time to fly

[jonear2, RN]

Ok, so Im a nurse now. {applause please}. IM 23 and have been living at home with my parents. My fiance is a firefighter and we are getting married in March 2007. We have a piece of property and it is completely paid for so we are looking at building a house there. I guess when I was in school I thought that when I graduated Id have all this money to spend and everything woulf be fine. But the cost of living here in Jax, Fl is insane. Small houses for $200,000.00. Im stressing big time. We both make good money and I see all these young couples building these freaking gigantic homes, I dont get it. Please tell me there are some of you out there in the same situation and I am not freaking out alone. I thought we were starting ahead of the game, but I feel freaked out. Plus Im always afraid Im going to do something stupid, lose my license and we really will be living in a van down by the river. Anyway thanks for listening to the late night ravings of a semi-insane new nurse.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

I always remember, just because people are BUILDING huge homes, doesn't mean those homes are paid for- they may be in debt up to their eyeballs as the saying goes. And they are a lot more visible than all the many other people living in little apartments or smaller homes, too (like me- also a new nurse of less than one year, and most of the other new nurses or recent college grads I know). I would say, if you and your husband have each other and can rely on each other, that means way more than what size house you live in I think (of course yeah, I'm not married- that's just what I've observed). And who's to say that someday, you can't live in a house like that if you want to, if it's still important to you then? I hope I don't come across as rude or smart alecky because I don't mean to be at all, and i'm not in your shoes so i can't say for sure what the best thing is, so just take it with a grain of salt please?? :) and CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement too... that's wonderful. Take care!!! and don't worry about freaking out... i do it all the time over way less things... seriously i think it's just a new nurse thing or something I don't know. Anyway... take care!!! (sorry for rambling, i do that when i'm tired a lot)

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

It's tough to be a grown up isn't? Good luck to you!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Listen, darling, you're still ahead of the game. Who knows what these $200,000 houses are going to be going for in 40 years when you are ready to retire. Then, you'll be wishing you had built one!

The houses out here in California are even more ridiculously high. My little brother went out to some little desert town near Laughlin, Nevada partly because the real estate was cheaper. Not any more. In just the past few years, the prices have absolutely exploded. There was a vacant acre next to his property that he thought about buying. It was priced at $48,000 two years ago and he thought it was too high for desert land. Well, since then the land has been sold twice and been divided into two lots that both sold a few weeks ago for over $100,000 each! His home which he bought four years ago has already doubled in value if he wants to put it on the market and sell. The dirt road he lives on--yes, I said dirt road!--is going to be paved which means the real estate values will go up even more! Real estate is one of the best investments you can make. Land very seldom goes down in value unless you buy in an area that becomes a slum. Peter , one of the big investment consultants recommends that the small investor's first investment should be in a home--real estate before they buy any stock.

Just get your mortgages and get your house built. Work your butts off while you're young so it will be paid off later. By the time you hit middle age you'll be an experienced nurse making a much better salary, wages will be a lot higher and you'll most likely be in a much better financial position than most other people your age. That van down by the river will just be your get-a-way cruiser!