Today has been a day preoccupied with houses. First, of course, the obligatory housing news. The Daily News has an interesting article on the fluctuating housing market here in California. The data over the last 37 years shows that the up cycles, like this one, are strong and long, and the down cycles are on the weak side and short. Over the past 37 years, California’s median price soared 1,843% versus 821% for the nation. But the nation’s median price never fell, though some annual gains were anemic. Sales in California have fallen 11 times since 1968. The important thing is that the longest periods of decline were three years each, first starting in 1980 and then in 1990. The first was due to a huge spike up in interest rates and the second due to a nationwide recession, which in California felt like a depression. That doesn’t appear to be happening this time.
But irrespective of that, we’re moving for the same reason we moved back in 1989: we’ve outgrown this house. We had fun looking at the Daily News Real Estate Section. Look like we can find a house with some minimal specifications (4-5 bedrooms, 2 baths, etc) for a reasonable prices (for us): $600K to $750K. We also have a number of other specifications, for example, we need over 2000 ft2, single story preferred, and specific location requirements (feeding the Granada Hills High School). But the key part in the battle has been won: I now want to move.
This afternoon, we joined ellipticcurve for the home inspection on her new house. I took a batch of pictures and measurements, which I’m sure she’ll be sharing as appropriate. More appropriate, inbetween joking with EC’s broker, Donna (who’s a long time friend, and is so fun to make blush), I had time to talk to Donna. We talked about what we are going to do with this place, and what we are going to look for, and how financing might work. I’ll be meeting her Thursday evening to sort out some more of this.
I still have some worries about things. First and foremost, is “How the hell am I going to pack all of this?”. I’ve got over 15 years of clutter in this house, and sorting it and packing it will be a pain. I think my two week vacation this year will be one week packing, one week unpacking. The money is actually less of a concern, but packing… ugh!
So that’s been the day. I’ll note that only one person has commented my recent memes. C’mon folks: guess. Here are the links: Television Meme, Musicals Meme.
