Should I buy a house in Denver? (health insurance, how much)

[Sir Quotes A Lot]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

Restating because you seem to have missed it:

You may have to start out somewhere "less than" you feel you should. Towhouse, condo, fixer-upper, iffy neighborhood...another city or state. Many if us did too. We moved to where the jobs were at the time and made our way. You will too.

Yes, and that's exactly what we're doing by moving away from the Front Range. And then we get blamed for moving out of the region, killing this or that industry when we choose not to use it, etc. I don't know how many threads I see on a weekly basis of 'Millennials Moving out of CA', or Millennials Moving out of CT', or 'Why are all the Millennials leaving'... And possibly soon to come: 'Why are all the Millennials Moving Out of Denver".

Well, we've been trying to tell you why. Then folks just call us entitled, tell us about "what we think we deserve" is rubbish, etc. No wonder I barely see any Millennials post here, if not about something negative.

[maciesmom]

I don't think anyone is shocked or confused when people move away from a higher COL area.

Nor am I seeing "all the millenials" moving out of Denver (or California or Washington or Connecticut).

[Sir Quotes A Lot]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

I don't think anyone is shocked or confused when people move away from a higher COL area.

Nor am I seeing "all the millenials" moving out of Denver.

Like I said, they live here in apartments while they party it up and spend time in the mountains. Once they get serious about "adulting", they start thinking about moving away because it's too expensive to establish roots here. 95% of my friends approaching their early to mid-30s, considering starting families, are all looking to leave Colorado for a more affordable place to live.

But then again, what do I know about Millennials. I just hang out with them every week. How about you? Do you party with the 20-30 somethings? You said yourself that your own kids are experiencing the same burdens that I described above. Do you care about their issues? How will you feel when they, too, decide they need to move across country to find a more affordable place to raise your grandchildren? Because it sounds like a real possibility from what both of us are saying.

[maciesmom]

Look, it has nothing to do with whether you or I or anyone hangs out with millennials. It has to do with living in reality. If you guys want to spend your time and money partying in the mountains while waiting until you feel like adulting, then being dismayed you can't afford it well ok. Your choice. There are plenty that do find a way. Your reality may be that you have to (or choose to) find your adult life somewhere else. That's just reality and it's nothing new. It's just new to you.

[Sir Quotes A Lot]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

Look, it has nothing to do with whether you or I or anyone hangs out with millennials. It has to do with living in reality. If you guys want to spend your time and money partying in the mountains while waiting until you feel like adulting, then being dismayed you can't afford it well ok. Your choice. There are plenty that do find a way. Your reality may be that you have to (or choose to) find your adult life somewhere else. That's just reality and it's nothing new. It's just new to you.

You can afford to turn a blind eye on these issues at the present moment, but don't expect any favors when the tables have turned and you need us more than we need you. Because that day is inevitable.

Take care and good luck!

[maciesmom]

Originally Posted by Sir Quote[B

o[/b]s A Lot;54219476]Like I said, they live here in apartments while they party it up and spend time in the mountains. Once they get serious about "adulting", they start thinking about moving away because it's too expensive to establish roots here. 95% of my friends approaching their early to mid-30s, considering starting families, are all looking to leave Colorado for a more affordable place to live.

But then again, what do I know about Millennials. I just hang out with them every week. How about you? Do you party with the 20-30 somethings? You said yourself that your own kids are experiencing the same burdens that I described above. Do you care about their issues? How will you feel when they, too, decide they need to move across country to find a more affordable place to raise your grandchildren? Because it sounds like a real possibility from what both of us are saying.

You mean just like we did but for opportunity not lower COL - in fact it took us 2 years to move into a house that was smaller than (and significantly pricier than) the one we left. Moved here and raised our kids with no family nearby.

Or like my parents did in 1960 when they married and moved for better opportunity?

Or like my grandparents did when they left the farm for a different life?

Or like my great grandparents did when they left their country - never to see or speak again to the family they left behind.

