Median price for Phoenix house goes up to $450,000 (renting, student loans)

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

Pot-Kettle again. You have disdain for people who are lapping you because they save money, have a plan, and kick butt. You "hate" landlords which is a really odd POV.

Often, average does mean underachieving. I positively know this will go over your head, but my comments are for others who read my words. Making sure I'm above "average" in important topics to me is a state of mind so I won't settle. In my view, "average" often (not always) comes from not trying hard. It takes effort and sacrifices not to coast. Often, people fail to learn from their mistakes and are not very good at taking advice from people who know more than they do. And some "average" people are great at explaining away why they are where they are. They forgot a lifelong journey of coasting. They will point to others that factually have a legitimate reason why they struggled. But they are unable to admit how they themselves screwed up. I digress.


So I don't like an average meal or enjoy an average movie. I'm thankful I don't have an average saving account and I don't have average children.

If you think the average American is great, have at it! read https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/07/tom-...n-america.html

The average American household is about $131,000 in debt.
The average American spends $69 a day.
The average American has $34 in their pocket.
The average American watches 33 hours of TV a week.
The average American reads just four books a year.
The average American works 34.4 hours per week.
The average American is 17 pounds overweight.
The average American spends 116 minutes a day, or about two hours, on social media.
The average American spends five hours a day on their cell phone.
A normal American consumes 11 alcoholic drinks a week.
The average American exercises just 17 minutes a day.
The average American has less than $1,000 in savings.
The average American makes about $48,000 a year.

Allow me to summarize for the people who get it (I know you won't). The average American makes $48K a year because they spend too much time watching TV, being on social media, drinking, and on their cell. They don't exercise or strive to become better because they are busy wasting their time. The average person lives such a careless and underachieving lifestyle, they don't save and they are in debt. And when crap hits the an, they blame others and want someone to save them. Why? Because in their mind, it's not their fault! That's a dose of reality. Before you blame the rich, yea, the system is gamed. And yes, someone struggling with mental illness has a pass. But most people are capable of grabbing or lifting themselves up 2-3 levels IF they wanted. Just as I could have added another zero next to my net worth if it was important to me (I don't chase money; I chase happiness).

I get we need dishwashers and custodians (my FIL was a custodian). Because people coast and behave irresponsibly, we will always have plenty of lower-paid workers. Because some people simply refuse to perform.

That rant might seem cruel. You can assume I have disdain for people. But as I like to say, people are where they are for a reason.

There is no reason to post because you are going to spin it to give "average" a pass. In summary, I don't dislike average people like you dislike landlords. I wish people who want more in life followed the path of looking at those average statistics ^^ and correcting their behavior and mindset. If they are happy, then I say go for it! But don't expect the government to fix it. Apply some personal responsibility.

Back on topic. Read https://www.usnews.com/news/best-cou...of-life-report Americans quality of life is declining. It stands to reason that this fast housing appreciation will have to roll-off. But now that we know why ^^. A lot of people around the world want what we have. fear not, we can teach them how not to save, coast in school, watch TV, etc. We can get ourselves back by ruining others. That's the American way!

You fail to realize how supply and demand or the labor market works. People who are paid a lot of money are paid that because fewer people have those skills. If everyone was "above average" (which is literally impossible anyways), that would increase the surplus pool of labor of all those high paying jobs, so wages for those positions would drop. Oops......

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

You fail to realize how supply and demand or the labor market works. People who are paid a lot of money are paid that because fewer people have those skills. If everyone was "above average" (which is literally impossible anyways), that would increase the surplus pool of labor of all those high paying jobs, so wages for those positions would drop. Oops......

Oh, I understand. And I predict that it was going to go over your head. I typed a lot of words in my earlier post. If you were following, fewer skills occur with Americans because as a country, we love to coast and settle for "AVERAGE" and that is why we are where we are. We lack a motivated workers. So much so we have to import them. Like entry-level jobs that arrive from spots south of the border. Frankly, I'm getting so frustrated that I say we let some more pour in and starve the coasters who are complaining about how hard life is. Seeing what has been going is frustrating! Americans who coast need to live in Honduras to realize how good they have it. We are a nation full of coasters, so now, we need to import our talent and entry-level workers. Just go on the Goggle, Microsoft, or Amazon campus. In fact, 23% of the Harvard student body is foreigners https://www.collegefactual.com/colle...student%20body. I saw it 1st hand: our son who graduated from Harvard Medical school was a "minority" (white American born) student. Americans are getting lapped.

As I have explained, I sell expensive (sometimes atrociously $$) widgets to successful people. Well over 50% of my customers have foreign accents! That's a fact. Gee, I wonder why? Answer: re-read my earlier post.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

Oh, I understand. And I predict that it was going to go over your head. I typed a lot of words in my earlier post. If you were following, fewer skills occur with Americans because as a country, we love to coast and settle for "AVERAGE" and that is why we are where we are. We lack a motivated workers. So much so we have to import them. Like entry-level jobs that arrive from spots south of the border. Frankly, I'm getting so frustrated that I say we let some more pour in and starve the coasters who are complaining about how hard life is. Seeing what has been going is frustrating! Americans who coast need to live in Honduras to realize how good they have it. We are a nation full of coasters, so now, we need to import our talent and entry-level workers. Just go on the Goggle, Microsoft, or Amazon campus. In fact, 23% of the Harvard student body is foreigners https://www.collegefactual.com/colle...student%20body. I saw it 1st hand: our son who graduated from Harvard Medical school was a "minority" (white American born) student. Americans are getting lapped.

