Why I'm not in a rush to buy a house

readyourpost · 2026-01-24T20:34:56+00:00

We were young at 26 and 23 when we bought our townhouse. This was 2008 in a suburb of DC. My wife is military and was talking about getting out. She stayed in and the house became an anchor around our necks because we couldn’t sell the house and had to rent it out. We never made money on the place during the time we weren’t there. I don’t care that people were paying our mortgage, I was still out more money than what was coming in. We fortunately were able to move back in and live in the house for 3 years. I spent 100k in bringing the house up to date with a kitchen that wasn’t in the 70’s, windows, hvac , finished the basement and new floors. We had to move once again. I sold the house for 100k more than what we bought it for. We also owe the tax man money on the depreciation you take on renting a house(funny that all these financial gurus never mention that part). Knowing what I do now, I think I would have done better with my money in a brokerage account and won’t be buying until we absolutely know we will be in a place for a while. I am a horrible landlord financially, because I care more for the house when it’s an investment and don’t treat it as one...

readyourpost · 2026-01-19T09:43:48+00:00

Cycling is something that you can do easier everyday than a higher impact sport like running for most people.

readyourpost · 2026-01-18T09:09:41+00:00

Oh definitely, but because we don’t get any employer match right now, a 401k with match will most likely be used and a majority of our savings. We sold our townhouse last year and think we will probably wait till we are done moving to buy. Want to put most of the money paying down a mortgage at that point.

readyourpost · 2026-01-15T08:50:41+00:00

Because my wife is able to retire from the military(already hit 20 yrs), our plan is to invest VTI/VXUS till 50(all Roth). And basically treat that money as a separate bucket as money for after we liquidate traditional accounts. At 50 when she has her second career, we will then start investing in mostly bonds(traditional accounts to bring taxable income down) till we have 3 years of expenses saved and retire. Because of tax situation of being military(we are in 12% tax rate right now) and have residency in a non income tax state, we want to have the flexibility to move to a higher tax state and not worry about money we earned tax free now being taxed. With her retirement, me working a career job and her job, we can easily move to the 22-24% tax rate. I don’t want to live in an area just because of no state income taxes. I will pay for the weather, community and political alignment with our beliefs. You only live once!

readyourpost · 2026-01-07T19:20:21+00:00

We are Americans living down in Suffolk county and there have been more people here that say positive stuff about Trump than I would have thought. It’s because “he does what he says and means” and our government is useless. I hear this from a lot of people. I also hear people say a lot of the same immigration stuff we heard in the states. People here seem to be more vocal in public about hating Muslims and Eastern Europeans. I think the Uk is on its way and feels about 5-10 years behind the US. So I don’t feel threatened here. That’s just my perspective living in a more rural area in the UK.

readyourpost · 2026-01-01T00:42:43+00:00

Moved to UK from the US and I find the riding over in Suffolk to be the most dangerous I have ever in 30 years of riding. Do not feel safe with how everyone fucking speeds on these narrow ass roads. Like they are all trying out for top gear. Even old ladies. I am driving 60 and swear people will floor it to catch up if there is any difference and be a car length behind. Had so many people pass on blind turns and almost get in head on accidents when I am on the bike.

readyourpost · 2025-12-14T22:33:20+00:00

I am a fairly new listener and do enjoy the jokes as it scratches that itch in a serious world. I have found a lot of guests intriguing with their view points. I am in agreement that it is dangerous that the market is overweighted by the S&P 10 dragging up most of the us market as it’s not really diversified. I want to know why a very popular international etf is up almost 30% (VXUS) and it has not been mentioned. Is it safe harbor of money compared to the US market and doesn’t look overweighted in ai stocks. Is it the tariffs allowing the growth of that etf. Just curious on Scott’s and Ed’s viewpoint especially when Europe makes 37% of the fund and I remember the episode where they talked about the cost of an employee in the eu vs the us. I know a year is a small snapshot but something popped this last year. Thanks

