One of my goals is to eventually be able to purchase a house. Many of my nursing colleagues are purchasing homes that are worth $450,000, $500,000 or even more. Sadly, my budget is about half of that or even less, which means the houses I have to choose from are not appealing. Most of them are small, old, or both.
I am just curious how other nurses manage to purchase decent houses? I've been looking through my income, and I just can't find a way to make it possible to incorporate such a house into my budget. I am salary, so there are no opportunities for overtime.
What are other nurses' experience with buying houses? How did you make it work? Did it require switching jobs? Inquiring minds want to know!
Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.
13 hours ago, myoglobin said:
Here is a map to BLM land where this applies. Note that certain areas are sometimes closed due to wildfires and other issues.
I was hoping BLM land meant black Americans finally received the reparations they were promised when slavery ended. Sadly not the case. But, the actual thing is really cool. Especially that homeless women can be part of a collective and receive protection from other group members rather than being alone on the streets where they are so vulnerable. Plus the sense of community since being homeless can be so isolating. Still sad that for some this is their only option other than living on the street, but a lot of the people in the video and article seemed happy! Thanks again for sharing.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
So I took a drive the other day to see what had happened to the old ranch I was raised on. Turns out the old house had been leveled and this monstrosity had been built. It's owned by the current Owner if the In and Out Hamburger chain/empire and can be had for just over $16,000,000.00 Guess I better start putting in some overtime........
And this is why most of the world has a socialised
8 hours ago, hppygr8ful said:
So I took a drive the other day to see what had happened to the old ranch I was raised on. Turns out the old house had been leveled and this monstrosity had been built. It's owned by the current Owner if the In and Out Hamburger chain/empire and can be had for just over $16,000,000.00 Guess I better start putting in some overtime........
Just because they have a 16 million dollar house does not mean they will even be as happy as a family living in a modest ranch which once occupied the space upon which it was built. Ultimately, both Bill Gates and a homeless pauper will face their end of days and neither will probably face eternity with thoughts of their abodes occupying their contemplation.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
2 hours ago, myoglobin said:
Oh I know that - I prefer to live somewhat modestly but when someone told me What had happened to the property I just had to go see it. It was once a tidy little subsistance farm where we raised all our own food and had many good times. IF I even had had a small fraction of that kind of money I would buy another ranch in the midwest and retire. We are currently just short of our retire goals in terms of savings and investments so we are almost there.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
On 4/17/2021 at 7:34 PM, SilverBells said:
I’ve now been made aware that some people in my area are spending in excess of $500,000-600,000 for brand new, custom built homes. Just makes me feel more defeated because there’s no way I could manage that. It’s very frustrating to work all hours of the day taking care of patients who are unappreciative and have nothing to say for it. I can work 16-20 hours a day and get to look forward to coming home to a crappy living environment
I don't think you have to spend half a mil to have a livable home. Many of those people are one mortgage payment away from foreclosure. Being chronically stressed about money can turn the loveliest abode into hell. Nothing beats the peace of mind of living easily withing your means.
Do not compare your whole life to what you can see of other peoples'. Appearances are very deceptive.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
On 4/18/2021 at 4:35 PM, SilverBells said:
Ugh, it's easy enough to say "buy what you can afford." Theoretically, it's a reasonable suggestion. There just isn't much out there that is affordable. Just found 2 new houses that only have 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms so neither are that that big...both are each $470,000.
Perhaps it's time to take a break from the house search. There simply isn't anything out there that is a match.
Sounds like you are living in an expensive area. How married are you to your geographical location? If you didn't work all hours God sends, (for probably less than minimum wage if you do the math) you would have some leisure time to: 1. Research the real estate market all over the country 2. Research job opportunities all over the country 3. Read some sensible self help books. I strongly recommend Suze Orman for helping young people get off to a financial good start.
I don't think you have to spend half a mil to have a livable home. Many of those people are one mortgage payment away from foreclosure. Being chronically stressed about money can turn the loveliest abode into hell. Nothing beats the peace of mind of living easily withing your means.
Do not compare your whole life to what you can see of other peoples'. Appearances are very deceptive.
This just really hits home especially as people use facebook to brag and put all their happy pics up, but that is only one side of the story. They leave out the problems. The saddest and most extreme example of this is when Chris Watts killed his family, his wife Shanann and daughters Celeste and Bella. Looking at all Shanann's facebook posts and videos you would think they were a very happy, loving family. But behind the scenes there were lots of problems including financial, from a $400,000 home they couldn't afford and recent bankruptcy, as well as the affair he was having behind her back.
