Stupid interview on local NPR just now....(RANT)

[Coventina]

My local NPR station just had and idiot on about our over-inflated housing market.

The host asked him, "Many young people feel they have now been priced out of this market is this true?"

The guest's response was that young people have 2 options: buy further out, where housing is more affordable or they can buy a "fixer-upper" and do the work themselves.

:wtf:

How totally dumb is that?

The areas the guest was suggesting to buy in the hinterlands would create 50 mile commutes if the person works in the central city area. If they can't afford a house nearby, how the HELL are they going to pay for that gas? Not to mention the ecological irresponsibility of suggesting such a thing.

And then about the "fixer-upper". Okay, people need time, money and ability to do these types of projects. What about people who work full time or even have to work two jobs?

He blithley said people can watch "Home & Garden TV, Home Depot & Lowe's videos." Uh, Home & Garden TV only comes with either upgraded cable packages or satellite. And he assumes these poor people can afford THAT? And to sit around and watch it in the hopes something useful comes on?

I was reminded of one time when I was watching 700 Club for giggles. A woman called in and wanted advice on how to save money when she & her husband were really struggling financially. Pat Robertson told her to buy a sewing machine, start making the family's clothes & to raise chickens for meat & eggs. The woman didn't sound real thrilled with that advice.

Good grief, what if they lived in an apartment? :eyes:

People who have never been poor just have no concept.

[wake.up.america]

1. Pat Robertson is stinking rich, millions made by exploiting poor people.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. I am ashamed to admit it, but...

When I find myself dealing with the smug and complacent comfortable, or dealing with people who have no appreciation for the poor, I take grim and guilty satisfaction in knowing that their smugness, complacency and lack of appreciation is setting them up for a fall. Either individually or as a group, if and when the economy heads south(and the possibilities there are endless and growing).

There are an awful lot of people who are looking down the barrel of a rude awakening.

[Coventina]

5. It's doubly disappointing that NPR is encouraging this smugness

Instead of discussing the problems and possible solutions, they have some bozo pontificating on how the poor have all these wonderful options available to them.

:eyes:

[gratuitous]

3. Well, those are about the only options

Although when asked if young people and other first-time buyers are getting priced out of real estate, the guest could have proffered the short answer, which is "yes."

But these things run in cycles and there are hot spots and not-so-hot spots. I have friends who moved from Portland to small towns in the Midwest, and their ability to buy went from near zero to their pick of several nice properties. Now, it's not living in Portland (or San Francisco or Manhattan or any of a number of other desireable locales), but as an old song reminds us, you can't always get what you want, but you may find that you can get what you need.

[chelsea0011]

4. Buy further out. LOL. In the Boston area, that would mean Kansas.

[Ready4Change]

6. Extra gas costs: ~$1200 a year.

Or about $100 a month. For a lot of people that, and the extra time involved, is worth it for the single family home in the 'burbs they'd like to raise their kids in. So, from an immediate, dollars out of the pocket point of view, moving outwards makes sense.

There's no counter to the environmental and long term societal costs.