Losing my roommate. Time to ponder life things.

"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain) 08/23/2020 at 00:00 • Filed to: None

0

47

My !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is moving back to Illinois. We both moved to CA in Feb 2013 to work in aerospace. Having both started within a week of each other, our leases both came up at the same time and pooled resources on renting a house in Feb 2014. At this point, she’s kind of like a sister. Due to career and life stuff, she’s moving out.

My setup is pretty good. Pros: 3br/2ba house, 1 of the bedrooms is fully kitted as a guest room, 1 car driveway, 1 car garage, room for my tools, granite countertops, gas stove, the landlord is very chill, and inexpensive for the Bay Area at $2200/mo. Cons: it’s in a crappy area, I could use more garage space for projects, it’s a lot of money for one person to burn every month without building equity, the neighbors are loud and annoying, the backyard is annoying to maintain, it’s within an ear shot of BART (loud), and right next to I80 (loud).

But as I mentioned, $2200 is a lot to money to burn every month. It has me pondering life stuff. I don’t have a downpayment for a house (at least not without selling everything I own), so most traditional buying opportunities would mean taking mortgage insurance - which also feels like burning money. Anywhere I move to also limits dating viability. Which sucks right now anyways, I guess.

MUSASHI66 > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:07

1

How does moving limits dating viability? They have singles all over :)

My buddy is crushing it in damn Huntsville, Alabama (also in aerospace). Probably doesn’t hurt that he looks like baby Thor and is making well into 6 figures...

Nick Has an Exocet > MUSASHI66 08/23/2020 at 00:09

2

Population density = dating density. The places that I’m drawn to are out in the sticks.

fintail > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:12

3

Find a new roomie? Sounds like a bargain, it would be here anyway.

Or move on and enjoy the single life, it aint all bad, even even the sticks have viable opportunities now and then.

Nick Has an Exocet > fintail 08/23/2020 at 00:14

0

Yeah, that’s an option. I just don’t like the idea of restarting with a new roommate at 33 years old. I’m kind of over it.

VincentMalamute-Kim > MUSASHI66 08/23/2020 at 00:18

4

Probably? L ooking like Thor is the main thing. He can pull women (and men ) anywhere from Huntsville to Islamabad.

MUSASHI66 > VincentMalamute-Kim 08/23/2020 at 00:20

1

True... dude lost count at a ridiculous number when he tried remembering all the girls he slept with. He is probably in triple digits now. 

CB > MUSASHI66 08/23/2020 at 00:21

7

They don’t have singles all over.

(Resident of a town of 280 chiming in!)

fintail > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:21

1

I understand that much (I got away from it not too long after school ) , and it’s a risk - hard to vet someone unless you really know them.

Maybe time to move on. The new workplace reality might have people moving anyway. I suspect my next position won’t be in the exact same area I am now - people are spreading out in Seattle, too.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:21

2

Yeah this area is getting pretty crazy, I’m only here because my mom took a job here as the director of a private school and she bought a couple places and then kept them. She offered to let us live in one when we were thinking about it, we don’t have a garage or a ton of space but it’s a beautiful area. I think she bought it for $149k in 1994, insane. I saw one in our complex for $800k, some go for $740k. I kind of want to move to Alaska, but I don’t know what I’d do. Dating, I can’t remember what that’s like, I’ve been married almost twenty years! 

VincentMalamute-Kim > MUSASHI66 08/23/2020 at 00:21

1

Life is not fair.

MUSASHI66 > CB 08/23/2020 at 00:28

6

280 is not a town, it’s a blemish on a map 

MUSASHI66 > VincentMalamute-Kim 08/23/2020 at 00:28

3

I’ve been married since 2004, so I just listen to his stories

NKato > fintail 08/23/2020 at 00:29

2

And thank fuck for that. At least it means rents might start coming down . I’m looking at getting training in Medical Billing & Code Specialist for a career switch from being a Machinist - my health is figuring rather prominently in this need of a career change (bad right knee, declining overall health).

