The Money Mustache Community

Around the Internet => Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy => Topic started by: Pennypincherslm on July 24, 2014, 08:25:48 PM

Title: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Pennypincherslm on July 24, 2014, 08:25:48 PM
http://www.zillow.com/blog/what-is-luxury-real-estate-154490/

I had to chuckle, imagining MMM reading thru this link and screaming. :)
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Primm on July 24, 2014, 08:48:55 PM
What the actual f*&^% is a packing island?
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Donovan on July 25, 2014, 06:25:12 AM
What the actual f*&^% is a packing island?

It's the island you put your suitcases on when you are packing for your weekly plane commute across the country in a private jet!  Where else would you do it, a bed?

Real estate pictures always distort distances, but I'm 90% sure my (not super tiny) apartment would fit in the kitchen/living room in the second picture o.O
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: dragoncar on July 25, 2014, 08:03:12 AM
What the actual f*&^% is a packing island?

It's the island you put your suitcases on when you are packing for your weekly plane commute across the country in a private jet!  Where else would you do it, a bed?


I wouldn't know, my serving man Jeeves does all my packing.  Maybe I'll buy him a nicer packing island as a bonus this year.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: odput on July 25, 2014, 09:25:02 AM
This part made me chuckle:

Quote from:  Zillow
As kitchens are increasingly seen as the command center of the home, smarter cooking appliances are also heating up.

So people who buy luxury homes can pay more for appliances they don't use when they go out to eat every night
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: gildedbutterfly on July 25, 2014, 10:13:16 AM
What the actual f*&^% is a packing island?

I read this entire thread before actually looking at the article, and when I saw this comment, I imagined a body of land surrounded by a body of water on which to pack.

Now that I've seen the packing island, I'm pretty sure my original mental image would not be any less ridiculous.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Lis on July 25, 2014, 10:43:08 AM
Fairly certain my entire apartment can fit in that second picture, and then some. That's smaller??

I do admit I drooled a bit over that kitchen. Growing up in a kitchen that had little counter space, and now having my own kitchen with the same dilemma, the idea of a 'luxury' kitchen will take multiple face punches for me to get over.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: greenmimama on July 25, 2014, 12:42:48 PM
This part made me chuckle:

Quote from:  Zillow
As kitchens are increasingly seen as the command center of the home, smarter cooking appliances are also heating up.

So people who buy luxury homes can pay more for appliances they don't use when they go out to eat every night

Yes, my mom, who cooks a lot, hates seeing all these beautiful kitchens, so people can heat up frozen chicken nuggets
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: marblejane on July 25, 2014, 01:31:24 PM
This quote from the article wins it: 
Quote
“An oversized couch with an accompanying chair and adorned side tables — it’s a perfect little picture. Unless you’re having a party, no one is actually sitting there, but it’s visual eye candy,” he said.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Jack on July 25, 2014, 02:23:47 PM
What the actual f*&^% is a packing island?

I read this entire thread before actually looking at the article, and when I saw this comment, I imagined a body of land surrounded by a body of water on which to pack.

Now that I've seen the packing island, I'm pretty sure my original mental image would not be any less ridiculous.

I imagined a smaller island adjacent to your private island containing nothing but a wharf and warehouse where the Amazon.com ship could dock and unload all the useless shit you bought.

I'm actually kind of relieved that it's "merely" an overpriced built-in-yet-freestanding dresser instead.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: RFAAOATB on July 25, 2014, 03:26:12 PM
This part made me chuckle:

Quote from:  Zillow
As kitchens are increasingly seen as the command center of the home, smarter cooking appliances are also heating up.

So people who buy luxury homes can pay more for appliances they don't use when they go out to eat every night

Isn't the help supposed to cook?
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: horsepoor on July 25, 2014, 06:52:07 PM
Fairly certain my entire apartment can fit in that second picture, and then some. That's smaller??

I do admit I drooled a bit over that kitchen. Growing up in a kitchen that had little counter space, and now having my own kitchen with the same dilemma, the idea of a 'luxury' kitchen will take multiple face punches for me to get over.

