https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2025/01/08/wausau-committee-approves-350k-modular-home-bid-for-affordable-housing-initiative/

email sent, call made

how fucking dumb

 

So they city of Wausau is going to buy a house for $350k and sell it for $140k to make it "affordable housing"?  Why don't they just buy an existing house that goes for $150k?  Like this one.  https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1732-Merrill-Ave-Wausau-WI-54401/71295572_zpid/

The affordable housing advocates have totally missed the point that everything "affordable" is used (new construction 20+ years ago).  Meaning we need to encourage new building so that more of those used homes are available to entry level buyers.  Townhouses, condos, older small single family homes are what is going to be affordable.  Everyone goes through that phase to get in their first home.

People don't like the answer to affordable housing anymore than they like the answer to affordable HC.   Labor costs are a huge percentage of it and must be kept under control.

Problem is no different than anything else.   Cost controlled by anything other than free market forces then impact quality and other metrics like time. 

The old cheap, fast or good.   Pick any two. 

Edited January 10, 20251 yr by Highmark

Is this a non-elected committee?  

affordable housing starts with affordable taxes.local village just adopted rental plan that limits rent increases. but they don't limit the taxes on the building. so they jack him up and he eats it

Need the silent and boomer generation to start dying.   COVID didn't apparently get enough of them.  When they start dying in massive numbers the home market will be flooded with inventory. 

1 hour ago, teamgreen02 said:

So they city of Wausau is going to buy a house for $350k and sell it for $140k to make it "affordable housing"?  Why don't they just buy an existing house that goes for $150k?  Like this one.  https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1732-Merrill-Ave-Wausau-WI-54401/71295572_zpid/

The affordable housing advocates have totally missed the point that everything "affordable" is used (new construction 20+ years ago).  Meaning we need to encourage new building so that more of those used homes are available to entry level buyers.  Townhouses, condos, older small single family homes are what is going to be affordable.  Everyone goes through that phase to get in their first home.

Because liberals like to think that paying the same for something but getting someone else to pay for it fixes the problem. 

As mentioned above with higher education and healthcare. They dont want to fix the problem, they just want to shift the cost to others.

20 minutes ago, Highmark said:

Need the silent and boomer generation to start dying.   COVID didn't apparently get enough of them.  When they start dying in massive numbers the home market will be flooded with inventory. 

yeah but how many have useless kids just waiting to inherit the house

Have the Amish build it.  Half the price and it'll be constructed to last 5 generations.....

56 minutes ago, sleepybrew said:

yeah but how many have useless kids just waiting to inherit the house

Plenty but a kid doesn't have to be useless to not be able to afford a new house today.

My small town I feel the COL is in the lower quintile or at least half in America.   To build a very reasonable home in my area including lot is tough for under $350-$400K.  Young couples have very little other choice than to build because the $150-$250K older starter homes are few and far between. 

Housing costs is an issue today.  My first home was a decent 3 br 1200 Sq ft ranch (main floor only basement was finished as well) with two car garage.   Had a nice big back yard with a nice deck as well.  We were so excited when we bought that home for $78K in 1995.  We were 25 and had rented up to that point.  Counting for inflation that $78K is equivalent to $164K today.  In my area today you could sell a house a week like that to younger people or couples.   If something like that comes available today its usually $220-$250K.  Maybe 3-5 at best come for sale like that.     

Edited January 10, 20251 yr by Highmark

4 minutes ago, Highmark said:

Plenty but a kid doesn't have to be useless to not be able to afford a new house today.

My small town I feel the COL is in the lower quintile or at least half in America.   To build a very reasonable home in my area including lot is tough for under $350-$400K.  Young couples have very little other choice than to build because the $150-$250K older starter homes are few and far between. 

