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Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

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Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#51
post #28

When we 1st separated in 2011 my ex-wife and I along with our young daughter stayed in the same house for about a year. It was definitely not the most comfortable of situations but I've had worse living arrangements in my life. After selling the house we both rented town houses. We should have done more communicating about that because we unknowingly ended up renting 2 doors down from each other. That was the living…

My sister lives 4 houses down from our parents and did it on purpose but refuses to speak to them or let them see their granddaughter. Some people do weird shit.

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#52
Isn’t this just a return to the historical norm? The details of how assets are split up, how many kids there are, and the attitudes towards “infidelity” are different but two grown opposite sex adults cohabiting to shelter themselves with less resources all seems extremely normal. If anything we’re leaving a bizarre point in history where maintaining two residences is seen as easier compared to working things out amicably. If anything it should help with the birthrate and demographic issues.

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#53

> Housing Costs Are So High They left out the "in the trendy, inner city areas we want to live in" part. Because whilst housing prices are rising in cities we are also seeing major declines in populations for smaller towns. And whilst our parents were willing to sacrifice and embrace these towns which in turn became gentrified it doesn't seem current generations feel the same way.

As energy costs go up the cost of living rural not accounting for housing goes up relative to urban life. It’s not as if urbanization is driven by collective stupidity.

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#54
post #45

> Housing Costs Are So High They left out the "in the trendy, inner city areas we want to live in" part. Because whilst housing prices are rising in cities we are also seeing major declines in populations for smaller towns. And whilst our parents were willing to sacrifice and embrace these towns which in turn became gentrified it doesn't seem current generations feel the same way.

The work is in the cities

Even if it is it doesn't invalidate the argument. Outside my "city" you can get housing for much much cheaper and have the same commute as if you lived in the city itself.

But at some point you're going to have to give up this notion that population density can be made infinite. At some point you can't simply cram more "work" into a city.

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#55
post #50

I sometimes wonder how people managed in the 19th century. Many went from villages to increasingly crowded cities. With no savings, minimal or no education. Industrial production was ramping up, but with crazy demands on workers, long hours, no safety standards. Couldn’t get a mortgage and wait for a nice corporation to build an apartment for you. Couldn’t look for a place in suburbs (how would you commute). Somehow…

Drunkenly

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#56
post #47

> Housing Costs Are So High They left out the "in the trendy, inner city areas we want to live in" part. Because whilst housing prices are rising in cities we are also seeing major declines in populations for smaller towns. And whilst our parents were willing to sacrifice and embrace these towns which in turn became gentrified it doesn't seem current generations feel the same way.

That's disingenuous to some extent. Housing is beyond reach for many folks nowadays and jobs don't follow in the smaller towns you mention and you'd put yourself at risk of being surrounded by no one your age. Of course people want to live close to their social circle.

Housing is significantly more affordable outside inner city suburbs.

And of course everyone wants to live close to their social circle. I want to live in a mansion by the beach.

But sometimes in life you have to make compromises especially when you're young and that includes working your way up the property ladder.

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#57

> Housing Costs Are So High They left out the "in the trendy, inner city areas we want to live in" part. Because whilst housing prices are rising in cities we are also seeing major declines in populations for smaller towns. And whilst our parents were willing to sacrifice and embrace these towns which in turn became gentrified it doesn't seem current generations feel the same way.

Cities have jobs. Cities have opportunity. Cities have diversity. Why should we expect, encourage, or even desire that young people sacrifice economic and social opportunity and mobility?

Why is the response to high housing cost in cities lecturing "current generations" about their choices? There are glaringly obvious problems in many of our cities that make housing so expensive. Is it so outrageous to try to solve those problems, and allow people to be able to live where they want to live?

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#58

This is actually a really bizarre concept to me. To me, the reason to divorce someone would be that you are so incompatible that you can't bear to live with them. And this would come after a period of separation where you test out the waters and make sure that divorce is definitely the correct path forward. If you still get along well enough that you can live together peacefully, you might as well just stay married!

The issue would be when people want to be monogamous with someone else, I would guess. New partners might have issues with that living arrangement.

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#59

> Housing Costs Are So High They left out the "in the trendy, inner city areas we want to live in" part. Because whilst housing prices are rising in cities we are also seeing major declines in populations for smaller towns. And whilst our parents were willing to sacrifice and embrace these towns which in turn became gentrified it doesn't seem current generations feel the same way.

Nobody wants to live in the Hoovervilles

Re: Housing costs are so high that divorced couples are still living together

#60

> Housing Costs Are So High They left out the "in the trendy, inner city areas we want to live in" part. Because whilst housing prices are rising in cities we are also seeing major declines in populations for smaller towns. And whilst our parents were willing to sacrifice and embrace these towns which in turn became gentrified it doesn't seem current generations feel the same way.

> our parents were willing to sacrifice and embrace these towns

Nope, they moved where the jobs were, same as the current generation. The difference is that back in the old days it was legal to build new housing rather than the ponzi scheme house price system that the older generation has voted for.

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