The Off Topic Topic

[HVC]

There was a whole thing here in Ontario Recently where a Pitbull was held by animal services since they're illegal here. The argument was the it was an "American Bully", which is basically a American Pit Bull Terrier crossed with other breeds of bulldog.  it got released after a petition and people complaining online. Anyway, shortly after being released it attacked a kid. People are stupid.

[Duque de Bragança]

We use it with a similar meaning over here. Something "decaffeinated" is something bland, unremarkable.

That's rich, from Spain, not Colombia, with their milky coffee tradition. 

[Razgovory]

Rimworld had an expansion that allowed you to create religions and ideologies.

This is what happens when you let me design a philosophy:

"I found them among the ashes: Blackened, charred remains that were disfigured beyond recognition. It was sad, but I had warned them that you never really come together with someone until you eat them. Obsessive doesn't even begin to describe my love for cake. I'll even fight little children if I have to."

  - <i>Life of a Bloody Frog-Hunter</i> by Tazren 'Taz' Roberts

"In all my years studying religion, I learned one lesson that stands over all: Fishing is a hard job. Fishing at night. Rain. Day, night. You have to be wise and smart. And quick.. It was only when I cut out my followers' eyes that they truly understood that."

  - <i>Holy Papacy</i> by Marinata 'Marin' Jones

"For the first few years, prancing naked in the park was embarrassing. But later, it became freeing. I learned things from the people who passed. For example - we need priests to guide the human spirit, even if it turns out there are no gods. Wanting to be unknown, unpossessed by others' knowledge of you. That is freedom."

  - <i>Thoughts of a Community Cook</i> by Amelia Happ

"I never knew anything when I was fat and happy and constantly pleasuring myself. This truth only came to me when I starved and hurt: Only through absolute subservience to our leader will we achieve our goals. A poor man is a defenseless man, and the Rim is not a place for weaklings."

  - <i>Awoken Imperial Sovereignty</i> by Zoe Sarandon

"In my daily visitations with the horse I learned to truly listen to them. Over and over, in their own way, they repeated their message to me: I love going out. I love partying. Yeah, that's it. You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."

  - <i>Reflections by a Real Fungus Grower</i> by Aubrey 'Aubs' Angst

"My experiments with insectoids were extensive and thorough. After many years of toiling I came to the conclusion that the reason we suffer so much is because we deserve it for what we've done. And dude, this was a serious trip, figuring that out, but I'm glad I did, and I'll pass the smoke to you so you can too."

  - <i>Reflections by a Surface Scavenger</i> by Thomas 'Tom' Heenan

"You can't have witnessed a sunrise, or looked into the eyes of a lion, or stood beneath a mighty willow, and not realized that they absolutely must not be confused or contaminated by the minority or well-known, anti-social individuals and complainers, who grumble about their suspended comforts. This is the fact we need to spread, for the fate of oneself is reflected upon the heavens."

  - <i>Stars</i> by Oleg Mathis

[Josquius]

Most of the people I'm working with at my new London job except the very young interns and junior folk seem to have houses.
I have come to the conclusion the talk of difficulty getting housing in London is all a lie.
Anyrhing I have heard previously is a complete conspiracy.

Either that or I'm underpaid

Or they have middle class parents.

I don't know them that well but I suspect that isn't the case for the majority.
Rich partners maybe.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah it depends what you mean by "have" houses. If they own them (with mortgage) then that is unusual and probaby does rely on family and inheritances. I think the challenge I have, which I don't think it unusual isn't necessarily the cost of a mortgage but saving up for a deposit which is where family help/inheritances come in in a big way.

But median salary in London is about £40k so a couple on junior graduate salaries, especially in an in-demand sector, will probably earn something like £50-60k as a household which is enough to rent a nice one bed flat in zone 3+.

Obviously there are many people (including key workers) on lower wages where it is far more difficult - but if we're talking junior grads.

Also it could just be the standard story from those "this Millenial bought a house by not spending money on avocados and matcha lattes" - because whenever you read those they either got tens of thousands of pounds (as a loan maybe) from family, or they lived with their parents rent-free/minimal rent for 5-10 years And yes, if I didn't have to pay rent, I could pretty easily and quickly save up a deposit too.

[Josquius]

The living with their parents to save up factor could well be the case for some of them, they are Londoners.
Some of the others are immigrants however. Its a mystery.

[Sheilbh]

Do they own their houses?

[Zanza]

You guys should have picked richer parents.

[Syt]

Chancellor Kurz said a few years ago that if people are worried about being able to afford rent later in life they should buy property now.

Personally, I did the math, and if I get a medium loan to be paid off over 30 years (at the end of which I'll be 75), the monthly installments are significantly higher than any rent I can expect to pay in the next 20+ years.

[Sheilbh]

Chancellor Kurz said a few years ago that if people are worried about being able to afford rent later in life they should buy property now.

Personally, I did the math, and if I get a medium loan to be paid off over 30 years (at the end of which I'll be 75), the monthly installments are significantly higher than any rent I can expect to pay in the next 20+ years.

This is the thing that really annoys me about London - if I had a mortgage on my place the monthly cost would be the same/lower as my rent.

It's just getting to the 10% deposit that's the challenge

[Duque de Bragança]

Chancellor Kurz said a few years ago that if people are worried about being able to afford rent later in life they should buy property now.

Personally, I did the math, and if I get a medium loan to be paid off over 30 years (at the end of which I'll be 75), the monthly installments are significantly higher than any rent I can expect to pay in the next 20+ years.

This is the thing that really annoys me about London - if I had a mortgage on my place the monthly cost would be the same/lower as my rent.

It's just getting to the 10% deposit that's the challenge

Housing bubbles need some kind of catch, come on. 

[Josquius]

Do they own their houses?

Haven't asked outright but from their talk about doing up the attic and such it sounds it.

[Tamas]

10% deposit still mean you must pay out of your ears for 20+ years. Ideally you want much more for deposit.

My problem with relying on renting lifelong -apart from the insecurity of being able to whatever rent prices will be in non-crime ridden terrible areas by the time I am retired- is that in the UK at least the renter is seemingly considered a serf that should be grateful for the roof over their heads and just shut up.

That is exaggeration of course but not by a whole lot and is partially driven by market forces. But bigger issues aside, you can't really renovate/redecorate your home, fucking estate agents come in regularly checking on you if you are a well-behaved little serf, they insist on 12-month contracts with one-month notice periods for both renter and landlord, etc. It is no way to live a whole life.

[Tamas]

Do they own their houses?

Haven't asked outright but from their talk about doing up the attic and such it sounds it.

Living rent free with parents and having them as support is a massive, massive difference. It was something to come to terms with when I immigrated and something I guess I still haven't come to terms with  when it comes to what I consider acceptable quality in properties I am to shell out inordinate amounts of money for. Namely that although I had a white collar/lower middle class income back in Hungary as well as here (relatively - I'd be an upper middle class mofo if I could earn my British wage in Hungary), the big difference was that in Hungary I could rely on the solidly middle-middle class environment (wealth, contacts etc) created by my parents.

[Syt]

A big issue in Austria is that a lot of rentals are for 3-5 years only which allows landlords to adjust rents upwards more easily between tenants and also prevents stronger protections for long term tenants from kicking in.

Open term contracts exist, but are less than half of advertised rental properties, and usually they are more expensive or for less desirable properties.

Realistically, I aim for a Genossenschaftswohnung. Those are apartments where you make a larger down payment up front (rarely more than 50k), but you get a greatly reduced rent, get an open term contract and usually get the option to buy the place later (though generally at market prices, no real discount there).