Boss, my $100K salary just isn't cutting it

Hell no. I don't own an Ipod, a palm pilot, and my cell phone doesn't even take pictures.

Crazy, I'm stuck in 2004.

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Me, too. Doesn't keep you from being a techno-geek.

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most computer geeks don't have all the gadgety stuff...they don't really care about it, they really care about databases, strings, and queries...

hahahahahahaha i am so funny Wink

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Which I know nothing about.

Pretty much only things I can use a computer for is internet, and Microsoft Office.

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Slappy Doo Hoo wrote:

I sell to car dealerships across three states.

Damn, I WAS close! So...you're the one who sells to the used car salesmen! That is rich!

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Slappy Doo Hoo wrote:

Which I know nothing about.

Pretty much only things I can use a computer for is internet, and Microsoft Office.

Porn and MS Office. Geek.

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It seems weird that everyone here is talking about Boston being expensive, as the Boston I know (Lincolnshire) is one of the cheapest areas in the Southern half of England.
It is a coastal town, situated right next to a massive bay called "The Wash" and bugger all happens there. The surrounding countryside is as flat as roadkill, but the earth is very fertile, and that's where most of our Supermarket vegetables are grown. Loads of tulips as well.

Anyway, this is what you would get for about $600K.....the same type of house around my way (North London) would cost three times the amount, if not more.

How does it compare?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-4376839.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy

http://www.trfs.co.uk/mapmap3.jpg

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yeah you couldn't buy that house for $600k in boston, mass...

in Va Beach, VA a ways down the east coast from boston it would be close to $600k depending on whether or not you were on the water (on the water it would be close to $2 mil).

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Whoa! You are talking London suburb prices, so I can identify with the $100K chain of thought.......especially now that Petrol has just gone up to £1 a litre. (£4.50 a gallon....$7?)

I can see why it was named Boston though...East Coast, big bay.

Do you grow Tulips there, perchance?

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Location, location, location.

Lord Ellpus - A house like that in my area would probably be about $800,000 to a million depending on acreage. Drive 1 1/2 miles southeast (just outside of NYC) and it would be upwards of about 5 million with about an acre of property and depending on neighborhood. We don't use terms like "reception rooms" and "cloak rooms", but I think I get the idea. We do use terms like media room, exercise room, guest suite etc.

I live in a little 1400 sq. ft 1860 farmhouse on 5 acres that I paid a little over $100,000 for in 1990 - it is now assessed at over $400,000. My taxes are becoming a yearly nightmare.

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Lord Ellpus wrote:

Anyway, this is what you would get for about $600K.....the same type of house around my way (North London) would cost three times the amount, if not more.

How does it compare?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-4376839.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy

I'd have to guess that that place would be in the $6 million range around here. Mostly because it has property (although they don't say how much so it's hard to say but it does appear to be several acres..). There is a place not to far from me with a house of similar size and almost no yard that is currently listed for $1.5 million. Of course there is a vacant 1 acre lot next door selling for $469K.

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Interesting......over here, the Government had every house valued about ten years ago (maybe longer) and placed those houses in value bands.

Band A. £100K to £200K
Band B. £200K to 300K .....etc etc.

Once your house was placed into a particular band, your tax was assessed, based on that band rating, and will not change.

The amount of tax for a band rating will increase each year (usually the inflation rate, maybe a bit more) but you will always be a Band C house, for example, no matter how the housing market explodes.
So, your house could triple in value in one year, but your tax will only rise with inflation, as you will remain liable for the Band C charge.

How does it work in the USA?

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Mind you.....there is always Central London.......

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-6173852.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-7177802.rsp?pa_n=2&tr_t=buy

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Property taxes are assesed by the local city/town in most cases. They generally asses the value of each property in their distrct every 10 years. The assesment is supposed to be set at the fair market value but they are often set lower for any number of reasons.

The town determines their expenses in their annual budget and then sets the tax rate at whatever level is necessary to cover the budget. IN several states there have been laws put in place over the last couple of years that prevents the towns from raising rates over a set amount without the voters specifically approving it. Here in MA if the town wants to increase the tax rate by more than 2.5%/year they have to allow the voters to approve the change.

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Unless you live in a state like California -- and, more recently, Washington (other states?) -- where the rate of property tax increase is capped by popular initiative.

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Property values in my communty have skyrocketed. We've been discovered by developers and our homes on 1 to 2 acre lots are going for over $600,000 as teardowns!! Then 2 - 5 million dollar houses are going up in there place.

There is nothing wrong with the existing houses, they just aren't big enough for the folks who want the latest McMansion styles and seven-car garages.

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I didn't even get parking...."on the street, bitch."

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Green Witch wrote:

I live in a little 1400 sq. ft 1860 farmhouse on 5 acres that I paid a little over $100,000 for in 1990 - it is now assessed at over $400,000. My taxes are becoming a yearly nightmare.

Green Witch, I am heartened to read the description of your house. 5 Acres...bloody hell, that's almost half of England.

1860 eh? When I think of American houses, I always have in mind something a lot more modern, with porch and swing etc. How refreshing to hear that someone has a house that is nearly 150 years old.

I would love to see a photo, just to see the type of construction. If you don't want to post a pic of your own house, I'll quite understand, but maybe a photo of a similar house, or a U.S. website that covers this subject.

Is an 1860 house a rarity over there? They are pretty common here, but are very much sought after, and are usually very expensive to buy.

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littlek wrote:

Linkat wrote:
I wouldn't know how! You must not have to commute into Boston. That alone could cost close to your salary.

No kids, but two costly animals. Actually, I'm not 'making it in massachusetts'. I'm about 2 months pay in debt. I have a great deal in rent, but I pay my own health insurance.

Alas, the situation is the same for many young couples in and around London. Most find it totally impossible to even get one foot on the property ladder, let alone pay the high rent demanded.

We were the same when we first married, and almost moved out of the area altogether, as we seemed to be treading water and getting nowhere.
Our first purchase was a tiny, smelly little flat (apartment?) which needed total renovation. We sat on deckchairs in the lounge for the first year, as all of our money was going into the mortgage, which we eventually had to re-negotiate, as we had fallen way behind with the payments.

Not a nice time for you, littlek. Nothing worse than money worries.

I hope things improve for you soon.

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Well, our 1.5000 square foot flat (calm region, closest to the parc in a spa) would cost the treble (at least) in places about 70+ miles away from London (north) - as I noticed.

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Boss, my $100K salary just isn't cutting it

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