If it's any consolation, many of those kitchens are TOO big.  For instance, it looks like about 5K from the fridge to the stove.  When we moved into our current house, I thought I'd want to tear out and expand the kitchen, but now I find it just right in terms of counter space (would still kill for a real pantry, though).
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: SewingmyStache on July 28, 2014, 11:53:31 PM
This house is less than 2 miles from my house.  I recognized it right away. It replaced a lovely 1920's house and many trees.  It's been on the market for quite a few months which is unusual in this area.  Some of these features may not be as popular as the builder thinks or the house is just overpriced.  I think the open area with the kitchen is not a selling point.  In that neighborhood, the kitchens are mostly used by caterers during parties.   
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Dibbels81 on July 29, 2014, 07:36:47 AM
I like the "breathtaking master closet."
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: dragoncar on July 29, 2014, 07:46:13 AM
I like the "breathtaking master closet."

I definitely breathed
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Brad_H on July 29, 2014, 10:25:22 AM
If it's any consolation, many of those kitchens are TOO big.  For instance, it looks like about 5K from the fridge to the stove.  When we moved into our current house, I thought I'd want to tear out and expand the kitchen, but now I find it just right in terms of counter space (would still kill for a real pantry, though).

When I was in school for Architectural drafting they trained us to use the Kitchen Work Triangle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_work_triangle) for an optimal layout.

Does not work along a straight wall but there are still things you can do.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: NoraLenderbee on July 29, 2014, 12:09:13 PM
Quote
Nick Segal, president and founding partner of Los Angeles brokerage Partners Trust, is developing a Best View score to help tell the story of his high-end listings. Each home will be given a “grade” based on six criteria: explosiveness, texture, exclusivity, proximity, iconography and privacy.


Explosiveness? So all the houses have a view of a volcano? Or of a weapons-testing range?
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: slugline on July 29, 2014, 12:17:57 PM
Explosiveness? So all the houses have a view of a volcano? Or of a weapons-testing range?

Or an all-you-can-eat bean buffet....
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Quark on July 29, 2014, 01:40:39 PM
Hey! I live just a mile away from River Oaks in Houston. They have walk-throughs every year under the guise of viewing everyone's flowers. That whole neighborhood makes me want to walk door to door face punching everyone. *Most* of the people who live here are really old people who have been in the oil and gas business for a hundred years. Every time I see one I actually like, its usually much smaller than all the others. I like the 1920s English cottage style ones. But most are just so huge it seems ridiculous rather than attractive.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: Albert on July 29, 2014, 03:00:11 PM
Much of what's inside is silly, but I have to say that from outside the house looks tasty. Not really that enormous, I've certainly seen much bigger houses (many in poor style).


I have a modest apartment and I'm fine with it, but beautiful living spaces do affect me. Earlier this year we stayed for 2 days in a five star resort in the Middle East (just opened and offering large discounts in case you wonder). It was a very pleasurable experience...
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: The Guru on July 30, 2014, 10:48:25 AM
I can't imagine living someplace that looks cold, bland and uninviting. The second pic looks like a warehouse (a nice, clean warehouse, but still...). The first one looks like an operating room. Or a high-tech morgue.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: dragoncar on July 30, 2014, 11:35:49 AM
I can't imagine living someplace that looks cold, bland and uninviting. The second pic looks like a warehouse (a nice, clean warehouse, but still...). The first one looks like an operating room. Or a high-tech morgue.

I think part of it is the lenses they use for real estate photography, but there are definitely some where I say "this could basically have been a slightly remodeled Bennigan's"
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: SisterX on July 30, 2014, 12:22:48 PM
What the actual f*&^% is a packing island?

It's the island you put your suitcases on when you are packing for your weekly plane commute across the country in a private jet!  Where else would you do it, a bed?

Real estate pictures always distort distances, but I'm 90% sure my (not super tiny) apartment would fit in the kitchen/living room in the second picture o.O

Only peasants use the bed for packing.

And I think I can beat you: not only is that "open concept" room larger than my whole apartment, I'm pretty sure the closet itself is larger than both of our bedrooms put together.  O_o

I think people who equate "large house" with "better house" are seriously doing it wrong.
Title: Re: Zillow's What Is Luxury Real Estate
Post by: andrea-stache on July 30, 2014, 12:23:37 PM
"A touch of an iPad in the kitchen controls everything from the home’s sprinkler and mosquito systems to sound and video."

I never knew there were mosquito systems...interesting!