Poll: Your view of the money you have tied up in comics

[Zonker]

Up until recently, I've always been skeptical about the widespread existance of people cited by Gene and JC as putting money into comics as an alternative to stocks and bonds. Recently though there have been a few posters indicating they are doing precisely that. Hence this poll:

 

 

 

 

[dam60]

I think that the luxury car is a great analogy! I enjoy my collection and enjoy having these books and if I can one day get some money back all the better, but regardless I have enjoyed the ride!

 

DAM

[murph0]

Wow I can't understand how someone would choose books over real estate. I can only assume that these people live in the big cities and states where real estate prices are already sky high???

 

Brian

[PovertyRow]

Hey Zonker - those are very nicely thought out questions!

 

(I chose the luxury car thing).

[Zonker]

Thanks!

 

And to address AllTop8Me's point in that other thread...

 

Zonker, can you add one more catagory? It would read as follows: "I buy comics because I enjoy the hobby. It's not an investment alternative to stocks, but it does serves as part, a relatively small part, of my overall investment portfolio, the largest parts of which consist of my house, 401(k) plan, etc. I would not spend the bucks I do if I thought I was [!@#%^&^] the money away like I would be driving a Lexus out of the showroom. But considering both the investment potential AND the enjoyment I derive from the hobby, I consider it a wise use of the funds I devote. If I did not derive pleasure from the hobby, I would probably put less, if any, money into it, as it is rather more time consuming than buying and sitting on a mutual fund and, from a financial risk-reward perspective, probably still riskier than the S&P 500 over the long term." And you can go ahead and check that box for me.

 

...I should have said: "Choose the response that most closely matches your situation."

 

 

[delekkerste]

Wow I can't understand how someone would choose books over real estate. I can only assume that these people live in the big cities and states where real estate prices are already sky high???

 

Brian

 

If I lived in Iowa and had some money, I wouldn't buy real estate OR comics. I'd use the money to get the hell out of Iowa!!!

 

Gene

[murph0]

Why, to pay 2 million dollars so you can live in a shack? I'll pass. Des Moines and Cedar Rapids are near tops in the nation for attracting new businesses. It's only a matter of time before the population gets up there... new housing construction here is up to around 10 percent from last couple of years. It's VERY easy to find renters

 

Brian

[Illiterati-migration]

Why, to pay 2 million dollars so you can live in a shack? I'll pass. Des Moines and Cedar Rapids are near tops in the nation for attracting new businesses. It's only a matter of time before the population gets up there... new housing construction here is up to around 10 percent from last couple of years. It's VERY easy to find renters

 

Brian

 

Murph? Have you ever been to a "big city"? The midwest will never, EVER have anything like that. You Iowans seem to have a strange case of self-delusionment. You guys actually think that you've got some hidden gem of a state up there among the corn fields and the rocks.

 

Don't worry, sanity dwells in Kansas City. KC sucks, we know it, we're coping. Try it.

[murph0]

Sorry I prefer to not live in a city with millions upon millions of people. Maybe that appeals to you, but it doesn't to everyone. I've been to just about all the big cities with exception to Los Angeles, but thanks for asking.

 

Brian

[Illiterati-migration]

Sorry I prefer to not live in a city with millions upon millions of people. Maybe that appeals to you, but it doesn't to everyone. I've been to just about all the big cities with exception to Los Angeles, but thanks for asking.

 

Brian

 

I'm just saying that your dreams of a huge, grand, attractive midwestern town will never happen... oh, wait, weren't you just saying that's what you wanted? And then in this post you don't?

[murph0]

Where did I claim it would become a state with several million people in multiple cities? Sorry, nowhere. It will continue to grow. Realistically the two larger cities will double in size and become sort of a mini-Omaha/Lincoln. You obviously just assumed that I want some sort over-populated and over-priced huge city, which I don't. The way it is works great for what I'm trying to do.

