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That is a picture of a highly prestigious San Diego community called 4S Ranch. Most houses you see in the picture are probably worth $600,000-800,000 each, and that's before steep property taxes and HOA fees.
Builders love these houses, because they can maximize the number of houses per acre of land. Buyers (mostly Chinese and Indian immigrants) love them because they are in an acclaimed school district with excellent schools, and also because, for the most part, they come from urban jungles of Shanghai and Bangalore and they are unaccustomed to having backyards. It's a match made in heaven.
That is a picture of a highly prestigious San Diego community called 4S Ranch. Most houses you see in the picture are probably worth $600,000-800,000 each, and that's before steep property taxes and HOA fees.
Builders love these houses, because they can maximize the number of houses per acre of land. Buyers (mostly Chinese and Indian immigrants) love them because they are in an acclaimed school district with excellent schools, and also because, for the most part, they come from urban jungles of Shanghai and Bangalore and they are unaccustomed to having backyards. It's a match made in heaven.
Well gee whiz I am glad my part on earth is nothing like that and in my mind of heaven beyond earth isn't either. Boy I couldn't live like that.
Please somebody tell me why anybody would want to live like the bottom picture in esmith143 post. My Lord I felt claustrophobic just looking at that picture!
I also notice few if any trees. That already tells me the climate is probably quite hot or undesirable.
I also notice few if any trees. That already tells me the climate is probably quite hot or undesirable.
Trees don't grow there naturally, summer dry season is too long, typically no rain May to October. But, with some help, things can get very lush. Secondly, the area was bulldozed flat to build McMansions. Thirdly, houses were built in the last five years and trees did not have a chance to grow. I wouldn't call the climate hot or undesirable. Average July high 89 F, average January low 42 F.
McMansions= not a wise use of natural resources.
I have a feeling consumers will start to demand smaller houses that are more efficient.
I would much rather have a custom built 1500sq ft house instead of a cheaply built 3000sq ft cookie cutter McMansion.
I'd rather they put some engineering effort into making 5000sq ft. homes that are as effcient at the 1500 sq. ft. one... and put them on at least 2 acres each, at an affordable price.
I think both the the technology and building methods / logistics exist.
When they planted a WalMart in the middle of the woods, we knew what was coming. The next county had set up their taxpayers, by TIFing property right and left, and by not requiring anything of developers - they wanted the 'future tax dollars' from the McMansion developments.
So some folks in our little town got together and demanded impact fees based on how much it would cost to provide police, fire, water, sewer, and other services. Everyone said we were idiots and didn't WANT to grow. We demanded that in every tract development - no matter the size - AT LEAST 35% of the property had to be internal commercial - NOT strip malls. We said that they had to have property set-asides for schools and recreation areas. We said that they had to build their own little town - and pay the taxes and impact fees to us. Everyone said no developer would buy into THAT.
Well, they DID. And they were constrained from strip-cutting trees, they had to put in their own roads and drainage, etc. They had to build internal commercial properties so that their citizens could walk to work and school and recreation and shopping. It took a LOT of hard work - work most politicians are too ignorant or too lazy to do. When we tried to tell other folks in other areas how to do it, they said it couldn't be done, that you had to "lure" the developers with promises of cheap up-front costs. We went ahead and did it anyway.
Now the crash has come, and neighboring counties are screaming because they have all of these expenses and a bunch of empty houses collecting no revenues. They have an ever-increasing load of people sucking dry the county and State coffers for services, and not putting anything in - and no way to recoup their losses. Now the State in their magnanimous intelligence has decided to charge - impact fees. DUH.
And everywhere I see politicians talking about cutting fees and eliminating costs and TIf'ing still more property to attract 'the poor developers' - who are not poor at all, but who have already made their profits off of other ignorant and gullible politicians elsewhere. Like vultures they have left one dead body to move on to the next fresh one. And people still sit back on their hands and let their elected officials "do what's best'.
The whole McMansion idea can be thwarted, but ONLY if individuals unite to demand otherwise. Most won't, so developers come in, lay waste an area, and then leave.
SCGranny good for your community! Sadly you are correct most folks won't get off their duffs to get involved locally on many issues. That just gives elected and developers the green light to make the money no matter what the true cost and loses are.
I'd rather they put some engineering effort into making 5000sq ft. homes that are as effcient at the 1500 sq. ft. one... and put them on at least 2 acres each, at an affordable price.
I think both the the technology and building methods / logistics exist.
You make a good point, but I would prefer to use less natural resources. Therefore, I don't need a huge house. I read an article that said we need buildings and houses to be much more energy efficient then they currently are. That means we need a code overall to require structures to meet more advanced requirements.
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My Lord I felt claustrophobic just looking at that picture!
How We Did It
