding dress, and about 3 bridesmaid dresses. I am trying hard to catch up so I can concentrate on the move.
Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.
Kim
Kim
It has a lot of positives - but some really big negatives. I guess it is too late for my idea, as I sure you have a contract on yours. I would have stayed after all that work and paid someone to take care of the yard.
ReplyDeletePray on it - you will make the right decision - let God guide you.
Given your husband's health, I'm not sure the cabin is realistic. I'd go for this house to make the time remaining comfortable. And face it: you are lost without a goal to strive for. That's not a criticism, but it is a fact. That mortgage amount is small. Maybe you can get the sellers to knock a bit off the asking price. You have to live somewhere.... why not somewhere you'll enjoy?
ReplyDeleteits got a lot going for it. I would find it very difficult to have a mortgage again after working so hard to pay it off but if you can make the payments on your retirement budget it sounds quite good - a difficult decision!
ReplyDeleteHaving just come out of paying for care for Mom, the thought of jeopardizing our retirement funds just scares the crap out of me. My sister and I had said over and over how thankful we were for Dad who made sure they had financial provisions to carry them for several years. We figured we could have afforded about 13 more months of sitters alone before Mom would essentially be a ward of the state, especially with the downturn in the market.
ReplyDeleteI can offer you no advice whatsoever except to look at it from every angle and spin every possibility and scenario. Also as nice as it sounds, don't look at the need for storing the kids boat/boats. They are adults and can figure storage out for themselves.
Right now you and your husband have to make the best possible decisions for you, considering no one else.
Susie Orman has said to not fall in love with a house. To me that means there is always another one .
ReplyDeleteI will pray for you and your heart that you will make the decision that is best for you! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteYes a lot to to think about Anne knows what she is talking about. My dad had always thought he would go first, so when my mom did, he really had enough for himself, plus some to spare for us. Giving up any security would be a challenge to make up, but yet, you need to live well now. If you have options to see if something change in the market so you could find the perfect for you house, perhaps explore them as well.
ReplyDeleteYou know me the broken record....no more mortgages ever!*Said in my best Joan Crawford Mommy Dearest voice.
ReplyDeleteMove to another town in the area if you have to to avoid a mortgage. Your skills can be utilized anywhere!
I love you.....
I still kind of feel the same as my previous comment, realistically look at where you want to live/what is the market and can you expect to find a house that meets your needs with no mortgage. Definitely need to look at the negatives and positives ( hubby likes this one is one shocker). Yes anyone could move to a not very good area or to a not very great house with no mortgage but would you be happy there? Balance it all out. I agree don't worry about the kids, in 5 years where do you think would be best at? You don't want to do this again. But keeping in mind can you afford this? (Might be yes). I am in a tiny similar situation, I'm a widow doing ok with a paid for house, retired just started SS and have a decent pension but saved poorly. I am in the process of this week having our families horribly past repair lake cabin torn down and a new one built. But I can afford the mortgage (ugh) and hope to pay it off fast. It was now or years of time with family, 12 grandkids that are growing up too fast etc. that could slip away. (Hadn't been able to sleep there for two years due to conditions). I'll make other concessions, be more frugal and enjoy this legacy I'll leave. This decision has been so anxiety producing!! (For two years!). Totally not trying to sway you to spend more than you should.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about storing things for children. I would under no circumstances get another mortgage. I don't mean to be a doom peddler, but you may not be able to pay off another mortgage. You can work wherever you live.
ReplyDeleteGosh but its a tricky one Kim, but we only have one life. It is unusual to see your husband happy though so maybe that's something to think about. Hope your choice is a good one. xx
ReplyDeleteDecisions, Decisions, looks like a really good positive list. I hope you make the best decision for both of you.
ReplyDeleteKim, it's such a personal decision, but if you decide not to buy this one, it still shows that you and Hubs can find a house you both like and that you liked a single story house, so you've got flexibility and more options as to the kind of house you can both be happy with and that's got to be a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you, and good luck!
J.P. in the U.K.
Hubby wanted land and a cabin... a friend of our did also... they got it we didn't... within 2 yrs he was blind and she has RA and couldn't take care of it.. They LOST money selling it.
ReplyDeleteI hate that you can't hear the tone in my voice, it's caring and not harsh as it might come across...
We made $70,000 since Jan on our investments so I imagine you have also... interest earned is taxed... mortgage paid can be deducted... might balance it out.
Maybe find a cabin to rent for mini vacations. It's what we thought about doing. The pleasure without the stress of taking care of it.
Haven't you said he has lost his way? Struggles with work? if you were looking at someone else would you think they need to buy a cabin and land??? If you go before him (car accidents all the time or covid since you are working with people, no matter how careful) How hard will it be for someone to help him in that cabin and land? If he goes in front of you, do you want to deal with that by yourself?
I've been a widow and I know how hard it is when you lose the spouse and face my own disabilities as they come.
Hugs sweetie. I would in your place place an offer...if it gets accepted it was meant... if not then you haven't found the one GOD wants you in.
You have so much good advice here to consider. I really can't add much. I am thinking of you as you go through this process!!
ReplyDeleteAs a 59yo newly retired person with NO debt, taking a monthly allowance from my retirement funds, living in a single level small home that is ready for me to get old old,,,,,I say buy the house and do the mortgage. You have the money to pay it off any day you've just had it with the mortgage. You have income skills you intend to use. You talk about the lower costs of living in the new home.
ReplyDeleteHubster just bought a new vehicle. Our financial advisor strongly recommended we finance as honestly, our money is doing well in this ridiculous world we're living in right now. Like you, we can pay it off any day we choose to do that.
Life matters! This sounds like a place where you can grow old. It sounds like a place you can handle if you hubby should leave this earth first.
Finding a place you both really like is a gift. Jump!
I too live in Idaho and nothing lasts 24 hours on the market no matter the price.
My question would be how easy would it be to pay the mortgage if your only source of income was social security and from your retirement investments if something was to happen to one of your? Life changes so quickly at our age that I would not be committing to a mortgage that required me to continue working forever regardless of health issues. Also re the cabin and land, I think we all have dreams that have to adapt or be left behind as the realities of aging and finances catch up with us.
ReplyDeleteyou had me the RATTLESNAKES (not to buy!)
ReplyDeleteWe have rattlesnakes in our yard also. We have only had 3 in the 22 years we lived here , it is just part of living in a dessert climate.
DeleteJust catching up on your posts, Kim, and I started with this one--got two sentences in and said "House?" Wow--you have a lot to consider and work through. Thinking of you.
ReplyDeletePraying
ReplyDeleteHi Kim,
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a tough call.. So much to weigh... I was looking at the negative list as far as the finances and the dream of owning a cabin...Definitely a hard call and I don't know which I would choose..