Keeping Up With the Joneses - Part I

So, for the past few years, probably five or so, more and more of my friends and peers, and even people who report up to me at work (so, I'd consider them non-peers) have been buying homes at purchase price points ranging from $700,000 to a million.

I find this phenomenon strange, but also incredibly alluring.

Let's start with an analysis of these folks.   I will start with the ones who started this trend, and I do believe there is a somewhat contagious trend among friends that equates to keeping up with the Joneses.  The ones who started the trend, in my humble opinion, likely made smarter choices.

1.  It started with my friend Mary, all names changed to protect the innocent, and her husband George.  Back in 2011, they actually got a great deal and paid mid $500s for a home that is now likely worth close to $800,000.  They bought a 5000 square foot McMansion in a better school district, they have a small child, with 5 bedrooms, 4 baths in a new development.  Their family consists of 3 people and they do not plan to have any more children so this is a house bigger than they need.  Their real estate taxes are more than $8000.  They took out a $400,000 mortgage.  Five years later they are putting in a pool.  The house they sold they had owned since 2002 and they made about $50,000 profit when they sold it.  They were buying in a buyers market due to the 2008 real estate crash which means they were also selling in a buyers market.

Mary is in the same profession as I am, I assume she makes similar money to me.  Her husband is in law enforcement.  While he makes less money, he has a great pension that will be coming to him (and soon) such that their retirement savings is less crucial.  I have one other friend who will have a federal pension, but she cannot collect said pension until closer to traditional retirement age.  George will be able to start collecting his pension in less than 10 years and his pension is for life.  As a result, they don't have to save as much for retirement.

2.  Jennifer and Alan were next.  They are a dual income, professional, couple.  Both are in the same profession I am in.  They have three kids.

In 2012 they bought a 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath, 5000 square foot home.  It also has a 2000 square foot out building (with air conditioning) and a pool.  They bought the home for $775,000 (the prior owner had bought it for $800,000 so, again, it was likely a good buy) and it is likely worth close to a million now.  Taxes are $14,000 a year.  They took on a $620,000 mortgage.  Later they took on a $35,000 home equity loan.

They held onto their prior house for a couple of years, while the Florida real estate market improved (likely a smart move), and they later sold it in 2015 for a $265,000 profit.  I don't believe they took that profit and reduced or refinanced the mortgage on their current home, rather before they sold their prior home they put it into a trust and I assume the profits also went into that trust.    

They have engaged in a variety of real estate and trust maneuvers in the last few years.  This is probably because Alan also bought an office building and they are creating protection for their other assets.

Does it sound like I'm stalking my friends' personal business??  Well I guess I am.  All of this information, at least in Florida, is public record and readily accessible on line.  I also am learning from what they are doing, and that is both positive and negative (more on that later).

Aspirational Housing

Great article by author Michael Lewis of The Blind Side fame regarding the perils of expensive housing.  Even a very rich man like Michael Lewis couldn't keep up with renting a landmark mansion in his home town.  Mr. Lewis' fun essay also documents the hidden costs of utilities, maintenance and furnishings for a much larger house.  

I'm in a phase right now where many of my friends are selling their first or second home and upgrading into McMansion world.  It is somewhat surreal for my husband and I to visit our friends/peers who have moved from reasonable rancher to gated community McMansion.  Some of them bought during Florida's real estate bubble deflation so they got good deals, but it is still a whole different world.  One of my friends, who moved into McMansion world in the last couple of years mentioned that she felt like she had to buy (or lease) a new car to keep up with her new neighbors.

My friends' homes are beautiful and sometimes its hard not to think envious thoughts about those new chef kitchens and especially the walk in closets.  But, I have no desire to take on that kind of debt.  I did have a refreshing conversation with a college friend recently and she is just a couple of years away from paying off her home in full.  Great motivation for me as not having a home mortgage is a goal that is always in the back of my mind.