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UCGal
Participant[quote=briansd1]
I see what you’re saying.
But let’s face it — people want clean updated, spacious interiors.
In San Diego, you can buy an old house in Normal Heights or you can buy a new house in the new master-planned suburbs.
Zoning makes remodeling and adding on to the old Normal Heights house too costly and onerous. So people take the path of least resistance. So we end up with sprawl.
[/quote]Correction – YOU want clean/updated/spacious… Not everyone prefers that.
I have friends who own in University Heights – they love their older spanish style house. At one point they were considering moving to a big house in the burbs… they decided it would lower their quality of life even as it increased their square footage.
Other friends of mine live in Kensington. They’ve decided to add on to their craftsman era home because it makes more sense for their lifestyle. The love the lines and charm of their older house. The did the number crunching on hiring an architect and doing an addition vs selling/buying. Adding on was the better move for them. (He’s an engineer -so the numbers were scrutinized closely.) It was cheaper to add on than to move – NOT more onerous as you describe.
As far as density of areas, contemporary architecture vs older homes… check out a 2 unit property owned by friends of mine.
http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Diego/4720-Marlborough-Dr-92116/home/5270812It has a very charming spanish style bungalow in the front, and a very contemporary loft style 2 br home in the back. All in the walkable neighborhood of Kensington. Based on the style you like – I could see you liking the modern loft. Personally, I prefer the cove ceilings, built-ins, and retro tile, arches, etc, in the front house.
Like I said – everyone has different taste.
Participant[quote=briansd1]
I see what you’re saying.
But let’s face it — people want clean updated, spacious interiors.
In San Diego, you can buy an old house in Normal Heights or you can buy a new house in the new master-planned suburbs.
Zoning makes remodeling and adding on to the old Normal Heights house too costly and onerous. So people take the path of least resistance. So we end up with sprawl.
[/quote]Correction – YOU want clean/updated/spacious… Not everyone prefers that.
I have friends who own in University Heights – they love their older spanish style house. At one point they were considering moving to a big house in the burbs… they decided it would lower their quality of life even as it increased their square footage.
Other friends of mine live in Kensington. They’ve decided to add on to their craftsman era home because it makes more sense for their lifestyle. The love the lines and charm of their older house. The did the number crunching on hiring an architect and doing an addition vs selling/buying. Adding on was the better move for them. (He’s an engineer -so the numbers were scrutinized closely.) It was cheaper to add on than to move – NOT more onerous as you describe.
As far as density of areas, contemporary architecture vs older homes… check out a 2 unit property owned by friends of mine.
http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Diego/4720-Marlborough-Dr-92116/home/5270812It has a very charming spanish style bungalow in the front, and a very contemporary loft style 2 br home in the back. All in the walkable neighborhood of Kensington. Based on the style you like – I could see you liking the modern loft. Personally, I prefer the cove ceilings, built-ins, and retro tile, arches, etc, in the front house.
Like I said – everyone has different taste.
ParticipantThere are opportunities to learn other languages even within the San Diego unified public school system.
http://spreckelsweb.net/w/index.php?title=Main_Page
Spreckels – one of the elementary schools in University City is a spanish language magnet.
ParticipantThere are opportunities to learn other languages even within the San Diego unified public school system.
http://spreckelsweb.net/w/index.php?title=Main_Page
Spreckels – one of the elementary schools in University City is a spanish language magnet.
ParticipantThere are opportunities to learn other languages even within the San Diego unified public school system.
http://spreckelsweb.net/w/index.php?title=Main_Page
Spreckels – one of the elementary schools in University City is a spanish language magnet.
ParticipantThere are opportunities to learn other languages even within the San Diego unified public school system.
http://spreckelsweb.net/w/index.php?title=Main_Page
Spreckels – one of the elementary schools in University City is a spanish language magnet.
ParticipantThere are opportunities to learn other languages even within the San Diego unified public school system.
http://spreckelsweb.net/w/index.php?title=Main_Page
Spreckels – one of the elementary schools in University City is a spanish language magnet.
