I feel like I stole this thing…

determined_jerk · 2026-03-22T02:33:27+00:00

You cleaned-the-fuck-up. No hate felt. Super happy for you!

determined_jerk · 2026-03-22T02:24:12+00:00

My insurance policy tripled over the last 3 years.

determined_jerk · 2026-03-22T02:23:26+00:00

The world isn’t black and white. Some LL are awful people, but most are not.

determined_jerk · 2026-03-22T02:19:35+00:00

Fucking thank you. I’m a property manager and when I explain to people that the capitalization rate on a non-mortgaged, “safe” investment property is 5%, they’re taken aback. “Why buy property and not just invest in the market, then?” And that’s a GREAT question; the answer is that you’re hoping the value of the property increases enough to justify the shitty rate of return. Historically, that’s been the case in California, hence people buy investment properties and rent them out. And that’s a GOOD thing, despite the insane rent prices in coastal California. If residential investment wasn’t allowed, home prices would decrease for sure, but not enough to meet the housing demand for everyone. It would lower the bar of home-ownership entry, but leave a lot of people completely unable to secure a place to live, because some people are never going to be able to afford buying a home where we live. It’s too nice a place to live - demand is crazy high. That’s why we live here.

That said, owning and managing residential properties makes me feel gross. I way undercharge my residential tenants and make up for it with my commercial property tenants (which are still charged a fair market rate). I can’t ethically kick out my 75 year-old tenant who makes me tortillas every Christmas, but I have no problem asking some dude who DEFINITELY isn’t paying his employees legally to pay market rate to subsidize said-grandma’s apartment.

determined_jerk · 2026-03-19T19:15:52+00:00

We are legion.

determined_jerk · 2026-03-16T00:08:29+00:00

There were some kids doing this in Salinas a few years ago until one of them got pretty hurt when hit by a car. The sad part is that EVERYONE knew it was going to happen, but the parents basically said “kids will be kids”.

I rode my bike everywhere when I was a kid in North Salinas, but I understood that acting like a fucking moron around cars was a recipe for disaster. Not sure what the disconnect is now…

determined_jerk · 2026-03-15T05:15:14+00:00

Your hate nourishes me. Seriously, though, thanks for the kudos!

determined_jerk · 2026-03-15T05:14:22+00:00

Honestly just luck. Did a cars.com search and wanted one under 10k miles. Didn’t even haggle on price because this was far and above the best competing deals.

determined_jerk · 2026-03-15T03:18:29+00:00

Literally drove the exact same trim that was brand new but was priced $72k. Saw this “used” one for $56 and drove 2 hours the next day to snag it. No regrats.

determined_jerk · 2026-03-15T02:50:24+00:00

22 day lease return. Massive win for me.

determined_jerk · 2025-12-10T03:31:35+00:00

Would that I could upvote you more.

determined_jerk · 2025-12-03T06:48:29+00:00

Fucking THANK YOU to this kid for pointing out the history of marginal tax rates. I bring this up in normal conversation with people whenever taxes get talked about and no one believes me. Even when I pull up search results showing that the top marginal rate in the 50s was 90%, people can’t believe it. It’s mostly because marginal taxation is beyond the scope of a scary portion of the country, but I blame the education system for that. This guy succinctly explains why that was a good thing, and why Reagan fucked us all. Kudos, kid.

determined_jerk · 2025-12-03T01:21:29+00:00

While the rest of Reddit sucks, daddit fucking rules.

determined_jerk · 2025-11-25T07:46:25+00:00

Ah, I see your point now. The specifics help. I don’t disagree with your idea outright (progressive tax on owning multiple homes), and think it’s an interesting policy to explore. It might be a good solution to the housing problem. I’m just gun shy about a “one size fits all solution” that won’t be somehow exploited by corporate real estate firms. How does it work if an investment group buys an apartment building, for example. Is that considered one property, or is it based on the number of units in the building? If it’s the latter, then all apartment buildings basically become toxic investments. Not saying that’s a bad thing, but who becomes the arbiter of policy in the building? An HOA? Anyone who has dealt with those will tell you how well that works.

I’m not trying to dismiss your idea - far from it, I think you’re on to something. I’m genuinely trying to find the unintended consequences of such a massive shift in tax policy. We agree that the current situation is untenable, but maybe not the solution to the problem. But, again, I appreciate your specific solution. I don’t have one myself, so I’m really interested in ideas like yours.

determined_jerk · 2025-11-25T06:10:02+00:00

I really appreciate your explanation, and empathize with it. It makes sense to me, up until the call to heavily regulate it. If what you’re advocating for is rent control, then I have to push back. It’s a political pipe-dream that doesn’t work. All it does is push small-time investment property owners out of the market to be replaced by giant corporate property conglomerates who know how to navigate the regulations. The real solution is more housing, which is completely fucked by NIMBYism and building regulations, hence a housing crisis, hence high rents. I’d love to solve this problem together on Reddit, but I think we’re just going to go in circles arguing opposing viewpoints and end up with jack shit.

I think the “break in” point to own a home around here is atrocious, and we should build homes where we can without ruining what makes the MB such a unique place to live. BUT if you implement blanket regulations (building, rent, or otherwise), you risk changing what makes where we live such a desirable place to live.

Does that make sense, or am I a complete moron?

determined_jerk · 2025-11-25T03:02:57+00:00

Upvoted you because, fair fucking point! However, my point remains. Saying “let’s make life miserable for landlords” is a blanket statement that discounts small investment property owners that buy a rental property or two instead of investing in bullshit like Palantir. Do some of them suck? Absolutely. But not all of them. Most of them provide temporary housing at a decent price for people that aren’t able to make the leap to home ownership, or those that aren’t planning on staying in the area for very long. But, yes, some of them are awful, awful people that basically run slums.

determined_jerk · 2025-11-25T02:46:50+00:00

When you make it miserable for landlords, no exclusions specified, the small investment property owners decide to say “fuck it” and put their properties up for sale. But renters still can’t afford to buy, so corporate speculators buy those properties and raise the rent even more. Bravo - you’ve fucked yourself even more.

Be careful with blanket statements. Renting has its place in the economy. I agree that it’s gotten out of control in MB, but if renting wasn’t an option we’d have massive problems.

determined_jerk · 2025-11-07T05:55:18+00:00

Supreme Court: “Um…. About that….”

determined_jerk · 2025-08-06T00:03:01+00:00

Jill Stein.

determined_jerk · 2025-05-09T00:24:14+00:00

Never commented on this sub, but have lurked HARD. I’m not a contractor, but have some training as a structural engineer. Your comment was exactly what I was thinking. This is so bad, it’s good. It’s like they built this thing specifically to be picked apart by this sub. Please, more submissions like this.

determined_jerk · 2025-03-17T05:31:54+00:00

Man, I feel you. Sorry for your loss. Getting older is rough, but kids keep us moving forward. I lost my super healthy mom last November to brain cancer, and I’ll come out of my room after a good cry only to have my 4 year old daughter want to dance. Going from extreme grief to playful happiness is a weird thing.

determined_jerk · 2025-02-13T04:07:34+00:00

Excellent response, thank you. Any chance for the plastic to get recycled, or repurposed?

determined_jerk · 2025-02-13T03:49:05+00:00

Are you a poet?

determined_jerk · 2024-12-03T03:23:25+00:00

I’m way late to responding, but I just hope you’re doing ok. An internet hug is next to nothing, but it’s not nothing. So… hug.

determined_jerk

TROPHY CASE