You are too sensitive Bobby, but I do appreciate your compassion. Business decisions that involve cost increases rarely involve compassion.
No rent increase for the past two years, and when there was supposed to of been one before that, the landlord instead knocked off $15. From the way they were talking then, and from has been said and done since, I infer that someone (probably the upstairs college kiddies) started a rumor that I was planning on moving, and the landlords got wind of it. Ever since the rent decrease, they seem to be trying to sweeten the deal. Last year said if I took othe gargage cans out to the sidewalk for the garbage truck every week, they would knock off $25. This year they was offering free internet if I switched to Comcast, and monitored the new CCTV system. The premium for the drug insurance is doubling for next year....does that count?
Guess it's obvious that not all Seniors have a nice monthly retirement income, plus SS added on. After my wife quits her job, and we move, our income will take a major hit, but...…….just have to live with it and spend less. Our savings won't last forever, so, after a couple of years, we will be REALLY watching our finances. But, when a rent increase happens, all people can do is pay it, buy a house or condo or rent from a private party.
I rented apartments and did not like it when the rent went up and then I was a landlord and had trouble increasing the rent but found it necessary. I feel sorry for anyone in those positions. Thank goodness I made a big change in my life and done something most would not do. I moved to a third world country and for the first time in my life I own my own house with no payments to anyone and no taxes. I built my house on a pension that was not enough to live on in Canada. I only wish all pensioners could be as lucky as me .
For most of my life, I have rented, and there is such a feeling of insecurity in that, knowing that the loss of a job could mean homelessness without a reasonable opportunity to recover from the loss. I feel so much more secure in my own home, particularly without a mortgage. Yes, there are still property taxes but there is not a sense of immediacy there, in that it's not a month-to-month responsibility.
Dunno. Some business decisions which raise the price of a product are valid due to overall inflationary circumstances but others are based on supply and demand which is simply one way of saying I want more money. Chicken is chicken and the only difference between how one fries it and another fries it is in the seasoning, presentation and who you are asking to buy that product. Granted, in your circumstance the apartments are marketed directly at those who are somewhat more endowed with a better back pocket and in line with that context, the board also might wish to have a better financial gain as well. All of that is indeed an emotionless procedure whereby one is willing to pay more.....and more.....and more.....and another is more than willing to take it. If perchance you decided not to pay it and move to a lesser expensive care, would the prescriptions or cable vision or the sheets on the bed be different? Would the paint on the walls be different or the perhaps the pool a lesser temperature? Probably not but you are paying for the name, the ambiance and a couple of extra amenities which you have already said that you’re pretty much bored with. But, people with a few extra bucks like to live around people with a few extra bucks and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you are willing to pay the price for it. It’s capitalism at it’s very best and there’s nothing wrong with that either because there will always be someone who will pay more for a product simply because it has shiny knobs.
I presume you'll be renting Cody... and you'll have already looked at the rental market in the area you wish to live. Are they good value for money?
Well, Holly, most of Colorado home buying and apartment rentals today aren't known as "cheap", especially those in nicer and safer areas. However, we did find one apartment complex in Loveland that was nice. We talked to the Manager and she gave us an app to fill out later. If necessary, we will rent from this complex and look for a different apartment later.
Ever thought of buying a pontoon boat and living on it? I’ve seen them all over Lake Mead and even on the Mississippi and some of them are beautiful. A tad expensive at first, but still, it’s the best of both worlds.
Cody. moving home as you know can be a very stressful experience. You have almost a year before you move home, surely you can do enough research to find the home that will suit you and prevent any more stress in your 70's...
Well, at the time we move, if indeed that happens next May, I will be almost 70 and wife will be 71. Not really that old, compared to some members on here. Anyway, we've always had to use a moving company to move with. What's more stressful for my wife is getting rid of a number of things that she's had for years and hasn't used for years. All of our wall pictures, except a couple, will be either sold or given to the Goodwill. Don't want to have pictures on walls in Colorado of lighthouses and other Florida related things. We will switch those "Florida" type pictures for wildlife, mountain and "cowboy" type pictures. Stress is just a part of life and comes hand-in-hand with moving. If we have to move again, after moving there, we do.
LOL..Cody..on this particular forum, most people are in their 50's.. early to mid 60's or early 70's... so I think you're at the older end of the spectrum...
No Rent and No Mortgage...living Free and Clear. When I married my first wife, we paid off the home we bought in a short time, as we both worked and chose to double and triple the Principal on the loan, paying off the Mortgage in a few years. Four years after marrying my present wife, I retired and we bought a home in the High Desert and paid a large amount down, but we still had to take out a new 30-year Mortgage. Recalling how good it felt not to have any House Payments, I began putting extra money toward the Principal, and in 12 years, paid off the 30-year loan. This was done on my Retirement income, which consisted of my Boeing Pension and 'Socialized' Security. Knowing that Mortgages can be retired, and realizing that the Interest on a Mortgage over a 30-year period can result in paying DOUBLE for the home, I feel that the first priority for anyone taking out a Mortgage is to economize on frivolities like new Cars and other high-cost items and begin to put that money toward the Principal of that loan until it's Retired. Having to PAY for where you're living is unnatural, whether you have to give money to a Bank or a Landlord! Hal