That career will allow me to work remotely, and I plan to push hard for better pay and possibly a switch to a Salary pay scale once I show them that I’m extremely productive compared to the average worker (I can crank out 120+ words per minute, and very fluent with computers).

It’s a two-year training program, though. So I have to secure funding first...

NKato > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:30

3

You know what? This is why you make time on the weekends to go into the city for dating. :p May as well give it a shot.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 08/23/2020 at 00:31

1

I've got ten years on you there. 

CB > MUSASHI66 08/23/2020 at 00:35

5

The town of 46 south of me would be real upset if the people there knew about the internet.

MUSASHI66 > CB 08/23/2020 at 00:39

1

I’m in a town that was under 200 residents for last 100 years. 8 years ago they started selling the farms and making new developments and now we have ~5000 or so.

46 is a a different ballgame. 

Nick Has an Exocet > fintail 08/23/2020 at 00:40

1

Yeah, my work has gone permanent work-from-home, but I’m not sure if I’m permanently  with this company. Intra-company communications kind of suck.

Nick Has an Exocet > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 08/23/2020 at 00:42

1

Congrats on 20 years! That’s great. Yeah, things are kind of nuts in the bay area. I came for the work, not the politics, chaos, or housing issues.

SmugAardvark > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:49

1

If it isn’t made of cardboard, that’s damn cheap for the area. Hell, that’s getting to be pretty close to normal for the Sacramento Valley.

CompactLuxuryFan > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:52

0

3/2 for $2,200 is an awesome deal ! I pay more than that for my studio!

Why not find a new roommate to take her spot?

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 00:58

1

I grew up in southern california in the 70's and 80's. Worked in Aerospace there until my job moved to Georgia in 1991 at the age of 30. Still  here in Georgia. No regrets. 

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 01:02

2

Before you decide to move check out what similar places are currently renting for. You might find that your current rent is a steal compared to present market rates and a 2 bedroom apartment is going for what you're paying now. Could always add another well vetted roommate.

Nick Has an Exocet > CompactLuxuryFan 08/23/2020 at 01:08

0

I’ll give that some thought. She’s been a really quiet roommate . Barely even know she’s around. I’ve actually never really had to vet a roommate since all my roommates were friends first.

Nick Has an Exocet > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: 08/23/2020 at 01:09

1

Yeah, I’ll certainly do this. It’s definitely a good price based on what’s out there. Rent prices have gone up a lot more than they were 3 years ago when our rent went up.

For Sweden > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 01:25

1

It’s time to do what all SoCal aerospace engineers do at this stage of your career: move to Palmdale.

Nick Has an Exocet > For Sweden 08/23/2020 at 01:26

0

Hahahaha

fintail > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 01:29

1

Been there, done that.  Might be the excuse to hit the road.  These west coast rat races are getting old fast.

Nick Has an Exocet > fintail 08/23/2020 at 01:32

1

I think I’ll stay in CA, but get out of the inner bay area.

CB > MUSASHI66 08/23/2020 at 01:34

1

I bet you’ve got fancy things like a grocery store too!

fintail > NKato 08/23/2020 at 01:35

0

I know my building has no increases for the next term anyway, but it might take some more malaise for a decline. As you know housing as in purchasing is still going apeshit, and people are fleeing to places like Spokane where it is also going apeshit. Affordable housing, that is, to buy, for single incomes is becoming harder to find.

Good luck with that change - as the oldsters continue to get old, there will probably be some job security in that sector.

Chariotoflove > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 01:43

6

Get a new roommate and start saving a down payment. It’s time to start thinking about the next stage of life and building equity. 

Nick Has an Exocet > Chariotoflove 08/23/2020 at 01:52

1

Sound advice!

NKato > fintail 08/23/2020 at 03:37

0

Honestly, I’m looking at a very real possibility that I may need to start looking for another place to live in the area after our current rent agreement expires next summer. I need to remain in the area so I can continue whatever career-change training I am doing.

