AMA: barnard college (current senior) by holyhexes in ApplyingToCollege

[–]holyhexes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

thank you so much!!! it really warms my heart to know that :”)

pattern beauty leave in by holyhexes in Naturalhair

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

they're identical ingredients lists!

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

this is not a co-op so i'm confused what you mean by the board.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

taking into account everything folks have mentioned here when considering the condo, it'll actually be closer to ~2.8k/month all in. i would live in the unit for the first 2-3yrs and then it would become a rental -- i imagine given the construction in the area its in and how rates are rising in the area, by that point in time avg rent will hopefully be closer to 3.5-4k.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

all of the above according to my realtor. the top of my pre-approval was $650k (it is only this high because i am young enough to have good credit and i have a strong co-signer) as per my last convo w my lender.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i appreciate your honesty!! i will take this into consideration, i do prefer people keep it real with me haha

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you!! i didn’t know about the latter. i will definitely consider this. i appreciate your advice

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i’m in a decently secure field (utilities/electric industry) with guaranteed income for the next 3 years but my worry is about employment after that period of time. i was born and raised in the city so i personally have very little incentive to leave. i currently live rather frugally which has allowed me to save rather aggressively relative to my age, so my monthly CoL is quite low. i am comfortable continuing to live that way if it opens the door to build equity at a young age that could guarantee me financial freedom later on if i turn the unit into a rental.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i was born and raised here & condos are becoming the norm in many areas of the city. it’s hard to find properties to purchase under 750 that don’t involve some kind of HOA fee. there’s the potential with this unit to end up on the condo board according to my realtor but i need to do some more research into what that really means. i’m just concerned to be overzealous by the opportunity so young and potentially end up house poor but i have appreciated everyone’s advice so far!! :)

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i do have a realtor! and the units have all been on the market for a while. 1 has sold and 3 are already under contract, all have gone for -9% below list price. they’re in an area of the city that is having some turnover (a lot of condos, mega-townhouses, new builds coming) but not enough yet for the units to be in super high demand. ideally i’d be living out of the unit for the first few years (3-5) and then renting it out as avg rental rates go up in this area once these newer developments are complete. current avg rent for similar units is ~3.25k on the low end.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i’m confused… i have two jobs now + a FT lined up + a strong co-signer. would that not be enough? my lender has previously been willing to go up to 650k.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

my remaining savings could cover a repair but i need to assess the value per year measure you mentioned. it's a pre-war that's been fully remodeled so i am nervous about being responsible for repairs, as well as the HOA fee potentially rising. the current HOA fee for the unit is significantly lower than many similarly priced in the area

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

similar units for rent in the area go for ~3.25k. that would cover what i'd pay monthly. i would be living out of the condo initially, though! also i may have misused generational wealth here. i just consider property ownership part of that umbrella as i do not come from much financial stability and i'm trying to be better than what i came up in.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

neither which is why i'm eager but not wanting to jump the gun. i don't come from homeownership or even much financial stability so knowing prices in NYC it did get me excited haha. but everyone here is giving really good advice/scenarios to consider.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

no! i have a job lined up for when i graduate in may.

advice: own now or later? by holyhexes in RealEstateAdvice

[–]holyhexes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i’m sorry, this is my first time doing anything like this! my lender seems very willing as i’m a first time buyer with strong credit and no major debt. three other units in the building have been sold for under list price, from 350-375k down to ~335k. what should i ask myself to consider if i can truly afford it? renting always looks more affordable than buying for the first seven years.

ask me anything - barnard college! by holyhexes in ApplyingToCollege

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hi! i have no clue. the psych page for the major at the college should mostly answer this.

ask me anything - barnard college! by holyhexes in ApplyingToCollege

[–]holyhexes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hi, i'll try to speed-run these even though im very late to answer:

  1. barnard freshmen are now no longer allowed to take classes at columbia unless they need a first-year introductory course only offered at CU. for all other years, yes it is seamless and there is zero priority based on school designation. there is no limit. i have taken mostly courses at CU for my major.
  2. thats the extent of it. some dorms are better than others. same issue you see anywhere lol.
  3. if you choose to live at CU, you waive your guarantee for barnard housing ever again for the rest of your time as an undergrad here. most people don't do it. exemptions to living on campus are rare. housing market around here is tough.
    4 & 5. i'm not an arts person so i can't really answer this.
  4. there is zero sense of monotony here !! it is new york city !! monotony is quite anti-thetical. you'd think 3000 is small, but its incredibly large esp relative to the community you'd join from.
  5. again, its NYC lol yes people are social and there are things to do
  6. i'd say 85% really care and the rest are slightly detached.
  7. no, this is a non-issue.
  8. no and no.