A few weeks ago, a good friend and I were talking about the horrible state of the housing market currently, but we still want a house. I've wanted to own a house since the early 2000s when I saw that the rent I paid went to nothing but simply the permission to store my belongings somewhere.
I always wanted a ranch house. A place with no stairs. Therefore a place without an attic or a basement. Like an independent apartment with more bedrooms.
There are SO many abandoned houses in Cleveland that aren't being restored and given to the homeless. So much land that isn't being used to build new streets and neighborhoods. People in similar situations in life that are also tired of just throwing thousands of dollars to landlords every year.
We're not the only two to notice the bad housing state. Rent-To-Own companies have popped up out of thin air, and disappear as fast as they come. People end up giving them money but never get a house. What's the purpose of getting paid $20-$40 from each person you scam then leaving the scene? Wouldn't it be better to give people what they want and build business and money due to being a quality company of one's word?
We could always own a home the traditional way, but there's nothing but really expensive roadblocks. One needs like a ridiculously high credit score, $10,000 down plus at least $3,000 in the bank to show that your down payment didn't completely wipe you out. This doesn't include the $100 for the moving truck and the $300-$800 moving help expenses.
What happened to the ancient American tradition of simply finding a place to move and then moving in? No red tape, no thousands of precious dollars lost, no sucking up required. Did "Grapes Of Wrath" hold those secrets?
My friend and I also looked into Recreational Vehicles (RVs) and the Tiny Houses phenomenon. Not only are these a bit cheaper methods to home ownership, these alternatives are easier to obtain. For under $1000 Home Depot can build someone a tiny house/shed.
Yet, of course, there are barriers. Lots of places forbid RVs or restrict them too far away trailer parks and RV parks. And because the tiny house phenomenon has caught on so quickly, states are starting to ban their building. What the bottom line is to prevent growth is beyond me.
I feel homeownership should be part of an adults' quality of living. To have a permanent residence somewhere that one feels completely comfortable and can thrive in. I also know that home ownership requires a lot of work. If an appliance breaks down, you have pay someone to fix it. You have to do lawn care or pay someone to do it. You can plant flowers or pay someone to do it.
Replacing the roof and the gutters when they deteriorate. Painting the house or replacing the siding when needed. But are all these requirements really enough of a stop sign to complete independence? I don't think so. People will do extensive amounts of maintenance to keep a car, but not invest in a state of permanent residence.
I don't really have a point or a solution to this quandary. I just wanted to put my thoughts out there about this issue.