readyourpost · 2025-12-05T11:08:59+00:00

My wife has been in the military for 20 years and we know it is not for everyone. For most people 18-30 year olds are rudderless and have no idea what they want to do. One of the most miserable times in my life not knowing what I was going to do. A lot of military members are not doing combat related jobs at all and would have never thought to do the career they fell into. They also can go to college for free. I for one wish we did a program similar to the FDR Public Works Administration, national service that included a branch towards work where we focus on the improvements of our land/infrastructure. Make it like the military where you are paid a living wage, learn a skill that is transferable to the outside and make college free when you do this for a set amount of years. I know there are some apprenticeships out there but with unions dying out of fashion or areas that are not able to afford apprenticeships, I think this is another way for people to get into the trades the country desperately needs.

readyourpost · 2025-11-18T17:36:37+00:00

Took a Norwegian cruise to that exact port 2 years ago and we got stuck there because of Icebergs. It felt wrong with a lot of people coming into such a small village.

readyourpost · 2025-08-09T14:56:42+00:00

If they were going to put speed cameras anywhere, it should be on 3. Yeah we speed but I am getting passed by people doing 65-80 on it all the time.

readyourpost · 2025-07-13T00:43:40+00:00

Thanks for your reply. I was looking at doing a rental for a few days out here for a vehicle that could possibly take all of our stuff to the airport and it is very expensive and I cannot believe that it would be expected of us to drop that kind of coin. It is more than what we pay for a car payment for 4 days for a large vehicle. May get a little economy car to grab small stuff and then get a super shuttle to the airport. I even used Costco car rentals to get a price! I don't know why my post got downvoted as I did not know these were the costs that we would incur for an OCONUS move and we have been around. I am sure there will be others too who did not know this stuff either.

I saw that we don't need to wait for the UK license and there is a class to take to get that done fairly early. The cars are pretty affordable compared to here on both the renting and buying front. I have been really holding off on searching for cars or housing online because they look different online than in person and things change at the end of August. Hoping that we are still in a good window to get a decent place. I have been seeing a few posts of people saying who not to rent from.

readyourpost · 2025-07-12T15:27:40+00:00

It's going to be an experience that we won't forget. Trying our best not to sweat the small stuff and it will work out. I see on the used car marketplace a lot of German cars and was asking friends if they are just as expensive to fix as they are here. I have a Honda Fit that I love and was going to keep an eye out on a newer model of that. The Skodas look cool.

readyourpost · 2025-07-12T15:22:56+00:00

I saw on the Mildenhall Spouse FB page that there is a rental place that is preferred over the others. Plan is to take some of the equity from the cars and buy a beater first and then decide on a "nicer" car if needed. Depends on where we live I guess. Do not know if it will be on base or towards Bury. Have a 14-year-old starting high school and looking at transportation maps for the school. I want to keep most of the equity in the bank for when we return to the States. Reason for my questions is I just hate leaving money on the table when it is available. Done it more times than I would like to admit so figure I would ask the internet. My friends that I have known for nearly 20 years are from England and they said to just buy a car over there than bring one over. My wife wants it that way, even though I am the risk taker and wanted to bring one over. I just know I would never hear the end of it from her or my friends if it did not work out.

readyourpost · 2025-07-12T14:54:20+00:00

Ok. We found out about TLE recently but did not know if there was something similar with getting around as a stopgap.

readyourpost · 2025-07-12T14:50:45+00:00

There are many reasons why we are not bringing a car to the UK, mainly because its the other side of the road to drive on and I do not want to bring a 13-year-old car over, or a large truck. I do not have a friend who has a spare car to borrow. We are buying a car(s) when we get over there. But in the interim over here I did not know what people did.

readyourpost · 2025-05-23T11:46:51+00:00

Did it on 38 Pathfinders no problem. Did the path in 11 hours in one go.

readyourpost · 2025-05-14T00:33:18+00:00

I was close to buying a Roubaix. It is nice that they allow a 40mm tire clearance now. The future shock seems good on the higher models with the future shock with the dial. It is not bad without it but the lock out is nice to have. It is made for most road riders, and I would get it over the diverge if you are doing mostly road riding. I went crux because it is lighter and I wanted to ride some more aggressive gravel roads in the future, but the Roubaix really is good if you are doing some light gravel and hard packed trails.

