Gen Z is rich, contrary to popular belief

[iris lilies]

There are three not-large older houses for sale within a stones throw of me, what I would call starter houses. One of them is actually very nice, a solid arts and crafts era house. The other two are architecturally insignificant, but are solid enough. They have sat on the market for months and I don’t know why. They are not “updated “so maybe they are overpriced? I really don’t know.

but please keep these facts in mind:

1. we are told over and over about the housing shortage in Hermann and how young families can’t find housing
2. the city Council put a moratorium on licenses for bed and breakfast inns and Air bnb properties to address this shortage because out of town owners were buying up small old houses, fixing them up, and they became short term rentals. Now there are more houses available for people to buy for their family home.

So where are the young families who need housing now? They aren’t going after these houses. I don’t get it, but I put some of the blame on them for wanting everything to be new, shiny and updated.

[early morning]

Well we bought our first house when we were both working blue collar jobs at an average starter wage for the time/place, when we were 22. No real skills so no actual "career", just jobs. We bought what we could afford, which meant it needed a lot of TLC. Sold it 9 years later for a larger fixer-upper. Which still needs (re) fixed up, after 30+ years living here. (thank goodness new and shiny is not my thing) During this time, I went back to school, ended up with a masters, and was making a lot more money by the time I retired. DH stayed in a shop, but was making what was to us a decent wage. Even so, our house is currently valued at an amount that would be a real stretch for us to have purchased at the much higher wages we were making when we retired. This even though I feel like we live a in a lower cost of living area. I get that there is a problem out there. I'm guessing that even in GenZ, there is a lot of wage inequality.

[iris lilies]

I could’ve actually purchased a house on my starting professional salary in Las Cruces NM as a single person back in the day and I did buy one on my second job, the step up job.

I made a cost comparison a couple of years ago on buying a house then and buying a house now in Las Cruces and I won’t reiterate the details, but when I see the salaries for that library, and the kind of houses I would be been interested in, I could afford it now as a single person.

but I will also say that this cost comparison centered on a old house on a posh Street that was very very dated. I would put it up in quality to our Hermann house when we first bought it. And today at my advanced age that is just too outdated for me, but if I were a young person working, it would be fine

DH constantly has to remind me that I expect too much of young people today in their housing requirements. He reminds me that they cannot “update” cosmetics, let alone systems themselves because they don’t have the skills. Also they don’t have money to hire it done. They put all their money into their down payment.so yeah, I suppose from this angle they are screwed.

but then I think about the middle class family who was living in our Hermann cottage with a 1941 kitchen and it was good enough for them, but of course they weren’t Gen Z with high expectations. They were probably younger Gen X.

[littlebittybobby]

okay----i got an idea that prolly Herrmann is not an ideal place to live--it's in the middle o' nowhere. Plus-- the people there are too particular about what you can do on your own property for one thing. For another, it's better to live in someplace like Owensville, where at least there is a Supercenter. It's the 21st century, after all. But yeah---gen z's are lazy, and prolly want things turnkey, not fixer-uppers. Yup.

[iris lilies]

okay----i got an idea that prolly Herrmann is not an ideal place to live--it's in the middle o' nowhere. Plus-- the people there are too particular about what you can do on your own property for one thing. For another, it's better to live in someplace like Owensville, where at least there is a Supercenter. It's the 21st century, after all. But yeah---gen z's are lazy, and prolly want things turnkey, not fixer-uppers. Yup.

I think (without having real data ) prices are a little higher in Hermann because it is more desirable than Owensville. there’s more going on, it’s more lively, etc. I cannot compare job opportunities between the two little towns because I just don’t have that data, but we are told all the time that people who want to move to Hermann with jobs cannot find a house to buy so they end up in a nearby community. It’s kind of funny thinking of my little town as having bedroom communities around it, but maybe that’s the case .

[iris lilies]

I think (without having real data ) prices are a little higher in Hermann because it is more desirable than Owensville. there’s more going on, it’s more lively, etc. I cannot compare job opportunities between the two little towns because I just don’t have that data, but we are told all the time that people who want to move to Hermann with jobs cannot find a house to buy so they end up in a nearby community. It’s kind of funny thinking of my little town as having bedroom communities around it, but maybe that’s the case .

The next time you stalk people in Hermann, be sure and pay attention to the junkyard on Stone Hill Highway, just a stone throw from the beautiful Stone Hill winery and on the route for tour buses. I only WISH residents here were too particular.

[littlebittybobby]

okay-----hopefully, the tour buses stop at Casey's on route 19 to get fuel and take a leak and the tour guide will point out the scenario of the shootout between Billy Lee Simpson and the local Gendarme. Maybe have local volunteers stage a re-enactment for the tourists. Yup. Oh, yeah---there's PLENTY to do in Herrmann. Yup.

[iris lilies]

Thanks, IL. It's on my list to check into it with a friend who has them and ask about cost, installer, etc. It wasn't too bad this year, just one of those chores that is unpleasant, but there may come a time when climbing on the roof is a safety issue. I have a lot of leaves and need to run a hose down all the downspouts to clear out the blockages and usually end the day cold and wet.

I have to say I was surprised when DH, Mr.Fixit with the mindset of doing everything himself, agreed to gutter guards. Hevalso hired people to stain the deck. These are not huge jobs, but the gutter clean out is potentially dangerous for an old man on a ladder, and I’ve heard enough stories about old men on ladders. They do not end well.

This is the same DH who worked like a hillbilly for over a year to move every item we own, a 33 year accumulation, from one house to another. He loaded everything himself with one heavy exception and hauled it all in his little truck with its little trailer.This is the same guy who just a few years ago I caught outside, breaking up a concrete patio by himself. That made absolutely no sense to me because our contractor was coming in with heavy equipment to do the same job.

perhaps he is becoming less crazy?

[Rogar]

My next door neighbor is 98. They have a small house and I think they get a lot of their home heat with a wood stove. Neighbors and people from his church bring limbs from the tree trimmers or removals and some warm days in winter he's out with a chain saw, axe, and maul and will slowly work away for the better part of an hour. I've asked what his secret is and he says, you have to keep moving. I sometimes think of the chop wood carry water pleasures, but not when cleaning gutters.

[bae]

... the gutter clean out is potentially dangerous for an old man on a ladder, and I’ve heard enough stories about old men on ladders. They do not end well.

I can confirm. My fire/rescue agency responds to a lot of ladder mishaps. Apparently after A Certain Age, your balance degrades enough that ladders become deadly, plus, falling is harsher on you the older you are.

The medical director of our department advocates that every man over the age of 50 should have their ladders confiscated. We apply his wisdom to our fireground operations, and try to send the younger firefighters up the ladder when roofwork is required. Now that I'm 62, I'm sort of happy about this. (The baseline training for our interior firefighters requires diving out of a 3rd story window in full gear and surviving. There's a trick to this. Don't forget the trick!!!)