[morcellement]

While the OP was rather brash in how they put it, I totally get what they're saying. Yes, it's true that stucco and/or light colors help keep heat out, but that doesn't mean every single house needs to be built as if it were manufactured on an assembly line. For example, why are white, off-white, beige/tan, cream and peach pretty much the ONLY colors ever used? There are plenty of lighter colors that can be used. See: Apricot, Lighter shades of brown, More subdued shades of orange, Gold, Turquoise, Pink, etc...

[ElleTea]

Am I the only one that doesn't really care about the outside? As long as it is good shape, how ot looks doesn't matter to me. My house now isn't the most atttractive on the block from the outside, I am more worried about the inside where I actually live.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

Am I the only one that doesn't really care about the outside? As long as it is good shape, how ot looks doesn't matter to me. My house now isn't the most atttractive on the block from the outside, I am more worried about the inside where I actually live.

I care because that's just how I was raised. I'm not going to be the "sore thumb" on the block. No way. No how. I don't like it when neighborhoods look like something out of "Sanford & Son" -- cars parked permanently in the street, leaking oil. Weeds all over. Toys strewn about unkempt property.

For instance, when I first moved here, my wife and I were the ONLY people who recycled. Now about half the people who live in my neighborhood recycle. We'll influence our neighborhood by good example, if nothing else. Some people will never "get with the program." But enough will that it makes it a better place to live for everybody.

This week, I'm painting the trim around my house because the paint is peeling. It's happening EVERYWHERE around the neighborhood. And soon enough, a few neighbors will do the same. Then a few more. Then there will be only a couple houses on the street with peeling trim. The HOA will take care of the stragglers without us having to say a word.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

I care because that's just how I was raised. I'm not going to be the "sore thumb" on the block. No way. No how. I don't like it when neighborhoods look like something out of "Sanford & Son" -- cars parked permanently in the street, leaking oil. Weeds all over. Toys strewn about unkempt property.

For instance, when I first moved here, my wife and I were the ONLY people who recycled. Now about half the people who live in my neighborhood recycle. We'll influence our neighborhood by good example, if nothing else. Some people will never "get with the program." But enough will that it makes it a better place to live for everybody.

This week, I'm painting the trim around my house because the paint is peeling. It's happening EVERYWHERE around the neighborhood. And soon enough, a few neighbors will do the same. Then a few more. Then there will be only a couple houses on the street with peeling trim. The HOA will take care of the stragglers without us having to say a word.

I should have been more specific.

I don't care if all the houses look the same on the outside. I wasn't saying I would let the exterior look like crap (right now my lawn is in need of some edging and it's bugging me! I'll take care of it this week, and plant some flowers). I just don't really care what the exterior STYLE is as long as it is good shape and maintained.

When I said mine isn't the most attractive from the outside I was referring to style not condition.

[marksamson]

I can tell you; the house that i bought is next to the pig farm and "ME NO CARE" i appreciate what I got...perhaps some are spoiled to the bone. From the fox holes in the desert (US ARMY) to a 4 bedroom home w/pool yet, still in the desert...i am fat, dumb and happy

[Scott456]

This subject reminds me of the beautiful victorian style pink ladies houses in San Francisco. Do you know how much it costs to maintain those BEAUTIFUL houses? the wood are easily rotten inside, the roof and the windows leaks every now and then. The stained glasses are expensive to repair, the door, the stairs...nothing is standard size that you can replace with HomeDepot stuff.
Yea they are pretty, but I don't need the headache....

[modhatter]

I understand the OP statement. The UGLY is a strong word I know, but in this case, I think it is appropriate and honest. I have never seen so many ugly design houses ever. In the lower price range ($150,000 and under) some of them are down right hideous boxes. People living LV should not take this statement personally. It is an honest assessment from someone coming from another state and looking at houses there for the first time.

