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Bernadette E. Kazmarski's avatar

Twenty-nine years old and single I decided the best way for me to save money was to buy a house and in 1990 found a small "carpenter's special" for $31,600. Mortgage payment was one-third of the rent I'd been paying, $455, something I could pay if I lost my full-time job (with the economy here in Pittsburgh at the time something that had happened four times already since college graduation) and was only waiting tables (which I was already doing part time). Note--initial interest rate was 10.5%! County bond money and first-time buyer money each took 1% off that interest rate, but I would have bought the house anyway. I could and did do all the small repairs. This would be my starter home so I could move to the old farmhouse on land that I'd always wanted as I did whatever self-employed work I'd be doing. I've been self-employed as a commercial and fine artist for a few days shy of 25 years, but I'm still in the little house, and that's okay. Those were the days. Not possible anymore.

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Untrickled by Michelle Teheux's avatar

I’d love to see pics

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Bernadette E. Kazmarski's avatar

Can we send photos in replies?

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Untrickled by Michelle Teheux's avatar

Write a whole post!

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Bernadette E. Kazmarski's avatar

I’ve actually written several on the anniversary of my closing day through the years on my other blogs. That’s October 19. Maybe when my front yard garden is looking nice this spring or we have a good snow, something that would make a nice photo, I’ll do another.

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Greg Sanford's avatar

My first house, 900 sq ft bungalow, 1974, 36,000.

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Carl Selfe's avatar

You are dead-on right, Michelle. The inequality has to be addressed in the new platform. There is a need for “Equality” on many fronts. That is what I labeled that leg of the platform. I called it Equality to look at it in a positive light as if it is something we are going to build together. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/create-a-platform-for-all?r=3m1bs

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