Was it harder then...or now on LI? (Stony Brook, Ira: 2009, houses)

[dman72]

Originally Posted by Jrprofess

Not to sound like one of the "entitled", and I have paid off about 50k in student loans and bought my own house without family help, but it was not my generation, 35-40 year-olds (and younger), .....

I'm right there with you. Same age, never got a penny of help in buying our home ......my father in law got the down payment on his house from his dad..it goes on and on.

[anotherNYer]

Judipatooti-
I have to agree with djdairyp. It seems like older people cannot agree that the cost of living on LI has increased so sharply that is practically impossible to keep your head above water. Your answer is always we are selfish and want it all. Yes, some people want more things than others, but that's life. I left LI for a better life for my kids, and believe me I did not have a $60,000 pool in my backyard. I worked because my husband was self employed and we needed benefits. I would have loved to stay home. You also mention your husband was a teacher, well maybe the pay used to be low, but he has a pension, something most people no longer have. Times change, kids activities change,,my mother put us outside to play and we came home for dinner. Nowadays when you recieve a letter from your school district every week informing you that a sexual predator lives down the road, many people are hesitant to let their children outside alone. Hence everything becomes planned; playdates, sports, etc. Gone are the days of working for a company for 30 years with a nice pension, health benefits and social security.

[JudiPatooti]

IF YOU READ MY POST I DID AGREE THAT YOUNG ADULTS HAVE IT HARDER NOW THAN WE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! READ FOLKS, READ!!!!!

The rest of what I said was about your expectations at your age versus the expectations of boomers at your age being a contributing factor to your dissatisfaction. You want so much NOW. And, are not willing to do without for the time being and sacrifice anything to get what you want in the future. Yes, some of us boomers "have it all" now, but we're in our 50s and 60s and did without many things that young adults today would never think of doing without in our young years to get to the point we're at now. Please don't begrudge us that. And, please don't blame the house prices on us. They are what they are for a number of reasons. We're certainly not your enemy. In fact most boomers I know are helping you, our children, financially now that we have it to give. We're sharing what we have and yet, ironically, your earning power is just beginning and will rise far further than ours ever did while ours will stay the same.

And, when we were your age most of our parents were a lot better off than we were, too. The difference is, we didn't expect to have all the things our parents already had in their middle age like young adults do now.

I DON'T DISAGREE THAT IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO BUY A HOME NOW!!! Guess what, it's more difficult for us, too. We left LI 3 years ago and can't move back to the town we left because we can no longer afford to. So, that's life, we'll live in a less expensive town because we're on a pension and our salary won't rise in the next 20 years. I bet yours will, though--considerably! So, stop being jealous and grow up! Put your nose to the grindstone and do what you have to do to live as you want to where you want to. Oh, and mow your own lawn, polish your own nails, pluck your own eyebrows, shave your own legs, forget the frosting in your hair, don't buy jewelry you already have enough, buy inexpensive makeup in the drugstore, buy perfume there, too, brown bag your lunch, clip and use coupons, cook & eat fresh food, only eat out on special occasions, invite a few of your children's friends over and let them play in the back yard using their imaginations, don't drive a gas guzzler, do all home handyman jobs yourself, repair things in your home rather than replace them, turn off the ac and use a fan, wear last year's bathing suit, only buy the clothes and shoes you and your family honestly need, pull up a chair and watch a small screen tv, and vacation in your own backyard this summer. You might actually realize that your salary goes a lot further that way!

Most of all, if you don't like LI, leave, by all means. Too many empty houses will surely drop the prices for those of us who want to stay, so thanks. But, don't expect everywhere you move to to have the same services or conveniences as LI does, because it won't. As I said, you get what you pay for. And, if you're happy wherever you go, then thank LI for pushing you into moving there.

[anotherNYer]

Be happy you have any pension, as I stated gone are the days of working for 30 years and getting a pension and healthcare and social security. I'm not saying you are not entitled to your pensions, but older people complain all the time about the cost of living and they are on a fixed income. Nowadays most people would love to be guaranteed a fixed income especially with the current unemployment. There are many places that are better than LI and people are beginning to realize it. Be happy with what you have and stop worrying about what others are doing with their money (or not doing- you have a pretty blanket statement about everyone!)

[Jrprofess]

[quote=JudiPatooti;8756860]IF YOU READ MY POST I DID AGREE THAT YOUNG ADULTS HAVE IT HARDER NOW THAN WE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! READ FOLKS, READ!!!!!

Nothing about your following rant back-ups your initial comment though...??

The rest of what I said was about your expectations at your age versus the expectations of boomers at your age being a contributing factor to your dissatisfaction. You want so much NOW (like a reasonable home and a stay at home parent??). And, are not willing to do without for the time being and sacrifice anything to get what you want in the future.

