ATTENTION JULY FILERS!

[Arrta 1]

Everyone,

My friend would like to join our Visa Journey but shes living in an apartment here in California.

Can she petition her fiance even though shes living in an apartment?

I'm certain this is not a rare case.

Thank for the help.

HD

I live in an apartment in CA too. Your friend can file, it's not a problem.

I am prepaired to have fun poked at me.. I'm stil living with my parents. I plan on having a house, or apartment, ready for Charry and I to move into for when she gets here. Perferably a house.

Hehe - Jeremy lives with his aunt in a trailer so I am sure an apartment would be quite cushtie Don't get me wrong - his aunt is a very sweet lady but she has no concept of words like "clean" and "hygeine"... Not good!! Jeremy is going to try and get us a place before I come out - we would like a house but are looking to get an apartment at first so we can try and rent and save then get a house with a mortgage or if at all possible, build our own...

Who knows what the future holds?!

Yes I loke this option too.I even have the home picked out already.

I live in massachusettes. It costs almost the same to rent as it would for a mortgage over here, on the right priced house that is. I have been looking at foreclosures as possibilities due to the cost of housing in the area thou.

As an example of the difference in the cost of home prices over the years.

My mothers parents paid $8,000 for their home. Not sure when exactly, but my mom lived there with them and her brother until she moved out. She was born in 48.

My parents bought our current house in 78, they paid $48,000.

So if you look at this, in 30 years housing costs increased by $40,000 not bad.

Now think about this, if I wanted to buy either of these homes from them it would be impossible for me. The going rate for both of these homes now with all the additions that were done. Porch, 2 car garrage, patio, and pool on my grandparents and finished porch, finished half basement, 2 car garrage, and a deck. I would be paying upwards of $350,000!!!!

Since I work with people all over the country in my support position I have talked to them about home costs in different areas. Chile California is almost as expensive as Massachusetts, everywhere else is in the vicinity of like $150k on average.

[Jeraly 4]

Wow - we couldn't get a house like that for that price in the UK!!!

I'm not that big on a ranch with animals - just a nice big house with a lot of land that I can grow fruit and veg on, plant a little orchard, make a nice garden area... would be lovely

And yeah - we're hoping that by renting somewhere cheap to start, we can put the spare *coughs* (if there is any) money towards saving for our dream home If we can ever get there... ahh - I can't wait

[mox 298]

Wow - we couldn't get a house like that for that price in the UK!!!

I'm not that big on a ranch with animals - just a nice big house with a lot of land that I can grow fruit and veg on, plant a little orchard, make a nice garden area... would be lovely

And yeah - we're hoping that by renting somewhere cheap to start, we can put the spare *coughs* (if there is any) money towards saving for our dream home If we can ever get there... ahh - I can't wait

If you can at all afford even a teeny-tiny little home when you get here, buy it. You won't see housing prices like this in the US again for decades, and when the prices of houses does go up they will outpace your ability to save. Get into whatever you can get into as soon as you can get into it, and then sell when the market gets better.

[CBR 0]

Excellent advice Mox! I saw a news special on tv showing a neighborhood in CA where 2 in 3 houses are in foreclosure. It's like a ghost town. Very sad. I am wondering where all these people are living now. Rent? Mine is in foreclosure (divorce aftermath) so I'll be renting this spring, ugh!

[Jeraly 4]

Yeah - I want to buy as soon as we can really - thing is, never having a mortgage before in the UK I have no knowledge really of how it all works- I have some basic theory but that is about it. Buying a house in the US is going to be a steep learning curve!! I don't know what to look for, where to look... I would *love* a mortgage as soon as poss but still.. I don't know how realistic that is because we dont' have much of a deposit at all... only a little money I have managed to scrape together myself over the years...

