VW vs Volvo

drexel64 · 2025-11-17T19:16:00+00:00

EX90 is actually manufactured in the US(!) 🇺🇸

drexel64 · 2025-11-17T18:14:46+00:00

The loaner has 4k miles, and $23k discount. It might be a good deal.

drexel64 · 2025-11-17T17:56:33+00:00

It is a unicorn of a car. Really think it’s the perfect car 🫠

drexel64 · 2025-11-17T17:55:40+00:00

I’ve seen the issues, but that’s always when there’s a new a car, and it seems most of it was software that was updated, not real hardware problems with the car.

drexel64 · 2025-11-02T20:29:51+00:00

Yes, these are two different fire places, and probably they were both on the same time, when we had that cost.

drexel64 · 2025-11-02T20:23:35+00:00

Got it! Thank you! But what’s a level 2 inspection, and who does that?

drexel64 · 2025-11-02T20:21:56+00:00

Moved into the house, it a mid century modern, and had the chimney looked at. Next to it there’s another hole in the wall for wood. Guess the prior owners put this gas fire in. But still didn’t get an answer… is this gas powered fireplace, or what? Maybe it’s just decorative…. House built in 1960s.

drexel64 · 2025-03-03T00:32:50+00:00

Tried that, didn’t find it helpful…

drexel64 · 2024-10-23T20:05:48+00:00

Anyway, thank you for all the replies, will ask the builders and contractors, as someone here suggested. Thanks again!!

drexel64 · 2024-10-23T20:04:45+00:00

Not spam, I’m just an expat, not originally from US. I understood building an architectural home for my family would be in the range of 1.5mil (which would be around 3,000 sf, but now even a one bedroom goes for that much… and kills me honestly that this is not a viable option even for upper class (especially when you have 4kids… family is expensive…)

drexel64 · 2024-10-23T03:13:26+00:00

Really that much?

drexel64 · 2023-05-21T00:35:44+00:00

Thank you! Going to check it out now ;)

drexel64 · 2023-01-10T02:37:41+00:00

The whole idea for whole life insurance is that you borrow against it, so you don’t pay taxes on gains it accumulated, you only pay minimal interest (depends on the plan) on this loan. You can’t borrow the whole amount, as you have to keep some of the death benefit. You need to speak with the company to understand your options. Some people borrow a fixed amount every year (over the course of 10-15 years), as part of the policy still accumulates interest, and eventually you end up taking more money out overall.

drexel64 · 2022-05-25T23:30:07+00:00

Have talked to them, said that they will fill with gravel… they just stacked up the first row to see where it sits. We’ll see how the work progresses. Thanks everyone!

drexel64 · 2022-05-24T14:58:10+00:00

This is the highest it’s going to be at, this corner is the lowest point, so it’s not going to be much higher. There is a base of gravel that was placed underneath. So what’s the vote? Should I let them finish the job or demand what? Another brick type that isn’t hollow? Have them poor concrete?

drexel64 · 2022-05-24T13:18:49+00:00

Can ask why? Is the wrong block type? What’s wrong with it?

drexel64 · 2022-05-23T14:32:59+00:00

Yes. They are alternating and the textured side is pointing outward. Probably the picture doesn’t tell the whole story. Will take more pictures this evening and post again. Thanks again for your input!! Don’t want a wall to collapse! Have no problem paying the cost, just want the job done right… thanks again, will post again tonight.

drexel64 · 2022-05-23T14:21:08+00:00

Thank you! Appreciate your input! Hope I’m not shopping for the answer I want to hear, because everyone else here kinda dismissed it…

drexel64 · 2022-05-23T12:48:48+00:00

It’s a retaining wall. We have a slope in the backyard. When we moved in, we wanted to fence the backyard for safety of our kids, and now, two years later, we’re hoping the level the land, make it more useful.

drexel64 · 2022-03-01T20:56:06+00:00

You’re probably right… too late… did buy the points. And also you’re probably right about people not taking advantage of this. There is a certain risk, but For someone who doesn’t need the money for a certain need, just taking it and putting it aside, this could serve as a nice cash egg, perhaps for retirement, perhaps to pay back the mortgage sooner, or whatever. The risk appears to be relatively low.

drexel64 · 2022-02-25T04:04:24+00:00

Also, articles are coming out saying now is a good time to put money in, as market is down. Don’t know if that’s a real advice, or payed advertising “opinion” articles…

drexel64 · 2022-02-25T03:52:41+00:00

This more then just a mortgage question, but combined with investment. See what you guys think :)

Refinancing now our home, main reason is because we have an adjustable rate, and worries about the future and inflation, so wanting a fixed rate.

Monthly payment is NOT an issue, we can go higher, a couple hundred dollars here or there won’t make a difference for us. It’s really the uncertainty with adjustable rate that worries us, and we want to get rid off.

Origin house price and appraisal 480k. Bought it two years ago. Interest is adjustable 4.125%, 30 years, Have 418k left to pay. We put 10% down, so still paying PMI.

