Software Engineer Says He’s $70K Underwater On His Mortgage. He Still Wants To Chase An Out-Of-State Job With A Pay Cut And Sell The Home
A Florida man says he’s seriously considering walking away from a high-paying software job to take a big pay cut and start a new career out of state, even though he’s $70,000 underwater on his house.
John, who lives in Orlando, shared his dilemma during a recent episode of “The Ramsey Show” with co-hosts Jade Warshaw and George Kamel. He bought his house two years ago at the market’s peak and says property values in his area have tanked since.
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“I probably overpaid for it,” he admitted. “Houses in my area just aren’t selling well. Prices have gone way down.”
John isn’t behind on payments, and he’s not broke. In fact, he’s doing well financially. He works as a software engineer and earns about $210,000 annually thanks to a strong salary and company stock options. He also has $110,000 in stock plus $12,000 in savings. Still, selling the home today would mean coming up with $70,000 out of pocket.
What’s tempting him to make the leap? A rare opportunity to work in federal law enforcement, something he’s dreamed about since he was a kid.
“It’s a completely different career change,” he said. This new job would start around the high $80,000s, and even long-term, it wouldn’t quite match what he’s earning now.
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The new role would involve a months-long training period, which is paid, but he would have to quit his current job to pursue it. While he hasn’t made a final decision, he said he’s been selected for training, a phase only about 1% of applicants reach.
The hosts were supportive but realistic. “Just know it’s not a financially optimal move,” Kamel told him. “But we know life is bigger than just spreadsheets.”
If John chooses to sell the house and take the new job, he’ll likely have to cash out his company stock to cover the $70,000 shortfall.
“You’re going to have to just suck it up and go, ‘These stocks are gone. I’m going to use this to get out of this underwater mortgage,’” Kamel said. “You can always go back to software development if this doesn’t work out… It’ll always be there.”
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Relationship complications may also play a role in his decision. John said his long-term girlfriend likely wouldn’t relocate, and the relationship probably wouldn’t survive the move. “That’s another big factor,” he admitted.
For anyone weighing a big financial shift like this, connecting with a financial advisor can help. WiserAdvisor offers a free tool that matches users with vetted financial advisors who fit their needs. There’s no obligation to hire anyone, and it’s especially helpful for people earning over $100,000 a year and trying to figure out their next move.
In John’s case, the financial hit is significant, but manageable. Kamel called it a “stupid tax” from buying at the wrong time, but noted John’s income and savings give him more flexibility than most.
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