Ghetto Mansions

[NotCranky]

I think it is fine to overbuild if you plan on staying there a very long time and/or can do it cheaply.

OTH, I see huge new houses , complete with gilded back yard entertainment areas, right on top of busy high speed streets, or up on the hills over freeways and I can’t imagine why those resources and locations match up. Each to his own I guess.

[CA renter]

I think a lot of people are willing to compromise on the location, to some extent, but want all the bling.

People often have a choice of buying a nice, big, new house in Murietta (and having a long commute), or buying a small home or lot for even less in the bad parts of SD County, and then adding on/upgrading/building something more to their liking. This way, they can get the house they want with a much shorter commute, even if it’s not in a “nice” area.

You’d be surprised at how many people really don’t mind living in neighborhoods that are a bit “gritty,” especially if they don’t have kids. A youngish, DINK couple (or older, empty-nesters) might like the proximity to an urban center, and would be willing to live in a “less desirable” neighborhood (at a much lower price than more “desirable” neighborhoods) in order to have the conveniences of urban living nearby.

Just based on my personal, anecdotal observations, it’s the people with kids who are most concerned about living in “safe” neighborhoods with good schools. Truth is, most of these “safe, family-friendly” neighborhoods are completely uninspiring and painfully boring for people without kids. In our (safe, desirable) area, for instance, good luck if you want any kind of night life. This is the land of minivans and SUVs. It is dead after 8:00 p.m. Hardly a place most single/childless people would want to live.

One more observation…just anecdotal, but when I see these large “mansions” being built in the middle of the ghetto, it’s often a family from another country (maybe Iran, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, etc.). They might have different ideas about what’s desirable, and they might not have the same biases that American-born (or Asian?) people do. To them, these neighborhoods might look like Del Mar, when compared to where they came from. For example, when my mother first immigrated to L.A., she lived near Echo Park (a very bad neighborhood), but she saw the gorgeous, older architecture and clawfoot bathtubs (a luxury!), and to her, it was a very desirable place to live. Different people from different cultures value different things.

[CA renter]

I think a lot of people are willing to compromise on the location, to some extent, but want all the bling.

People often have a choice of buying a nice, big, new house in Murietta (and having a long commute), or buying a small home or lot for even less in the bad parts of SD County, and then adding on/upgrading/building something more to their liking. This way, they can get the house they want with a much shorter commute, even if it’s not in a “nice” area.

You’d be surprised at how many people really don’t mind living in neighborhoods that are a bit “gritty,” especially if they don’t have kids. A youngish, DINK couple (or older, empty-nesters) might like the proximity to an urban center, and would be willing to live in a “less desirable” neighborhood (at a much lower price than more “desirable” neighborhoods) in order to have the conveniences of urban living nearby.

Just based on my personal, anecdotal observations, it’s the people with kids who are most concerned about living in “safe” neighborhoods with good schools. Truth is, most of these “safe, family-friendly” neighborhoods are completely uninspiring and painfully boring for people without kids. In our (safe, desirable) area, for instance, good luck if you want any kind of night life. This is the land of minivans and SUVs. It is dead after 8:00 p.m. Hardly a place most single/childless people would want to live.

One more observation…just anecdotal, but when I see these large “mansions” being built in the middle of the ghetto, it’s often a family from another country (maybe Iran, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, etc.). They might have different ideas about what’s desirable, and they might not have the same biases that American-born (or Asian?) people do. To them, these neighborhoods might look like Del Mar, when compared to where they came from. For example, when my mother first immigrated to L.A., she lived near Echo Park (a very bad neighborhood), but she saw the gorgeous, older architecture and clawfoot bathtubs (a luxury!), and to her, it was a very desirable place to live. Different people from different cultures value different things.

[CA renter]

I think a lot of people are willing to compromise on the location, to some extent, but want all the bling.

People often have a choice of buying a nice, big, new house in Murietta (and having a long commute), or buying a small home or lot for even less in the bad parts of SD County, and then adding on/upgrading/building something more to their liking. This way, they can get the house they want with a much shorter commute, even if it’s not in a “nice” area.

You’d be surprised at how many people really don’t mind living in neighborhoods that are a bit “gritty,” especially if they don’t have kids. A youngish, DINK couple (or older, empty-nesters) might like the proximity to an urban center, and would be willing to live in a “less desirable” neighborhood (at a much lower price than more “desirable” neighborhoods) in order to have the conveniences of urban living nearby.

Just based on my personal, anecdotal observations, it’s the people with kids who are most concerned about living in “safe” neighborhoods with good schools. Truth is, most of these “safe, family-friendly” neighborhoods are completely uninspiring and painfully boring for people without kids. In our (safe, desirable) area, for instance, good luck if you want any kind of night life. This is the land of minivans and SUVs. It is dead after 8:00 p.m. Hardly a place most single/childless people would want to live.

One more observation…just anecdotal, but when I see these large “mansions” being built in the middle of the ghetto, it’s often a family from another country (maybe Iran, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, etc.). They might have different ideas about what’s desirable, and they might not have the same biases that American-born (or Asian?) people do. To them, these neighborhoods might look like Del Mar, when compared to where they came from. For example, when my mother first immigrated to L.A., she lived near Echo Park (a very bad neighborhood), but she saw the gorgeous, older architecture and clawfoot bathtubs (a luxury!), and to her, it was a very desirable place to live. Different people from different cultures value different things.

[CA renter]

I think a lot of people are willing to compromise on the location, to some extent, but want all the bling.

