Author Topic: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?  (Read 4593 times)

John Galt incarnate!

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2038
  • Location: On Cloud Nine


I enjoy the quietude of rural locations  so for me location is a higher priority than the dwelling itself.

How about you?








mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10880
location.

I love southern california, and am willing to live in a shoebox!

dcheesi

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1309
Obviously it's all about trade-offs and minimum-acceptable standards, but I'd have to say location. My actual needs as far as living space are quite limited (and have gotten fewer/lesser over the years), whereas location affects oh so many things that can make or break a lifestyle. Time spent travelling to/from work, opportunities for exercise, convenient access to entertainment, etc.

There are certainly some living situations that would be unacceptable to me, but pretty much any first-world housing scenario is good enough these days. The one thing that's non-negotiable is pet-friendliness, but that's an easy enough bar to reach in my area.


John Galt incarnate!

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2038
  • Location: On Cloud Nine
location.

I love southern california, and am willing to live in a shoebox!

I'm not far from Yosemite National Park (~30 miles).

Since I live @ elevation <3000 feet wintertime average temperature is about 55ish. 

I HATE cold winters.



dougules

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2899
The old adage about real estate: Location, location, location. 

Mr. Green

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4494
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Wilmington, NC
Always the location, not only for all the normal reasons but because the impacts we're increasingly facing she to climate change demand closer scrutiny when selecting a home or land if you want the best chance of not dealing with a life changing headache like flooding or hurricanes, etc. Places that have never flooded before are now consistently flooding. Getting 5 inches of rain in 2 hours is increasingly common. Storm water management systems are not designed to handle the kinds of rains we're seeing all the time now. It's a real problem that most people don't understand and most real estate agents think nothing of.

undercover

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 992
I would not want a shitty house in a nice location and I wouldn't want a nice house in a shitty location so I don't know if that answers anything but you're welcome lol.

Finding balance is key I guess. I spend most of my time indoors anyway so it doesn't really matter where I'm at although it's nice at times.

Depends on where you're at in life I'd say.

Young/broke: location. Earning potential.
Stable/family: dwelling. Functionality.
Rich/retired: location + dwelling. Lifestyle.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2019, 11:49:31 AM by undercover »

Hirondelle

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1598
I like people. So honestly I don't care much about the dwelling nor the location as long as (some of) the people that I love are there.

Awesomeness

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 180
Location.   My house is amazing. I get income from my basement and I designed everything in it.  I’m probably 95% happy w everything. My daughter married a local and I enjoy living near her plus my finances are still messed up from a divorce so I can’t relocate.

I lived in the south for about 6 months in a amazing community. I had the time of my life! 

I hope to someday buy the cheapest house in my old neighborhood again, no matter what it is. I hate stairs and want a master on the main but I’ll take anything to get that life back.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2019, 10:36:52 AM by Awesomeness »

HBFIRE

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1311
  • Age: 45
  • Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Great question.  I've made the mistake in the past of selecting dwelling over location.  It was an expensive mistake lesson for me, and I'm much happier in my ideal location even with less "dwelling".  I live in a small apartment now and am much happier than living in my previous house.  Weather, proximity to services and recreation, proximity to social circle/family are what matter to me.  My conclusion -- location is far more important.  My next step is to increase the quality of dwelling in the same area. 
« Last Edit: July 12, 2019, 12:35:07 PM by HBFIRE »

MonkeyJenga

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8894
  • Location: the woods
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2019, 12:35:11 PM »
At first I assumed location, since my current place is a sublet anyway. I won't stay in this particular house forever, and I could deal with a lot of different options. But when I first got to this city, I was in an unliveable sublet, and I peaced out after one night. That sublet is only 3 blocks away from my current place, so dwelling is also important.

Ultimately location is still more important. I slept in a modified living room for a year in order to stay in my last city, and I'm willing to accept higher rent for smaller spaces in order to be near transit and nature and people I like and fun activities.

