I live in a nice neighborhood, swimming pool and tennis courts, large lots, established yards and nice trees and shrubs. All-in-all the neighborhood is about 20 years old but has been well maintained, the houses are all in great shape, none are in need of paint, none have old cars in the yards or odd pieces of machinery in the front yards on blocks.
The median price for a house is about $300K in my neighborhood (I got mine 10 years ago when prices were much less) not bad for the Atlanta area, I should be quite pleased. However, I have a gripe (imagine that!).
Within easy driving (or even walking distance) of my neighborhood are several new developments, they may or may not be swim/tennis, none of course have established yards or landscaping and for the most part the houses are so close you can hear your neighbors hair growing (or falling out, whatever the case may be.) In these new houses the square footage is usually less or equal to mine with some that have more of course. What really chaps my rear end is that almost to the last one, all start at prices that are higher than a majority of the homes in my neighborhood. The only thing going for these homes with higher price tags is they are new.
Next home owners meeting I think I will call for a general price increase by 100K across the board in my neighborhood. Instead of being tied to a pricing system that lock steps older homes forcing them to lower prices than inferior new homes. Why do I say inferior? I guess I like a bit of privacy with my house, I don’t like to be able to reach out and touch my neighbors from my window. I like to be able to look at mature trees and not worry if my sod is going to die next time it doesn’t rain for a bit.
In an older home I know my foundation isn’t going to crack, that the pipes that are supposed to carry hot, carry hot and those that carry cold, carry cold. I had a new house where they plumbed the toilet to use hot water, believe me it doesn’t work very well. Usually an older home will have gone through its troubled youth and will not have many problems as long as it is maintained properly.
Anyway enough of ranting I guess. I am sure that the home owners will reject my proposal no matter how eloquently phrased, after all the real estate agents wouldn’t mislead us would they?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Heh! Can I have your real estate agents, please? :-)
Over here, they know of one thing: "position". If it's well "positioned" whatever that means, it's worth gold even if it's a shack a dog would find unacceptable to pee in! In a way, that's preferable I guess?
You should see some of the new developments around here: no land, just a front garden barely enough for the dog to switch direction and a back yard that lets you get a bbq big enough for a sausage at a time!
Put one of those in a good "position" and the prices are insane. Put it in an average area away from the coast or major centres and prices fall back by a large margin
SOunds like they are trying to recreate the English Garden home...
I agree with you about old versus new home construction. My father used to build homes and told me that the newer homes were crappy and full of cheap corner cutting to save money for the builders. That and they all look the same! I prefer the classic homes of the 1950's and 1960's. They actually have a real garage and backyard which seems to be rare in southern California. Not to mention the older homes cost 25% less than new construction.
Post a Comment