People often have a choice of buying a nice, big, new house in Murietta (and having a long commute), or buying a small home or lot for even less in the bad parts of SD County, and then adding on/upgrading/building something more to their liking. This way, they can get the house they want with a much shorter commute, even if it’s not in a “nice” area.

You’d be surprised at how many people really don’t mind living in neighborhoods that are a bit “gritty,” especially if they don’t have kids. A youngish, DINK couple (or older, empty-nesters) might like the proximity to an urban center, and would be willing to live in a “less desirable” neighborhood (at a much lower price than more “desirable” neighborhoods) in order to have the conveniences of urban living nearby.

Just based on my personal, anecdotal observations, it’s the people with kids who are most concerned about living in “safe” neighborhoods with good schools. Truth is, most of these “safe, family-friendly” neighborhoods are completely uninspiring and painfully boring for people without kids. In our (safe, desirable) area, for instance, good luck if you want any kind of night life. This is the land of minivans and SUVs. It is dead after 8:00 p.m. Hardly a place most single/childless people would want to live.

One more observation…just anecdotal, but when I see these large “mansions” being built in the middle of the ghetto, it’s often a family from another country (maybe Iran, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, etc.). They might have different ideas about what’s desirable, and they might not have the same biases that American-born (or Asian?) people do. To them, these neighborhoods might look like Del Mar, when compared to where they came from. For example, when my mother first immigrated to L.A., she lived near Echo Park (a very bad neighborhood), but she saw the gorgeous, older architecture and clawfoot bathtubs (a luxury!), and to her, it was a very desirable place to live. Different people from different cultures value different things.

[CA renter]

I think a lot of people are willing to compromise on the location, to some extent, but want all the bling.

People often have a choice of buying a nice, big, new house in Murietta (and having a long commute), or buying a small home or lot for even less in the bad parts of SD County, and then adding on/upgrading/building something more to their liking. This way, they can get the house they want with a much shorter commute, even if it’s not in a “nice” area.

You’d be surprised at how many people really don’t mind living in neighborhoods that are a bit “gritty,” especially if they don’t have kids. A youngish, DINK couple (or older, empty-nesters) might like the proximity to an urban center, and would be willing to live in a “less desirable” neighborhood (at a much lower price than more “desirable” neighborhoods) in order to have the conveniences of urban living nearby.

Just based on my personal, anecdotal observations, it’s the people with kids who are most concerned about living in “safe” neighborhoods with good schools. Truth is, most of these “safe, family-friendly” neighborhoods are completely uninspiring and painfully boring for people without kids. In our (safe, desirable) area, for instance, good luck if you want any kind of night life. This is the land of minivans and SUVs. It is dead after 8:00 p.m. Hardly a place most single/childless people would want to live.

One more observation…just anecdotal, but when I see these large “mansions” being built in the middle of the ghetto, it’s often a family from another country (maybe Iran, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, etc.). They might have different ideas about what’s desirable, and they might not have the same biases that American-born (or Asian?) people do. To them, these neighborhoods might look like Del Mar, when compared to where they came from. For example, when my mother first immigrated to L.A., she lived near Echo Park (a very bad neighborhood), but she saw the gorgeous, older architecture and clawfoot bathtubs (a luxury!), and to her, it was a very desirable place to live. Different people from different cultures value different things.

[UCGal]

A very good friend grew up next door to the 92117 house. Her mom still lives there. I’ll have to ask her about it.

While it’s not a perfect neighborhood, I’d hardly call it a ghetto.

I agree that the house is overbuilt for the neighborhood. I see that fairly frequently in Clairemont… There are older small houses, on larger lots. And it’s convenient/central, semi-coastal.

It appears the previous owners over extended themselves trying to start a business. Unfortunately, it looks to be designed for that business, not for a family.

[UCGal]

A very good friend grew up next door to the 92117 house. Her mom still lives there. I’ll have to ask her about it.

While it’s not a perfect neighborhood, I’d hardly call it a ghetto.

I agree that the house is overbuilt for the neighborhood. I see that fairly frequently in Clairemont… There are older small houses, on larger lots. And it’s convenient/central, semi-coastal.

It appears the previous owners over extended themselves trying to start a business. Unfortunately, it looks to be designed for that business, not for a family.

[UCGal]

A very good friend grew up next door to the 92117 house. Her mom still lives there. I’ll have to ask her about it.

While it’s not a perfect neighborhood, I’d hardly call it a ghetto.

I agree that the house is overbuilt for the neighborhood. I see that fairly frequently in Clairemont… There are older small houses, on larger lots. And it’s convenient/central, semi-coastal.

It appears the previous owners over extended themselves trying to start a business. Unfortunately, it looks to be designed for that business, not for a family.

[UCGal]

A very good friend grew up next door to the 92117 house. Her mom still lives there. I’ll have to ask her about it.

While it’s not a perfect neighborhood, I’d hardly call it a ghetto.

I agree that the house is overbuilt for the neighborhood. I see that fairly frequently in Clairemont… There are older small houses, on larger lots. And it’s convenient/central, semi-coastal.

It appears the previous owners over extended themselves trying to start a business. Unfortunately, it looks to be designed for that business, not for a family.

[UCGal]

A very good friend grew up next door to the 92117 house. Her mom still lives there. I’ll have to ask her about it.

While it’s not a perfect neighborhood, I’d hardly call it a ghetto.

I agree that the house is overbuilt for the neighborhood. I see that fairly frequently in Clairemont… There are older small houses, on larger lots. And it’s convenient/central, semi-coastal.

It appears the previous owners over extended themselves trying to start a business. Unfortunately, it looks to be designed for that business, not for a family.

[Author]

Posts