John Galt incarnate!

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2038
  • Location: On Cloud Nine
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2019, 12:39:34 PM »
Always the location, not only for all the normal reasons but because the impacts we're increasingly facing she to climate change demand closer scrutiny when selecting a home or land if you want the best chance of not dealing with a life changing headache like flooding or hurricanes, etc. Places that have never flooded before are now consistently flooding. Getting 5 inches of rain in 2 hours is increasingly common. Storm water management systems are not designed to handle the kinds of rains we're seeing all the time now. It's a real problem that most people don't understand and most real estate agents think nothing of.

Choosing my home's specific location was one of the most  deliberative decisions I ever made.

Flood, erosion, mudslide, rockslide, avalanche, and tornado are impossible at my location.

Earthquake damage is unlikely.

Wildfire is a significant  threat.

What's "good" about wildfire is that long before one occurs proven measures  can be taken to save a home  from destruction.


ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2019, 12:56:20 PM »
Location, apparently.  Our house is a real turd of a house (old and badly maintained - had a real "crack house" vibe before we did some repainting), but it's in a wonderful location for us.  We're renting, so the crappy-old-house problems are inconveniences, but not costs.

We have dogs and love living on 200 acres (mostly cornfield but ~30 acres wooded).  Nearest neighbor is about a half mile as the crow flies.  Nobody gives a damn if a dog starts barking like in the suburbs.

Kris

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7335
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2019, 12:59:23 PM »
A bit of both, but I would be more miserable with a nice house in an area I hated than I would be in a shit house in an area I liked.

mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10880
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #14 on: July 12, 2019, 01:10:38 PM »
location.

I love southern california, and am willing to live in a shoebox!

I'm not far from Yosemite National Park (~30 miles).

Since I live @ elevation <3000 feet wintertime average temperature is about 55ish. 

I HATE cold winters.
how are your summers?

Fish Sweet

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 532
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #15 on: July 12, 2019, 01:16:32 PM »
location.

I love southern california, and am willing to live in a shoebox!
Hi-five!  I love Southern California, I love being able to walk in any direction and hit a grocery store within a mile, I love the multitude of diverse restaurants, the weather, the overall culture, and easy access to free, cheap, and even expensive entertainment in any way I wish.  Worth living in and sharing a shoebox for, in my opinion. :)

John Galt incarnate!

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2038
  • Location: On Cloud Nine
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #16 on: July 12, 2019, 01:20:49 PM »
location.

I love southern california, and am willing to live in a shoebox!

I'm not far from Yosemite National Park (~30 miles).

Since I live @ elevation <3000 feet wintertime average temperature is about 55ish. 

I HATE cold winters.
how are your summers?

Summers are hot but humidity is low.


HBFIRE

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1311
  • Age: 45
  • Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #17 on: July 12, 2019, 01:25:38 PM »

Hi-five!  I love Southern California, I love being able to walk in any direction and hit a grocery store within a mile, I love the multitude of diverse restaurants, the weather, the overall culture, and easy access to free, cheap, and even expensive entertainment in any way I wish.  Worth living in and sharing a shoebox for, in my opinion. :)

Yes, cheers to that.  55-75 degrees year round, yes pls.  Now stop telling people about it or we will get too many people :).
« Last Edit: July 12, 2019, 01:27:58 PM by HBFIRE »

Fish Sweet

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 532
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #18 on: July 12, 2019, 01:37:59 PM »

Hi-five!  I love Southern California, I love being able to walk in any direction and hit a grocery store within a mile, I love the multitude of diverse restaurants, the weather, the overall culture, and easy access to free, cheap, and even expensive entertainment in any way I wish.  Worth living in and sharing a shoebox for, in my opinion. :)

Yes, cheers to that.  55-75 degrees year round, yes pls.  Now stop telling people about it or we will get too many people :).
Oh shoot, you're absolutely right.