There are many beautiful aspects of Nevada that make it very appealing, but come on now people, exterior home design is not one of them. It was the greedy builders that put up all those shoe boxes, and made a very handsome profit doing so.

You have to get up into the $300 and up category, before you start to see some style, and even there you might be hard pressed. I know it's cheaper to build a box on top of a garage, and if the market were a normal market and builders were building again, I only hope some builders will offer more in the exterior design department.

The same builders built in Vegas, that built in Phoenix during the boom, but Phoenix doesn't have houses like that. Most of them have some esthetic appeal to the outside with a little more creativity in design.

I just bid on an ugly single story home. If the market weren't so crazy and there was something to chose from, I would never have bought it. The only hope of giving it some exterior appeal will be with some very creative landscaping. Thankfully some good landscaping can sometimes turn a sow into a prince. And yes, it does take some adjustment coming to Las Vegas for the first time.

Every time someone points out a negative observation on this board, they get jumped all over. I don't understand this.
Yes, there are some very pretty areas in Vegas that are lush and have winding streets instead of straight bowling ally streets, but take away all that greenery and lovely landscaping and look only at the design of the house, and can you honestly say that is appealing architecture?

I can't help but feel sometimes, that people who only have wonderful things to say about Las Vegas are welcome on this board.
I don't see this on other boards so much. This is a honest observation by the way.

It is true what Scoop said. People do tend to follow by example. I have experienced this many times.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by modhatter

Every time someone points out a negative observation on this board, they get jumped all over. I don't understand this.
Yes, there are some very pretty areas in Vegas that are lush and have winding streets instead of straight bowling ally streets, but take away all that greenery and lovely landscaping and look only at the design of the house, and can you honestly say that is appealing architecture?

Between the people who make their money on real estate, the people who feel the need to justify their move, the people who take offense at "outsiders trying to change things," and the willfully ignorant, I'm surprised anything gets done around here.



If you want to see houses that don't look like they were whacked with a clone stick, take a drive around the extreme East part of town. Punch "Radwick Drive" into your GPS and drive around that area. You'll see a blue Japanese pagoda house, near a house that looks like a Mississippi riverboat, next to a Victorian house, next to a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired house.

That, too, is a little weird -- a big mess of architectural styles. But it beats looking at khaki stucco all day.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Between the people who make their money on real estate, the people who feel the need to justify their move, the people who take offense at "outsiders trying to change things," and the willfully ignorant, I'm surprised anything gets done around here.



If you want to see houses that don't look like they were whacked with a clone stick, take a drive around the extreme East part of town. Punch "Radwick Drive" into your GPS and drive around that area. You'll see a blue Japanese pagoda house, near a house that looks like a Mississippi riverboat, next to a Victorian house, next to a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired house.

That, too, is a little weird -- a big mess of architectural styles. But it beats looking at khaki stucco all day.

I don't defend Las Vegas against criticism. I do defend against the hopelessly inaccurate. Las Vegas is a normal southwestern city. It is neither better or worse than most of the others.

I am quite familiar with southern California and Phoenix. The builders over the last 30 years have built exactly the same house in all three. They cost more in CA and have smaller lots if you are anywhere near the cost.

Ticky Tacky houses? Try Sun City Phoenix. Ugliest development I know in the southwest.

If you move up a ways you can try Scoop's Sunrise or my Lone Mountain. Actually you can pick up old houses here for less than $250K but they will be old and need fixing.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by modhatter

I understand the OP statement. The UGLY is a strong word I know, but in this case, I think it is appropriate and honest. I have never seen so many ugly design houses ever. In the lower price range ($150,000 and under) some of them are down right hideous boxes. People living LV should not take this statement personally. It is an honest assessment from someone coming from another state and looking at houses there for the first time. .

I agree with you. I am amazed at how tight the houses are placed together in many of the newer neighborhoods. An example are some of the developments on the southside near the M Casino.

I would agree that some of the nicer places are on the east side as you are getting closer to the mountains.