^ I stand corrected, you seem very sympathetic to young adults based on that previous comment...lol


Yes, some of us boomers "have it all" now, but we're in our 50s and 60s and did without many things that young adults today would never think of doing without in our young years to get to the point we're at now. Please don't begrudge us that. And, please don't blame the house prices on us. I think most of us posting are simply asking that we are not called "entitled" by your generation...

They are what they are for a number of reasons. We're certainly not your enemy. In fact most boomers I know are helping you, our children, financially now that we have it to give. We're sharing what we have and yet, ironically, your earning power is just beginning and will rise far further than ours ever did while ours will stay the same. Not true, real incomes have fallen over the past 10 years.

And, when we were your age most of our parents were a lot better off than we were, too. The difference is, we didn't expect to have all the things our parents already had in their middle age like young adults do now.

I DON'T DISAGREE THAT IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO BUY A HOME NOW!!! Guess what, it's more difficult for us, too. We left LI 3 years ago and can't move back to the town we left because we can no longer afford to. So, that's life, we'll live in a less expensive town because we're on a pension and our salary won't rise in the next 20 years. I bet yours will, though--considerably! So, stop being jealous and grow up! Put your nose to the grindstone and do what you have to do to live as you want to where you want to. Oh, and mow your own lawn, polish your own nails, pluck your own eyebrows, shave your own legs, forget the frosting in your hair, don't buy jewelry you already have enough, buy inexpensive makeup in the drugstore, buy perfume there, too, brown bag your lunch, clip and use coupons, cook & eat fresh food, only eat out on special occasions, invite a few of your children's friends over and let them play in the back yard using their imaginations, don't drive a gas guzzler, do all home handyman jobs yourself, repair things in your home rather than replace them, turn off the ac and use a fan, wear last year's bathing suit, only buy the clothes and shoes you and your family honestly need, pull up a chair and watch a small screen tv, and vacation in your own backyard this summer. You might actually realize that your salary goes a lot further that way!

^You do realize that the previous rant makes a few of us think that you really don't think it is harder for us today, versus during your time...you paint such a flattery portrait of us. At what point do you reference the walking uphill both ways to the grocery store carrying your 4 children and box of coupons on your back because you only had one car..?? quote]

Your empathy really does shine through after reading your response....

[I_Love_LI_but]

The baby boomers (sellers of most homes on LI) have been shamelessly ripping the younger generations off for years now and they have the absolute NERVE to call us "spoiled and demanding." Tell me this, baby boomers, could we afford the worn, dirty, unimproved starter home with 1 original bathroom and the original kitchen appliances they you are trying to sell us on ONLY ONE INCOME like your family did or like you did as a single pink or blue collar worker?

Your old wreck was very likely purchased new or nearly new on ONE non-spectacular blue collar, pink collar or clerical income. No matter how thrifty we are, that is almost an impossible feat EVEN ON A "PROFESSIONAL" INCOME. It was okay for you to have a "late model" or brand new home in your day on ONE INCOME, but if we want anything more than a hideous and filthy old wreck ON TWO INCOMES we are labelled as wanting too much.

Soon the powers that be and the price setters will top their own greed by pushing either the return to child labor or institute polygamy because it is getting too hard for a family to make it on TWO FULL-TIME INCOMES and a family will need 3 or more incomes to have what you had on 1 income. WE HAVE NO CHOICE. YOU DID HAVE A CHOICE (I.E., ONE OR TWO INCOMES) AND IT WAS MUCH EASIER FOR YOU BACK THEN.

[twingles]

Gotta agree with the pp. When we bought our house 12 years ago almost everything we saw was in appalling condition. And sellers were offended if you said anything about it.

As far as wanting stuff RIGHT AWAY, not sure who is being referred to. My husband and I have been in our house 12 years and our mortgage payment has gone up $700 a month SOLELY DUE TO PROPERTY TAXES. WE've refinanced to a lower interest rate and still the payment goes up every year. So please give me a break when you say that I'm selfish for wanting a halfway decent lifestyle. My kids have never been to a resort and they've never been on a plane. They own enough clothes to get thru a week. I haven't EVER owned 15 pairs of shoes at one time. Don't remember the last time I bought myself anything I didn't truly need. My husband and I made do with one car for 5 years - yes, here on Long Island in the 21st century. I don't get manicures. I don't color my hair (actually just did it myself for $6 last month becuase the gray was getting to me). DOn't drive an SUV. We cut our own grass, everyone who knows me calls me the coupon queen...you get the picture. I'm not going to re-but every single thing you pointed out, just saying that NOT ONE of those things applies to me. Not one.

Truth be told, I don't have anything at age 42 that my parents didn't have. My dad had a pension that he lives off now. Doesn't even touch his social security. Health benefits costs are outrageous. My dad has full retiree benefits for free - no he wasn't a teacher, he worked in the private sector. These days we fund our own retirements or we don't retire. It makes me laugh to hear people talk about living on a "fixed income" - I'd love to know that I was going to have a set amount to live on every month. I don't know anyone whose father lost their job growing up. Basically if you showed up every day you were golden.