Housing costs is an issue today.  My first home was a decent 3 br 1200 Sq ft ranch (main floor only basement was finished as well) with two car garage.   Had a nice big back yard with a nice deck as well.  We were so excited when we bought that home for $78K in 1995.  We were 25 and had rented up to that point.  Counting for inflation that $78K is equivalent to $164K.  In my area today you could sell a house a week like that to younger people or couples.   If something like that comes available today its usually $220-$250K.  Maybe 3-5 at best come for sale like that.     

my area was completely affordable for those that lived here. fast forward to the pandemic. droves of nyc came and bought every last inch we had. those selling saw the opportunity and jacked shit to the sky. and here we are. my house was 70k in 1995. probably 300 now. all that means is higher taxes. we didn't have it easy either. moved out at 18, needed 3 of us to afford apartment. my house even at 79k was scary purchase in you mid 20s. we had no cushion like now either. can't pay?bye bye. my girlfriend's mom is 92. lives in an old trailer that is in good shape. real estate said she can get 15k. twice what it was new. so much for trailers losing value

18 minutes ago, sleepybrew said:

my area was completely affordable for those that lived here. fast forward to the pandemic. droves of nyc came and bought every last inch we had. those selling saw the opportunity and jacked shit to the sky. and here we are. my house was 70k in 1995. probably 300 now. all that means is higher taxes. we didn't have it easy either. moved out at 18, needed 3 of us to afford apartment. my house even at 79k was scary purchase in you mid 20s. we had no cushion like now either. can't pay?bye bye. my girlfriend's mom is 92. lives in an old trailer that is in good shape. real estate said she can get 15k. twice what it was new. so much for trailers losing value

I do think as the Silent and Boomer generation homes come onto the market things will get a bit better but not if we keep letting 3 million EXTRA people into the country each year.

The real question is how do we bridge the gap from now until the market see's more volume. 

I think the only real way is cutting red tape and giving real tax incentives to construction companies and their core workers (carpenters, electricians and plumbers).  We need more home building companies/workers.  I think people like that who do manual labor should be on a different SS retirement scale altogether.  Work 30 years in the trades and you qualify for full bennies. 

The compensation for those positions today is extremely attractive yet we are still not drawing enough out of foolish college degrees.  Put in a system that allows them to retire early and I think it would help. 

Edited January 10, 20251 yr by Highmark

16 minutes ago, Highmark said:

I do think as the Silent and Boomer generation homes come onto the market things will get a bit better but not if we keep letting 3 million EXTRA people into the country each year.

The real question is how do we bridge the gap from now until the market see's more volume. 

I think the only real way is cutting red tape and giving real tax incentives to construction companies and their core workers (carpenters, electricians and plumbers).  We need more home building companies/workers.  I think people like that who do manual labor should be on a different SS retirement scale altogether.  Work 30 years in the trades and you qualify for full bennies. 

most of those are nicer homes. gonna go for ridiculous money here. folks in nyc just waiting for shit to pop up. they cleaned our clock of cheap stuff including land. my buddy was thinking of moving. put his 99k house on the market for 450k. guy from nyc said "leave the bedroom furniture and i'll give you 425k" done deal. small house on a corner lot of a major highway

My grandniece and her new husband just purchased a nice home in a Minneapolis suburb. Both are in their mid twenties. They saved and sacrificed. Both drive older vehicles that are paid off and neither need to get a new phone every year. To say that kids today can’t afford a home is preposterous. It can be done. It’s about priorities. 

58 minutes ago, Highmark said:

I do think as the Silent and Boomer generation homes come onto the market things will get a bit better but not if we keep letting 3 million EXTRA people into the country each year.

The real question is how do we bridge the gap from now until the market see's more volume. 

I think the only real way is cutting red tape and giving real tax incentives to construction companies and their core workers (carpenters, electricians and plumbers).  We need more home building companies/workers.  I think people like that who do manual labor should be on a different SS retirement scale altogether.  Work 30 years in the trades and you qualify for full bennies. 

The compensation for those positions today is extremely attractive yet we are still not drawing enough out of foolish college degrees.  Put in a system that allows them to retire early and I think it would help. 

The number of unsold new homes has reached levels not seen since 2009. 

2 hours ago, Highmark said:

 

 

2 hours ago, Highmark said:

Need the silent and boomer generation to start dying.   COVID didn't apparently get enough of them.  When they start dying in massive numbers the home market will be flooded with inventory. 

amen to that... damn' effective masks and vaccines ruined it

1 hour ago, hayward said:

Have the Amish build it.  Half the price and it'll be constructed to last 5 generations.....

you could fit numerous families in a barn

I'm still trying to figure out why these poor people need a two car garage?

1 minute ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

 

amen to that... damn' effective masks and vaccines ruined it

you could fit numerous families in a barn

I'm still trying to figure out why these poor people need a two car garage?

one bay for the bmw,

and the other for their Textron cats silly!

