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SunSeeker

(58,344 posts)

79. As a girl growing up with a brother with whom I had to share a room, it sucked.

Sat Jul 5, 2014, 02:56 PM

Jul 2014

There was no privacy, something he and I dearly needed as we entered our teens. We ended up hanging a blanket in the middle of our room. It was embarrassing. Our house was a tiny 2-bedroom, 1 bath, but it had a decent front and back yard. I spent a lot of time in the back yard. If we were in a condo, it would have sucked even more.

Most condos have greenbelts, but kids generally must stay on sidewalks or in designated playgrounds. That is a far cry from having your own yard, where you can leave your toys, pitch a tent, or just hang with friends and be left alone from annoying homeowner association assholes who report you for every little thing. That is why I bought a house with our own yard when I had a kid. Our old homeowner association would fine people $25 if their kids were found playing on the grass--HOA rules required everyone to stay on the sidewalks. Kids in condos is NOT the American Dream. It is that nice house in the suburbs with a white picket fence...where the kids can play.

And you can't get that in L.A. for under $500,000.

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Price tag for the American dream: $130K a year [View all] n2doc Jul 2014 OP

It depends on what American Dream means to people yeoman6987 Jul 2014 #1

That's Great - but the issue is the Oppurtunity is being taken away Tommymac Jul 2014 #46

At tip for future reference: read the article, the full article at the link before you answer. JDPriestly Jul 2014 #89

I meant 158K....Sorry yeoman6987 Jul 2014 #91

Makes sense. The article is pretty accurate about estimating the costs of life. JDPriestly Jul 2014 #94

Rec JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #2

Extremely modest estimate of expenses. antiquie Jul 2014 #3

Ditto in Central NJ JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #6

Remember that they were trying to estimate an national average value. Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #63

is the median price of a home really $250,000? hfojvt Jul 2014 #44

Median home price here in my area is about $100K ... oldhippie Jul 2014 #50

so have I hfojvt Jul 2014 #62

I wish JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #68

I disagree about saving for college. F4lconF16 Jul 2014 #77

well there are other options hfojvt Jul 2014 #100

I find your response to be dismissive at best and possibly insulting. F4lconF16 Jul 2014 #104

If you're a slightly older adult SheilaT Jul 2014 #106

Not to appear rude PowerToThePeople Jul 2014 #108

The "American dream" is a pernicious falsehood. Spider Jerusalem Jul 2014 #4

I found their prices to be way too high. Tetris_Iguana Jul 2014 #5

some places the housing prices are easily $250K+ hobbit709 Jul 2014 #7

True, but as an average that seems high to me. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jul 2014 #10

As an average it is high. Find a realtor and have them run average prices on their MLS service. You ballyhoo Jul 2014 #54

$275 is reasonable JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #8

Ouch! NutmegYankee Jul 2014 #23

I agree, that is high! Frustratedlady Jul 2014 #58

My house was a cheap fixer upper too! JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #64

You're paying $10,200 a year in property taxes? ballyhoo Jul 2014 #56

Hunterdon County NJ JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #60

That's the highest I've ever heard ballyhoo Jul 2014 #61

That was Chris Christies whine JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #65

We'll I wish you luck. I wonder if there are ballyhoo Jul 2014 #66

We are okay JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #70

Number23? Okay. Thanks. ballyhoo Jul 2014 #71

Then you don't live in Los Angeles abelenkpe Jul 2014 #11

This message was self-deleted by its author ballyhoo Jul 2014 #14

Living in a cramped condo with your kids is not the American Dream. nt SunSeeker Jul 2014 #20

If 1200 square feet is cramped to you, ballyhoo Jul 2014 #25

Yes it is, especially if you have no yard. SunSeeker Jul 2014 #55

Your reference was to a 1200 square foot ballyhoo Jul 2014 #59

A 2BR unit for a family of four is considered cramped unless the children are very young Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #72

Depends how big the second bedroom is. But as they age it will be more ballyhoo Jul 2014 #86

Depends nothing. Housing two older,opposite gender children in the same room is substandard Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #88

Well, I understand your position. But based on what I'm seeing that ballyhoo Jul 2014 #92

As a girl growing up with a brother with whom I had to share a room, it sucked. SunSeeker Jul 2014 #79

This message was self-deleted by its author ballyhoo Jul 2014 #85

There are no houses for under $500K in L.A. that fit the American Dream ideal. SunSeeker Jul 2014 #95

