| Are people aware of the housing options out there? | | | | how the kids can sleep in the living room. |
| Sometimes it sure doesn't seem like it. The other | | | | How much money do you have to spend now to |
| night my wife and I were watching a program on | | | | have a condo with a nice view that doesn't require |
| one of the cable networks. In it, Deepak Chopra, | | | | that the kids sleep on a couch? Obviously a lot less |
| famous writer and teacher on spiritual topics, was | | | | than the Chopras, who chose the view and location |
| shopping for a condo in Hawaii. He was shown | | | | over space considerations. With an hour of internet |
| several and had to choose one quickly due to limited | | | | searching, anyone could find a dozen places with |
| time. The condos ranged in price from about | | | | great waterfront condos that were less than |
| $600,000 to 1.3 million dollars. | | | | $700,000 - and which have a room for the kids. |
| Now, I understand entirely that when it comes to | | | | Now, once again, I have to say that it is not my right |
| the price of things, everything is relative. While it is | | | | (or anyone else's) to say what someone should buy |
| crazy for a middle class couple to pay a million dollars | | | | with their money. But it certainly does make one |
| for a condo, it makes perfect sense for someone | | | | wonder if sometimes people lose touch with what |
| with enough money. You have to spend it on | | | | housing options are out there. Maybe all their friends |
| something after all. I also feel strongly that it is | | | | are buying in a certain area, or buying a certain type |
| nobody's business what a person spends his money | | | | of housing, and that is all they see in their choices. |
| on. On the the other hand, I guess we gain the right | | | | With that in mind, what are some of the housing |
| to ponder those choices when they are made on | | | | options that are available for $700,000? Here are |
| national television. | | | | some that come to mind. |
| In this case, Deepak finally decided on a condo that | | | | - How about four beautiful condos for around |
| cost about $700,000. Again, it makes sense if you | | | | $175,000 each in four great locations around the |
| have enough money. You look at your housing | | | | world. If you don't think this is possible, you aren't |
| options differently. A nice condo on a Lake Michigan | | | | looking very hard. |
| beach might go for as little as $300,000, but if you | | | | - How about a beautiful condo on a lake somewhere |
| want that Hawaiian climate and you have the money, | | | | for $400,000, and then invest the other $300,000 to |
| why not look at that warm-weather real estate, | | | | pay for a $25,000 round-the-world vacation every |
| right? Another $400,000 may not be that much for | | | | year for the rest of your life? |
| you to pay. | | | | - Maybe a little shopping in Hawaii could mean a |
| But what is difficult for some of us to understand is | | | | $600,000 condo with two bedrooms, so the kids get |
| how with that kind of budget, the kids still have to | | | | a place to sleep and you have $100,000 left over. |
| sleep on the couch. Yes, you read that right. The | | | | I could go on, but in the end people will make their |
| condo he chose was a one bedroom condo, not | | | | own housing choices. They will buy their $700,000 or |
| even on the beach (but with close access). In the | | | | million-dollar condos, and you and I will be left to |
| course of the program, we hear Chopra and the real | | | | wonder if they really considered all the options out |
| estate agent discussing how nice the view is and | | | | there. |