Archive for the 'Quality of Life' Category
A Radical Proposition for Real Estate
by Roberta Murphy
I really want to talk about the effect petroleum costs will have on real estate, but first wish to tell a little story:
My grandgather, Adolph Michelson emigrated at the age of 7 with his family from Norway to Deadwood, South Dakota. It required a long, hard journey by steamship. train and wagon to arrive at their eventual home in the steep hills above Deadwood. It was there that they lived with other immigrants and Indians, sharing magnificent views and boot camp workouts as they trudged up and down that steep, steep hill to get to town for work, school, food and other supplies.
Views be damned. This was where the poor people lived.
As soon as the Michelson family could afford to do so, they moved their big family into a home in town, where shopping, school and employment were within easy walking distance. Their decision to move was not based on home features, the quality of the stove, or the number of closets–or even neighborhood amenities. It was based on that single and most basic real estate dynamic:
LOCATION
It is only since the advent of sprawling suburbias and each family having multiple automobiles that we strayed from distinct town and country living. The wealthy may have had homes in both locations, but the average family lived near employment . There were no school buses (or video games because kids had to hike through miles of rain and snow to get to school each day) and gasoline stations were pretty rare at the turn of the that other century. Which all leads me to wonder….
What might be the top priority for the home of the future when gas prices reach $6, $8, $10 or even $12 per gallon?
How about the radical choice of living walking-close to employment, shopping and schools? Or living near a bus stop or transit center where one can commute for work, school and fun?
I am eying real estate differently these days–and am coming around to my ancestor’s way of thinking. Location trumps views, walkable sidewalks trump big back yards and a bicycle pump beats a gas pump–at least for kids who drive or are driven to school (ever seen the long lines of mini vans idling outside our schools at arrival and departure times–or high school parking lots?). Might a more urban lifestyle offer some solutions that would allow for a saner lifestyle?
I am also wondering if Carol Lloyd’s prediction of suburbs turning into Slumburbia might also come true–sooner rather than later due to rising fuel costs? In her SF Gate article, she notes, “In Europe, where the cities never died, the suburbs have long been the homes of last resort for the poor and the marginalized.” This is already occurring in and around sprawling urban centers like Houston, where home prices in and close to downtown Houston are selling at a premium, while homes in once-affluent suburbs are selling at prices far below replacement costs. It is a scenario being repeated all over the country, with slightly different configurations along the coasts.
In San Diego County, where I live and work, we are anecdotally seeing a surge of buyers seeking to live within walking distance of restaurants, theaters, dry cleaners and food or farmer’s markets. They no longer want to battle freeway gridlock, and would happily trade their road warrior status for the peace of riding a train to work. They are also seeking more open communities, where neighbors stroll by and greet one another, where not so much of life is lived in and for cars–or behind mortgaged garage doors.
I am so, so tempted to join them….
read comments (5)Databases Coming Out the Wazoo?
Call this a geeky rant. Call it a blonde tirade. Call it what you want, but I just don’t know what to do about diverse databases.
I think I have them coming out the Wazoo.
If you came here seeking luxury news, you may want to click away and come back tomorrow. Right now, I am trying to sort out a database problem that honestly keeps me awake at night.
You see, I have been collecting names, addresses, email addresses and property preferences from people for centuries. And if there were a way my databases of information could talk to each other, I could be the supreme Yentl of real estate in Southern California–or the whole world.
My problem? SOAR Solutions, which for years reliably sent property information to hundreds of clients, was sold to HouseValues, who ostensibly does the same thing but charges a king’s ransom to do so. At the same time, clients who signed into SearchPoint with my ancient Realigent site, are listed there and are also receiving property updates from me.
Then there was Top Producer, which held all the contact information for existing clients–along with their birthdays and wine preferences. And now I have an account with 1ParkPlace, which also sends out listing information to clients and maintains another database.
The real problem?
None of these databases talk to one another–and I think it’s a deliberate conspiracy, HouseValues will release only the client’s name, address, telephone and email address. Forget about search parameters. They hold that information hostage and continue to charge me out the yingyang for the privilege of doing so. I would like to migrate this information to 1ParkPlace, but no can do.
Guess those tasks will have to be done one by one, keystroke by keystroke.
Then there’s the database sitting over at Realigent that is fully 8 years old. Many of these searchers have been with me since the last century. Those, too, will have to be migrated one by one, keystroke by keystroke.