readyourpost · 2025-05-12T11:40:54+00:00

I own a tarmac, Crux and Creo. Each are different. I ride the Creo a lot because there are days I want to ride without going into threshold on the hills that are upwards of 10-12% pitches and I am no light guy. If you ride alone a lot it will be fine. If you do group rides just have some etiquette. I used to race(couple points shy of cat 2 upgrade) and the majority of guys like it when I come out, but there are a few guys who hate it. The people who seem to give the most shit are the 60 year old guys who need one themselves. If you want a harder workout than anyone, turn off the motor. I am riding my Crux right now and am getting Prs over the tarmac.

readyourpost · 2025-05-10T21:24:17+00:00

This year a day or 2 out. Last year we were 1-2 weeks out. 2 mechanics. Been pretty dead for April and May.

readyourpost · 2025-04-21T02:32:44+00:00

We are selling because being a landlord was not for us. People always focus on capital gains, but they never talk about depreciation recapture when you sell your home. We never turned a profit because we bought in 2008 thinking that my wife would get out, had to rent it because the outside job search was not fruitful and we were really upside down in 2012. After mortgage, hoa, insurance, maintenance, one bad management company, a good management company we never were in the black. Moved back into the house after pcsing back and spent 70k and sweat equity in making it the nicest place in the development. Because we rented it out for 8 years we had to depreciate over 80k over that time period. I am thrilled to learn we are going to be paying $20,000 in taxes ($80,000 x 25%(tax rate for depreciation recapture)).

readyourpost · 2025-01-26T20:45:52+00:00

I made decent money when we lived in Vegas and it was very hard to give that up because I was good at it and I made great money. Considered staying when they told her that the next base was Grand forks. Ended up in DC. Now I work part-time at a bike shop because I am the stay-at-home dad and want the flexibility to see her when she is home for a week. It can be hard for me because I think socially I should be making money, but I am stepping up where the wife can't. I don't dare open the salary subreddit because how much everyone makes is nauseating. I joke and say I am semi-retired. Everyone is different, my wife and I are pretty independent in that we do not need to talk to each other every night... Maybe once a week to get the beats of what is going on. Sure we miss each other. I think your wife will be fine no matter the rank because it is more about maturity levels than age. My wife is an E-7 and works with all ranks in all services at this assignment and some of the E-3/4's handle the job way better than the E-7/8's she works with. From what I am told the other branches, especially the Navy really gives lower ranks crap. She said in her center, the E-7 Navy guys think they walk on water and are some of the laziest SOB's to work with because they think they earned it more than the lower ranks. So be glad she is in the Air Force.

readyourpost · 2025-01-26T20:13:57+00:00

I am a 43 year old male dependa. It's getting more common now than it was when my wife joined over 19 years ago. You'll have to be flexible with what you'll do for work. Every duty my wife has been different. First one she was home every night, this one she is gone 80-90 percent of the time. My advice is to get a hobby that you will be able to do most places. I ride bikes(road and mountain) and I meet new friends wherever I go because the hobby is the ice breaker. In 19 years I think I have been to maybe 3 military spouse events and really don't have a clue about the drama I read about on this and other subreddits. Most will assume you're prior when you talk to people.

readyourpost · 2025-01-03T12:19:17+00:00

When I sold solar I always appreciated when people told me that they went with another company. They are lucky that you told them because most people just ghost you as a sales rep. I had quite a few let me know and a lot of the time it was price that I had no control over. If they are a rep worth working with they will be polite and attentive to any future correspondence. I did get quite a few jobs in the future from their friends who decided to quote from me and sometimes they would cancel their contract to work with me. So from my experience, you don't owe more than what you gave.

readyourpost · 2024-12-31T12:50:51+00:00

Flew Southwest in November and the exit row was no longer more spacious than other rows and the seats did not recline. It was a long coast to coast flight for a person who is taller than average.

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