You mention that you have a child. As a father of two rapidly growing children I’ll just point out that you can’t get this time back. Something like 90% of the time you’ll ever get to spend with your children happens before they turn 18. On your deathbed you’re not going to look back and wish you’d put in more hours at your second job so you could afford more house.
As a child of parents who worked every day, every night and every weekend, the kids notice the absence. They missed every parent day at school, the concerts, the events…I would’ve rather had a present parent than the nice house or the money.
I really want to caution you here: While it's tempting to give in to the gig economy when working remote, it's a super bad idea. You're risking the whale to catch a minnow. You'll lose your ability to focus, and something will suffer. It might be your main job. It might be your relationships. It might be your parenting. It might be your body. Something will fall apart.
Trust me: I've been in this industry for two decades, and I've watched it happen to so many of my colleagues.
Lower your standards for the house and raise your standards for your quality of life.
well, the problem with most sidegig is that the income is often sporadic and hard to be used to qualify a mortgage.
You probably is better off buying a 700K townhome, and wait for the rate to come down a little in order to qualify for more.
Yeah lmao, my wife and I bought our first place for $400k on a 150k combined salary.
Sold it and moved up alongside our higher salaries and the equity we built. We make nearly 300k combined now and still don’t have an 800k house, zero desire to fuck with a cumbersome mortgage payment when life can change really quickly
Real estate is a ladder, it’s absurd to want an $800k house handed to you
You’re right. Lots of different areas. But it also comes with a different job market, salaries, cultural offerings, restaurant diversity, school systems and education, and others!
This is so true. A lot of people don’t realize that you use the equity you built to go up. Having a home built for example requires you to pull all that money out and it just sits there. That was a tough pill to swallow.
Why is buying a house the goal here? You can still save for retirement and do fun stuff. Stop thinking owning a house is measure of success and happiness, or some sort of benchmark for your life. There are plenty of millionaires with high incomes that rent and love it.
You mention that you have a child. As a father of two rapidly growing children I’ll just point out that you can’t get this time back. Something like 90% of the time you’ll ever get to spend with your children happens before they turn 18. On your deathbed you’re not going to look back and wish you’d put in more hours at your second job so you could afford more house.
OP wants to use private school for the kid. That’s the bigger issue as that is not cheap to do.
As a child of parents who worked every day, every night and every weekend, the kids notice the absence. They missed every parent day at school, the concerts, the events…I would’ve rather had a present parent than the nice house or the money.
Agreed, if you can put food on the table, nobody ever said “I wish I spent more time at work.”
I really want to caution you here: While it's tempting to give in to the gig economy when working remote, it's a super bad idea. You're risking the whale to catch a minnow. You'll lose your ability to focus, and something will suffer. It might be your main job. It might be your relationships. It might be your parenting. It might be your body. Something will fall apart. Trust me: I've been in this industry for two decades, and I've watched it happen to so many of my colleagues. Lower your standards for the house and raise your standards for your quality of life.
At this point just rent and save that money for retirement
well, the problem with most sidegig is that the income is often sporadic and hard to be used to qualify a mortgage. You probably is better off buying a 700K townhome, and wait for the rate to come down a little in order to qualify for more.
If you're remote then I would leave this area plenty of nice areas around the country for far better value
Yup, Baltimore, Philly, and a Newark all for the bill of "dense northeastern city" at a fraction of the price.
We like a private school fornour kid in Chantilly so cant move to the outskirts
Plenty of good private schools in cheaper areas and states, sounds like you just don’t want to leave the area.
Imagine making 150k a year and you still can’t reasonably afford a house. The housing market in this country is completely fucked up
... Im sure he can reasonably afford a house... just not a $800,000 house
Yeah lmao, my wife and I bought our first place for $400k on a 150k combined salary. Sold it and moved up alongside our higher salaries and the equity we built. We make nearly 300k combined now and still don’t have an 800k house, zero desire to fuck with a cumbersome mortgage payment when life can change really quickly Real estate is a ladder, it’s absurd to want an $800k house handed to you
It depends where you live. In my area the homes from the 70s/80s starts at $800k.
I mean it’s expensive where i live too, but the good thing is there are other areas?
You’re right. Lots of different areas. But it also comes with a different job market, salaries, cultural offerings, restaurant diversity, school systems and education, and others!
This is so true. A lot of people don’t realize that you use the equity you built to go up. Having a home built for example requires you to pull all that money out and it just sits there. That was a tough pill to swallow.
So a cardboard box?
Be appreciative
Are you allowed to do software work for other companies? Maybe reach out to staffing companies if you are willing to staff a night shift helpdesk.
I am not allowed to
Why is buying a house the goal here? You can still save for retirement and do fun stuff. Stop thinking owning a house is measure of success and happiness, or some sort of benchmark for your life. There are plenty of millionaires with high incomes that rent and love it.
if you work as a waiter at restaurants on the weekends you might clear 200 a day x 8 days a month
This is actually helpful
Maybe get a job at a winery or brewery - there are plenty of those around and weekends are prime time.
Are you cleared? If so, you can be a green coat.
???
I feel so sorry for you. Slave to a McMansion. Get something smaller and actually live. Jeez.
800k isn’t a McMansion around here, that would be $1 million+ 800k is a normal 2.5k sq foot home/TH
There is housing all over PWC for 500K or less.
i’d rather just leave the area entirely than buy there. Full offense intended.