Theodore's World

Actually, wouldn't the houses belong to Cindy? Who cares if he doesn't know how many houses his wife owns?

Many men and women who are on their second marriages keep a lot of their personal finances to themselves. They don't share with their "new" spouse everything pertaining to financial matters. It's usually only during the first marriage that everything is shared.

Barak Hussein Obama and his campaign are desperate and will say and do anything to get elected. I hope that Cindy McCain does bring up George Hussein Obama during the interview being aired tomorrow. If not, Stephanopoulos should. Fair is fair. Obama talked about being his brothers keeper. In his case, that meens keeping him in poverty and squaller.

BobF, yes they are used by the McCain's but they are an investment too. And set up in trusts for their children.

Les, yes it is really stupid on the part of Obama do use the houses thing as an item for attack. It got old very fast and now it just seems he has nothing else he can bring up or he is just out and out jealous. He is such a jerk.

Ooh, look out, it's the big bad rich white guy! Bleah.

Obviously Obama realized he's better not go after Palin, so he's harping on the old "Republicans only care about the rich" theme. At least now we have a candidate who knows how to fight back.

Linda Douglas claiming all these people are barely clinging to the one house they have. They never ask why, like maybe the house they bought was too expensive in the first place and they really couldn't afford it.

Since when is the American dream an entitlement and since when does the government have the responsibility to bail out a delinquent mortgage, due solely to the homeowners own fault.

But Socialist Obama expects everybody else to pay for their neighbors delinquent mortgage. Again its class envy, Saul Alinsky, in perfect form divide and conquer the haves by taking away what they rightfully earned.

And oh, yeah--
maybe not knowing how many houses you have is a bit less reprehensible than not knowing how many brothers you have.

Oh, Mark, incidentally, I am clinging to the one house I have, but I did not buy it. I inherited it. It's a piece of garbage, but I can't sell it because it was built in the 1920s, and there is no possible way I can bring it up to code. I'm going broke trying to keep it in minimally habitable condition. Just to let you know it isn't always greed.

Now we have the primaries out of the way and the nominees can turn on each other. I think we are going to see some dirty fighting. Obama has far more dirty linen than McCain, so Obama needs to be careful what he says. His socialist/Marxist desires will slip out as he attacks McCain and Palin. It will become very evident that Obama is a typical limousine liberal. Living the good life himself, but pretending to represent the have nots by attacking the success or luck of others who acquire wealth. Typical Kerry/Kennedy/Pelosi style Democrat.

Well Trish, not to be trite but I have renovated many houses, I was an electrical contractor for many years, and houses can be brought up to code, especially older ones which incredibly are easier than the newer ones. Basically because of the way they were built.

If you can't sell it turn it into a rental property, Yes there are investments involved and of course there are risks involved but anything worthwhile is worth going after with a plan.

You can get extensions for the city to bring it up to code, usually in most cities, a 100 amp service is a starting point and getting rid of exposed Knob and tube wiring. K and T still in the walls is code compliant as long as it has not been exposed. K and T is still listed in the 2008 NEC, so old wiring depends on its location.

In Ohio where I was licensed, the city of warren had codes and you had to comply with state and Federal codes but they were workable.

So you can have a plan or be stuck with your white elephant but there are ways to get around this.

I have worked on too many old houses for there NOT to be an option. Worst case if you have the deed sell the property and raze the house. First thing to do is to check building codes in your area.

But I was talking about people making 8 dollars an hour and buying a house so far out of their reach they should not have been considered for the mortgage in the first place. Then they expect their neighbors to pay the defualt. And that is exactly what is happening.

Mark--

if I can't afford to bring the house up to code, I obviously can't get a CO to turn it into a rental property. Plus there would be the tiny little question of where I would live.

Yes, many older houses can be brought up to code. I invite you to come over to my place and show me how that can be done. I'll bet you a silver dollar to a used washer that you can't do it. And I am absolutely certain that you can't do it without pouring thousands of dollars into the place. I don't have thousands of dollars.

I wish you could provide options for me, Mark, but you haven't.

Mark--
I rather suspect that if I can't sell the property because it is not up to code, I will not be able to get a certificate of occupancy stating that it is up to code. I have no intention of renting out an illegal property.
There is also the tiny little matter of where I am going to live. Having to pour all my money into this white elephant means that I have no money to live anywhere else. If you believe that my house can be brought up to code without spending thousands of dollars I don't have, you are welcome to come over here and show me how.

The wiring in this house is not 1960s wiring. It is 1920s wiring. There isn't a grounded outlet anywhere in the house. If you can remedy 1920s wiring for a price a working family can afford, please come and show me how.

Sure, I could raze it, and get nothing for it. I would also still have that tiny little matter hanging over me. I would love to be able to get rid of my white elephant, but you haven't yet shown me any way I can do that.