As I have explained, I sell expensive (sometimes atrociously $$) widgets to successful people. Well over 50% of my customers have foreign accents! That's a fact. Gee, I wonder why? Answer: re-read my earlier post.

You missed the part of my quoted post (most likely intentionally) that if more Americans as a percentage had higher level job skills, the wages in said fields would drop because the surplus pool of labor would be increased, but then again, that goes against your narrative that you seem to think everyone could make six figures if only "they were more motivated". The truth is those six figure jobs would become five figure jobs if more people could do them

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

You missed the part of my quoted post (most likely intentionally) that if more Americans as a percentage had higher level job skills, the wages in said fields would drop because the surplus pool of labor would be increased, but then again, that goes against your narrative that you seem to think everyone could make six figures if only "they were more motivated". The truth is those six figure jobs would become five figure jobs if more people could do them

So what is your solution? A lot of complaining coming from you, but I never hear any ideas on how to fix this broken system. What would you do?

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

So what is your solution? A lot of complaining coming from you, but I never hear any ideas on how to fix this broken system. What would you do?

Rent control and more public housing, I've said this before

[Burning Madolf]

Becoming one of my favorite CD threads in some time.
Informative and comical.

[wase4711]

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ho...rs-11630416326

[john3232]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

You missed the part of my quoted post (most likely intentionally) that if more Americans as a percentage had higher level job skills, the wages in said fields would drop because the surplus pool of labor would be increased, but then again, that goes against your narrative that you seem to think everyone could make six figures if only "they were more motivated". The truth is those six figure jobs would become five figure jobs if more people could do them

I think the point MBR is trying to make is you can better yourself. His son graduated from Harvard Medical school and no doubt was raised in a home which valued education. But I suspect the son was bright from day one and genetics played a part. Either MBR and/or his wife are also very bright. O.K. so what does that have to do with the price of rice in China.

Just this: the son (regardless of how naturally bright) wouldn't have gotten into Harvard without studying very hard just as the owner of the company that I used to install carpet wouldn't have five, six crews working for him if he didn't work extra hard. How do you think I was able to buy 8 homes over 13-14 year period? I had this conversation with a co-worker several years ago. I told him I worked six days and most evening for years. He said everyone works hard. To which I replied you teach 13-14 classes a week but I never taught less that 25-26. You enjoy traveling throughout Europe during the summer/winter breaks. I return to the US and stay with my mother. That's how I did it. I worked every teaching shift I could get, watched my spending and saved.

Now, I should mention my wife was on board with this. Had I married someone unwilling to live in a small (although centrally located) apartment for 17 years I never could have saved what I did. (It was my income which paid for and paid off the loans. My wife worked and her income covered most of the rent and utilities.)

Today we read about those stuck with a hefty student loan debt, being priced out of a rental, caught unware of the rising cost of housing. But as a landlord who as access to credit reports much of the financial problems I see have to do with spending habits. The 30k vehicle and thousands of dollars put on credit cards.

I think we can all agree this country has problems. However, you don't have to go to Harvard medical school or teach in Japan to make your way. Plenty of opportunities to earn a good living in the U.S. if you're willing to work. Just as there are ways to find a home in the Phx metro if you're willing to do the research.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by john3232

I think the point MBR is trying to make is you can better yourself. His son graduated from Harvard Medical school and no doubt was raised in a home which valued education. But I suspect the son was bright from day one and genetics played a part. Either MBR and/or his wife are also very bright. O.K. so what does that have to do with the price of rice in China.

Just this: the son (regardless of how naturally bright) wouldn't have gotten into Harvard without studying very hard just as the owner of the company that I used to install carpet wouldn't have five, six crews working for him if he didn't work extra hard as well. How do you think I was able to buy 8 homes over 13-14 year period? I had this conversation with a co-worker several years ago. I told him I worked six days and most evening for years. He said everyone works hard. To which said you teach 13-14 classes a week but I never taught less that 25-26. You enjoy traveling throughout Europe during the summer/winter breaks. I return to the US and stay with my mother. That's how I did it. I worked every teaching shift I could get, watched my spending and saved.

Now, I should mention my wife was on board with all this. Had I married someone unwilling to live in a small (although centrally located) apartment for 17 years I never could have save what I did. (It was my income which paid for and paid off the loans. My wife worked and her income covered most of the rent and utilities.)

Today we read about those stuck with a hefty student loan debt, being priced out of a rental, caught unware of the rising cost of housing. But as a landlord who as access to credit reports much of the financial problems I see have to do with spending habits. The 30k vehicle and thousands of dollars put on credit cards.

I think we can all agree this country has problems. However, you don't have to go to Harvard medical school or teach in Japan to make your way. Plenty of opportunities to earn a good living in the U.S. if you're willing to work. Just as there are ways to find a home in the Phx metro if you're willing to do the research.

I already earn a good living, but that's not the point

The point (which you also missed), was that MN's kids wouldn't be earning AS MUCH money as they are if they had more competition. It's the same way unions work. They're able to keep wages high by limiting new members

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

I think I finally get it. We need less brainpower and more coasting. That way, we have have less competition and higher wages!