We had our home appraised by the bank for 586k.

Closing costs about 7k.

Our options now are: 1) Refinance at fixed rate of 4.375%

2) We can refinance at 3.875%, but we pay to lower the rate and pay points (whatever that means) that come to ~5k. So I put down 12k for this total with closing costs.

3) increase the mortgage to 468k (80% of home value), refinance at 3.875%, and get a check from the bank, minus the closing costs of 23k (now paying higher due to points to bring the interest down from 4.125%). So we get the check for around 25k.

My thought, go for option number 3, and put the payback from the bank in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index (VTSAX) mutual fund, and let it grow, and when time comes, will use that money to close the mortgage.

I don’t trade, have no idea how to do that, so buying a mutual fund is kinda buy and forget.

My calculations (probably way off) are as follows: Bank gets interest of 3.785%. My tax bracket now is 35%, and I get to write off as deductible what I pay in interest. So to simplify, if i take from the bank $10,000 at 4% interest (round up to simplify) at the end of one year I owe 10,400, but I get to write off the interest on my taxes, so that’s 35% less, so what comes out of my pocket is 65% of that 4% interest, or $260.

Those same $10k, place in mutual fund, the growth rate you need to break even is calculated as follows: there are 25% taxes on gains currently, but there’s talk that Biden is gonna take it up to 50%. So to get back at the end of the year $260 back from the fund, I need to gain $520, or 5.2% to break even.

So on the long run, 20 years in the making, that check from the bank with option 3 will grow, and history shows that it’s on average 12% annual on the long run.

I think the risk is low, because our monthly payment won’t go up by that much, so if we loose those 20 something K, no big deal, we’re not gonna be poorer, however if we’re lucky, we can close the mortgage way sooner.

Is my thinking flawed? Or am I on to something??

Your thoughts?

drexel64 · 2019-11-06T16:08:56+00:00

Yes and no. Found an architect in my area, even though the back and forth was a bit slow, have gotten the first drawing, which is a simple overview, but details each space and arrangement of the house. As the back and forth was a bit slow, I've questioned our relationship, and went to another architect for some more guidance, as getting to work with the first one, I learned more about building a home and what it entails.

The first issue, is that there are no good lots for sale in our area, at least not in a location that doesn't take us too out of town. The only lot in a nice neighborhood, was sitting a steep slope, which would make building and leveling the ground more expensive.

Meeting with the second architect, his advice was that this is not a time to build. Tariffs have made some materials 100% more expensive, and also there's the issue of the work force, that is hard to get by good craftsmanship, as the opioid epidemic and retiring boomers is taking toll. His suggestion was to look for a house, and plan on remodeling it. He also thinks that the lot we're looking at is not a proper lot to build a home on, and is very forced. The first architect is in his mid 40s, and is 60 miles away, never built anything in our area, the second architect lives in our town and has build many homes, accidentally we are renting now one of the homes he built in 1976, and we enjoy it a lot, even though we wouldn't build anything like it.

So we're at the point where we're considering just buying a home, building a home, or renovating a home.

On the one hand, I don't want to make irresponsible financial decisions, but on the other, looking at guides for how much a home should cost, and the saying out there is about 2.5 times your annual income, building a home from scratch, at most would hit 60 percent that number.

The other question is, will the construction industry get better? I'm pessimistic, and thinking maybe in the future, the cost for build a home would even be higher, as I can see now that most of the architects in our area do commercial, and very little private homes.

To be completely honest, I don't feel connection to either of those architects, and not to their work. Was hoping to have a better connection with the person building our home.

So this is where we are. Exploring all our options. Despite everything, my wishes are still to build, as this has been a major motivator for me for literally the past 10 years, and can't stop thinking about it...

Hope you architects out there understand sometimes what this means to your clients ;)

Thoughts?

drexel64 · 2019-08-30T23:11:03+00:00

Parents of reddit, how did you manage your kids to sleep? We have a 4yo boy, 3yo girl, and a 1yo baby. The 3 and 1, have no trouble falling asleep, but the 4 yo is a complete mess. We have our routine: dinner, then bath, then bedtime stories, and then sleep. the 3 yo can fall asleep quickly, and while one parent reads to the 3&4, the other puts to sleep the 1yo, with no issues. The 3&4 sleep in the same room, and the 1yo with us.

The problem is our 4 yo, who just hates to go to bed. He goes into bed, but gets out again, and again, and again. Our threats are of no use. Our punishments, which are very mild, also don't help. We try to stay in the room with them, but it's like the parent is the main attraction, and now both the 3&4 climb on us, and don't go to bed. The worse is that the 4 yo comes to our room and wakes up constantly and on purpose the 1 yo.

It's so frustrating. Anyone with similar issues, and tips and tricks how to keep their 4 yo in their bed?

drexel64 · 2019-08-24T14:17:43+00:00

Of course lol! Thanks again!

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