 

Brian

[shadroch]

 

A sort of mini-Omaha-Lincoln? Setting the bar kind of low,ain't ya? Everyone has different lifestyles but I'd much rather be working my [!@#%^&^] off in NYC than collecting money in Iowa. At the end of the day, you're still in Iowa. If it works for you, great. If I was there, I'd be racing down ice covered roads with racing slicks on my car too, only for different purposes.

[delekkerste]

 

NYC representin'!!

 

Gene

[murph0]

Whatever works for ya. I'm not a fan of huge cities and have no desire to spend the type of money necessary to live in one. Just not worth it to me. I prefer a city of 400,000 to one of 4 million any day. Not sure what's so great about being in a big city? The high prices of real estate? The crime rate? Having to ride around in taxis? As I said, I've been to all these places and the way of life is simply not for me. Minneapolis wasn't too bad, but it's even colder than Iowa.

 

Brian

[delekkerste]

Not sure what's so great about being in a big city? The high prices of real estate? The crime rate? Having to ride around in taxis?

 

Yeah, living in a big city like New York is tough. I hate being surrounded by world-class art, music, culture, diversity, restaurants, buildings and monuments, companies, sports teams, women and nightlife, just to name a few things. Not to mention that I hate having 6 retail comic shops and at least one major comic dealer within easy walking distance of me. I just want to be left alone!

 

Gene

[OldSchoolTerry]

Not sure what's so great about being in a big city? The high prices of real estate? The crime rate? Having to ride around in taxis?

 

Yeah, living in a big city like New York is tough. I hate being surrounded by world-class art, music, culture, diversity, restaurants, buildings and monuments, companies, sports teams, women and nightlife, just to name a few things. Not to mention that I hate having 6 retail comic shops and at least one major comic dealer within easy walking distance of me. I just want to be left alone!

 

Gene

 

No one would deny that NY has the best of everything, and the most of everything. That lifestyle is just not for everyone, however. I was born and raised in NYC, and since I moved away, I love to visit, but I'd never live there again for anything. No, and I don't live in Iowa, by the way, not that there's anything wrong with that....

[garthgantu]

Wow I can't understand how someone would choose books over real estate. I can only assume that these people live in the big cities and states where real estate prices are already sky high???

 

Brian

 

Here's a somewhat more realistic attempt to respond to your question... It's a lot easier to buy comics than real estate. I can drop $50 one day, $5 the next, $500 next week or next month. But no one's gonna come repossess books if I don't keep buying. No one's going to demand a $10,000 down payment on the $500 book I'm eyeing. Oh, and even the $5 book is unlikely to start leaking in 12 years' time... Many people can't afford to buy property. But they can afford to own a little piece of history, no matter how small or insignificant it may be in the grand scheme of things.

[Lantern]

Yeah, living in a big city like New York is tough. I hate being surrounded by world-class art, music, culture, diversity, restaurants, buildings and monuments, companies, sports teams, women and nightlife, just to name a few things. Not to mention that I hate having 6 retail comic shops and at least one major comic dealer within easy walking distance of me. I just want to be left alone!

 

Gene

 

I lived in Omaha for 7 years, and if this is your assessment of that city perhaps you should visit before you cast judgement. Omaha may not be a huge metropolis like New York, but it does have a world class museum, a large array of restaurants and night clubs, and even a diverse selection of cultural events. As for your comment regarding companies, Warren Buffett, one of the worlds richest people, lives there and bases his company Berkshire Hathaway there.

 

Just my .02

 

[joe_collector]

Yeah, living in a big city like New York is tough. I hate being surrounded by world-class art, music, culture, diversity, restaurants, buildings and monuments, companies, sports teams, women and nightlife, just to name a few things. Not to mention that I hate having 6 retail comic shops and at least one major comic dealer within easy walking distance of me.

 

You had me, right up til that last part...

[Dano]

Cedar Rapids smells like quaker oats... all the time.

 

Dan.