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Old 10-12-2016, 01:35 PM
 
Location: North of Boston
3,686 posts, read 7,423,982 times
Reputation: 3663

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Quote:
Originally Posted by confuseddesi View Post

Why do single family homes in carlisle, concord, acton, westford or even andover for that matter require over 2 acres of land? There are hundreds of homes with over 2 acres of land in many towns. I truly believe this is the main reason for lack of inventory. Give out permits to all owners with over an acre of land to build another home and see what happens.

confuseddesi, first you would have to change the zoning requirements in all of those communities. Towns like Carlisle and Boxford require large lot sizes on purpose.

Let's not forget that some of these communities also don't have municipal sewer systems or not all houses are connected to sewer. This means that many parcels that contain wetlands or are adjacent to wetlands can not be developed.

I understand your frustration but your proposed solution is not viable.
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Old 10-12-2016, 02:27 PM
 
530 posts, read 358,310 times
Reputation: 443
Quote:
Originally Posted by confuseddesi View Post
As I read through these posts in the thread I'm tempted to point out the hype created around lack of inventory. It might be true - but I believe all the western ma cities or northern cities - I believe create this artificially. Why do single family homes in carlisle, concord, acton, westford or even andover for that matter require over 2 acres of land? There are hundreds of homes with over 2 acres of land in many towns. I truly believe this is the main reason for lack of inventory. Give out permits to all owners with over an acre of land to build another home and see what happens.

There are no more homes or place to build homes because all the towns approved huge lots for single family homes - like literally farms for each home.


What this has basically done is scarcity for land to build any new homes. And in this market that has increased the already hyped up market's hype to a level that crappy tear downs or sub decent small homes are selling for over 400-500K.



What this has done - see below. This is not a tale from one of the towns in mentioned so apologies upfront.

https://www.redfin.com/MA/Westford/4...home/109023299

This town home has been in the market for over 30 days and it didn't sell. It is a very decent, nice 2000sqft home and very newish. But, a 2000sqft townhome in the middle of nowhere listed for 450K ?!!

What is more surprising is that even though that above home didn't sell - there is another new home right next to it with much lesser sqfootage listed for the same price !!

I don't even want to know what this guy is smoking ...https://www.redfin.com/MA/Westford/2...home/109270458
1450 sqft listed for a tad bit higher than the above 2000 sqft townhome.

1450 sqft townhome with almost $500 condo fee , for 450K in the middle of westford.

W.T.F
The one with 2000 sq ft looks like a middle unit while the 1500 sq ft one looks like an end unit. That makes a difference for some buyer. I know this condo area, as I have a couple of my friends there, their HOA fees might be updated shortly due to the poor construction by the builders. Also, I have a good acre+ land around my house and I prefer having the land (the view), rather than having a building come up. Most of my neighbors love having this much land and in fact bought their houses due to this main reason. If this is not your cup of tea, then maybe the town is not for you. GL!
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Old 10-12-2016, 03:01 PM
 
1,708 posts, read 2,909,169 times
Reputation: 2167
Burlington was my metro west town when looking at houses. Love the low tax rate and commuter rail, bus to alewife, and express bus options. Not to mention it is possible to work in the town you live in which is rare.

We chose Marblehead because for the same price I would rather on the ocean but if it had a job in metro west it would definitely be Burlington.
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Old 10-12-2016, 03:18 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts & Hilton Head, SC
10,007 posts, read 15,650,939 times
Reputation: 8649
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramaka View Post
The one with 2000 sq ft looks like a middle unit while the 1500 sq ft one looks like an end unit. That makes a difference for some buyer. I know this condo area, as I have a couple of my friends there, their HOA fees might be updated shortly due to the poor construction by the builders. Also, I have a good acre+ land around my house and I prefer having the land (the view), rather than having a building come up. Most of my neighbors love having this much land and in fact bought their houses due to this main reason. If this is not your cup of tea, then maybe the town is not for you. GL!
I love my land, too. All 2 acres of it. Like gf2020 said, we don't have a sewer system so we need more space between houses.
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Old 10-12-2016, 05:55 PM
 
Location: Ma
50 posts, read 53,456 times
Reputation: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramaka View Post
The one with 2000 sq ft looks like a middle unit while the 1500 sq ft one looks like an end unit. That makes a difference for some buyer. I know this condo area, as I have a couple of my friends there, their HOA fees might be updated shortly due to the poor construction by the builders. Also, I have a good acre+ land around my house and I prefer having the land (the view), rather than having a building come up. Most of my neighbors love having this much land and in fact bought their houses due to this main reason. If this is not your cup of tea, then maybe the town is not for you. GL!

Nope - they are both end units....
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Old 10-12-2016, 06:28 PM
 
530 posts, read 358,310 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by confuseddesi View Post
Nope - they are both end units....
Are you sure? Check Pic #6 and 12 of 49 Indian Ridge, you can clearly see the next unit. I have seen some other units in that association, they have a small 2-3 ft gap between middle units and they are not considered corner units. 29 Indian Ridge looks like a true corner unit, hence the same price as #49 is my guess. Have you been there for their open house?
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Old 10-12-2016, 07:10 PM
 
3,268 posts, read 3,319,953 times
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Why the heck would someone want to give up part of their land so someone could build a house on it and crowd them
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Old 10-13-2016, 06:35 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whatsnext75 View Post
Why the heck would someone want to give up part of their land so someone could build a house on it and crowd them
Unless they need the money, they wouldn't. And if they needed the money they wouldn't be in a place like that in the first place.
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Old 10-17-2016, 10:15 AM
 
Location: Ma
50 posts, read 53,456 times
Reputation: 57
I didn't mean to hijack this thread but that's what it feels like - so apologies again to the original thread - may be this discussion needs to be it's own thread... Sorry again to OP.

Here is an example of what I mentioned:

https://www.redfin.com/MA/Westford/9...6/home/8773697

This is a property that is newly built on an old 6-7 acre lot that has now been broken down to Three lots. One with old home and the remaining two are getting two new homes.

I understand your question about Why. But, when properties are so freaking costly and there is no new place to build homes - my thought was this might not be a bad idea - whatever this owner did. I guess he basically got the approval and has the builder building these homes or may be sold the two lots to the builder or whatever the case be - it now adds two additional homes into that 7 acre lot.

My statement was only that the lack of space for newer constructions is only because of artificially cutting lots in the past to be HUGE (just like trump says - Great big huge ).

Quote:
Originally Posted by timberline742 View Post
Unless they need the money, they wouldn't. And if they needed the money they wouldn't be in a place like that in the first place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kingeorge View Post
Nothing with good location is affordable nowadays.
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Old 10-17-2016, 10:16 AM
 
Location: Ma
50 posts, read 53,456 times
Reputation: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by timberline742 View Post
Unless they need the money, they wouldn't. And if they needed the money they wouldn't be in a place like that in the first place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kingeorge View Post
Nothing with good location is affordable nowadays.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramaka View Post
Are you sure? Check Pic #6 and 12 of 49 Indian Ridge, you can clearly see the next unit. I have seen some other units in that association, they have a small 2-3 ft gap between middle units and they are not considered corner units. 29 Indian Ridge looks like a true corner unit, hence the same price as #49 is my guess. Have you been there for their open house?


You are absolutely correct ramaka.
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