Hey y'all, don't come to SoCal, specifically LA.  It takes an hour to go three miles and nobody understands how to use a turn signal.   Houses start at 500k for a quarter of a crack shack on top of the freeway. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is dirty concrete jungle, even the beaches are disgusting.  Palm trees fricken everywhere and they're absolutely hideous.  Every rando you meet is an actor wannabe who wants to know what your connection to the entertainment industry is (because they want to milk it for all it's worth.)  When it rains, everyone immediately melts into a puddle and expires on the spot because we don't know how to deal with it.

Fish Sweet

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 532
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #19 on: July 12, 2019, 02:45:12 PM »

Hi-five!  I love Southern California, I love being able to walk in any direction and hit a grocery store within a mile, I love the multitude of diverse restaurants, the weather, the overall culture, and easy access to free, cheap, and even expensive entertainment in any way I wish.  Worth living in and sharing a shoebox for, in my opinion. :)

Yes, cheers to that.  55-75 degrees year round, yes pls.  Now stop telling people about it or we will get too many people :).
Oh shoot, you're absolutely right.

Hey y'all, don't come to SoCal, specifically LA.  It takes an hour to go three miles and nobody understands how to use a turn signal.   Houses start at 500k for a quarter of a crack shack on top of the freeway. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is dirty concrete jungle, even the beaches are disgusting.  Palm trees fricken everywhere and they're absolutely hideous.  Every rando you meet is an actor wannabe who wants to know what your connection to the entertainment industry is (because they want to milk it for all it's worth.)  When it rains, everyone immediately melts into a puddle and expires on the spot because we don't know how to deal with it.
You forgot the horrible smog and Santa Ana winds! Otherwise everything you said is spot-on ;-).

I live in coastal SoCal but dislike it...a lot...but family, friends, job (before I FIREd), certain sports I could play here, etc.. Plus cheap housing kept me me a lot longer than planned. Have been checking out different locations to put down permanent roots and location matter MUCH more than housing. I'm fine with a tiny studio apt in my version of a great location.
Ah yes, the good ol' LA condundrum: is it smog, fog, or smoke? (Because we are also perpetually on fire, another good reason not to come to SoCal.)  Or perhaps smfog, the unholy combination of all three.

I love it here, but I can definitely see maybe not loving it quite as much in another decade or two.  What would look like a great location for you?

Just Joe

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6721
  • Location: In the middle....
  • Teach me something.
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #20 on: July 12, 2019, 03:19:59 PM »
Location. Love the house too. It isn't perfect b/c I didn't build it but we have plans to make some little adjustments. Ten minutes outside a micropolitan university town that is slowly growing. Easy to visit the big city, easy to commute to work by bike or car, easy to stay away from the crowds, four seasons. LCOL too.

happy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9286
  • Location: NSW Australia
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #21 on: July 13, 2019, 12:51:49 AM »
I like a nice house, but if I have to choose, I go for location every time. Fortunately I prefer a less urban environment, near to a regional centre rather than in a major city, and where I live this is quite a bit cheaper. So I get a nice location and can afford a lot more house.

soccerluvof4

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7161
  • Location: Artic Midwest
  • Retired at 50
    • My Journal
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #22 on: July 13, 2019, 04:34:47 AM »
When we downsized we set out a goal to buy a house that was in the location we wanted FIRST that we could make a nice home or as they say make it your own and thats what we did. Where we live its not like when growing up everyone sat out on there porches and new everyone but more pods that everyone lives in and you might say hello in passing cutting grass but I like it that way. What i do like is I live in a neighborhood (60's and 70's built homes) where everyone does take pride in taking care of there homes, there are no Home associations or really stupid rules and i can cut through some ritzier neighborhoods via trails and be in our smaller downtown which is a really popular place that people want to live and they have all the street parties, bands and beer gardens in the park and so on. So my property value is great but I live in a lower cost enclave in what otherwise is a HCOL area. Emphasis on Location!

js82

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 520
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #23 on: July 13, 2019, 06:54:38 AM »
In most aspects, location trumps the dwelling itself for me.