If you happen to have any vacancies at the time...?

P.S. The most rent I can swing is like... $700. That’s it. Any more and I can’t pay gas, food, insurance, etc...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 07:40

1

I feel you...I suck at dating to begin with and life stuff means I don’t have a lot of time for it, so I haven’t had a girlfriend in years :(

That being said, I’m still living at home at 34, which is crazy to most people, but every cent I earn has been going into my bank account to save up for a house, so at least I am pretty close to that goal. I was hoping to maybe even get one this year, but then COVID happened, and the real estate market around here is INSANE right now. There’s a 724 sq-ft house in the town 5 mins away from me....only a 2-year-old house with all the modern eco efficiency stuff (minus solar)...3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, fairly small lot. It’s assessed at $144,000 CAD....they have it up for $289,000!!!!! There’s no water view or anything, it’s just off a random back side street! The market is so bustling here for some reason that everybody and their mother’s dog’s sister’s aunt is trying to sell their place at insane mark-ups to cash in on it.....I’m left out in the cold because there’s no way I can afford that right now, even with my substantial savings...

SO....I guess another year at home for me. Prob for the best, with nobody knowing how school is going to go in 2 weeks when it starts back up, I have no idea how subbing is going to work or even if I am going to get a lot of jobs from that :(

BUT, I still have a roof over my head and family and friends around, and the Accent is still running well. Headed to a good friends’ for his twins 1-year old birthday party today, so I’ll see my other friends there. :)

Looking at the bright side, as should you...sucks that your friend is moving away, but you’ll stay in contact in contact, I imagine! Start saving up some equity...maybe get a savings account or invest a little to grow some savings?

Are you handy? Could always rent a plot of land somewhere and build yourself a Tiny Home? Though you’d have no garage then.....unless you built one of those too ...

Nibby > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 09:00

1

if you need a new roommate i will move in and pay $5 of rent every month

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 10:08

1

Move to a place where rent isn’t 4 times what it should be 

PyramidHat > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 10:30

0

Tracy?

Nick Has an Exocet > PyramidHat 08/23/2020 at 11:06

0

Yeah, basically. Tracy, Patterson, Fairfield, etc.

Nick Has an Exocet > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/23/2020 at 11:10

1

I’m handy but it never to the tiny house thing. My cousin does that. I need space.

Your market sounds a little like my parents. They could get a ton for the house right now.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 12:09

1

Yeah, Ivan understand the needing space thing. I think I could happily live in a tiny house, but I prefer having more space as well!

just-a-scratch > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 12:22

1

Mortgage insurance often isn’t that big of a thing . PMI isn’t the worst thing to pay. Lots of loans sunset that when you reach a percentage of equity, often 20%. Loan rates are still very low too.

MUSASHI66 > CB 08/23/2020 at 12:35

1

We have a .... Costco and a Walmart and 2 gas stations and Wendy’s, Starbucks and Chik fil a! 

fintail > Nick Has an Exocet 08/23/2020 at 12:59

1

I can’t blame you - all of these techy rat races will be a lot less appealing of WFH becomes a new norm, or even if people have to deal with their soull ess micromanager every week instead of every month.

fintail > NKato 08/23/2020 at 13:01

0

If the economy is still in the shitter, your landlord would be dumb to increase the rent - apartment rents are not rising anywhere right now, and some buildings are throwing money at new residents just to fill empty spots. I hope your guy can be reasonable.

Unfortunately, my building would only be at that price with a roommate, Bellevue is a bit overpriced. If I find a job outside of the city , first thing I am doing is leaving.

Nick Has an Exocet > NKato 08/23/2020 at 13:09

0

Yeah, rent at my place wouldn’t be $700, never mind utilities. But who knows what will happen w/rent prices.

NKato > fintail 08/26/2020 at 15:19

0

The apartment is owned and managed by GRE. I’m just gonna try and change careers and see if I can’t work remotely that way.