2024 US Presidential Election

[greyfader]

you guys got me thinking about the 1200 sq ft tract home my mother bought in fremont ca in 1963. she paid $19.500 for it and got a 4% VA loan because my step-father was career military. they sold that house in about 1980 for $350.000. today i checked the appraised value and it's now valued at $1,360,000.

i checked street view and there's a porsche and a tesla parked in the driveway.

making this small nondescript home on a 1/8 th of an acre lot completely out of reach for most blue-collar working people.

remember george carlin saying something to the effect that rich folks don't need to actually conspire because they all quietly understand that they are scratching one another's back's?

think about how building contractors, mortgage companies, and real estate companies are all quietly working together to drive up prices because it's highly beneficial for them to do so.

this is another opportunity for the government or a group of well-intentioned billionaires, if there are any, to create non-profit companies that buy small pieces of land wherever they can find them and build modest but comfortable, well-equipped affordable homes that sell at a reasonable price that working-class folks can afford.

i said small pieces of land for a reason, if you build a huge subdivision of them all clustered up it will turn into another type of "project". the best way, i think, would be to build them isolated or in small groups so that they don't turn into another "one-stop" crime center.

 

[Microbeman]

Vancouver and surrounding areas, to include Vancouver Island, Victoria, Port Alberni, etc., underwent a huge housing bubble, and when it burst, there were many sitting on homes they'd bought and invested money into refurbishing them, for which to sell at that time, when the bubble burst, would've cost some I knew over $200,000 in lost investment.

Ya, quick speculation is dicey.
My sister bought a house during that bubble for 700K. Sold it 2-3 years ago for 1.7 mil. Vancouver seemingly was sort of protected from the down turn (if you held on), my farm I sold for 8 times what I paid. (25 years)

 

[Microbeman]

a friend has relatives in Vancouver. their house there is about half the size of mine, but is valued at 6 times of ours. location, location, location...

But very high cost of living.

 

[Hiddenjems]

Insulting anyone's or arguing identity in ways that contradict they are not who or what they say they are, when they likely have a far greater awareness of their own identity than the presumptuous and rude commenters, is boundary challenged to the max.. Period. No matter the status or condition referenced.

If your neighbor told you his name was Fred, and you made a point and habit of addressing him as Bob, for whatever reason, each time he visited you, would you be surprised if one day he eventually popped you in your jaw, or ceased wanting anything to do with you or listening to you?

Identities are unique, and each person has a right to have the one they feel comfortable with. Too bad that some are so hung up on another's way of being, eh?

I’m not the one saying a guy with tits and a dress is a “real” woman.

 

[pop_rocks]

Can you elucidate? Do you mean border towns? Mexico has actually improved in delivering services and education to her people. Farmland is available to the poor and the democracy (IMO) is over par to the US. The tourist aspect kinda sucks but supports many families. There are jobs galore and lots of construction. The cartel thing has been going since the late 70s and is bad and good. Elders are treated with great respect. Homelessness is rare.

Maybe there are so many addicts in the US due to the sadness and pain.

oh man, i grew up in socal so mex used to be like a wonderland of fun
the surf was fun and the food was cheap, we lived like kings
plus like you said, most of the people are actually very friendly and love americans
(i once had a girl friend who lived in la playas of tj)
their education was ok at best and im glad to hear there are improvements in that area

the cartels are still a major factor and rule most of the country, especially the rural areas

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/06/18/usa-mexico-avocado-inspections-michoacan/

but its cool and as long as they stopped hanging beheaded bodies from bridges i guess we can just let by gones be by gones
any peace is the peace of the grave yard it seems and the gov is powerless to stop them

do you live in mexico? are you mexican?
/im not trying to be rude @Microbeman, you know i like you
im just asking

In 2009 the median house value in San Diego was 285K. In Vancouver it was 554K.

in todays money the median home price in san diego county is almost a million dollars
(actual sold price was 1.1m)
/its just easier to post a pic of the google results but you can see the key words used if there is any doubt

i did look up vancouver and it was more expensive, but the thing is i googles san diego county, that is a huge area
if i cherry picked a nicer part of san diego, not just the county in general, i bet we could get over 2m easily
and the really nice areas... $$$$$

Vancouver and surrounding areas, to include Vancouver Island, Victoria, Port Alberni, etc., underwent a huge housing bubble, and when it burst, there were many sitting on homes they'd bought and invested money into refurbishing them, for which to sell at that time, when the bubble burst, would've cost some I knew over $200,000 in lost investment.

thanks moose

a friend has relatives in Vancouver. their house there is about half the size of mine, but is valued at 6 times of ours. location, location, location...

but aoh is right, location location location, but vancouver is nice i guess

 

[pop_rocks]

Ya, quick speculation is dicey.
My sister bought a house during that bubble for 700K. Sold it 2-3 years ago for 1.7 mil. Vancouver seemingly was sort of protected from the down turn (if you held on), my farm I sold for 8 times what I paid. (25 years)

hey sorry man, i dident see a whole nuther page of interesting stuff
i think vancouver is a premier spot in canada, why i dont know
is it because its the southern most city on the west coast of canada?
how about that island? ive known people from bc and they were all very cool and fun people
/how did you guys get so good on a mtn bike i have no idea, maybe that a question for fishsticks

just curious man, who did you sell the farm to? are they going to utilize it as a farm or ??
san diego has a high cost of living too, we pay the most for just about everything from gas to groceries

 

[pop_rocks]

@greyfader
yeah man! my mom bought the home we grew up in here in san diego for i think for like 150.000 back in the day

"making this small nondescript home on a 1/8 th of an acre lot completely out of reach for most blue-collar working people."

and this is the part that bums me out the most, where are the regular working people supposed to live?
they are being priced out of most areas and gavin newsom's $20 minimum wage for fast food workers isnt going to solve that

"i said small pieces of land for a reason, if you build a huge subdivision of them all clustered up it will turn into another type of "project". the best way, i think, would be to build them isolated or in small groups so that they don't turn into another "one-stop" crime center."

and this is another thing i hear about, lets turn it all into high density housing but they dont consider the impact in infrastructure and the quality of life that brings along with it, not to mention the impact on neighboring communities
some part of san diego are great for something like that, downtown for instance, but in the bedroom communities? yeah but no

its a tough problem and there are no easy solutions

 

[moose eater]

I’m not the one saying a guy with tits and a dress is a “real” woman.

