Retire in ten years

[Marc]

None of that really sounds a big shocker -- it sounds like what most people would do if they retire. The question is how to attain it. In most cities in the world, it is extremely difficult. If you have kids, 1000x more difficult (per child).

This.
My partner and I have 5 between us, from 5-16. She has a very well paid job, but retirement is going to be anything but quiet. Or cheap.

[Blackfielding]

Surprisingly but the universe has been sending me some signals for the past 2 years or so that I should invest in something I believe that even this thread I found not accidentally Agree that 500k would be more than enough for investment. I have searched different info about stock markets, crypto, real estate market , etc And I fully realise that it it extremely hard to make the right choice because things in the world are so unstable My fellow real estate agent once told me that real estate market is one of the most predictable and you can always expect some profit. It is less than in crypto but at the same time it is far less risky. The question is where to get the launching $500 k
UPD: he said that this is a great option to acquire https://virtoproperty.com/property-for- ... e-valencia.

[Mischief Maker]

The question is where to get the launching $500 k

Prostitution.

[GaijinPunch]

My fellow real estate agent once told me that real estate market is one of the most predictable and you can always expect some profit.

Did he tell you that before or after the pandemic?

[Blackfielding]

My fellow real estate agent once told me that real estate market is one of the most predictable and you can always expect some profit.

Did he tell you that before or after the pandemic?

Before.
I need to talk to him again because definitely the situation could have changed due to the pandemic.

[Blackfielding]

The question is where to get the launching $500 k

Prostitution.

Are you a business coach?

[GaijinPunch]

My fellow real estate agent once told me that real estate market is one of the most predictable and you can always expect some profit.

Did he tell you that before or after the pandemic?

Before.
I need to talk to him again because definitely the situation could have changed due to the pandemic.

Well rents are down like 30-40% in high cost of living areas. Does that sound predictable?

[orange808]

Well rents are down like 30-40% in high cost of living areas. Does that sound predictable?

It depends. Is that California?

Rent is down just under 2% in the Denver metro area and that's very expensive. Why no big drop? Because, Denver doesn't suck.

Rents are falling in crappy ass places to live. People are working remotely, so they decided they didn't want to pay so much to live in shit. For instance, in New York City, rent prices are down just under 13% overall. Maybe the slum rat hole rooms are leading the trend while appealing flats continue to rise? Bad homes around bad places were destined to drop at some point. It makes sense. Not necessarily predictable, but it makes sense.

[GaijinPunch]

Denver metro area and that's very expensive. Why no big drop? Because, Denver doesn't suck.

Yeah I think I read a market analysis that used those exact terms. Denver is only expensive for Denver. If you're measuring COL indexes it's not a contender in the least. Chicago isn't really either to be fair despite being the 3rd post populous city in the cuntry and rent is down about 12% on average, a la NYC. You'd probably rate it as a shit hole though.

[orange808]

Denver metro area and that's very expensive. Why no big drop? Because, Denver doesn't suck.

Yeah I think I read a market analysis that used those exact terms. Denver is only expensive for Denver. If you're measuring COL indexes it's not a contender in the least. Chicago isn't really either to be fair despite being the 3rd post populous city in the cuntry and rent is down about 12% on average, a la NYC. You'd probably rate it as a shit hole though.

I always laughed. They called the metro area Chicagoland. It was like an amusement park where you get shot!

I think the Kennedy expressway is one of the Chinese hells. Even without traffic, it's terror. Almost got killed by pranksters throwing a rock on the hood of the car one night. It bounced and dented the roof. If it hits the windshield, I probably smash into the concrete overpass. Good times.

If you have a lot of money, almost any city is quite welcoming--both in country and abroad. Commute time is a necessary trade off for me, because I dislike crowds, riding the train, and I don't enjoy watching people urinate in the garden. I couldn't afford a proper loft downtown, anyhow.

I imagine people that secure a permanent remote work arrangement are abandoning some sort of unhappiness. It's more than bad neighborhoods. I think you're talking about San Francisco. The bubble has burst, it seems. I would argue that outsized living expenditures are shitty. Some of those losses are a market correction.

[GaijinPunch]

They still call it Chicagoland. And while it's not considered a safe city, it is a far cry from what it (and most big US cities were) during those lovely Reagan years. Detroit & STL are both more violent per capita and offer much less as far as cities go, while having basically the same horrible weather.

I think it's far more complex of an issue than just this and that... and a lot of it is still TBD. Not every company is going to jump on this WFH bandwagon. I welcome WFH but I would not be on a team that is not entirely remote. I would advise anyone concerned about their career to consider that as well. I think that dynamic will come to play a year or two after office start opening up. That being said, SF and NYC had huge rents for one reason: those cities sport huge salaries. Part of the lure is the convenience and city lifestyle at your finger tips. With that gone, why pay the huge rent? Loads of tech nerds bailed to save a few grand and play things by ear.

Anyway, that's all tangential. The point was talking about investing in real estate and it being predictable. On the contrary I think it's easy to lose your ass.

[Flashman]

I used to think I could make a living out of online poker, and that plan had less holes in it than this

Grinding away in my 12 hour shifts job, but I can pay the mortgage, buy all the gaming gear I want and occasionally get the other half something nice!

