It was fun while it lasted...

I know, right.

Yeah, one could easily think this to be true. The reality is, I’m a great neighbor and my house and yard are immaculate and I help with snow removal and other typical stuff. I also have the greatest cat that everyone loves. My only discretion is doing a burnout from time to time in drive way but the kids love it.

 

Honestly, I truly think their generation simply doesn’t care or didn’t have to become mechanically skilled in order to keep things going etc. Rather, they simply throw away and re buy. They make good money and don’t mess with things. Can’t tell you how many small engine carbs I cleaned on weedwhackers and push mowers. I also have a bench grinder so sharpening mower blades when I’m out in garage is no big deal. Free beer is free beer, I’m not choosy.

 

It’s definitely a new dynamic for me to experience. How does anyone not have tools to at least do a simple oil change. I don’t know why, but it blows my mind. I was never exposed to anything else while growing up, Dad fixed or repaired everything. I also have three or four neighbors a few houses over who pay for their lawn to be mowed. Third acre lots. Postage stamp size plus it’s free exercise and they pay for it, I think that’s crazy.

 

I'm in that age bracket you mentioned in your first post. Tbh, living in Chicago burbs, I never had the chance to work on anything mechanical outside of my road bicycle when I raced in high school. In retrospect, I would have taken some of the mechanic classes they offered in high school but never bothered as I didn't want to be a mechanic or engineer at the time.

I do a decent amount of work on my bikes now, but man am I slow doing it. It's very rewarding, but I don't have a lot of mechanical intuition.

 

The house directly behind mine is $1.2mil so your premise is false as well.

 

That's obviously a $1.5 million house.

 

I grew up in Illinois and moved our yard. I moved toTexas and when I bought a house, I bought a mower, edger, weed eater, etc.

Now in California, I pay someone like most of my neighbors do. It's $115 per month and they come every week, fertilize 1-2 times a year and trim all the bushes, etc. It's a good sized lot out here, but small for back there.

 

So like… if I sold my house last year after my principal value almost tripled, paid off all my debt, and have been stacking cash to buy… how long do I hold out. Two, three years? I’m in a good spot so I’m in no rush to buy, but I cleaned up a ton, and I mean a ton of bad money decisions from my 20’s so I’m hoping I can capitalize.

earnest thoughts?

 

Im on about .2 acres. Paid someone to cut it the last few yrs but fired him because he liked to weedeat the shit out of my planters.

Now i have a self propelled mower and it makes it easy.

 

.2 acres you could do with a pair of fucking scissors.

 

I got one of my rentals like that. A family member of the listing agent was selling it from an estate, and she told them I was a family guy building a nest egg, and they dropped all of the other offers and went with my non cash offer. Sweet little house too.

 

I'm on .54 of an acre.

Never once have I mowed or strimmed a lawn.
I hate wasting water and only water potted plants.
Once I'm a while I'll take up the podacarpus tree leaves.

 

Ive been looking for a cheap Snapper to show up on CL. I need one hand for beer, cant do a zero turn mower.

 

I know facetious when I see it.

 

IIRC, you have two years to buy a new place or you will get hit with capital gains tax.

Also look into 1031 exchanges. Here's the first link Google showed me:

https://www.realized1031.com/1031-exchange-rules

 

If I take care of it for you, could I bring my hot tub and track bikes and live in your garage?

 

I'm not close enough to your little slice of heaven, Monarch Beach. You would be slummin, if you stay at my place.

 

Maybe you can take them under your wing and give them some masculine mentorship. Make em your runner for grabbing tools until they learn all the names, then start talking them through what you're doing. Maybe you'll rub off on some of em.