Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Anger Over Housing

Everything that is Wrong with America and San Diego
I am sick and tired of paying money to someone else who provides me with little in return.  Housing in particular bothers me.  I want to own, not rent, my own home.  I do not need a large home. I would like to own a home that is within a reasonable commuting distance of where I currently work in San Diego, CA.

I value my independence a great deal.  I do not want to share a living space with people who are not members of my family.  I do not want to live with one or more roommates.

I can sum up everything that is wrong with American in general and San Diego in particular with this one link.  Here is a 420 square foot studio apartment, not even a one-bedroom mind you, that would cost me $925 a month to live in.  The unit itself is OK and while the neighborhood isn't the worst, it is not a place I would feel comfortable walking around at night.   The monthly rental rate for this apartment is fairly standard around the city of San Diego.

$925/ Month Does Not Buy Paradise

Since the listing does not mention parking, I imagine that street parking is the only thing available with this unit, which means that whoever lives here has to deal with the hassle of dragging their things to and from a different location each day.  Groceries are a pain to deal with in this setup plus there is the constant threat of someone smashing your window and stealing whatever is inside your car.

I don't like to discuss finances.  I will say that given my financial situation $925 is a lot of money to charge someone to live in a studio in a sub-par neighborhood.

I am incredibly grateful to have found a job this year after searching for longer than I would have liked to find employment.  I worked for four years at the same company after graduating from college and did well at my job.  I am intelligent, hardworking, have no felonies on my record nor have I had any serious run ins with the law.  I received good grades throughout my time in school. while earning both a high school diploma from a public school and a bachelor's degree from a good university.  I could pursue a post-graduate degree but I don't like the idea of bribing smart people to get them to hand me a piece of paper that says I am one them.  If I could see some real value to having another diploma, I might consider going back to school.  What I have seen of the job market tells me that paying to put another diploma on my wall might not help me.

Summary of My Problem with Housing in America
All the money I could spend to rent this or any other apartment does not actually help me to own anything.  I personally do not have the money to buy a condo or single family detached home in cash at the moment.  If I was to buy such a thing with the help of a bank, what would happen if I lost my job?  Would a bank laugh at me if I was to approach them with my level of income and a desire to own, not rent, a piece of property?  Why does America or any other country use such a bizarre system of borrowing and credit to get people to move into their own homes?  This is the post-industrial age we live in.  We have an abundance of goods and people to supply services so why is it that a need as basic as shelter in an area where there is work to be found so difficult to obtain?

Thoughts?

13 comments:

  1. What happened to the American dream? :(

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  2. Well, the fact that it's San Diego has something to do with it. Here a nice studio generally goes for $400, but well, it's not exactly San Diego is all. I think I would just move elsewhere until I reach a high enough point in the chain with recommendations and hard work to be able to afford your very own house.

    Also, you're not too bad off just talking to some banks to see how you fit with potentially buying a house. Who knows, maybe if you talk with the right people they can also point you in the right direction.

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  3. Having to pay that much only to not even be able to park your car somewhere safe and secure is an absolute joke man, I can't believe that. Best of luck with finding a decent place mate but maybe San Diego is somewhere you could look into moving away from or something? I'm not sure but good luck mate.

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  4. Well for now you can always save up and get yourself a house. Housing is something I find odd when I really think about it, but those things are expensive to make, so I guess that's it.

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  5. Yeah that sucks! Banks are just out to rob you blind! I hope your able to over come that obstical!

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  6. And this is why I refused to rent anything for more than $500 a month while I was saving to buy a house. I don't care if you're in the nicest part of town in the nicest apartment money can get you, because ultimately that $1000 or so dollars is still just money that you're throwing away every month.

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  7. Life is a bitch:)
    www.thoughtsofpaps.com

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  8. I rent in SD and it sucks. My man and I are on the hunt to own and it still sucks!

    Thx for stopping by my blog. I'm a new follower!



    xx
    Holly Foxen Wells
    GlamourMash

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  9. Yah, maybe talk to some banks as D4 suggests, to get a better idea/see what happens. Good luck.

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  10. I pay 900 for 1000 sq feet in a basement. I could not imagine paying so much for something so small. My god.

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  11. Well said, but you have to bite the bullet when it comes to housing in SD. Unfortunately, prices are relatively high for rent because SD is considered a desirable place to live. But you are not wrong, it sucks throwing away money every month on rent.

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    1. In my mind San Diego is just like every other major city in the United States. I would be happy to move out of San Diego if I knew of another city where a person like me with a college degree, four years of experience in the workforce and a desire to work hard and be successful could own a home.

      Also, just FYI to those of you who don't live in San Diego, we use the term "sunshine tax" here to describe low wages, high rent, the high price of gas, etc.

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  12. I love your thoughts here. They echo my own over the last few months. Thank you for stopping by my blog, too.

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