Real Estate in your city

[chris08876]

Just to give you an idea. Now, this will depend on peoples preferences and driving habits. But... assume on a crappy day, add 20-30 minutes assuming an accident or some backup.

A commute let's say:




Will get you something along the lines of this. Pretty legit. If one has a good job in Philly... this is perfect. And in South NJ.





And if you mind an hour commute, you can still access the powerhouse areas of Elizabeth-Newark for maybe just putting on the radio or some music playlist and enjoying the commute (maybe an audiobook).




So its going to depend on peoples tolerance for commuting. Yeah if you want a 20 minute commute to NYC, you are going to get raped in costs.

So really, its up to the individual. Affordability in NJ can be found... depends on the person. Its not out of reach.

And also... there's a ton of jobs in the suburbs. So it really will in the end depend on where you work, and sometimes the sector. And yeah you might have to sacrifice some of the fancy "city living" but hey... at the end of the day, its one choice. Gas prices aside, all can be accessed via car and time. Or train...

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Crawford

PA has pretty cheap RE compared to NJ, and lower property taxes, and far fewer NIMBYs. So it's appealing to some.

Chris, isn't this describing you? Bigger *new* house, less taxes, less cranky New Jerseyans

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Chris, isn't this describing you? Bigger *new* house, less taxes, less cranky New Jerseyans

I think your right.

Anyways, here is a very accurate illustration of what transpired. Along with the other NJ and NY folks migrating during the pandemic.

This is the type of stuff they need to teach in the schools. The real history!

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by FromSD

So why are the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia so much cheaper than the suburbs on the Pennsylvania side? I'm no expert, but don't you get a lot more money for your housing dollar on the South Jersey side? And I'm not talking about Camden. I'm talking about middle and upper middle class suburbs. Is it because access to high paying jobs in Center City Philadelphia is just less convenient from New Jersey?

Those are different parts of Jersey (and PA).

South Jersey (Philly suburbs) is generally cheaper than Philly suburbs in PA.

But NE PA, and Allentown area (outer NYC suburbs) are generally cheaper than NYC suburbs in NJ.

Yeah, much of it is convenience. Rail connections are key, in both NYC and Philly metros. But also for Philly, almost all the classic, established suburbs and pretty landscapes are on the PA side. North/Central Jersey is (very generally speaking) expensive and has pretty landscapes and good rail connections, South Jersey not so much.

[chris08876]

Definitely true with the South NJ landscapes. The suburbs there tend to not have that aesthetic charm. Now... Bergen County has some of the best suburbs I've seen. Saddle River and its proxies... some of those burbs are down right gorgeous. And even in terms of the home architecture, gorgeous.

Further you go North, the elevation makes for some topography eye candy.

Green Brook Township as well, once you go up Warrenville Road towards the hills, it becomes very picturesque. Mad expensive but if one can afford it, for a suburb, it offers a ton of variety with the architecture, good schools and civil folks.

[10023]

I do not see the appeal of that suburban house. Certainly not aesthetically.

[Steely Dan]

across the street from us, this 2-flat deconverted into a SFH just closed a couple of weeks ago for $1.4M!

i don't like how these deconversions decrease density and take smaller more affordable rental units off the market forever,

but i also have to admit that if you've got the cash, it's an awfully comfortable way to raise a family in a great city neighborhood.


2523 W Eastwood Ave, Chicago, IL
4 bed | 4 bath | 4,000 SF
closed on 4/13/22 for $1,400,000

zillow link: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...02039867_zpid/

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Love it, very cool! I'd live there in a heartbeat.
Side note... $350 a sq ft, what a bargain. Literally cannot find anything within 40 miles of downtown LA at that price per square

[Steely Dan]

^ well, I could rub it in even more by mentioning that we got our 3 bed / 3 bath 2,300 SF duplex-down condo in a 3-flat across the street from the above for only $183/SF!

Though it's admittedly not nearly as nice as the above and it's in a multi-family building, and that's always a major price ding compared to a SFH, but still, these duplex-down units are a freaking urban steal if you're just looking for a comfortable family-sized home in a great Chicago neighborhood and you're nowhere remotely close to 7-figure land, financially speaking.

[ChiSoxRox]

*Turns green with envy*

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ well, I could rub it in even more by mentioning that we got our 3 bed / 3 bath 2,300 SF duplex-down condo in a 3-flat across the street from the above for only $183/SF!

Though it's admittedly not nearly as nice as the above and it's in a multi-family building, and that's always a major price ding compared to a SFH, but still, these duplex-down units are a freaking urban steal if you're just looking for a comfortable family-sized home in a great Chicago neighborhood and you're nowhere remotely close to 7-figure land, financially speaking.

Fantastic. That sounds like fantasy land lol

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

i don't like how these deconversions decrease density and take smaller more affordable rental units off the market forever,

Minor nitpick: we can't say it's forever. Things change.

[Steely Dan]

^ well, yeah. As the saying goes, "forever" is a very long time.

I was using it more informally in the "for the foreseeable future" kinda sense.

Once these century-old two flats get bought by flippers who dump a bunch of money to turn them into large and luxurious SFHs (for coastal people, I know $1.4M only buys you an old rusted out porta-potty in coastal California, but here in Chicago, that's very high end for the local market), they are almost certain to stay that way for at least the remainder of my years in this world.

There have already been five 2-flat deconversions on our block, and now that the one across the street just closed for $1.4M, more will almost certainly be coming, which I'm not thrilled about because I really Iike the economic diversity that missing middle multi-family housing allows for.