Here. Long Beach is in LA County ballyhoo Jul 2014 #97

Long Beach is not Los Angeles. SunSeeker Jul 2014 #98

This message was self-deleted by its author ballyhoo Jul 2014 #99

PLease keep going HangOnKids Jul 2014 #103

Teen years are definitely the deal breaker. Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #87

true. folks in my condo complex tend to move out as babies get older Liberal_in_LA Jul 2014 #101

welcome to DU3 Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #28

Condo in lake forest? abelenkpe Jul 2014 #42

This message was self-deleted by its author ballyhoo Jul 2014 #52

30% is the total of federal state and local taxes. Warren Stupidity Jul 2014 #12

That's not that conservative an estimate. NutmegYankee Jul 2014 #22

do you include FICA in the 14%? hfojvt Jul 2014 #48

No, I hadn't. NutmegYankee Jul 2014 #53

And it includes property taxes on that 275K house Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #69

NY, DC, LA, San Francisco ... either of the coasts etherealtruth Jul 2014 #15

Point two five percent? SheilaT Jul 2014 #17

Oh shoot , yes... I meant 25% etherealtruth Jul 2014 #19

Hi from Macomb County also! llmart Jul 2014 #30

Good to know there are more of us (Macomb Co) etherealtruth Jul 2014 #47

Mitt pays less than almost all middle class people. SunSeeker Jul 2014 #24

"Only the little people pay taxes." stillwaiting Jul 2014 #27

Want a good laugh? PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #32

That is insane. Tetris_Iguana Jul 2014 #36

It is insane PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #40

3100 sq. ft. isn't very small...but that price is astounding! cyberswede Jul 2014 #45

True.. PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #49

Other than the housing price being a little low, nails Denver TransitJohn Jul 2014 #67

Depends on where you hang out. DFW Jul 2014 #115

It would be nice if saving for retirement was affordable. tridim Jul 2014 #9

Tell me about it etherealtruth Jul 2014 #18

"It's a Big Club, and you ain't in it." - George Carlin Amonester Jul 2014 #13

Exactly what I was going to post. nt awoke_in_2003 Jul 2014 #73

It really does depend a lot on where you live and SheilaT Jul 2014 #16

It's amazing PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #37

Where you live can have a major effect on that. jeff47 Jul 2014 #76

I did not think I was confusing the two SheilaT Jul 2014 #80

My advice to any new parents at this point Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jul 2014 #78

That's a nice idea in practice, but kids in early SheilaT Jul 2014 #81

None of the aptitude tests I ever took came anywhere near to Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jul 2014 #84

Those tests aren't perfect, but I certainly found them very helpful. SheilaT Jul 2014 #107

I knew my family had been passed. Hugin Jul 2014 #21

and I bet they want it to be made by the man so the woman can stay home and Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #26

The article isn't like that. It just quotes where it got the figures and how its calculated riderinthestorm Jul 2014 #29

ok then. did not click on the link so then - they are saying it takes two people Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #31

Agreed. Which is why they're saying the "American dream" is dead for most people riderinthestorm Jul 2014 #33

No. A single person will have lower expenses. NutmegYankee Jul 2014 #34

Agreed. I was simply dealing with figures in the article which is for a family of four riderinthestorm Jul 2014 #35

and I think that is why I went where I did with this ... the Model of the the Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #39

because you qualified with the word usaully, I will refrain from comment. Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #38

You didn't state single parents. NutmegYankee Jul 2014 #41

well, all I am driving at here ... is that it is a very narrow subset of Americans that fit Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #43

Agree. The "nuclear family" is an idealism. NutmegYankee Jul 2014 #51

Honestly, I don't even think it is an idealism at this point. Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #57

I know a lot of people who want it. NutmegYankee Jul 2014 #93

single earner families were the norm in the 50s and 60s. Starting in the 70s family income Warren Stupidity Jul 2014 #74

yes. the end. Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2014 #75

I'm sorry but... ClarkeVII Jul 2014 #82

+1 ohnoyoudidnt Jul 2014 #90

Unfortunately, these sorts of studies always cause DU to desend into "4 yorkshiremen" mode... n2doc Jul 2014 #83

"Financial security" is dead for most Americans. Barack_America Jul 2014 #110

I'm not remotely interested in whatever version of the American Dream is being sold cali Jul 2014 #96

Just some added perspective.... defacto7 Jul 2014 #102

They left out the costs of vacations, hobbies, higher education, etc. Quantess Jul 2014 #105

Then that should be the minimum wage. maced666 Jul 2014 #109

The American Dream now days is having enough money to retire. B Calm Jul 2014 #111

Ain't that the truth n2doc Jul 2014 #112

This is way off....You can easily be living the "American Dream" in the Kansas City area for cbdo2007 Jul 2014 #113

Yes, but then you're living in Kansas City. Xithras Jul 2014 #114

LOL, The "American Dream" is not your personal dream... cbdo2007 Jul 2014 #116

From the second line of your own link: Xithras Jul 2014 #117