[Frenetic]

I highly recommend this book available free through the Internet Archive if you are having trouble deciding. It really explains Personal Finance/Investing in easier to follow and simpler terms.
https://archive.org/details/IWillTeachY ... 7/mode/2up

It's extremely easy to make the right choice. It's called a 3-fund portfolio. Folks that go start investing elsewhere without having a healthy 3-fund are objectively taking unnecessary risk and limiting their income at the same time.

Yep, I follow the Bogleheads 3 fund portfolio as well. Makes things way more simpler and easier to index invest rather than gambling and trying to pick the correct stocks but also that day to day tracking thing is not what I'm about. I love setting it and forgetting it. And here's an older but free version of that book: https://archive.org/details/bogleheadsguidet00lari_0

[scrilla4rella]

So were all saving for retirement right? Where are we putting it? The standard practice is to invest in diversified funds of stocks and bonds. The further you are away from retirement the larger your percentage of your retirement savings should go into stock funds over bond funds- blah, blah, blah...

You may have noticed that the stock market is currently bonkers. First of all it is and has been for sometime expensive af, even when adjusted for seasonal and short/medium term trends (see Shiller P/E ratio). More recently there are signs the market is about as rational as the 45th president. A WSJ analysis found that the best performing stocks this year were the ones with the cheapest share price.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-inves ... ajor_pos12

I suspect many of you all have automated regular investments. That’s great, but damn is it hard to build up the nerve to invest a lump sum in the current market.

[GaijinPunch]

While you are right, if you are saving for retirement that argument doesn't really mean much. You're investing for long term -- timing the market is almost impossible. That being said I've been caught w/ my pants down, and not in the good way: 2008 my savings got slashed and then I needed cash to stay afloat when my income shrank due to shitty shit.

[scrilla4rella]

You're investing for long term -- timing the market is almost impossible.

True. This is the classic Boggleheads position. Trying to time the market is a no-no. Over the long run fluctuations in price tend to even out. Also, if you were to have stopped investing after the pandemic hit you would have lost out big time.

I guess I'm just wondering what should happen after I've maxed out my tax-advantaged account (ROTH IRA, don't have a 401K unfortunately). Just more of the same index fund stuff I guess.

[GaijinPunch]

I guess I'm just wondering what should happen after I've maxed out my tax-advantaged account (ROTH IRA, don't have a 401K unfortunately). Just more of the same index fund stuff I guess.

HSA if you're able to get one... but not everyone is. Depends on your insurance provider.

I'd open a Fidelity account and invest in FXAIX. Apparently they have an even cheaper fund now which I need to check out.

[GaijinPunch]

> HSA if you're able to get one

I'd top the HSA first. It's triple tax advantaged, you never pay taxes on that money, ever. Retirement accounts after HSA. (assuming you have enough money to top the HSA and put elsewhere too. Only HSA and nothing anywhere else isn't meaningful.)

Only if you spend it on approved medical expenses. If you make withdrawals for anything else, it acts as normal income (like a 401k) after 65. Before 65, a big enough penalty you should never do it. Also, topping it up before the 401k is a bad plan if there is an employer match, which is quite common.

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah yeah, absolutely. I made a few wrong assumptions there about the average US income hence that part in parentheses edited in later.

I've heard of some weird plans out there. My 401k match is decent. I had one before though that was fucking primo so it's well missed. If you're company isn't going to match HSA may be the better route. Not sure I'd work at such a company though since it's so common these days! A friend was telling me about a company's ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan) that allows employees to buy stock with a 0% discount. Still not sure why they even bother.

[XtraSmiley]

Yeah yeah, absolutely. I made a few wrong assumptions there about the average US income hence that part in parentheses edited in later.

I've heard of some weird plans out there. My 401k match is decent. I had one before though that was fucking primo so it's well missed. If you're company isn't going to match HSA may be the better route. Not sure I'd work at such a company though since it's so common these days! A friend was telling me about a company's ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan) that allows employees to buy stock with a 0% discount. Still not sure why they even bother.

Maybe they could buy stock before the public could (before IPOs, before splits, during freezes, etc). Not sure what the benefit would be otherwise.

My wife works at a place that does match up to 5% for a 401k, however you have to be full time (40hrs or more) and she works there 30 hours... so yeah. I think other companies do this in regards to shaft people out of healthcare (only for full-time etc).

Anyway, I just bought another expensive PCB, so I guess retirement is put off another 6 months...

[GaijinPunch]

Maybe they could buy stock before the public could (before IPOs, before splits, during freezes, etc). Not sure what the benefit would be otherwise.

He was referencing publicly traded company's. I guess it does mitigate your risk if they let get out any time you want and give you the lower price of the start and end date like most do.

[scrilla4rella]

Thanks guys, I'm going to look into these. I have an HSA but didn't realize I could put that money into ETFs and such.

[GaijinPunch]

Thanks guys, I'm going to look into these. I have an HSA but didn't realize I could put that money into ETFs and such.

Just don't buy GME.
Note that for most HSA's (read, the two I've ever had) you need to have a minimum of a grand in there to be able to invest.

[scrilla4rella]

It took all of my will power to resist a making a $GME joke

[GaijinPunch]

https://twitter.com/avalonpenrose/statu ... 3938201600

[scrilla4rella]

That's pretty good. It popped up on my twitter feed earlier I but didn't bother watching it until now. Reminds me of the second-hand news reporter on the Weekend Update. "so you heard about that Gaddafi of the Rings?"