Participant[quote=briansd1]
I think that a wood cottage with only one bathroom and no walk-in closet is functionally obsolete. People who want that can have it.My problem with current zoning and urban planning is that they protect those old houses and freeze the neighborhoods in time.
We should allow organic growth. Otherwise, decades down the road, we get blight and then eminent domain type redevelopment.
[/quote]Since you travel to Philly pretty frequently… What would happen if they’d allowed widespread decimation of some of the center city areas like Rittenhouse Square, Old City, etc… I have friends who live on Locust – 2 blocks east of Rittenhouse Sq. They took a “functionally obsolete” rowhouse and remodeled it inside. It’s got the charm of the high ceilings, casework around the windows, etc – but it also has a new/modern kitchen, 2 baths (it’s a 3br), walk in closets, and a roof deck. There was no need to raze it and start over.. they could modify the interior to suit their family’s needs.
I don’t think anyone will be protecting the 1940’s rowhouses you see in north east philly – near oxford cirle, mayfair, etc. But there has been a move towards rehabbing them. My brother in law is refitting one – adding a 2nd bathroom, finishing the basement into a media room… There is nothing preventing him from repurposing and reapportioning the interior space to make it functional for todays lifestyle.
I don’t have a single walk in closet in my 1960’s house. My kitchen doesn’t have an island. Yet my house functions just fine.
Participant[quote=briansd1]
I think that a wood cottage with only one bathroom and no walk-in closet is functionally obsolete. People who want that can have it.My problem with current zoning and urban planning is that they protect those old houses and freeze the neighborhoods in time.
We should allow organic growth. Otherwise, decades down the road, we get blight and then eminent domain type redevelopment.
[/quote]Since you travel to Philly pretty frequently… What would happen if they’d allowed widespread decimation of some of the center city areas like Rittenhouse Square, Old City, etc… I have friends who live on Locust – 2 blocks east of Rittenhouse Sq. They took a “functionally obsolete” rowhouse and remodeled it inside. It’s got the charm of the high ceilings, casework around the windows, etc – but it also has a new/modern kitchen, 2 baths (it’s a 3br), walk in closets, and a roof deck. There was no need to raze it and start over.. they could modify the interior to suit their family’s needs.
I don’t think anyone will be protecting the 1940’s rowhouses you see in north east philly – near oxford cirle, mayfair, etc. But there has been a move towards rehabbing them. My brother in law is refitting one – adding a 2nd bathroom, finishing the basement into a media room… There is nothing preventing him from repurposing and reapportioning the interior space to make it functional for todays lifestyle.
I don’t have a single walk in closet in my 1960’s house. My kitchen doesn’t have an island. Yet my house functions just fine.
Participant[quote=briansd1]
I think that a wood cottage with only one bathroom and no walk-in closet is functionally obsolete. People who want that can have it.My problem with current zoning and urban planning is that they protect those old houses and freeze the neighborhoods in time.
We should allow organic growth. Otherwise, decades down the road, we get blight and then eminent domain type redevelopment.
[/quote]Since you travel to Philly pretty frequently… What would happen if they’d allowed widespread decimation of some of the center city areas like Rittenhouse Square, Old City, etc… I have friends who live on Locust – 2 blocks east of Rittenhouse Sq. They took a “functionally obsolete” rowhouse and remodeled it inside. It’s got the charm of the high ceilings, casework around the windows, etc – but it also has a new/modern kitchen, 2 baths (it’s a 3br), walk in closets, and a roof deck. There was no need to raze it and start over.. they could modify the interior to suit their family’s needs.
I don’t think anyone will be protecting the 1940’s rowhouses you see in north east philly – near oxford cirle, mayfair, etc. But there has been a move towards rehabbing them. My brother in law is refitting one – adding a 2nd bathroom, finishing the basement into a media room… There is nothing preventing him from repurposing and reapportioning the interior space to make it functional for todays lifestyle.
I don’t have a single walk in closet in my 1960’s house. My kitchen doesn’t have an island. Yet my house functions just fine.
Participant[quote=briansd1]
I think that a wood cottage with only one bathroom and no walk-in closet is functionally obsolete. People who want that can have it.My problem with current zoning and urban planning is that they protect those old houses and freeze the neighborhoods in time.
