Not in my back yard!...How much?

[Richard Moore]

Not sure if this fits here, but...

I'm in Magnolia today, one of the prime established areas of Seattle, on a block of cute, mostly circa WWII smaller bungalows and pseudo craftsmans. Mine's a nice little early 1940's bungalow (turned duplex with the basement) that had given up it's back yard to a almost new two-story light-blocking monster. Neighbor on one side had done the same. Pity, I think to myself, to give up your back yard, light and privacy just for the almighty buck. Just now, I'm looking at the ariel photos, and see that 17 out of 24 of the original homes on the block had similar "growths".

Keeping down with the Jones's: jones.jpg

86.74 KB

You think someone made these people "an offer they couldn't refuse"? I've seen this a few times, usually 2 or 3 houses...but the whole block? It's good to see that a few held out, but the quiet small back alley is now a damn street.

[hausdok]

Yeah,

City's been encouraging in-city development like this for the past 5-6 years to try and slow down urban sprawl. I've been on lots where tiny bungalows were torn down and then they put up a block of 8 townhomes with a little cross-shaped drive and garages on the ground level. In order to drive into these things you have to make a couple passes with a car to get around the corner and then another couple to maneuver into the garage.

OT - OF!!!

M.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[DonTx]

The same thing is happening here in Houston. Builders go in and tear down these small 1500 to 2500 sf ranch style homes in the older well to do neighborhoods and build these McMansions.

I often tell the clients that the home that was tore down to build their new one was more than likely built better than this new one....

[Terence McCann]

Like sardines in a tin.

[mwg27]

I do feel for those who remain. In a lot of neighborhoods the current residents are trying to enact regimes and develop HOA's to combat the trend to overbuild next to thier existing homes. You see it on the news all the time.

Sadly only a few are enjoying real success...[:-thumbd]

[Brian G]

Jeez. Looking at that makes me want to move even farther out in the country.

Brian G.

Lover of Elbow Room & Privacy [^]

[Jack Ahern]

In the Metrowest part of Boston we are "built out". That means all the ranches and small capes under 500,000 are dozer bait. Knock one down -build a McMansion. 2-4 people living in a 3500sf 4 bath house! I'm too old to fully understand this. I'm too old to change! I'm hearing this a lot. Its time to move to where the buffalo moose roam. [:-banghea

Jack Ahern Needham on the Charles

Bridgton,Maine

[kurt]

It's all kinda stupid, isn't it? All bent out of shape.

Personally, I'd like about 1200 sf on 5 acres, w/a studio/barn/workshop about 2000sf......

[Bill Kibbel]

That really makes me appreciate what my Township does to preserve our rural community.

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=18&X=2383&Y=22423&W=3

[Erby]

They've done quite a bit of similar around the University of Kentucky Campus. They'll leave the old house and add a big vinyl box in the back yard, apartmentalize all of it, then lease it all out to college students.

Some are screaming, some are sucking up the money.