flag of convenience Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) Our main car (my car) is 6 years old now but still think of it as 'new' and OHs car is 20 years old! The newest BMW he could afford:) We could afford far better but why? Cars have no interest for me. Don't do status symbols. Probably a pretty decent BMW if built twenty years ago. Not that I know anything that couldn't be written on the back of a postage stamp about cars. Edited November 7, 2015 by flag of convenience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I'd like a 4wd for holidays and we need a big car for the dog as she goes everywhere with us but when it's time to replace we will probably replace the bmw with a small newish car for husbands work commute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 There is a theory that rates in Australia will need to rise when the US raises. The US hadn't raised rates for such a long time. It is unprecedented. It could be a millennium bug moment, or it could be a financial tsunami. Cool the beers, get the pop corn and grab a front row seat. I'm not sure Australia can go far with interest rates with the danger of a collapse of the housing market. What a mess we are all in. A little insight could have prevented the worse excesses. I guess the shock of the GFC, that threatened the capitalistic model as we know it , put the wing up governments world wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 We could still borrow a lot more than would be sensible. I'm looking at houses we could 'afford' by the banks reckoning and they'd be like 'dream home' but we don't earn dream home money. Debating staying on in this house for longer than originally planned now despite fact layout is less than ideal... While the price may be declining in your present house, the chances are it will be most every where else as well. Why would you buy in the present chaotic climate? Unless you spot a deal to good to pass of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeegieDave Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 When I think back to my life in the UK I was happy with my 2 bedroom flat and my Ford Focus and I must admit, for a time, during the boom here in WA, I nearly got carried away and found myself nearly buying a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, drive away at $60,000. I think the sensible grounded side of me kicked in as I grew up in near poverty in a single parent family with my Mum at times, only being able to afford a box of sausages to feed me and my 2 brothers and always remind myself not to get too carried away but I can see how easily people lose the sensible thinking to chase materialistic gain and to perhaps show people 'back home' how well they are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeegieDave Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Thats exactly it Weegie! How many people forget they have just come from a 3 bed semi and been driving a 6 year old Ford Focus, to wanting everything right away! A lot of it is to show people "how well we are doing in Australia" but dont mention they are ticked up to the eyeballs to do it! I have been here 7 years and only now have changed our 2nd hand golf that we bought when we arrived to a new car. But never been a show end off! Yeah, without doubt, there is an element of that going on. I have personally witnessed it and know people who love nothing more than to post than to post endless photos on Facebook of themselves lying out in their pool at their 4 x 2 in some far away isolated suburb showing how they are living the dream. Fair play to them if they really have made it but many have ridiculously high mortgages and debts. Although, I do know some expats who came hereat the start of the boom and are laughing, mortgage free now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Yeah, without doubt, there is an element of that going on. I have personally witnessed it and know people who love nothing more than to post than to post endless photos on Facebook of themselves lying out in their pool at their 4 x 2 in some far away isolated suburb showing how they are living the dream. Fair play to them if they really have made it but many have ridiculously high mortgages and debts. Although, I do know some expats who came hereat the start of the boom and are laughing, mortgage free now. How I dislike the "living the dream" thing :dull: Does anybody really care about that anymore. Always makes me cringe when I hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeegieDave Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 How I dislike the "living the dream" thing :dull: Does anybody really care about that anymore. Always makes me cringe when I hear it. Depends on what your definition of 'dream' is but it's all a bit false to me although who am I to sh!t on anyones parade?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Yeah, without doubt, there is an element of that going on. I have personally witnessed it and know people who love nothing more than to post than to post endless photos on Facebook of themselves lying out in their pool at their 4 x 2 in some far away isolated suburb showing how they are living the dream. Fair play to them if they really have made it but many have ridiculously high mortgages and debts. Although, I do know some expats who came hereat the start of the boom and are laughing, mortgage free now. Agree - we live in an area with a lot of huge McMansions. But, I often run into people that live in them while out shopping and they cant afford to buy things - too mortgaged to the hilt to have anything left, just because they want to show off the big house. What is going to come home to roost though is all those that have mortgaged themselves to the hilt with investment properties that are now one of the 17,000 in Perth standing empty and it is looking like the government will get rid of the tax breaks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeegieDave Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Agree - we live in an area with a lot of huge McMansions. But, I often run into people that live in them while out shopping and they cant afford to buy things - too mortgaged to the hilt to