Kind of had my eye on this dry cabin on 80 acres with a view, but it went pending. I'll have to find something else to daydream about: https://www.redfin.com/WA/Klickitat/...home/191043219
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Kind of had my eye on this dry cabin on 80 acres with a view, but it went pending. I'll have to find something else to daydream about: https://www.redfin.com/WA/Klickitat/...home/191043219
We used a handyman a couple of times when we first bought the house but if we can't do it ourselves it needs someone licensed. In our 70's we should probably be thinking of finding someone to get the pine needles off the roof.
We kinda do it backwards, (but this will change soon), which means we thought outside the box at the time. We live in the “vacation” area and have the smaller place near the city. When we moved here in 2006 there was competition to do our remodel. The plumber’s kids played soccer with my daughter, etc., so he couldn’t screw up. He wanted our biz. I could go on. COVID/WFH changed it all. The upside is I’m handy and can fix almost anything, but I don’t want to. I wanna pay somebody, (while I ski). (I’m almost 65.)Quote:
Originally Posted by lifelinksplit
I’m not someone who believes in luck exactly, but I believe in preparation and making unemotional decisions. That said, yeah I’m having fun, and I get it. But I also worked my ass off when I was the age of the folks who I’m trying to hire.
When I've hired tradespeople--a plumber, an electrician--they're usually people who work as subs during the day and do my job after hours. I wouldn't call that lazy.
If it's hard to find someone to work on your house it's because there are more and more second homes and fewer and fewer people who go into the trades and fewer and fewer who can afford to live in vacation areas. If you do find someone expect to pay accordingly.
I do think it's time to start paying someone to oil the house instead of doing it ourselves (ie my wife doing it.)
years ago when I'd say I'll be gone next week
going to (insert trip) Hawaii Ecuador or Phoenix to ride bikes for two weeks or more people would look at me sideways or say some snide comment relating to me ripping them off and since I"m a trades person I should be charging cheep rates working day in and day out and jump when they say jump while they peck away at a computer all day making top dollar
those days are way long over if they have a second home so should I
no reason why a contractor like me and a work from home partner shouldn't make 500k a year combined
That new Zillow feature that uses third-party to quantify risk (flood, wildfire etc) using climate change models may start impacting valuations of homes and second homes.
You'll never get that impression from me, I'm stoked to have one house. When you met me more than 20 years ago I was working three jobs, living in a run down house that was converted to a fourplex and didn't have two nickles to rub together for change. I'm not about to be bitching for the luck I've had.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzworthy
Pretty sure that's happening already. There's a nice house, well priced, in the flood zone in Milwaukie (or Oregon City?) that they can't seem to sell. I think everyone is looking at the food map and taking a passQuote:
Originally Posted by frorider
Agreed. We had a contractor lined up, a guy we used before and really liked. He took some time off after his last job before starting ours to take a vacation. My wife complained (to me not to him) but I was fine with it. (Unfortunately, when he got back he found that his crew had bailed, so I guess it's not just homeowners that think a contractor shouldn't take vacations.) Anyway he did a great job but it probably didn't pencil out for him because the carpenter he hired turned out to be OCD and took weeks to do one day jobs.Quote:
Originally Posted by fastfred
Then there's the Florida high rise condo situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by dan_pdx
Amen.Quote:
Originally Posted by irul&ublo
Just wrapping up having a contractor build a garage for me. They took numerous vacations throughout the project and it ran a few months longer than they thought it would-some sub scheduling and weather delays thrown in. They did a great job and came in 1% over estimate. They told me when they'd be gone and there wasn't much I could do about it. I still like them and am happy with what they built. We have future work lined up with them. Nothing wrong with people enjoying their lives and making a fair living. The contractor wants me to go raft fishing with him. I told him when the project is done...no need to add more time away from my project. Other peoples' project delays, well, they should go fishing with their contractors.
Just recently sold our second home. I will miss it. Was less than 2 hrs from Sacto to Truckee. But, the 25 g per year I’ll save on taxes, insurance!!!!, HOA fees and upkeep will pay for a couple of stays at Alta or wherever, and then some.