For me there are several key components - some I've known for a long time, others I've come to learn more recently.
-I'm happier in places that are more walkable.  This is something I misjudged when I moved into my current location of residence.  I like being able to walk places - both as a relaxing, low-impact activity and as a substitute for driving when doing minor errands.  Not having this has a subtle but real negative impact on my happiness/quality of life.
-Large crowds irritate me.  I'm an introvert, I like my space, nature, etc.  Sitting in traffic or being somewhere incredibly dense is not my thing.
-I need a certain amount of exposure to cultural diversity/access to "stuff to do" to be happy/feel "alive".  Yes, this can sometimes come into conflict with my 2nd point above.

I've discovered that the middle of large cities and rural/middle America are both not for me(although I do love mountains/forests as vacation destinations!).  This tends to point me to certain districts(or suburbs of) moderately-sized cities that strike a balance between the things cities have to offer, and access to the outdoors/the lower density of more rural areas.

I like people. So honestly I don't care much about the dwelling nor the location as long as (some of) the people that I love are there.

I also share this feeling - home to me is not a question of "where?" but of "who?".  There have been times in my life where I've felt like a stranger in an area I grew up in/lived for years, and times where a foreign country felt like home, all because of the people that were(or weren't) around me at the time.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2019, 07:08:10 AM by js82 »

MayDay

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4953
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #24 on: July 13, 2019, 07:03:44 AM »
80% location.

But with a family of 4 there are some minimums required so taking our 300k budget to Berkeley CA is just not an option :)

Abe

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2647
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #25 on: July 13, 2019, 01:16:10 PM »
I agree with @js82 on all three points, and have found that there are few such places with reasonable housing costs. Ugh.

Rosy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2742
  • Location: Florida
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #26 on: July 13, 2019, 01:34:55 PM »
Another vote for js82's points.

Loren Ver

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Handlebar Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 1223
  • Location: Midwest USA
  • I Retired. Yah!
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #27 on: July 13, 2019, 02:13:22 PM »
Location, but a little more micro than others.  I refuse to live where there is an HOA.  We also don't like neighborhoods where the houses look similar.  Luckily those to things seem to be correlated. 

More macro-ly, I like winter, so I moved north and never looked back (uh, down).

Loren

Omy

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1727
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #28 on: July 13, 2019, 02:48:41 PM »
I love my HOUSE! Tall ceilings, open floor plan, architecturally interesting, with everything I need on one level plus a huge, mostly finished basement as a bonus. The neighborhood is considered desirable, but I wouldn't live in this neighborhood if it weren't for this particular home. The builder only made 6 of these homes in my area, and I have 2 different people who have told me to call them first should I decide to sell. It's a 10-15 minute drive from everything and nothing is walkable...which is a slight bummer. But I love my house, so it's a trade off I was willing to make.

Metalcat

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17387
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #29 on: July 14, 2019, 04:14:03 AM »
95% location, 5% house

I've lived in over 40 homes in my life, ranging from literal shacks to multimillion dollar homes, from deep in the mountains to the hearts of major cities, and everything in between. I'm pretty flexible when it comes to housing, but a bad location is a total bitch.

Thankfully, my preferred locations also tend to have my preferred type of housing, so that really works out for me.

Location:
-work commute is a pretty big deal for both DH and I, so we live where DH can bike/run to work and where I am driving against traffic, so no gridlock and we only need one car
-EVERYTHING is walkable, everything, it's hard for me to come up with something that isn't within walking distance from my house
-OMG the food here is amazing. It's extremely multiethnic, so the restaurants and grocers are incredibly varied. Other than fast food, there are no chain restaurants. I would die in the suburbs.
-we're only 500m from the water

Housing:

DH and I really can live in almost anything, we're minimalists who spent our entire 20s as broke students living in shitty apartments with roommates and sleeping on old futons.
We're really, really not picky.

