Comic relief

A visit to Southern California wouldn't be complete without self-torture by real estate.  I've seen two-bedroom, one-bath houses advertised at over $800K.  How about one-bedroom condos for $300K? Or maybe that "starter home" for $500K?  Let's not forget the studio for $200K.*  Oi.   "I'm never, nevvverrr going to be able to move back to California," I wail.  ("Not unless we give you a house," my mother comments.  "We don't have a house to give her," my father points out.  "Right.  You're not coming back to California.")  Yes, in upstate NY, we've got $800K houses--it's just that they're 4000 sq. ft. mansions on 6 acres with horse barns and an in-ground pool.  Even a $200K house is one serious chunk of real estate.  My own house would easily bring over $500K in CA (more if I managed to miraculously transplant the .29 acre lot along with it); the price I paid for it wouldn't even buy a semi-collapsed garage out here.

While I agree that I, as a singleton, enjoy considerably more mobility than the average academic couple, there's one catch: mobile in what direction, exactly? Given average salaries for bottom-rung associate professors, I couldn't afford to buy a house in any major city--or, indeed, many minor cities. For that matter, I couldn't afford to buy a condo in many major cities; Chicago is one of the few cities that the books** and I could probably swing (she says, looking wistfully in Chicago's direction).  Heck, there are cities where even renting would be out of the question.  I mention this because Chris Barnett's recent column about money presumed families, and while singletons vs. couples sniping is one of those things up with which I will not put, I think it's important to remember that a single academic's mobility is a slightly illusory phenomenon.***  It's not as though the landlord will cut the rent in half, let alone the mortgage company. 

*--I know, from personal experience, that it's possible to fit 3,000 books into a studio apartment.  Of course, it takes all available wall space, the closets, and a bunch of bookcases in the middle of the floor, but it can be done.  5,000 books, though, stretches the available space a bit, although I suppose it could be done if I built library stacks and eliminated all furniture except for a futon.  Still, now that I'm almost 34, I fear that I've become too accustomed to niceties like sofas and chairs to make this a viable option. 

**--I've suggested to the books that they might consider paying part of the mortgage--which would be only fair, since I bought the house for them--but they've remained strangely silent on the matter. 

***--Bitch Ph.D., by contrast, noted the problem. 

Comments

[russianviolets]

If I could find a way for the books and beasts to pay rent and help move, I'd be in much better financial shape. What a great post!

[Ruth]

Just as a side note, I found Barnett's essay irritating because, just as it seemed ready to address some fundamental flaws in the way we think about teaching (among other professions and activities, like raising children), it dodged the question. To teach well, the story goes, one must love it; it's unalienated labor, and thus doing it is its own reward. So to demand -- nay, even to request -- more money is a sign that one does NOT truly love one's work, and, as a corollary, that one cannot possibly be good at it. But, Barnett says, if he doesn't give his all for his students (his surrogate children), it's only because he's needed more by his real ones. So he's not really a mean old grinch who just wants to have a little time to himself on a Saturday.

I don't think this is a singles vs. couples (or childless vs. childful) issue, even though it often comes out that way precisely because it's hard for anyone to deny children's needs. We need to acknowledge everyone's need for, and right to, a division between personal and work life, and the time spent at each.

And yes, the housing market in California is horrifying. Although you'd also be hard-pressed to find a "starter" house in the rural area near my mid-Atlantic college for under 250k. Used to be teaching in the middle of nowhere made life affordable, but no more...

[Richard]

Time to put those signed true first editions of BLIND LOVE, WIVES AND DAUGHTERS, and THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD on the market and see what they bring. : )

[Bourgeois Nerd]

What about Disraeli and Victoria? I think it's high time they got off their feline duffs and got some good, honest work! I'm sure there must be a farmer in your areawho needs some mice killed or something!