Every generation has it's challenges and has to find their way.

As I said, I'm not unsympathetic, but it does get frustrating to hear some of you complaining like you are the first generation faced with difficult choices or for whom life isn't going as you'd expected.

[Sir Quotes A Lot]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

You mean just like we did but for opportunity not lower COL - in fact it took us 2 years to move into a house that was smaller than (and significantly pricier than) the one we left. Moved here and raised our kids with no family nearby.

Or like my parents did in 1960 when they married and moved for better opportunity?

Or like my grandparents did when they left the farm for a different life?

Or like my great grandparents did when they left their country - never to see or speak again to the family they left behind.

Every generation has it's challenges and has to find their way.

As I said, I'm not unsympathetic, but it does get frustrating to hear some of you complaining like you are the first generation faced with difficult choices or for whom life isn't going as you'd expected.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke

A lot of issues in our society could be prevented if good people chose to stand up for positive changes instead of turning a blind eye because it doesn't impact them directly.

I encourage anyone who is sympathetic to this issue, as you say you are, to hold our elected officials accountable towards incentivizing the development of more affordable housing development. They don't just work for the upper middle class and elites, they work for all of us. If you ignore the massive problems in your own backyard, it's how you get extremist, nationalist agendas like we're seeing in present day all across the world. Stop ignoring these issues like it's business as usual, and start pushing for agendas to improve our well-being at home. Affordable housing (as it pertains to the issues that arise here from time to time), affordable education, affordable health care, etc. This has nothing to do with me trying to be political. It's about encouraging better public policy that positively impacts all of us. I'm not saying I deserve to live in the penthouse suite at 16th and Stout. However, it's pretty ridiculous that even with a college degree, 15 years of experience, earning ~140k/yr with no children, that housing costs preclude you from even a basic standard of living throughout most of the region.

[downtownnola]

As much as I would like to own, I'm holding off and have decided not to buy for now.

I'm sure not everyone on the forum will agree, but I'm convinced that the Denver metro market is in a bubble, or at least headed toward a correction. There's also a good chance the U.S. economy will be in recession in 2019 or 2020. I'd rent and wait it out for a year or two if I were you.

[maciesmom]

I knew you sounded familiar.

SQL.

Funny thing is I almost used you as an example of frustrating millenials who expect a lot early on. Weren't you complaining a few years ago about not being able to afford a 2500 sf house on acreage on one income like your parents in Michigan?

What have you done since then? Have you considered Pittsburgh? I hear it's up and coming and low COL. Seriously. Something to think about.

As for the OP, I'd rent for at least 6 mo -1 year to see if it's a good fit and make your own assessment on the economics (both local and national) of buying v renting.

[Sir Quotes A Lot]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

I knew you sounded familiar.

SQL.

Funny thing is I almost used you as an example of frustrating millenials who expect a lot early on. Weren't you complaining a few years ago about not being able to afford a 2500 sf house on acreage on one income like your parents in Michigan?

What have you done since then? Have you considered Pittsburgh? I hear it's up and coming and low COL. Seriously. Something to think about.

As for the OP, I'd rent for at least 6 mo -1 year to see if it's a good fit and make your own assessment on the economics (both local and national) of buying v renting.

I think you have me confused for another person (though my user name initials are SQAL), but I have considered a number of places to relocate. My wife and I are thinking about multiple places in the Midwest. No, we do not expect a 2500 sq ft house. Our home now is 1800 sq ft, and that sometimes feels like a lot. I'm simply talking about basic SFHs (1500-1800 sq ft tops) with a small yard and a garage. Starting rate at this point is probably $350-375k, if I had to guess from my buying experience last year.

We both have over a decade of work experience, college degrees, earn ~$140k, and can barely afford a basic SFH...we're literally in the top-10th percentile of earners in the US. When do we get to that point in our lives where we're not expecting too much for as much as we have invested in ourselves and our futures?