The problem could probably be solved if I were an enterprise level business doing gazillions of transactions per day. If that were the case, I would just call the database gurus at ANTs Software and they could use their cool plugin and make databases like Oracle, IBM, Sybase and Microsoft relate, talk and migrate to one or the other. The Ants Compatibility Server (ACS), fortunately and unfortunately, is whizbang technology for the big guys and ANTs will probably rule the world of databases some day, but are of little help to me now.
In the meantime, I think someone could make a modest royal ransom if they could solve the Realtor’s dilemma with databases and set us free from those vendors who hold us hostage. If software could be written that would encompass not only basic information, but also our real estate client’s search parameters and wine preferences, the world’s real estate crisis might be solved.
And just for grins, remember this classic Super Bowl 2000 Commercial?
Solar Shades for the Green Luxury Home
Upon first seeing these beautifully-designed solar panels, I couldn’t help but imagine other applications and modifications for the green lifestyle–whether it be in the luxury home, a school yard, a country club or off-the-grid project.
Imagine these cobra-shaped shades as swiveling solar panels that take the place of outdoor umbrellas around the pool. Or as bus stop shelters or airport curbside check-in. The possibilities are endless and scalable.
And these VEIL Solar Shades are interactive to boot. Indicators on the base show which positions will yield the maximum energy collection at given times of the day. And underneath the shade is an LED feedback system that indicates whether the shade is getting enough sunlight or not–and whether the shade should be turned.
Designed by the Australian design firm Büro North and the the Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab, the VEIL Solar Shades blend form and function elegantly.
Your ideas for implementation?
Tip of the top hat to Josh Spear.
The WalMart Effect
Once upon a time, the neighborhoods off Houstons northwest FM1960 were a luxury homebuilders dream. Large wooded and level lots surrounded upscale country clubs such as Champions Golf Course, Raveneaux, and North Gate Country Club.
Affluent families were attracted to these homes because of great neighborhood schools, beautiful parks, challenging golf courses, and nearby fine dining and shopping areas. It was an area where I once lived, as did my sister Gayle Butler and our parents.
We never dreamed that dense apartment housing projects and a compatible WalMart Super Store would invade quiet lifestyles.
In fact, I received a distressed phone call last Tuesday evening from Gayle because the biodiverse preserve behind her home has reportedly been sold by WalMart to a low income housing developer. Behind her lovely residence sits a meadow with a large pond that is home to enormous colonies and species of frogs.
For almost 30 years, the entire neighborhood has been serenaded by thousands of singing frogs and hooting owls. They are a diverse natural treasure, residing at the back fence of the Super WalMart on FM 1960 at Walters Road.
(Im no biologist, but you might call me a frog and owl lover and Ill take no offense especially since we are inundated with reports of mysterious declining frog populations)
Gayle and her neighbors mourn the potential loss of these frogs, owls and other rare gifts of nature to asphalt, concrete and greed. In fact, they are starting to mumble about the Walmortification of neighborhood, flora and fauna.
They are also understandably concerned about:
- Declining property values over which they have no control.
- Increased crime.
- Deterioration and overcrowding of schools.
- The loss of peaceful sleep.
- Flood control: The pond and surrounding grounds contain and absorb water during heavy rainfall (which already floods at the northern end of the property).
- Impassible traffic on FM1960 that is already overly congested.
WalMart touts that it œSells for Less, but at what cost to the people, animals and the environment around their neighborhood stores? From my zoning-secured and and bio-protected community in North San Diego County, I cant help but question why WalMart didnt take steps to secure this 40-plus acre preserve from Radler Enterprises for all to enjoy? This would have been an opportunity for WalMart to truly create an atmosphere of saving.
Is it any wonder that empowered cities like San Marcos, California voted to keep WalMart out? Or that their super centers are resisted by so many?
WalMart: This is your challenge to save a biodiverse treasure pleading for life at your back door.
Harris County: Are you really going to allow this destruction?
A Novel Green Mansion
by Roberta Murphy
Any verbiage I add to this photo would probably be superfluous, since this chatty picture already exceeds the expected thousand words.
Hats off to someones clever recycling of mobile homes.
Not sure if the intent was green construction, but the designer certainly managed to minimize the footprint of this little mobile home park.
I also wonder about the relation of people who live here. And what about plumbing? Or high winds?
Finally, hope this upwardly mobile community isnt anywhere near the path of tornadoes.
Thank you Ronnie Sellers, fellow ANTS investor and bonsai guru in North Carolina, for the photo. He is especially fond of the red shipping container with the attached solarium.
Embarrassing Note: Just discovered this photo is from a movie set. The onlookers are cropped out of the photo. Still a clever arrangement!
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