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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    South Bend, IN
    Posts
    199

    Default Retirement Planning

    Just looking for some opinions from those who are smarter with money than I I have a pension through my job as well as a retirement account that I put money into. The wife and I have been looking at a small cottage on our favorite lake here in the area. With the stock market doing as crappy as it has been doing, we have been thinking about cutting back on putting money into the retirement account and going ahead and purchasing this small cottage. The amount we put into the retirement account is equivalent to a house payment. Speaking with the "financial advisor" with the company we use at work for the retirement accounts obviously doesn't want us to cut back on our investing and keep maintaing. I was thinking with the way the housing market is right now that it wouldn't be a bad investment not to mention we would use it constantly from April-October for boating. I have AT LEAST another 20 years before I can retire and start collecting my pension. Any thoughts or opinions would be great.
    2009 Moomba XLV

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Pearland Texas
    Posts
    191

    Default

    We too are thinking along the same lines. We have been looking at buying a piece of land on the river and building a metal building with a living quarters in the corner of it(1200-1500sf).. We have some friends that have done this and it is nice as heck. So we are looking at cutting back on what goes into the retirement fund and putting it towardfs something we can have paid off and own outright when we both retire in say 20yrs...
    Chris H.
    2012 Mojo
    Wake Life

    WS420sq,4 Rev8's,JL Amps,2-TypeR 12's,6-Interior Kicker, Green/White LED

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Springfield Missouri
    Posts
    3,391

    Default

    If you know where you want to retire then I would recommend getting the property as the value should outpace the market and you have 20 years to build up your nest egg. A lot of things can happen in 20 years but you can't plan for the unplanned. When you get pay raises reward yourself but take a portion each time and put back into investments. Don't expect your purchase to be an investment for retirement but in 20 years it probably will be.

    If I only knew where I plan to live when I retire then I would have bought about three years ago.
    1998 Mobius
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Snellville, GA & Lake Sinclair
    Posts
    8,419

    Default

    Make no mistakes about it, a second home is an EXPENSE. You can convince yourself and/or justify anything you purchase and I did the same as you are thinking with the purchase of our lakehouse. Based on an appraisal done last year when we refinanced, I have lost 10% from the purchase price. Additionally, I have put time, energy and money into various improvements. We've also purchased many toys that are all depreciating every day that they sit.

    So, unless we again see the heyday of real estate, consider a lakehouse an investment in family & friends and great memories. NOTHING MORE may come of it and, for us, that is OK.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Keuka Lake, NY
    Posts
    7,692

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wolfeman131 View Post
    Make no mistakes about it, a second home is an EXPENSE. You can convince yourself and/or justify anything you purchase and I did the same as you are thinking with the purchase of our lakehouse. Based on an appraisal done last year when we refinanced, I have lost 10% from the purchase price. Additionally, I have put time, energy and money into various improvements. We've also purchased many toys that are all depreciating every day that they sit.

    So, unless we again see the heyday of real estate, consider a lakehouse an investment in family & friends and great memories. NOTHING MORE may come of it and, for us, that is OK.



    Drew makes some good points. taxes utilities upkeep etc.
    Its all a trade off, but to think your buying an investment in a second home can be dangerous. look at Florida for example.

    FWIW the stock market (s&p 500 )is up 13.50% through Aug, 18 % YOY and 13.5 average of 3 yrs and 6.5% avg over the last 10yrs.

    does not feel like it but the amrkets are doing ok.
    A Day at the Lake...Priceless
    A Day in Powder...Endless


    Joe V
    2012 Möbius XLV~ Loaded & Exiled
    2007 Outback V ~ sold

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Cottage Grove, MN
    Posts
    780

    Default

    I think about it like this....your home(s) is/are your home(s), your investments are your investments....be careful not to confuse the two. At best, a second home is a forced savings (with a negative return), but something you can sell later to get some cash back. Over the long term, very few homes actually have a positive return once you factor in taxes, upkeep and utilities. At the end of the day, if you want it and can afford it, buy it.
    2006 Outback V - Gone
    2008 LSV - Gone
    2013 other brand

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Central Wisconsin
    Posts
    293

    Default

    as the cool-hip teens like to say "YOLO"

    Buy it!
    -Ryan
    twitter.com/WakeVideos
    2000 Mobius V
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Vancouver, WA
    Posts
    5,456

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Lawdog View Post
    With the stock market doing as crappy as it has been doing, we have been thinking about cutting back on putting money into the retirement account and going ahead and purchasing this small cottage.
    Not to squash your dreams but maybe this can help to put that in a different perspective if you are talking about equities. You all believe in buy low, sell high right? With the stock market doing crappy guess what you're doing each time you add $ to your plan(s)....

    I used to tell people that when their funds/companies are down it's like a sale. Would you rather wait until they jump up 20% higher and then buy? Didn't think so. This is if we're talking strong companies/funds, not crackpot get-rich-quick gambles.

    Then again you may want to jump on that cottage and enjoy it as much as you can up until Dec 20 because the next day will...
    So when is this "old enough to know better" supposed to kick in?

    2001 MobiusV - Slightly Modified...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Wichita,Ks
    Posts
    279

    Default

    We bit the Bullit last July 2011. Could not pass up the Great Deal we got on our place. Think about the Doubles too before you take the plunge
    Insurance times 2
    Payments
    Taxes
    Utilities
    Lawn
    It was worth it for us. We spend so much more time better lake because we have the place.
    Good luck on Decision
    Rick
    2002 Moomba Mobius V

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Lockport, IL/Cloverdale, MI
    Posts
    185

    Default

    This is the 5th year for our lake house/cottage. We love it....but... the travel time, the upkeep of two homes, taxes, insurance, etc are both physically and financially draining. We are lucky enough to afford it, but once/if that changes we will need to decide which place to sell, not looking forward to that day.
    2008 Outback V

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