TwoTankAmin
Fish Maniac
I am told our land and small (for this area) house is worth at least $1.5 million today. I find that hard to believe. But I am not in a city where prices are always high. I would bet there are not all that many 1/4 acre plots available in Cambridge. It has been decades since I was last there.
What I do know is my parent bought the 7.5 acres and built the main house and tennis court in 1961 for about $47.5 K. 10 years later they put in the second smaller building extended the decking to it and added a covered walkway between the buildings and a carport along side the addition.. 10 years after that they put in an in-ground 20x40 ft. pool. The pool and landscaping around it cost almost as much as the original package.
In winter we sometimes get to 0°F or a tad lower on occasion.
But the only way we might ever sell is if we need to move into senior care or if one of us dies. It is just my brother and me living here. That gives us two incomes which makes it barely affordable. Fortunately, I spent the last dozen+ years of my working life as a stock broker, financial planner and then a few years working in pension consulting for large corporations and municipalities. When a competing firm bought my division from the company, I was the first one to bail. In the end they got what they really wanted- the head consultant and the clients. 7 of the 8 people in the division either bailed or were let go within 18 months.
I make 86% of my income in retirement from investments. The rest comes from social security. I have been able to pay for all of my fish keeping spending from being able to sell the fish born in my tanks. I readily admit that I have been pretty lucky to be where I am at the final stage of my life. But it has been a somewhat rocky road at times getting here.
I say final because when I was born my life expectancy was put at 72-73 years and I am 78. I have COPD from 47 years of smoking before I quit. I had triple bypass in 2019 and I recently was diagnosed with Afib. As I see it I could go at any time or I could last for a bunch more years. I have good genes. Mom went at 96 and dad chose not to do dialysis or a transplant and his kidneys quit on him at age 86. His sister passed at age 101. I really believe my time keeping fish actually extended my lifespan. It has kept me both mentally and physically active the last 25+ years
So the fight is on between my bad habits and my good genes.
What I do know is my parent bought the 7.5 acres and built the main house and tennis court in 1961 for about $47.5 K. 10 years later they put in the second smaller building extended the decking to it and added a covered walkway between the buildings and a carport along side the addition.. 10 years after that they put in an in-ground 20x40 ft. pool. The pool and landscaping around it cost almost as much as the original package.
In winter we sometimes get to 0°F or a tad lower on occasion.
But the only way we might ever sell is if we need to move into senior care or if one of us dies. It is just my brother and me living here. That gives us two incomes which makes it barely affordable. Fortunately, I spent the last dozen+ years of my working life as a stock broker, financial planner and then a few years working in pension consulting for large corporations and municipalities. When a competing firm bought my division from the company, I was the first one to bail. In the end they got what they really wanted- the head consultant and the clients. 7 of the 8 people in the division either bailed or were let go within 18 months.
I make 86% of my income in retirement from investments. The rest comes from social security. I have been able to pay for all of my fish keeping spending from being able to sell the fish born in my tanks. I readily admit that I have been pretty lucky to be where I am at the final stage of my life. But it has been a somewhat rocky road at times getting here.
I say final because when I was born my life expectancy was put at 72-73 years and I am 78. I have COPD from 47 years of smoking before I quit. I had triple bypass in 2019 and I recently was diagnosed with Afib. As I see it I could go at any time or I could last for a bunch more years. I have good genes. Mom went at 96 and dad chose not to do dialysis or a transplant and his kidneys quit on him at age 86. His sister passed at age 101. I really believe my time keeping fish actually extended my lifespan. It has kept me both mentally and physically active the last 25+ years
So the fight is on between my bad habits and my good genes.
