Johnny Sanphillippo has never made more than $20,000 per year (working mostly as a housekeeper), but he knew like "any other American" that he wanted to own his own home.
When he talked to bankers about qualifying for a home loan, "they look at you and their eyes glaze over and you realize, they're going to give me a lollipop and send me home, which is pretty much what happened." So he decided that if he went far enough away from his hometown of San Francisco he could find something he could afford to buy with cash.
He finally heard about a deal in Hawaii (back when oil was cheap and airline tickets were $99 from SFO) and for $3000 cash he bought himself an empty lot in a failed subdivision on the Big Island.
Without a loan, he knew he couldn't afford to build a conventional home. He'd always loved tiny houses, but the permitting office wasn't as enthusiastic about allowing him to build small. So he had plans drawn up for a conventionally-sized home, plus a 400-square-foot garage. He just built the garage.
Once the inspectors signed off on his fully-equipped garage (which included a bathroom, utility sink, electricity, septic system and rainwater capture), he let them know he wasn't planning on building the house. Then he set about swapping the garage door for sliding glass and the utility sink for a regular kitchen.
Instead of relying on a loan to buy a house up-front, he had to do it the slow way, in stops and starts as he worked to pay off he step of the process. First, he saved up for a foundation, then the shell, then septic, et cetera, and today, 13 years later, the home is complete.
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solar power, rain catchment and septic that went into the lava tubes underneath my house.
So I hear your point, but I also think the point I like about Johnny's story is that he isn't a victim of any government, economy or personal financial circumstances and instead, he's chosen to be more self-sufficient and to not let his future be tied to changes in any of those things. I, for one, am very impressed with his foresight and his ability to do so much on a small salary. And also, don't forget, he chose a smaller salary over a job that paid a lot more (the one where he had to wear the tie) that he didn't enjoy. So I don't think it's always the government that makes the decisions that affects our lives, often times we do. Or at least in Johnny's case, he did.
So they were really shocked when I showed up on real estate tax adjustment day and showed that 20% of my land assessment of 100,000 was 20,000 and they would have to knock that off my assessment since they wouldn't let me fence in my property and/or thus utilize it and enjoy it!! HA! HA! Works out pretty good by the square footage!!!
It's time for this to change. There needs to be new thinking that allows small, and I mean SMALL, but fully functional well-built homes. This insistence on spending above one's means, (which is nearly every working person since the means have stayed low and the costs have risen) is becoming untenable. It's pretty sad when a person is willing to live small, and not allowed to.
you're not thinking very well, if at all. he has an inexpensive home in hawaii. and you think he needs a bigger home, and more bills, thats stupid. lets put this simply---you're not the boss of him.
his business is being a house keeper, and doing quite well, yours should be minding your own business.