Quote:
Originally Posted by bluedogok
Not everyone needs to live in the gentrified areas adjacent to downtown to feel "special", too many of those types live in those areas so they can say they live in [insert overpriced "cool" neighborhood here]. Those people are paying a premium for living in a "name" neighborhood, don't get me wrong, I like those areas but would never consider paying the ridiculous prices those people want when they buy and flip those houses. I live in a regular house with a $700 a month house payment in a nice quiet neighborhood with some good neighbors. Not too bad if you ask me, but then I grew out of the "pretentious" stage of my life many years ago.
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You misread my comments. This wasn't an attack on your lifestyle choices or any others, it was simply my opinion. And one that should count, as I have lived in both the Pac NW and Austin (went to high school and college there.)
They're paying a premium for several reasons: location is one of them, but let's face it, a 1920's bungalow with a porch and mature trees with nice sidewalks and the ability to walk to Dolce Vita or Mother's Cafe is simply a superior option to many people. The reason these neighborhoods are "name" to begin with is because there was something about them that made them popular.
It's as simple as this: Austin has a very small core of older housing stock, smaller than many cities its size. If you look at Portland, which is similarly sized, classic pre-war housing radiates from the center for miles and miles, whereas Austin basically becomes postwar suburbia about 20-30 blocks from downtown. I'm glad you like your neighbors and $700 mortgage, but I was merely explaining a major difference between Austin and Portland. Price isn't everything.