[mox 298]

Yeah - I want to buy as soon as we can really - thing is, never having a mortgage before in the UK I have no knowledge really of how it all works- I have some basic theory but that is about it. Buying a house in the US is going to be a steep learning curve!! I don't know what to look for, where to look... I would *love* a mortgage as soon as poss but still.. I don't know how realistic that is because we dont' have much of a deposit at all... only a little money I have managed to scrape together myself over the years...

Start with a good realtor even if you don't think you can afford a place for a year or more. And don't just find a realtor from the internet or something, get a referral from one of Jeremy's family/friends. Realtors are licensed per-state, so they have to be able to sell in California. Then have that realtor work with a lender he/she trusts to figure out your financial and credit situation. Given the reasons for the recent housing slump (lenders lending more money than the borrower can reasonable pay back) don't expect them to be generous on a loan. But you may find that qualifying will be easier. Then when you get to a point where you are ready to buy, go back to your realtor and buy through them.

[a-jeanne 2]

Great advice Mox! Phil has purchased another house in the UK and we are in the process of buying one here in the US. There are a lot of differences - that's for sure!

Housing prices are at their all time low right now and most houses can be purchased with little or no money down. It's a buyers market. Have fun!

[Jeraly 4]

Yeah I know it makes sense to get on the property ladder as soon as but it just seems so... unattainable? We don't have a lot of money and I just don't see how we can do it until we are both working... As for realtors... heh - Jeremy's family are pretty "nomadic". Apart from his aunt. She lives on a trailer park. His other family? They'll take what they can get So getting advice from them is kind of a no-no... a mortgage to them is something that rich people have

[mox 298]

Yeah I know it makes sense to get on the property ladder as soon as but it just seems so... unattainable? We don't have a lot of money and I just don't see how we can do it until we are both working... As for realtors... heh - Jeremy's family are pretty "nomadic". Apart from his aunt. She lives on a trailer park. His other family? They'll take what they can get So getting advice from them is kind of a no-no... a mortgage to them is something that rich people have

Maybe his friends then, or co-workers, or... I think you'd be really surprised at what you can afford, and when you can afford it. Especially in this market. And if you can't afford anything right now then at least they'll give you a target to aim for.

[bakofoil 27]

...all of us recent July approvees.

Oh great... rub it in why don't 'cha

Well I only ever intended to be helpful. My NOA2 is very new and many July filers are well past the stage we're at. I apologise if pointing the finger at the latest July approvals was upsetting for you but my intention was definitely to spread the message to all remaining July filers that there is a board (set up for August and September filers) where we can find the help we need (without scrolling back through weeks of posts). I certainly hope you will be joining us there soon.

[StillThePrettiest 3]

Jeraly, I'll also just add: coming from the UK you almost can't help but be pleasantly surprised in the US... I know it varies wildly from place to place, but you can get GREAT homes there for what just seems like an impossibly low price, when you're used to the UK housing market

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Jeraly, I'll also just add: coming from the UK you almost can't help but be pleasantly surprised in the US... I know it varies wildly from place to place, but you can get GREAT homes there for what just seems like an impossibly low price, when you're used to the UK housing market

especially if youre paying with pounds

[StillThePrettiest 3]

definitely! but even if you're not, the conversion is just great; I tell my UK friends that David paid the equivalent of around £49,000 for his house (three bedrooms, double garage, massive garden, all new inside, including kitchen etc) and their eyes almost bug out of their heads

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

definitely! but even if you're not, the conversion is just great; I tell my UK friends that David paid the equivalent of around £49,000 for his house (three bedrooms, double garage, massive garden, all new inside, including kitchen etc) and their eyes almost bug out of their heads

yea, well most things like that sound absurd to me also...im from new york city

the prices here are probably a little more of what youre used to (aka absolutely absurd)

[StillThePrettiest 3]

oh, same in Sydney... where, unfortunately, I have a mortgage

however, there has to be SOME advantage to moving from one of the most amazing cities in the world to HOUSTON

and at the moment, the insanely cheap cost of living is it

(apart from my SO, of course )