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The grass is always greener…..

December 20th, 2007 at 03:13 pm

Why am I the poorest one in the neighborhood? Why am I the only one struggling? These are questions I used to have.

I live in a new neighborhood where the houses are 2 – 5 years old. So everyone in the neighborhood is about the same age with 2 young kids. There are a couple of kids in the 6-12 range but most of the kids are less then 5 and most houses have 2 kids and of course 2 cars. Besides our occupation, we are probably the same statistically.

So why do I feel like the poor one in the neighborhood? I have a push mower; my neighbors have a lawn service or riding mower. I shovel the snow my hand, I don’t have a snow blower or someone snow plow my driveway. I don’t have a nanny or maid service like others in the neighborhood. My TV and stereo are from college (my wife is embarrassed by both).

Is everyone in the neighborhood that much more financially responsible then me? Am I not the norm; am I the statistical out layer? Or the black sheep of the neighborhood – GASP!

Everyone in the neighborhood has the nice granite in the kitchen; a lot of houses have finished basements. Not mine. When I was building the house, I was very careful on adding things that would go over budget. My philosophy, if it adds square feet it will cost less now. Kitchens and such become outdated no need for a 30-year loan for that.

Well, I kind of like looking at real estate. I even dream of flipping to being a landlord. I don’t have the money to embark on this (or knowledge). So, I’m kind of in the education phase. Well, looking at some websites I came across one my county has for public records on a property, so I put in my address to see what would come up.

It listed my mortgage, the price I paid for the house, and some liens that were discharged between the town and builder – all public records. Amazing what is out there… and for free…

Of course you know, I had to try other addresses around me. All but one had a higher mortgage than me (on ave 30% higher principal) and most also had second and one had a third mortgage.

What’s my point? From a distance, the grass always looks green. It only when you get up close and walk around that you see all the imperfections.

So this holiday season I’ll look at my Charlie Brown Christmas tree and the few gifts under it, and feel content. My fondest memories of Christmas don’t revolve around the gifts I got but the family together and enjoying each other.

So I’ll gleefully wish my rich neighbors health and happiness and “oh” and “ah” at their latest gadgets, but please don’t have pity on me I’m doing just fine.

10 Responses to “The grass is always greener…..”

  1. Maismom Says:
    1198166115

    Good point. I am happy with what I have and don't want much more. But when I look around my neighbors, sometimes I wonder, "How do they do it?" I guess the answer is their credit card and second mortgage.

  2. Ima saver Says:
    1198168301

    Very good post!! You are so right!

  3. scfr Says:
    1198171391

    Very true. Appearances can be very deceiving.

  4. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    1198172651

    They are not thinking about whether you have granite counters, no maid service, and no lawn service. They are not thinking that you are the poor one of the neighborhood. They are only thinking about themselves and what other people think of them. Rest easy, dear.

    I'm struck by how much info is public though. How can mortgages, which are private contracts, be available to the public? May I ask what state you are in?

  5. PauletteGoddard Says:
    1198173200

    Why am I the poorest one in the neighborhood? Why am I the only one struggling? These are questions I used to have.
    Oh honey, you and me both.

    In my case it's one of four things: I am not retired and sitting in a paid-for house with my real estate taxes deferred because I'm on a fixed income (many of my neighbours had been here since the 1950s!); I did not win the stock option lottery like the family across the street; my husband is not a surgeon who has relocated from the Bay Area; I did not go into debt to rehab the basement to take in renters.

    I am grateful for my family and for my friends, but I need to make this gratitude thing a daily habit.

  6. merch Says:
    1198174498

    Joan.of.the.Arch

    I live in Massachusetts. The loan balance isn't listed but initial amount is. I think the theory is that the county lists all claims to that peice of property, like tax lien, mortgage, etc. One I saw was that a flooring place put a lien on a property in my neighborhood.

    Interesting and scare stuff. At zillow.com, you can see purchase price and property taxes of basically any address they cover.

  7. Mr. Meager Says:
    1198178445

    You are a millionaire in wisdom. I've often wonder how a lot of people do it. I came to realize that my need for over security keeps me from over extending myself and to make good sound financial decisions. I may not make as much as my friends, but I can increase my net by following meager and frugal ways that I have learned from others here.

  8. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    1198181059

    Oh, that makes sense, merch. Lien holders are, in effect, part owners of the property.

    Another interesting thing I can search for in my city is what building and demolition permits have been taken out. Sometimes, curious about additions I see, I will look up the permit and find that none was taken out! I already knew there was a high rate of that going on in my city, though.

    I was just snooping around on zillow yesterday because my spouse went to visit a family member whose home he had never been to. My just-fell-off-the-turnip-truck husband only knew in the vaguest ways that such houses and subdivisions existed. He had never been in one. So when he phoned me to tell me he thought he was in some sort of parallel universe twilight zone, I "zillowed" to see what the neighborhood was like.

  9. Amber Says:
    1198197463

    I use to look at others and that was how i got into debt, never again. I am sure that some of those people are worst off than you as you found from your search

    great post

  10. katwoman Says:
    1198265039

    Gotta love the internet for finally providing the kind of transparency that used to be available to very few.

    Looks like I'm going to like reading your blog, dude.

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