have anything left, just because they want to show off the big house. What is going to come home to roost though is all those that have mortgaged themselves to the hilt with investment properties that are now one of the 17,000 in Perth standing empty and it is looking like the government will get rid of the tax breaks I had a very similar conversation with someone last night about this. The Government were no doubt part of the big advertising campaign for everyone to buy an investment property as they were raking it in on stamp duty etc. Rent prices will need to drop as the rental market is getting competitive and the rent prices won't cover the high mortgages people have on the properties as well as some of the ridiculous strata fees that many inner city apartment blocks are charging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 How I dislike the "living the dream" thing :dull: Does anybody really care about that anymore. Always makes me cringe when I hear it. The expression does not necessarily have to be linked to material possessions though. If you are living the kind of life that, when you were younger, you could only have dreamt of living then it is appropriate. I do agree that it is a hollow type of dream if you have had to rack up debt to achieve it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 At the end of the day, you can only use so much of your house, we really don't 'need' 2 living areas as a 3 person family. It would be nice to have a better layout when family and friends stay though. A lot of the newer bigger homes seems to have huge expanses of 'space' and little else, with a tiny courtyard. I wouldn't pay for that. Poor value. Still a lot of bargains to be had in some far flung areas if you don't need to work....I can dream... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 While the price may be declining in your present house, the chances are it will be most every where else as well. Why would you buy in the present chaotic climate? Unless you spot a deal to good to pass of course. Sell low buy low? Or sell high buy high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest241083 Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 ……………..a lot comes down to luck…….. ………………selling at a high………buying at a low………. ……………….we were lucky here eventually lol………… ………………but not in the uk…… ………………people buy often to fit their family……..and like me atm…. ……………..have a large house to sell…………needing a smaller one now…. ………………its also about cutting your cloth..! ……………..and prioritys…………everyones are different…. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I don't think there'll be any bargains for us in next 10 years. Too limited by area. Hopefully by our 50's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest241083 Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I don't think there'll be any bargains for us in next 10 years. Too limited by area. Hopefully by our 50's... …………a whole new view on prioritys ime….. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 …………a whole new view on prioritys ime….. Agreed. Things can change a lot I'm sure....exciting really. Who knows what the future holds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 How I dislike the "living the dream" thing :dull: I'd never heard it until PIO. I thought it must be a relatively recent UK thing? Agree it's cringeworthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) Well I absolutely love my house, I don't care if it goes up or down in value, it's where I'm happy. I never dreamt I would live somewhere like this in retirement, so my dream life is pretty good. Sorry don't live in Perth perhaps that's why I'm happy? Edited November 7, 2015 by ramot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I don't think there'll be any bargains for us in next 10 years. Too limited by area. Hopefully by our 50's... come on you know you turn 50 within 10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 come on you know you turn 50 within 10 years. Yeah? In 10 years..I'm 40 now...your point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 At the end of the day, you can only use so much of your house, we really don't 'need' 2 living areas as a 3 person family. It would be nice to have a better layout when family and friends stay though. A lot of the newer bigger homes seems to have huge expanses of 'space' and little else, with a tiny courtyard. I wouldn't pay for that. Poor value. Still a lot of bargains to be had in some far flung areas if you don't need to work....I can dream... I love our home, modest by some standards but when the kids fly the nest it's not too big that we'll have to down size, we have a good sized garden and outdoor patio's. I'm not a great lover of the vast expanses of spaces, we have a study/small lounge and a family room .... enough space for us all to get a bit of peace and quiet if the need takes us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I love our home, modest by some standards but when the kids fly the nest it's not too big that we'll have to down size, we have a good sized garden and outdoor patio's. I'm not a great lover of the vast expanses of spaces, we have a study/small lounge and a family room .... enough space for us all to get a bit of peace and quiet if the need takes us. I know, I've seen it:wink: You have a lovely home. Homely is where it's at. People often say they feel 'at home' in my house because it has a comfy relaxed feel. I always wonder if they mean messy? Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I know, I've seen it:wink: You have a lovely home. Homely is where it's at. People often say they feel 'at home' in my house because it has a comfy relaxed feel. I always wonder if they mean messy? Lol The only important thing is that people feel welcome and are welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 The only important thing is that people feel welcome and are welcome. Oh they're always welcome. My house is 'lived in' and mismatched. Not dirty but not show home. Not very good at minimalism. I always get tidy envy in other peoples homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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