Tackling Smug Owners

[Mushroom]

Just say, let's all be thankful that we don't live in an area prone to earthquakes.

[right_freds_dead]

if they bought in 95 they bought at a low. nothing can harm them unless they have over MEWd.

if the subject of housing comes up tell them to shut the hell up. bitch about poll tax or something.

ask them why they insist on rubbing your facein it all the time. then get up and fling the table over.

**remember to wheelspin off in your car.

[firebug]

ask them why they insist on rubbing your facein it all the time. then get up and fling the table over.

**remember to wheelspin off in your car.

LOL

[GCS15]

Forget witty one liners. Leave that to the Porn actresses "oo my tv is broken"

Instead take direct action and throw rocks at them until they get the hint that it's not a koscher topic.

[rockdoctor]

Don't forget the other side of the coin.

Through no merit of my own I find I am getting a high salary (for a low-ranked position) and won big time on property. I now have an overpriced but nice terrace in SW London.

When mates from uni visit it sometimes gets quite awkward - I try to stay away from any topic that might lead to house prices, salaries, holidays etc because some of my less-overpaid mates get very chippy about it.

One chap I've known since school days did no work at uni, scraped a 3rd in physics and has ended up a lab tech in rented accommodation in Brum. He was always brighter (and lazier) than me. He has belatedly decided he likes working and is studying for a PhD. I don't consider him a failure.

Another mate stayed in academia after I fled and has carved out a moderately successful career (he can do the research but not the schmoozing). He is on a fraction of my salary, owns a doer-upper that he has no time to do up, recently married a mexican lady, and I certainly don't consider him a failure.

A third pal got a govt job post-PhD (one of the useful ones) and also lives in Brum. He bought a huge doer-upper and did it up. His wife also works (as a uni lecturer) and they probably still have a lower income than me. However their house and lifestyle is far more luxurious than mine (they chose not to have kids). I certainly don't consider him a failure, but he seems to (he wanted to get into my industry - oil - but ballsed up all interviews!).

I reckon much of the perceived smugness of homeowners and bitterness of priced-out-ers may be in people's heads. Someone in a house probably genuinely believe it is good advice to get a property regardless of cost.

Have the HP conversation with them, stay in a positive mood, and agree to differ.

A chap in my office is house-hunting at the moment. I kept a low profile until I found his boss sounding off on the subject of renting is dead-money and you never lose with housing. I then gave him a couple of graphs, explained my position and left it at that. He's a bright chap - he ought to be able to make up his own mind.