Moving to Boston - thoughts on the city? (Cambridge, Somerville: middle-class, houses)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Lol

Anyone with even undergraduate microeconomics understands that there are a great deal of conditions for a free market to achieve the optimal price, and in the real world those are very rarely met. It isn't a thing to laugh about. That is why markets fail to very often, and governments need to become involved to correct market inefficiencies.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

The housing market is one of those situations that would most closely approach a true free market. Each piece of real estate is unique. And in most cases, you have the individual seller offering the price to buyers. A piece of property is worth what someone is willing to pay.

There are many problems created by capitalism. There is often imperfect information and unequal bargaining positions, and certain necessities that should not be subject to the dictates of raw capitalism. Sure you can argue housing is a necessity, but it is not a necessity to own a particular piece of property.

We're not talking about buying, mainly about renting, and people do need to have a place to live, and yes, there is imperfect information, and unequal bargaining positions, and significant barriers to entry, and in fact, collusion.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Anyone with even undergraduate microeconomics understands that there are a great deal of conditions for a free market to achieve the optimal price, and in the real world those are very rarely met. It isn't a thing to laugh about. That is why markets fail to very often, and governments need to become involved to correct market inefficiencies.

Your economics understanding is just unbelievably low. I don't see a point in debating someone who has such an obvious lack of background. Not hating, there are lots of things I don't know about.

We have very different definitions of a free market. Your idea is actually governments and non government entities colluding. Mine is not that. But you don't get that.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Your economics understanding is just unbelievably low. I don't see a point in debating someone who has such an obvious lack of background. Not hating, there are lots of things I don't know about.

We have very different definitions of a free market. Your idea is actually governments and non government entities colluding. Mine is not that. But you don't get that.

Ah yes, insults because you don't understand or don't agree. If you don't even have a rudimentary understanding of negative and positive externalizes, and the need for regulations and subsidies to have these externalities internalized into the market prices of goods and services in order to to have efficient, free, and efficient markets, then you're right, there is no reason to have a discussion since you don't understand the fundamentals of basic economics or markets.

If you're belief that a laissez faire economic system actually equates with a free market, then you fundamentally misunderstand the term. At a minimum, if you do understand what what such a market looks like you would understand while they are not desirable at all and full of inefficiencies.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Ah yes, insults because you don't understand or don't agree. If you don't even have a rudimentary understanding of negative and positive externalizes, and the need for regulations and subsidies to have these externalities internalized into the market prices of goods and services in order to to have efficient, free, and efficient markets, then you're right, there is no reason to have a discussion since you don't understand the fundamentals of basic economics or markets.

If you're belief that a laissez faire economic system actually equates with a free market, then you fundamentally misunderstand the term. At a minimum, if you do understand what what such a market looks like you would understand while they are not desirable at all and full of inefficiencies.

I don't think it's an insult if it's true, my friend.

Amazing how people like you are surrounded by the goods of markets, yet insult them. Tell my Russian family about how horrible free markets are.

For your own sake, I hope you never live to experience the system you love. Even with a tenuous grasp on economic reality, nobody deserves to live under such a brutal system that puts individual liberties so far down the list behind the dominant welfare /warfare state that is the natural outgrowth of your policy ideas.itd be even worse than the cronyism we have now, which is not even close to a free market. Though you defend the politically connected regulations to keep everyone out of the market, so I'm not even really sure what your beef is with today's government.

Remember, ignorance IS strength, camrade!

[CaseyB]

Guys, please stick to the original topic.

[bigfatdude]

He's a renter so clearly he wants what would benefit him the most - if it were up to him, he'd force landlords to accept rents that are capped at 10% of the renter's income and require annual replacement of granite countertops and stainless appliances. But I guarantee he'd be the first one in line to scream about big bad government trampling on his freedoms the moment he finally scrapes up enough money for that down payment. That's just the way it is - everyone wants what's good for them, and to hell with everybody else.

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I don't think it's an insult if it's true, my friend.