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That's a mystery to me for sure. FOMO?Quote:
Originally Posted by old goat
I’ve known you a long long time and I did not include you in my thoughts when I wrote the above. We built where we are. At that time we were still renting. Buying our first house was still a long way off. I remember that place you worked on, driving your pumped out Suby. I remember you working long fucking hours. I remember trying to smoke you out on those rare occasions.Quote:
Originally Posted by zion zig zag
You’ve done very well and I commend your efforts.
Pimped. Where’s my glasses?
You don’t need to tell me about Caribbean construction - them boys work on a different rate, but honestly the craftsmanship has been fantastic. Buzz can jump on and kill me for my second second home. Getting close to the retirement plan - half time in Idaho and half time in Belize.
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Punta Gorda?
Y’all have trouble reading sometimes. Nobody is saying you shouldn’t enjoy a second home. Whining about the cost and upkeep however is ridiculous.Quote:
Originally Posted by teleee
Ha I knew what you were saying - just busting your chops a little. For the record my Idaho place costs me a little over $1900 a year in taxes and HOA fees. The upkeep is actually something I enjoy doing in the summer (we spend 4 blissful months there. The Belize place is a work in progress not sure how that will pencil out in annual cost (probably hurricane dependent). Wish I could upload pictures it’s a pretty cool minimalist fish camp design.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzworthy
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My family has a second home in Costa Rica. I haven't wanted to go since COVID. It's a beach house. The gov't owns the land and we have something like a 50 year lease. Any way, it just renewed. I think that I would enjoy iy a lot more if it wasn't such a hassle to get to from SLC ( Two flights, 12+ hours to sit on a beach and fish for marlin, sails and dorado). It is both a burden, and a pleasure. I will start using it again when my in-laws and firkins pass.
After the high rise condo collapsed the state passed a law mandating inspections of all high rise condos and mandatory repairs. Residents in a lot of buildings are being hit with massive assessments and of course selling isn't an option.Quote:
Originally Posted by dan_pdx
Between fire and flood we will be seeing a lot more people with property they can't afford to keep and can't sell.
Sittee RiverQuote:
Originally Posted by plugboots
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I've posted elsewhere on TGR, but check out how Maui county does taxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunion 2020
Low rate for homestead. Slightly higher for rate for landlords that rent out long term to a local. High rate for second homes that sit vacant. Fuck you rate for short-term rentals (people obviously still pay it, but it makes the investment value worse and encourages renting to a local resident instead). And if your second home is more than $3m, you also pay the fuck you rate.
Really could use some land value taxes instead. Consider only the value of the land, not the structures, and then offer discounts for homestead, low income seniors, etc. to prevent the "grandma getting kicked out of her house" red herring.
Ryan Zinke owns a piece of shit house here in whitefish that he pays nothing in taxes on because it has falllen into disrepair and looks uninhabitable. Valued at like $300k for a 0.86 acre lot right in town. He basically uses it as a place to put big political signs.
Three identical lots next door are currently listed for a combined $20m.
Tax him on the value of the land--that property could be housing right now, if he doesn't want to maintain or redevelop it, sell it to someone who will rather than letting him skate as a speculator who pays no taxes.
That works for a second house, if the houses are in the same county, harder in the same state different county, harder yet in different states. I wonder how many people in Maui get caught claiming their vacation house is their first.
And remember, for the town or county a second home or a short term rental is a positive, because the owners don't use services, especially schools. And short term rentals often pay a transient occupancy (hotel) tax. Towns and counties care about revenue first, welfare of the residents second. So most places aren't going to want to discourage second homes and STRs.
I live in Ak and have a 'vacation house' back in BC that I have not been to in 15 years as it has long term renters in it and the 30 hour drive is a strong deterrent . And BC is so similar to AK its hard to make effort for such similar environment.
This last month I finished building actual vacation house on Big Island and yes it was major pain in ass. Probably made 20 trips in last 3 years, Id joke I was the only person to go to Hawaii and be a workaholic, 12 hour days for 20 day stretches. All credit maxed to the gills... But as of last week I was able to consolidate ALL building costs and consumer debt under new AK house mortgage and feel like I've entered soft retirement at age 44 as I can transition from construction work to 'retreat operator' ...