That said, we have some distinct preferences
-apartments over detached or townhouse, in a high-rise on a high floor, with a nice view
-older buildings for better soundproofing, bigger balconies, and decent sized kitchens (what's up with the useless kitchens in modern "open concept" apartments??? Do people not cook??)
-indoor pool
-indoor heated parking (I'm in Canada, this is HUGE)
-gym & sauna
-somewhere to hose salt off of bikes in the winter

We are moving *today* into our new "dream home" apartment, which has everything on our wish list.
Nobody wanted it because it's a 1 bedroom, very dated, was utterly hideous (so much yellow), and the copper plumbing is so old that it can never have a washer or dishwasher installed. For us, it's perfect.

So yeah, even though the house itself only makes up 5% in terms of priorities, that 5% accounts for a lot of added happiness, but a bad location would make us utterly miserable, so that's why location gets 95%.

use2betrix

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2492
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #30 on: July 14, 2019, 07:18:54 AM »
Neither. At this stage in my life, employment dictates both. I work as a contract worker and my wife and I move to where the best paying jobs are, at both heavy sacrifice of location and dwelling. Right now, to live in one of my ideal locations, I would easily take a pay cut of $150k-$200k/yr or more. In many locations i’d want to live, my job wouldn’t even be available or a possibility.

Right now, we are in the south central US near the coast. Not my preferred location by any means. However, it also gives me the highest paying, best job I could definitely find in the country right now, and the chance to continue saving.

If I eventually get fed up with the location too much, and we’re before FIRE. We will find our dream location, and I’ll leave and work short contract jobs 2-3 months a year anywhere in the US, which would be enough to live off of, then return for the rest of the year. Eventually the stache would grow to FIRE.

Because of our constant moving (around 8 states, thousands of miles apart, in well over a dozen cities, in the last 8 years) dwelling will never be much of a focus. We spent 5 years in a 42’ 5th wheel (12’ of which were a toy hauler) so we have very low standards for housing. Right now, we’re in a 2 bedroom apartment which is by far the best place we have ever lived. Nothing else has even been remotely close. It feels so luxurious and roomy, and it’s around 6% of our gross income. I couldn’t even imagine how much I would love owning a “home,” but with my current work setup, it just isn’t practical. When we do get to the point of owning a home, we’ve lived in so many dumps that our standards will be much lower than most.

Unfortunately, I will likely have the opportunity in the next year or two to turn my contract position into a permanent, full time position, however location will be 100% of the reason I may not turn it down. It would nearly be the highest level position in my field, in this industry, of a fortune 20 company, but I just do not see myself living in this location in the long run. Will have to explore that option more when it arrives.

ender

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7402
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #31 on: July 14, 2019, 07:54:09 AM »
I guess I think both impact it for me.

It's easy for me to say "location" but when I think about it, when I mentally think about moving I always assume the same type of home. Would I move to a more desirable location but with a worse house? Well, maybe. But it really depends.

The fact that so much "depends" suggest that the actual dwelling is a lot higher priority than I initially think.

dodojojo

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 806
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #32 on: July 14, 2019, 08:18:33 AM »
Location.

I've been renting a modest 1 bedroom in a ultra walkable and convenient and safe neighborhood for the last 13 years.  No one understands why I'm still renting.  I explain my rent covers more than just an apartment--I'm paying for a car-free lifestyle. 

jaysee

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 171
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #33 on: July 14, 2019, 09:08:18 AM »
Location location location! And price!

I currently live in a shoebox bedroom in London. Admittedly, it's a nice, comfortable shoebox with a nice view. Also a nice, comfortable living room. Well equipped kitchen. Backyard.

But the location is the real draw. Gym? 7 minutes walk. Beautiful park? 3 minutes walk. Major train station and shops? 10 minutes walk. Commute to the city is a little long, but the trains are simply luxurious and I kind of enjoy sitting down in a nice comfy train seat with my latte, watching houses and trees fly by.

