621–630 of 687 posts
Moving to another country is always an option. If the property market is truly this awful (10 year waiting lists for affordable housing), why is the population increasing? It doesn’t add up.
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> It's always an option to move to a cheaper location! If you’ve got no savings and are trapped in debt, how do you suggest people do this? How are these people managed to scrape together the deposit and moving costs? The people who would need to do this the most are locked out of it. If you don’t have family members to stay with, what you end up with is skyrocketing homeless numbers which seems to be what is happeni…
Sell all your furniture and all but irreplaceable and critical belongings, possibly including selling any cars you may have. Use a few thousand dollars of that money for airfare or gas money and move yourself and minimal belongings to a new location. Stay in a long-term-stay hotel (<$100/day) for a week or two until you can get the cheapest apartment you can find. Slowly repurchase essentials as needed. Done.
We’re talking about the poorest people in society here so let’s assume they don’t have a car. And they’re probably not taking a flight anywhere, they’re most likely taking a greyhound bus if we’re running this thought experiment in America. How many thousands of dollars do you think they have in furniture? Do you really think it is going to get that person out of any existing debts they have, and then leave them with multiple thousands of dollars to spare? Because if you’ve got $1500 dollars and the hotel room costs $75 a night, you’ve got 20 days to find this cheap apartment and find a job in this city where you know no one before you’re homeless. In reality, you have less time because you’ve got food and transport costs on top of that. Oh and now you’re probably not getting any benefits because you’re in a different town and probably have to go through the system again.
Do you really think this is a good way for someone to turn their life around or do you think that the desperation of their situation means it is far more likely they are going to get exploited by both landlords, employers and possibly criminals in this new town, made all the worse by the fact that they don’t have any contacts and zero support network?
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> If it doesn't collapse, then society may collapse? But there are plenty very cheap areas to buy houses or rent. Sure, many people don't want to live there, that's why it's cheap today. But it is a possibility nonetheless, one that is better than collapsing society. I'm always honestly confused why today it is seen as impossible to move to a cheap area? People have been doing this for generations (centuries?). It's…
But there are plenty very cheap areas to buy houses or rent. Sure, many people don't want to live there, that's why it's cheap today. But it is a possibility nonetheless, one that is better than collapsing society. I'm always honestly confused why today it is seen as impossible to move to a cheap area? People have been doing this for generations (centuries?). It's never the most fun solution, but it is a solution. Jo…
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> If it doesn't collapse, then society may collapse? But there are plenty very cheap areas to buy houses or rent. Sure, many people don't want to live there, that's why it's cheap today. But it is a possibility nonetheless, one that is better than collapsing society. I'm always honestly confused why today it is seen as impossible to move to a cheap area? People have been doing this for generations (centuries?). It's…
Could you point me to these plenty cheap areas? I work remotely and may consider moving there.
They are all over. Head over to zillow/redfin (or the corresponding real estate site for your region) to see them. They won't be in the hip city center everyone wants, but choices are plentiful if one is willing to sacrifice a few wishlist items.
"Cheap" is of course relative the the region/country so actual numbers will vary. I'm in California so I can give a California-centric answer.
Browsing zillow I see over 30 condo (and a few house) units for less than 200K in the Sacramento areas (not exactly the boonies, it's the state capital).
In the Fresno area I see around 60 units (many houses) under 200K. Some friends moved to Fresno and they have a very nice place, for pennies on the dollar compared to San Francisco.
For those who don't want a big city, head north of Sacramento towards Oregon and tons of choices to work remote and buy a place cheap.
Mind you, I set the search limit to <200K, but that's extremely cheap by California standards. Even 25 years ago 200K was a cheap house in California. If you increase the search criteria to a more reasonable 300-400K there are way more choices and areas.
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"I'm not German" "Plenty of foreigners who don't "pass as German" live in East German cities just fine. " Are you one among those non germans living in a eastern german city, or know some of them personally? If no, how can you judge then? I am german and I happen to live in eastern germany and I can attest there is a very high level of anti immigration sentiment and action. There are some bubbles in the bigger cites,…
>is enough for hatred and threats towards her. Even in "hip" places like Dresden. How does this look like? I was a foreigner in east Germany and never experienced any hate directed towards me because I'm different.
Yeah well, how is your skin color and looks then? Western? Then why would there be hate towards you?
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What really attracts people to those places? Cuisine? Night life? Tinder opportunities?
That you have more shops than one. More restaurants than one. Theaters. Clubs. Sports. Connectivity. Places and activities for kids. Places for hobbies. Concerts. Other various activities and events. There are significantly more of each in a big citu.
Then open a shop, start a restaurant, start a theatre group, gather some kids for sports, organize some concerts, and become an active member of your community, instead of expecting it to be handed to you on a platter.
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The main reason I got my first hob was to be able to move out. My parents drove me nuts. I've been independent ever since. I'd rather live in a tiny studio with just a mattress than live with them. Also nothing signals undateable more than "I love with my parents".
> Also nothing signals undateable more than "I l[i]ve with my parents". This is cultural though. In the US that certainly seems very true. In other places (such as where I'm from), living at home with parents until marriage is the normal default.
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> The leading countries to rise in the last 30 years, China and Singapore, have active, competent and interventionist governments. Can't wait for the China do collapse under its own mismanagement and the memes like the above can finally die off.
I've been hearing this about both China and EU for the past 20 years. It seens you'll be waiting a while.
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11.6% of Americans live in poverty.
Is that the World Bank numbers? They think poverty rate was: Sri Lanka 4.1% 2016 Kazakhstan 4.3% 2018 Morocco 4.8% 2013 Belarus 5% 2019 Fuck the World Bank numbers. I’ve been to Sri Lanka and poverty is real over there. Oh, and “According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the official 2017 poverty rate in the U.S. was 12.3%. However, other sources placed it as high as 17.8%. [snip] The 2021 poverty threshold in the United S…
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If you invest your money on anything that gives , say, 5% yearly returns on your money, instead of paying off your mortgage, which used to be at less than 2% (but is not getting beyone 4%), you're just better off. Say you start with a 10,000 mortgage, and your payment per year is 500, not including interest. By the end of the year, you'll have a 9,500 mortgage left. If you just invested the 500 and only paid interest…
Risk, I think. For most people this is a higher risk strategy long term than just "paying the mortgage". Depending on your life stage and overall position it can make sense but it's not for everyone.