3 hours ago, teamgreen02 said:

So they city of Wausau is going to buy a house for $350k and sell it for $140k to make it "affordable housing"?  Why don't they just buy an existing house that goes for $150k?  Like this one.  https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1732-Merrill-Ave-Wausau-WI-54401/71295572_zpid/

The affordable housing advocates have totally missed the point that everything "affordable" is used (new construction 20+ years ago).  Meaning we need to encourage new building so that more of those used homes are available to entry level buyers.  Townhouses, condos, older small single family homes are what is going to be affordable.  Everyone goes through that phase to get in their first home.

it's f'ng crazy and I'm sure it's not just going on here...

not going to screenshot all the texts between friends, neighbors and myself (there's been many) but one of my more senior friends who's been an elected official nailed it in one sentence... 

 

13 minutes ago, hayward said:

one bay for the bmw,

and the other for their Textron cats silly!

do you know the difference between a porcupine and a BMW?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the pricks are on the outside of a porcupine 

 

4 hours ago, spin_dry said:

My grandniece and her new husband just purchased a nice home in a Minneapolis suburb. Both are in their mid twenties. They saved and sacrificed. Both drive older vehicles that are paid off and neither need to get a new phone every year. To say that kids today can’t afford a home is preposterous. It can be done. It’s about priorities. 

To do so on one income, or two lower incomes, makes things extremely challenging, then toss "hidden" costs such as a HOA fee and Mortgage Insurance, high closing costs (if the seller isn't willing to include), etc. and it all and overwhelm someone making $60-70-80k a year.

A lot of young professionals making $80k or $90k a year living in the burbs are living a lot closer to paycheck to paycheck then I'd be comfortable with.

The Cities and Towns are the problem, arbitrary zoning requirements drive the costs of house lots and home 🏡 building costs....

Abolish municipal zoning and construction will flourish 

6 hours ago, Highmark said:

Plenty but a kid doesn't have to be useless to not be able to afford a new house today.

My small town I feel the COL is in the lower quintile or at least half in America.   To build a very reasonable home in my area including lot is tough for under $350-$400K.  Young couples have very little other choice than to build because the $150-$250K older starter homes are few and far between. 

Housing costs is an issue today.  My first home was a decent 3 br 1200 Sq ft ranch (main floor only basement was finished as well) with two car garage.   Had a nice big back yard with a nice deck as well.  We were so excited when we bought that home for $78K in 1995.  We were 25 and had rented up to that point.  Counting for inflation that $78K is equivalent to $164K today.  In my area today you could sell a house a week like that to younger people or couples.   If something like that comes available today its usually $220-$250K.  Maybe 3-5 at best come for sale like that.     

You probably won't believe me but, I bought my 1st. home when I was married to my 1st. wife..a 2-1/2 story 4 bedroom on a 2,300 acre lake for $4,000 cash.

Picture of it.

here, somebody hold my beer..........

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/controversial-salary-increase-draws-large-crowd-to-pleasant-valley-school-board-meeting-monroe-county-james-konrad/523-77cc6c94-acb8-4cbb-8df4-9475ee5a1b18

100% of all the Cops in the Town of Hayward quit.

4 hours ago, racinfarmer said:

To do so on one income, or two lower incomes, makes things extremely challenging, then toss "hidden" costs such as a HOA fee and Mortgage Insurance, high closing costs (if the seller isn't willing to include), etc. and it all and overwhelm someone making $60-70-80k a year.

A lot of young professionals making $80k or $90k a year living in the burbs are living a lot closer to paycheck to paycheck then I'd be comfortable with.

The point I’m trying to make is 1st time home ownership has always required sacrifice for most people. Agreed, it’s more difficult today. Yet owning a home locks a person into a predictable level of housing cost. Those poor bastards who are renting have no idea what they’ll be paying in 3-5 years. I had a conversation with the two of them over Christmas. They’re smart enough to know that there will be some suffering for the next couple of years. After that it’ll smooth out. They also understand the fluid nature of interest rates. So in a couple of years they could refinance and actually be paying less in fixed housing costs while enjoying pay raises along the way. Meanwhile the renter will be experiencing 10-20% increases in housing costs with zero equity.