/johnny
“Not having a mortgage is nice, but I still have to pay the local shakedown/protection racket..... er government once a year.”
Agree 100%. Every time they reassess our home I’m at the courthouse fighting with the assessor, armed with the actual comp sales in the neighborhood. I’m convinced the assessor takes special delight in bumping up the tax values of those homeowners who scrimped, saved, and worked hard to throw off the chains of the mortgage bankers. After all, from his perspective we can afford it having no mortgage!
Tell me about it. I’m mortgage free too, but my property taxes have effectively taken the place of my mortgage.
Dittos!
My mortgage will be paid off when I turn 100 years old. I don’t think I’ll make it.
I’ve come to think lately that homeownership is over rated. If you need the tax deduction it’s better than renting. Otherwise, the upkeep can get pretty costly. And, you never know who’s going to move in next door. If drug dealers or multiple families of Mexicans move in I can’t up and move because I own the damn place. And if that happens it’s doubtful I’d be able to sell.
On the other hand, if I sell I’ll just have to buy someplace else or pay more rent than my current mortgage. I guess I’ll stay until the hoards move out from the city and get too close.