Amazing how people like you are surrounded by the goods of markets, yet insult them. Tell my Russian family about how horrible free markets are.

For your own sake, I hope you never live to experience the system you love. Even with a tenuous grasp on economic reality, nobody deserves to live under such a brutal system that puts individual liberties so far down the list behind the dominant welfare /warfare state that is the natural outgrowth of your policy ideas.itd be even worse than the cronyism we have now, which is not even close to a free market. Though you defend the politically connected regulations to keep everyone out of the market, so I'm not even really sure what your beef is with today's government.

Remember, ignorance IS strength, camrade!

[chicagoliz]

Yes, renting and owning are different (although similar and related) things. On the one hand, the market will determine the rent amount, and one does not have a right to live in any particular town or location. However, in some areas, things have gotten out of hand -- see the S.F. Bay area. Housing costs have gotten so out of control that no one who does service industry jobs can afford to live anywhere near the city. You still need janitors and maids and store clerks, no matter where you are. This is an area where the government should properly step in to remedy some of the harsher results of pure capitalism that actually do cause harm to everyone, even the rich. There could be some buildings built either by the government or with government funds/assistance/incentives to provide safe, decent housing to people whose incomes are below certain levels. The current poverty levels are way too low. There does need to be some help to the working poor -- those who are working 50 or more hours a week but still would not be able to afford rent. Of course these homes shouldn't require granite countertops and the like, and any suggestion that this is what would ever be proposed is simply asinine.

Yes, there do exist programs of this type, but there are not enough of them.

[discontent_doodle]

Yes, Op is still around! Thanks for all your comments. I admit, I don't find the intricate economics of rent pricing all that helpful, but it's been an interesting discussion!

Even though this is the Boston thread, I do find Baltimore/Philly comparisons helpful from those that have experience in those cities as well. It does sort of seem like Philadelphia is the medium between Boston and Baltimore's extremes -- at least to some extent. Any thoughts on Brookline or Jamaica Plain? Those are the two neighbourhoods that I sort of have a the top of my list. I certainly don't need to/can't afford anyway to live super close to DOWNTOWN Boston if that makes sense.

[millerm277]

Originally Posted by discontent_doodle

Yes, Op is still around! Thanks for all your comments. I admit, I don't find the intricate economics of rent pricing all that helpful, but it's been an interesting discussion!

Even though this is the Boston thread, I do find Baltimore/Philly comparisons helpful from those that have experience in those cities as well. It does sort of seem like Philadelphia is the medium between Boston and Baltimore's extremes -- at least to some extent. Any thoughts on Brookline or Jamaica Plain? Those are the two neighbourhoods that I sort of have a the top of my list. I certainly don't need to/can't afford anyway to live super close to DOWNTOWN Boston if that makes sense.

Brookline is very wealthy and very nice. It's an independent town and not part of the city of Boston, pretty much entirely because it was known for being wealthy even in the 1800s when the city wanted to annex it, and they didn't want to be a part of it.

Brookline (and Newton) are currently and historically the areas of a high Jewish concentration. I believe Brookline is about 35-40% Jewish, so do expect that.

The two primary drawbacks for some people with regards to Brookline are:

1. No overnight street parking, no exceptions. Be sure to factor that in, it may be an additional cost on your lease or the building may not have parking and you'll have to find a spot to lease elsewhere if you have a car. (and deal with the inconvenience of however far that is from your residence.)

2. Access to the urban core (or Kendall) for a commute. The B and C lines are above-ground light rail which has to cross streets at lights until Kenmore, they're slow/erratically spaced, and you still have a while to go inbound after you go underground. The D runs pretty nicely though. The B is about a 40 minute ride to Park St from it's far end, the C about 30 minutes. Add 10-15 for "when will the train show up to board" and another 10 for variation, and if your work has a strict start time you've got an hour commute on those lines (if you're starting from the far end).

Note: On Red Sox game days/major Fenway events (of which there are many) you get a crush-load ride home of loud baseball fans until Kenmore from downtown.