We should allow organic growth. Otherwise, decades down the road, we get blight and then eminent domain type redevelopment.
[/quote]Since you travel to Philly pretty frequently… What would happen if they’d allowed widespread decimation of some of the center city areas like Rittenhouse Square, Old City, etc… I have friends who live on Locust – 2 blocks east of Rittenhouse Sq. They took a “functionally obsolete” rowhouse and remodeled it inside. It’s got the charm of the high ceilings, casework around the windows, etc – but it also has a new/modern kitchen, 2 baths (it’s a 3br), walk in closets, and a roof deck. There was no need to raze it and start over.. they could modify the interior to suit their family’s needs.
I don’t think anyone will be protecting the 1940’s rowhouses you see in north east philly – near oxford cirle, mayfair, etc. But there has been a move towards rehabbing them. My brother in law is refitting one – adding a 2nd bathroom, finishing the basement into a media room… There is nothing preventing him from repurposing and reapportioning the interior space to make it functional for todays lifestyle.
I don’t have a single walk in closet in my 1960’s house. My kitchen doesn’t have an island. Yet my house functions just fine.
Participant[quote=briansd1]
I think that a wood cottage with only one bathroom and no walk-in closet is functionally obsolete. People who want that can have it.My problem with current zoning and urban planning is that they protect those old houses and freeze the neighborhoods in time.
We should allow organic growth. Otherwise, decades down the road, we get blight and then eminent domain type redevelopment.
[/quote]Since you travel to Philly pretty frequently… What would happen if they’d allowed widespread decimation of some of the center city areas like Rittenhouse Square, Old City, etc… I have friends who live on Locust – 2 blocks east of Rittenhouse Sq. They took a “functionally obsolete” rowhouse and remodeled it inside. It’s got the charm of the high ceilings, casework around the windows, etc – but it also has a new/modern kitchen, 2 baths (it’s a 3br), walk in closets, and a roof deck. There was no need to raze it and start over.. they could modify the interior to suit their family’s needs.
I don’t think anyone will be protecting the 1940’s rowhouses you see in north east philly – near oxford cirle, mayfair, etc. But there has been a move towards rehabbing them. My brother in law is refitting one – adding a 2nd bathroom, finishing the basement into a media room… There is nothing preventing him from repurposing and reapportioning the interior space to make it functional for todays lifestyle.
I don’t have a single walk in closet in my 1960’s house. My kitchen doesn’t have an island. Yet my house functions just fine.
ParticipantI don’t have warm fuzzies about being locked into some broker who may or may not give you a good deal.
Why not drop the seller-pays-closing bit and lower your price accordingly. If the negotiated closing costs were $12k, show you’re acting in good faith and counter with $10k under your previous bid, but you’re responsible for closing costs. True you’ll have to pony up some cash at closing – but not that much… I have coworkers refinancing for no-cost, no points… brokers are even covering appraisals these days. It’s a buyers market out there for mortgages… brokers are jumping through hoops for the business from what I’m observing with my coworkers.
Other buyers costs include inspections. Obviously YOU want to pick your inspector… no relatives of the sellers.
If I recall correctly from past posts – you have a decent cash position – but don’t want to sink it all in a house. But it would be foolish to finance into a more expensive loan because you were too afraid to pay closing costs.
BTW – welcome back!
ParticipantI don’t have warm fuzzies about being locked into some broker who may or may not give you a good deal.
Why not drop the seller-pays-closing bit and lower your price accordingly. If the negotiated closing costs were $12k, show you’re acting in good faith and counter with $10k under your previous bid, but you’re responsible for closing costs. True you’ll have to pony up some cash at closing – but not that much… I have coworkers refinancing for no-cost, no points… brokers are even covering appraisals these days. It’s a buyers market out there for mortgages… brokers are jumping through hoops for the business from what I’m observing with my coworkers.
Other buyers costs include inspections. Obviously YOU want to pick your inspector… no relatives of the sellers.
If I recall correctly from past posts – you have a decent cash position – but don’t want to sink it all in a house. But it would be foolish to finance into a more expensive loan because you were too afraid to pay closing costs.
BTW – welcome back!
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