Now wait a year then gonna pull mortgage on Hawaii house so I can throw $100k at my Nica lot and get something built ahead of this new highway they putting in. Yes its a leveraged stack of cards diversified across the pacific Rim and three countries but it keeps me out of the bars
Eh, many states are already pretty good about this for income tax purposes. E.g. I know Illinois and NY frequently catch people who claim to be tax-free Florida residents with a "second home" in town but don't actually spend 6+mo of their time out of state...people who "retire" to FL for tax benefits are diligent about counting their days.Quote:
Originally Posted by old goat
It is tax evasion and straight up fraud which can constitute a felony...and good luck claiming it is your primary residence when all of your income tax documents are from the mainland somewhere. The residency exemption requires you to file Hawaii income taxes...they can see your W2s/1099s. I guess you could willingly pay HI taxes--some of the highest in the country for rich people--but that still only works if your employer is willing to lie on your behalf and report it as HI income.
Also...snitches. The locals will happily use the convenient government website to report your Haole ass.
Somebody was recently telling me they live in yer place on Regina that street that rhymes with " Vagina "Quote:
Originally Posted by carpathian
Uh oh.Quote:
Originally Posted by singlesline
And it buys 2x the hotel room nights in Yurp.Quote:
Originally Posted by plugboots
Fuck 2nd homes.
As I have told my children forever, life is a path with many forks in the path. Whether you go down one path or the next determines so much. Sure, you can try and plan for that fork in the road, but it is impossible to know what's down it until you're already pretty far along. You're going to go down some wrong paths. Hopefully you chose the next one with a little more luck.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster Highmen
Like Buster, I too really lucked out on at least three paths I can think of that made all the difference in my life. I had the chance for the 2nd home back in 2012, but I outsmarted myself by going down the wrong path at the time. Life goes on.
Your kids stay awake for that? : -- )Quote:
Originally Posted by liv2ski
I did almost everything wrong but it turned out good, I think the kids realize dad did not always have any oars in the water but I looked like fucking genius compared to their mother
there is a fly in my wine
They are good kids and humor me.Quote:
Originally Posted by old goat
One thing that has always puzzled me: homes in north America are usually cheaper than their counter parts in Switzerland and Austria, but vacation properties are insanely expensive, maintenance fees and taxes do the rest. On top of this, most owners have to catch a plane to get to their property.... why only few americans buy in Europe?!?!
I don’t think most second home owners in the US need to fly to them. Most I have known drive to them. If you are talking specifically about the prices of US skiing-adjacent properties, I think that comes down to how much more developed housing there is near skiing in Europe.Quote:
Originally Posted by vendul
The reason for which homes are cheaper in Europe is clear, I was simply wondering why so little is sold overseas.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dromond
The fact that I had the feeling that most people flew to their homes is Because I new a bunch of people on the east coast that had homes in the Rockies
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vendul
donno about the others, but for me, i would like to be able to use my home for more than 90 days at a time. otherwise, i'm all in... you guys got some type of euro-zillow so i can check out these bargains?
Before they built levees and raised the streets houses in Sacramento, houses were built with an empty space on the first floor, living space started on the second. The style is called Delta Queen Anne.Quote:
Originally Posted by fomofo
For one, I think the vast majority of American second homeowners own one they can drive to, and the East Coasters with a place out in Breck or wherever are in the minority of that group of second home owners overall. That said, this really feels like a cultural difference between Americans and Europeans. Euros culturally have a much stronger focus on work life balance and in effect have a lot more time to enjoy that side of life vs. American hustle / work culture. My wife's family place on the lake is deadsville until 9pm on Friday nights once all the Massachusetts people arrive and is back to sleepy town by noon on Sunday when they all leave to get back to work. August isn't a month of leisure, etc. This leads to buying a place in Europe as a non-starter, because if you can afford to own a place and spend 3-4k every time you family wants to visit it, you are working so much that you can never actually make it there, so what is the point?Quote:
Originally Posted by vendul