The kicker is - this is ridiculously cheap. It's even cheaper than what I usually pay outside of London!

I'm a pretty outdoorsy person generally, so I always want to live somewhere that's pleasant to walk around. I like sitting in the park watching the sun go down, visiting a coffee shop with my laptop, hanging out at the gym or the pool, going for a long hike, visiting a museum. If there are other people around, all the better, I enjoy being surrounded by my fellow human beings.

I'd rather live somewhere I can do all that rather than being cooped up in a really nice house.

If I had millions of dollars I'd just live in small hotels in the most beautiful locations in the world - Paris, Belize, Venice Beach, Sydney, Santorini. Eat takeaway on the beach or go for a jog around the city.

Location all the way.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2019, 09:14:22 AM by conwy »

ysette9

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8930
  • Age: 2020
  • Location: Bay Area at heart living in the PNW
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #34 on: July 14, 2019, 03:11:17 PM »
Great question.  I've made the mistake in the past of selecting dwelling over location.  It was an expensive mistake lesson for me, and I'm much happier in my ideal location even with less "dwelling".  I live in a small apartment now and am much happier than living in my previous house.  Weather, proximity to services and recreation, proximity to social circle/family are what matter to me.  My conclusion -- location is far more important.  My next step is to increase the quality of dwelling in the same area.
My experience is exactly the same. When we left our good dwelling for a relatively crappy dwelling in a great location our quality of life went way up despite the sacrifices.

Zikoris

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4536
  • Age: 37
  • Location: Vancouver, BC
  • Vancouverstachian
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #35 on: July 14, 2019, 08:23:31 PM »
Location, I am extremely apathetic to what kind of home I live in, except that it has to be small (600 square feet or less).

jpdx

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 760
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #36 on: July 15, 2019, 12:42:41 AM »
Location. You can always make improvements to a house, and most of the value is in the land the house sits on. This is why I'm willing to pay more to live in a nice walkable neighborhood even if it means my house has a long To Do list of repairs and updates.

Metalcat

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17387
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #37 on: July 15, 2019, 04:35:09 AM »
Location, I am extremely apathetic to what kind of home I live in, except that it has to be small (600 square feet or less).

We just downsized from a 1500sqft 3 bedroom, 3 story townhouse down to an 800sqft 1 bedroom apartment, and I can't get over how big the apartment feels compared to the townhouse. Sure the townhouse had a bunch more rooms...that I rarely used...

If I were living alone, this place would feel oversized.

mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10880
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #38 on: July 15, 2019, 12:35:08 PM »

Hi-five!  I love Southern California, I love being able to walk in any direction and hit a grocery store within a mile, I love the multitude of diverse restaurants, the weather, the overall culture, and easy access to free, cheap, and even expensive entertainment in any way I wish.  Worth living in and sharing a shoebox for, in my opinion. :)

Yes, cheers to that.  55-75 degrees year round, yes pls.  Now stop telling people about it or we will get too many people :).
Oh shoot, you're absolutely right.

Hey y'all, don't come to SoCal, specifically LA.  It takes an hour to go three miles and nobody understands how to use a turn signal.   Houses start at 500k for a quarter of a crack shack on top of the freeway. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is dirty concrete jungle, even the beaches are disgusting.  Palm trees fricken everywhere and they're absolutely hideous.  Every rando you meet is an actor wannabe who wants to know what your connection to the entertainment industry is (because they want to milk it for all it's worth.)  When it rains, everyone immediately melts into a puddle and expires on the spot because we don't know how to deal with it.
This is mostly true. (I do really hate driving through LA.  Our last road trip took us 7-8 hours to get from SB to SD.  Blech. Some of that was bathroom breaks for the 6yo with a small bladder, but still.)