[chris08876]

Chicago has always been a bargain to some degree. At least from East Coast eyes. I mean you could live in the CBD and it won't cost you your soul.

Even for rents. A one bedroom for under 2k, and near Michigan Ave... a bargain.

Here in NY, that will get you a small closet with a lovely view of brick. In California, might get you the small cabinet underneath the sink... and even that is generous.

I've said this before and will say it again, Chicago for the price offers kick ass urbanism at a fair deal.

A one bedroom for 2k at 360 East Randolph Street.... what a deal.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ well, yeah. As the saying goes, "forever" is a very long time.

I was using it more informally in the "for the foreseeable future" kinda sense.

Once these century-old two flats get bought by flippers who dump a bunch of money to turn them into large and luxurious SFHs (for coastal people, I know $1.4M only buys you an old rusted out porta-potty in coastal California, but here in Chicago, that's very high end for the local market), they are almost certain to stay that way for at least the remainder of my years in this world.

There have already been five 2-flat deconversions on our block, and now that the one across the street just closed for $1.4M, more will almost certainly be coming, which I'm not thrilled about because I really Iike the economic diversity that missing middle multi-family housing allows for.

In NYC that has tended to be the first sign of more density coming. The first step is usually buyers with deep pockets buying up brownstones or townhouses and renovating. Then the developers come in and start buying up lots and houses to do infill or teardowns/rebuilds.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

In NYC that has tended to be the first sign of more density coming. The first step is usually buyers with deep pockets buying up brownstones or townhouses and renovating. Then the developers come in and start buying up lots and houses to do infill or teardowns/rebuilds.

well, my neighborhood of Lincoln Square has also been experiencing a fair bit of denser mid-rise in-fill along the main streets of the neighborhood, but a good deal of those unit gains have been offset by the hundreds (thousands?) of 2-flat deconversions on the side streets, such that last decade the neighborhood only grew from 39,493 in 2010 to 40,494 in 2020 (+1,001 people, +2.5%).

so density isn't being meaningfully impacted yet either way, and we're still down about 7,000 people from the all-time neighborhood high set back in 1970 (back when household sizes were much larger).

[DCReid]

Another list of so-called overpriced cities:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/h...190556484.html

Flint, Michigan? Dalton, GA?

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Just to give you an idea. Now, this will depend on peoples preferences and driving habits. But... assume on a crappy day, add 20-30 minutes assuming an accident or some backup.

A commute let's say:

(...)


Will get you something along the lines of this. Pretty legit. If one has a good job in Philly... this is perfect. And in South NJ.





And if you mind an hour commute, you can still access the powerhouse areas of Elizabeth-Newark for maybe just putting on the radio or some music playlist and enjoying the commute (maybe an audiobook).




So its going to depend on peoples tolerance for commuting. Yeah if you want a 20 minute commute to NYC, you are going to get raped in costs.

So really, its up to the individual. Affordability in NJ can be found... depends on the person. Its not out of reach.

And also... there's a ton of jobs in the suburbs. So it really will in the end depend on where you work, and sometimes the sector. And yeah you might have to sacrifice some of the fancy "city living" but hey... at the end of the day, its one choice. Gas prices aside, all can be accessed via car and time. Or train...

How (and why) people keep a house this big? I hear house cleaning services are very expensive in the US and naturally I assume people don't have much free time to do their own cleaning in a house this big.

Anyway, for me it would be a nightmare: live in a far away exurb, to drive one hour to work in a suburb.

[chris08876]

^^^^

Its easy to clean. Its just a matter of not being lazy. And if you do a good clean and maintain it, its not that tough. Now if you let it go... the work will pile on.

1,920 sq ft is big? That's tiny!!!

If my weed smoking self can clean 4000 sq-ft (basement included) and have a 40 minute commute and full time job... others can as well! Key is again, to not let it get to the point where its a shit show of a cleaning event. Americans are slobs... and so if they let things go... like they do their cars... the work and maintenance becomes longer and more expensive.

It's not tough. Maintain the kitchen, don't piss on the walls or floor... if you have carpet, vacuum it everyone in a while, and clean the toilet and bathtub everyone in a while. Now I don't have kids... so there's that... but that's why if you have a GF or wife, she can help! If she wants the Sephora, she gotta clean.

Now this big.





Americans love their big homes.

2000 sq ft in an expensive city is big... but out in the burbs, I think its small.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by chris08876

^^^^

Its easy to clean. Its just a matter of not being lazy. And if you do a good clean and maintain it, its not that tough. Now if you let it go... the work will pile on.

1,920 sq ft is big? That's tiny!!!

If my weed smoking self can clean 4000 sq-ft (basement included) and have a 40 minute commute and full time job... others can as well! Key is again, to not let it get to the point where its a shit show of a cleaning event. Americans are slobs... and so if they let things go... like they do their cars... the work and maintenance becomes longer and more expensive.

It's not tough. Maintain the kitchen, don't piss on the walls or floor... if you have carpet, vacuum it everyone in a while, and clean the toilet and bathtub everyone in a while. Now I don't have kids... so there's that... but that's why if you have a GF or wife, she can help! If she wants the Sephora, she gotta clean.

But Americans love their big homes.

Of course it's big! 200m², a four bedroom house for all those childless/one child couples around.

And about cleaning, at least down here, we like very clean, so it demands time. I have a housekeeping coming once a week because she's way better than me to keep things clean. I live in a 900 sqft two bedroom apartment, which is actually very big for a couple here in SP. It's an old 1940's building, a time apartments were way bigger.