As far as being a SAHM, why did my parents send me to college? We had no choice in the matter, we were going. I'm grateful for that, but I don't think any woman needs to justify herself for working these days. Maybe it's just that it was easier in those days - I have no idea what my mom did all day, but I'll tell you this, she wasn't entertaining me. We were out the door in the morning and home for meals and that was it.

Older generations take any complaint as a personal affront against them. No one is saying that you had it EASY. But don't make it out like you laid the groundwork for an idyllic lifestyle - some sort of nirvana - for your kids and grandkids. It's just not so, and no amount of name calling changes that. And frankly I'm not complaining that we are moving off LI. I'm thrilled to death to finally be getting the chance to do it. I'm sick and tired of everyone acting like it's some kind of ticket to heaven to live here when there are so many other places where you can work like a normal human being (my dad never ever missed the 4:30 from Penn Station...don't many people nowadays who don't work late all the time). Places where the policticians don't see the taxpayer as the solution to all the problems they created. Places where you don't have to pay $10 to get off your little piece of "paradise" and get stuck in 2 hours of traffic to boot.

Go ahead and tell us we're lazy, or whatever else you want to call us. Drink the Long Island Kool Aid. Enjoy.

[seren77]

As one of the younger generation, I find it utterly stupid to blame any generation on things they cannot control. Having said that, there is no question they had it easy. They had less global competition, they had unions, they had land to build on etc.

Moreover, what is disturbing is words of wisdom like "you can just get by and be fine if you shave your own legs", when we pay nearly 1K to taxes alone every frigging month.

[gradstudent77]

The populaton of the NY metro is growing. Lots of people want that white picket fence one-family home but development is severely restricted (both by lack of available land and by restrictive zoning)....so we have total demand increasing furiously while supply grows ever so slowly. This situation inevitably leads to the outflow to NC and such that we see.

I think young adults need to understand that the crummy 3 bed-1bath ranch single family-detached of today is NOT at all the equivalent apples to apples comparison of a similar house in the 1970's. The low-level starter home of today (at least in this metro) is a 2 bedroom condo in a town with a below average school system.

[totallyfrazzled]

IMHO it's very misleading to compare Then and Now as if it's an Apples to Apples comparison, when in fact it's more like Apples to Zucchini.

I'm a Boomer so have had personal experience in not only what my parents' homebuying/ownership experience was, but my first one in the early 1970s as well.

It wasn't only that the salaries and selling prices of houses and generational priorities were different - though of course they were - it's that the entire real estate MARKETPLACE was different.

Was it easy for my parents to buy a home in the early 1950s? Of course it was! Developments were springing up practically overnight like dandelions, where the potato farms of Nassau (Levittown, East Meadow etc) used to be; government programs allowed returning soldiers like my dad to buy a 2-bedroom cape for $9000 on a GI mortgage; and like another poster said, life was a lot simpler then. Nobody cared about things like comparing one school district to another! It just wasn't on the average homebuyer's Priority Radar at all. Heck, you were considered to have a leg up careerwise if you had a highschool diploma.

Was it AS EASY or EASIER for me to buy my first home in the early 1970s as it was for my parents? IMHO it was. I made not too much less in salary at my first job as my dad was making after working for 20 years at NCR (those who remember cash registers that had actual keys will recognize that company ) I suppose some people cared about school districts in the late 60s/early 70s but probably not quite as much as they do today. When I was first house-hunting my top-end budget for property taxes (total) was $3000/year and guess what? I ended up with a 4-bedroom waterfront high-ranch within my tax range and for less than $75K. And this on a single income. IMO I lived an average lifestyle: not extravagant but I wasn't counting pennies and clipping coupons either. I was able to save a little money out of my paycheck if/when I chose to do that.

My nephew in his mid-20s just bought his first house. He makes twice the salary I made at my first job but he won't be able to put anything aside in savings (other than 401k) until his income improves over time. He grew up in an affluent household and this does color his financial decisions to a great extent. It does dismay me when I hear him say he "needs" things like an LCD flatscreen HDTV when the more accurate word would be "wants". He and many of his peers do have much more of a "life is short, so eat dessert first" mindset than I ever had, or that my parents would ever have for a moment considered. But every generation has to make its own unique mistakes, and every generation does. To either deify or tar and feather any specific generation just doesn't make any logical sense to me.

I've heard it said that grandparents and grandchildren often have more in common than parents and children do, and I suspect that in many cases it's true. For instance my parents were very straight-laced and I was a flower-child teenager during the 1960s. But my grandmother who was born in 1900 was an absolute hellraiser during the Roaring Twenties. In fact I later discovered that she had a much more shocking past than was ever whispered about in the family anywhere near my "tender ears"!