MsPeacock

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1571
  • Location: High COL
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #39 on: July 15, 2019, 01:01:01 PM »
Location.

Dwelling issues can be fixed. Location issues are pretty much out of your control (e.g. busy road, too close or too far from various things, noise, bad smells, etc.).

HBFIRE

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1311
  • Age: 45
  • Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #40 on: July 15, 2019, 01:46:30 PM »

This is mostly true. (I do really hate driving through LA.  Our last road trip took us 7-8 hours to get from SB to SD.  Blech. Some of that was bathroom breaks for the 6yo with a small bladder, but still.)

Yes it sucks.  Key is to live where you rarely have to drive anywhere or at least not very far.  I havent driven a car in 3 weeks.

John Galt incarnate!

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2038
  • Location: On Cloud Nine
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #41 on: July 15, 2019, 03:05:36 PM »

 Key is to live where you rarely have to drive anywhere or at least not very far. 

When deciding the location of my house not being too far from town was among the criteria.


Lmoot

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 844
    • Journal
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #42 on: July 16, 2019, 02:44:39 PM »
Location. Not even just talking about the area. I would condense it down to even just the look of the neighborhood or Street itsself. I want a neighborhood that I feel good driving into at the end of the day, and that I enjoy looking out of windows on, and walking through. I can control how my house looks to some degree after I buy it. I can’t control how all the rest of it looks.

In fact, I look at Zillow for houses that are for sale, and skip all the photos of the inside of the house, and go straight to the street view, so I can get a good look of the street. Is it an older neighborhood? Are there trees in the front yard, and old growth trees throughout? Are the driveways set back, or is there only enough space for one car’s length just so the tail lights aren’t hanging over a sidewalk. Is there natural landscaping in the front yard, or is it carpet after carpet of over manicured lawn?

 I’m currently house shopping, and because it’s just me for now, I don’t care about things such as square footage, or amount of bedrooms and bathroom. For me it is purely can I picture myself taking evening walks through my neighborhood. I work from home and so being able to get away for a short walk is important, and it needs to be a peaceful experience. I am very aesthetically driven and affected by my surroundings.

A Fella from Stella

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 524
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #43 on: July 16, 2019, 02:47:20 PM »
I like all the services of my high-priced suburb, but really for my kids more than me.

Just Joe

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6721
  • Location: In the middle....
  • Teach me something.
Re: Your Dwelling Or Its Location, Which Is Your Higher Priority And Why?
« Reply #44 on: July 17, 2019, 10:44:40 AM »
Location. Not even just talking about the area. I would condense it down to even just the look of the neighborhood or Street itsself. I want a neighborhood that I feel good driving into at the end of the day, and that I enjoy looking out of windows on, and walking through. I can control how my house looks to some degree after I buy it. I can’t control how all the rest of it looks.

In fact, I look at Zillow for houses that are for sale, and skip all the photos of the inside of the house, and go straight to the street view, so I can get a good look of the street. Is it an older neighborhood? Are there trees in the front yard, and old growth trees throughout? Are the driveways set back, or is there only enough space for one car’s length just so the tail lights aren’t hanging over a sidewalk. Is there natural landscaping in the front yard, or is it carpet after carpet of over manicured lawn?

 I’m currently house shopping, and because it’s just me for now, I don’t care about things such as square footage, or amount of bedrooms and bathroom. For me it is purely can I picture myself taking evening walks through my neighborhood. I work from home and so being able to get away for a short walk is important, and it needs to be a peaceful experience. I am very aesthetically driven and affected by my surroundings.

DW and I spend alot of time driving through candidate neighborhoods at all times of the day and evening just to see if there are any gotcha reasons not to live there. Also, I avoid neighborhoods with alot of rental property. In neighborhoods here with alot of rental property sometimes the properties just aren't well kept. Some tenants don't care b/c they are only renting. Some landlords don't care b/c they are too cheap to do anything but the bare minimum to keep the place up.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!