No, you're the one refusing to be respectful and address a person as they ask or wish. God complex?

 

[Hiddenjems]

No, you're the one refusing to be respectful and address a person as they ask or wish. God complex?

They have the god complex. I don’t try and compel speech from people. It’s not up to me what other people say. I’m sorry but I’m not respectful to people using coercion.

 

[moose eater]

They have the god complex. I don’t try and compel speech from people. It’s not up to me what other people say. I’m sorry but I’m not respectful to people using coercion.

I guess there's all sorts of rationalizations for refusing to simply address someone as they wish. Good luck with that.

Most of which admittedly had little or nothing to do with the numerous expressed delusions that Michelle Obama has a dick.

 

[GOT_BUD?]

I’m not the one saying a guy with tits and a dress is a “real” woman.

You have a really hard time just being a decent human being, don't you?

If someone doesn't fit into one of your 4 little preconceived boxes, they get hate. You are a sad, pathetic little man.

 

[greyfader]

 

[Microbeman]

do you live in mexico? are you mexican?

Yes. Resident status. (US citizen)
As I thought, it sounds like most of your impression of Mexico was near the border. It's a pretty big country.

The cartels probably would not have taken over for the farmers and co-ops in the 70s were it not for the US interference. There are good things and bad about the cartel. They contribute some cash and food to poor, support some local community projects and provide some protection. In my community they pursue and punish thieves but also restrict and control some activities involved with growing cannabis and the drug trade.

My point with the real estate comparison was that at the time, I could have bought a home in San Diego for way less than I sold for, especially with the strong Canadian cash I had then.

 

[greyfader]

 

[Microbeman]

just curious man, who did you sell the farm to? are they going to utilize it as a farm or ??

I wrote and registered a conservation covenant on the property prior to selling which prohibits development/subdivision.

 

[greyfader]

Yes. Resident status. (US citizen)
As I thought, it sounds like most of your impression of Mexico was near the border. It's a pretty big country.

The cartels probably would not have taken over for the farmers and co-ops in the 70s were it not for the US interference. There are good things and bad about the cartel. They contribute some cash and food to poor, support some local community projects and provide some protection. In my community they pursue and punish thieves but also restrict and control some activities involved with growing cannabis and the drug trade.

My point with the real estate comparison was that at the time, I could have bought a home in San Diego for way less than I sold for, especially with the strong Canadian cash I had then.

i recently watched a program on cnn entitled "America's mess with Mexico". Mexico is on the cusp of becoming an economic powerhouse.

I wrote and registered a conservation covenant on the property prior to selling which prohibits development/subdivision.

too cool!

 

[Hiddenjems]

You have a really hard time just being a decent human being, don't you?

If someone doesn't fit into one of your 4 little preconceived boxes, they get hate. You are a sad, pathetic little man.

I don’t hate anyone. I resist anyone attempting to compel any speech or action. I address people as they wish until I’m told I’ll have consequences if I don’t.

It’s not up to any individual how people address them. You can’t control another persons speech. You’ll never hear me say people need to shut up, in America we speak freely.

I could care less how people live their life, just don’t tell my kids it’s ok. If you want to brainwash kids, have your own.

 

[Hiddenjems]

I guess there's all sorts of rationalizations for refusing to simply address someone as they wish. Good luck with that.

Most of which admittedly had little or nothing to do with the numerous expressed delusions that Michelle Obama has a dick.

I do address people as they wish. As soon as it’s made known that I “better address someone in a certain way or there will consequences” they can kick mud.

I had a trans women in one of my electrical engineering classes 30 years ago. They were in a study group with me. Zero issues. Their gender never came up and they were a benefit to the group as far as the work we did. What’s so hard about keeping your private life private?

 

[Microbeman]

i recently watched a program on cnn entitled "America's mess with Mexico". Mexico is on the cusp of becoming an economic powerhouse.

What they left out of that program is that China owns the major sea ports in Mexico - a very smart move, outpacing the US but probably bad for Mexico in the long run.

The whole fentanyl dilemma with the US is insanely fueled by the insatiable American appetite (and anguish). Fentanyl is not available in my neighborhood and I suspect, not in most of Mexico, excepting border towns. Only meth and crappy weed are available here. Surprisingly most local meth users are chippies - using only once a week or sometimes to work.

 

[greyfader]

What they left out of that program is that China owns the major sea ports in Mexico - a very smart move, outpacing the US but probably bad for Mexico in the long run.

The whole fentanyl dilemma with the US is insanely fueled by the insatiable American appetite (and anguish). Fentanyl is not available in my neighborhood and I suspect, not in most of Mexico, excepting border towns. Only meth and crappy weed are available here. Surprisingly most local meth users are chippies - using only once a week or sometimes to work.

the chinese are looking more like capitalist pigs every day. in the long term, for security and economic reasons it may be a good thing that china is heavily invested in the west.

2/3rds of their gdp is dependent on trade with the west, both the americas and the eu. they are much less likely to wage a fighting war against the west.