I think it's harder for some people in this day and age who compare themselves to others and feel wanting due to the explosion of facebook. Silverbells was looking at her ex and his family and getting upset and wanting what they had. In the old days, people didn't have a bird's-eye view to others' life and family, unless they were truly close friends. But in this day many people have hundreds of "facebook friends", really acquaintances, and sometimes not even that. I think the public show on facebook can exacerbate depression, anxiety, jealously, envy and fear of missing out in some people. They start comparing themselves to what they see on facebook and decide they are wanting. But they really have no idea of the whole, true picture and the problems these other people are facing behind the scenes. As you said, appearances are deceptive and things are not always what they seem.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
On 4/17/2021 at 7:34 PM, SilverBells said:
I’ve now been made aware that some people in my area are spending in excess of $500,000-600,000 for brand new, custom built homes. Just makes me feel more defeated because there’s no way I could manage that. It’s very frustrating to work all hours of the day taking care of patients who are unappreciative and have nothing to say for it. I can work 16-20 hours a day and get to look forward to coming home to a crappy living environment
I'm thinking you must live in a higher cost of living area. One you get your mental health house in order you could use your education to move just about any where in the continental US. If you don't need the big city infrastructure you might find a nice job and home in an area that has a lower cost of living. For rexaple the home pictured below in a pretty common Post WWII tract home. These were built between 1945 and 1964. Thisis very similar to the home we currently live in. In 1963 My husbands parents purchased the home we lived in for $18,000.00. It has been continuously occupied by family since then. In our part of the world the same house sells for over 1/2 a million dollars. In our part of the country home prices are high. Infact if we were starting out today we could not afford a two bedroom apartment for what our current house payment is. and that's for a 3200 square foot yard and 2200 square foot house. By contrast the 2nd home pictured (Same Vintage) in Bloomfield New Mexico that has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a nice lot currently lists for 149,000.00.
Home 1and home 2
1 minute ago, hppygr8ful said:
I'm thinking you must live in a higher cost of living area. One you get your mental health house in order you could use your education to move just about any where in the continental US. If you don't need the big city infrastructure you might find a nice job and home in an area that has a lower cost of living. For rexaple the home pictured below in a pretty common Post WWII tract home. These were built between 1945 and 1964. Thisis very similar to the home we currently live in. In 1963 My husbands parents purchased the home we lived in for $18,000.00. It has been continuously occupied by family since then. In our part of the world the same house sells for over 1/2 a million dollars. In our part of the country home prices are high. Infact if we were starting out today we could not afford a two bedroom apartment for what our current house payment is. and that's for a 3200 square foot yard and 2200 square foot house. By contrast the 2nd home pictured (Same Vintage) in Bloomfield New Mexico that has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a nice lot currently lists for 149,000.00.
Home 1and home 2
I personally don't know why a single person would want more than two bedrooms. Just keeping a larger home clean is a challenge.
Yeah, I know realtors will tell you it's all about resale value.
That's true. My desire for two bathrooms has more so to do wanting a "spare" bathroom should maintenance issues come up in the one bathroom and there is not time to have them fixed immediately.
For rexaple the home pictured below in a pretty common Post WWII tract home. These were built between 1945 and 1964. Thisis very similar to the home we currently live in. In 1963 My husbands parents purchased the home we lived in for $18,000.00.
What a great mid-century modern home... Look at the architecture! I just love seeing art and architecture in home design, house meeting land in a good way, and giving such good vibes. Not some McMansion that will rott in 20 years. I guess I have always loved older homes...Thank you for the photograph on my rainy Sunday!
Sounds like you are living in an expensive area. How married are you to your geographical location? If you didn't work all hours God sends, (for probably less than minimum wage if you do the math) you would have some leisure time to: 1. Research the real estate market all over the country 2. Research job opportunities all over the country 3. Read some sensible self help books. I strongly recommend Suze Orman for helping young people get off to a financial good start.
I would say that the expenses in my living area area probably "average." Prices definitely are going up, but that seems to be the case in a lot of locations. However, you're right about not having a lot of time to do research. I've never moved, but it's possible it's time for something new. I've calculated my hourly rate after working all of my current hours, and realized that by being in a salaried position, I'm pretty much making as much as a CNA (which is by no means meant to be derogatory to CNAs, as I do believe they are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated). So there's really no advantage to working my current hours other than being able to keep a job, as the extra ones aren't helping me to save money at all. With that said, my inability to find something "suitable" in my area may have more to do with unrealistic or even unreasonable expectations, rather than any lack of suitable housing/living arrangements in my area. In a sense, it's probably laughable that a single person would be looking at the types of homes I've been looking at anyway.
LibraNurse27, BSN, RN
972 Posts
I was hoping BLM land meant black Americans finally received the reparations they were promised when slavery ended. Sadly not the case. But, the actual thing is really cool. Especially that homeless women can be part of a collective and receive protection from other group members rather than being alone on the streets where they are so vulnerable. Plus the sense of community since being homeless can be so isolating. Still sad that for some this is their only option other than living on the street, but a lot of the people in the video and article seemed happy! Thanks again for sharing.