Sometimes I wonder what I would do if I had to do it all over again.

One of the things I do believe I would not do is own a home.

I might live in an apartment or on board a boat, maybe an RV or something but I don't think I would own a fixed home as such. It's too much of an anchor and leaves one in a fixed location. It's also somewhat risky as moving entails selling it.

Neighborhoods and areas change. They go up and down. I have no desire to live in CA, MD, MA, NY, CT or NJ for example. To me they are places rapidly on the way to becoming third world shit holes. 

I suppose while I could manage to sell out of these places now, I imagine I'd have to plan well ahead and pay attention to avoid winding up with what happened to a lot of people in Detroit. They couldn't sell their homes at any price because things went downhill too far and too fast.

A year or two back I saw where someone traded an older SUV for an entire house. Looking at it, I don't know who got the better deal.

One of the alternatives to owning a regular home is to build one of those tiny homes inexpensively and if things get bad simply abandon the damned thing. Of course, finding a lot to rent would probably he a hassle.

I do know a guy that has gone this route out in high desert country and seems content. The deal for him is that he outright bought the lot for a fairly inexpensive price. Actually he's pretty much off the grid as he grows his own electricity and made some kind of deal to get a well dug.

While I suppose he could afford to bail out and leave it all behind, the likelihood of having to do so is pretty slim as he isn't really in or near any serious kind of metropolitan area. 

Then again this guy doesn't have a wife and six kids, either. He can comfortably live in a small place. 

I suppose if I had to do it again I would probably get roped into the home ownership business again but you can bet your boots I'd pay pretty damned close attention to the state of the neighborhood like I do now.

Right now my neighborhood is in somewhat of a state of minor upheaval. It really isn't a whole lot to worry about yet. One of the neighbors has moved and another one has gotten older and is having health issues. I am wondering who will move in.

Of course, the neighborhood home values have constantly risen and it is still a good place to live. Whoever moves in is going to have to cough up a healthy sum. I suppose that's good enough for me but I will miss having the couple across the street as neighbors.

Truth is I really don't know what I would do if I had to start over again. 






To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY