Whining About Your Neighbors in Arlington

[Anonymous]

2:55 - NEVER, EVER, EVER apologize for working hard. Enjoy your new home in good health!

Ignore the haters, they make themselves ugly on their own accord. Is that what you want to associate yourself with? Build your new house and only invite those who are not ugly inaccurate gossips, those who are not going to drain you, but those who know how to do well in their own lives. Most of all, surround yourself with those who are happy, self sufficient and not miserable takers!

I see my friends neighbors get downright ugly about the new houses - out of sheer jealousy. They can try to criticize the new houses (and owners!) all they want, but it is only a poor reflection of them, not you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are tearing down an 1100 sq ft home and building a much larger one on a quarter acre lot. Several of the houses around it are not huge but have been added onto so that they are maybe 2,200 to 3,000 sq ft. Further down the street there are houses of a similar size to or larger than our new one. This is in an area of very pricey homes, where $750K or so is clearly the entry point, and we paid $750K for the tear down. The upper limit is in the millions, $4 or more, I think.

We have had some problems with neighbors over the construction. What is bizarre about it in our case is you only have to go one or two streets over or just further down our street to see homes even bigger and literally a million or two more than our house, yet this little end of the street seems to think it is its own enclave. Luckily everything we want to do is within the zoning rules, and the house is in keeping with the look of the houses around it, even though it is much larger. No Potomac castle for us.

Where in Arlington can you get a house on a quarter acre lot for $750K!? Are you somewhere else (Fairfax, maybe?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
PP, the Cracker Barrel analogy is *expected* but not accurate.

Of my friends who live in new houses and bought before the recession (so they are doubly lucky, if you will); their neighborhoods ALL started out with mostly old homes and are now ALL mostly new homes. Who would have thunk? Certainly not the ones who WISHED the neighborhoods stayed old, conveniently so that their horrible additions (on their old houses, obviously) would not look so dreadfully out of place!

Change happens. Get over it. Sorry if you don't look like you can afford the neighborhood (in your old house), but you don't own the neighborhood (regardless that you think you should). Period. Besides, you sound ridiculous trying to desperately detract from the inevitable.

If I could afford one of those gorgeous new homes, I would. What is the harm in admitting it? It sounds far more true and convincing than being so clearly jealous and ugly about it. If you want to live amongst old houses, just move. It's easy.

And I admitted it! Would love to afford a gorgeous new home inside the Beltway. And once a neighborhood all turns over, it will look uniform again. It's interesting to me that you see the remaining old homes as looking out of place once a neighborhood has mostly been torn down and replaced, but don't acknowledge that the first two or three large homes themselves look out of place.

[Anonymous]

In some ways, this is almost gentrification even if those who own the older homes are themselves not exactly uneducated, poor or minority. The strident PP seems to put it all down as jealousy on the part of residents instead of attributing any of it to a sense of being pushed out of areas that have been their homes and neighborhoods.

Knock on wood, I don't think my neighborhood is a good candidate for tear-downs, since even though the houses are small, they are not inexpensive and are well-cared for Colonials.

[Anonymous]

None of the tear downs are inexpensive inside the beltway, that goes without saying. But the old homes will look way out of place if they don't already. Waging an old-house owners war of sorts will help nothing. Being amongst like minded people will only help the older-home owners, which is why moving to another neighborhood (with like minded older-home owners) isn't such a bad idea. It might just raise ones spirits.

[Anonymous]

I used to be annoyed by the people who built lot-crowding, light blocking houses in my neighborhood, but I soon realized that I should be kind to the poor souls living in them, because they are obviously jealous that they can't have a house with the kind of craftsmanship and history that mine has.

It's the only possible explanation for saying you don't like something: You really DO like it and are jealous of people who have it. There is no possibility that preferences differ.

[Anonymous]

Where in Arlington can you get a house on a quarter acre lot for $750K!? Are you somewhere else (Fairfax, maybe?)

20815, actually. Didn't realize you could post on this thread only if you were talking about 22207. If you think a less than 1200 sq ft house with no AC, 1 bathroom, ancient appliances, a pathetic maintenance history, really bad layout with no clear bedrooms or driveway, a basement that is beyond creepy, and sloping floors sounds like something people would be clamoring for, then I suggest you keep your eye out because they are out there. They come up very infrequently because most people have already added on or torn down in these close-in areas, I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to be annoyed by the people who built lot-crowding, light blocking houses in my neighborhood, but I soon realized that I should be kind to the poor souls living in them, because they are obviously jealous that they can't have a house with the kind of craftsmanship and history that mine has.

It's the only possible explanation for saying you don't like something: You really DO like it and are jealous of people who have it. There is no possibility that preferences differ.

Because the history allows you to store all those extra towels and stuff and craftsmanship totally makes up for 4 people sharing a bath.

[Anonymous]

16:11 - THIS.

Some people have choices, some do not. Given a choice, I would certainly NOT opt for an ugly-ass addition on a rotting, mouse infested, mildewed house with small or nonexistent closets and living space. I would opt to start fresh, if I had the choice. So would anyone I know. I have yet to see a new house without a certain price tag and without certain details, craftsmanship notwithstanding. But I suppose some people talk themselves into settling out of necessity. Whatever works.

I would be grateful if new houses went up next to my old house - it improves the look and feel of the neighborhood, not to mention property values! How much sense does it make to fight what is bound to happen? So there are people doing well, are we to send them away ski we can live amongst old ratty houses forever? I think not!

Don't get me wrong, I love my "craftsmanship", but given a choice there is no option but to move up for anyone I know.

[Anonymous]

ski = so

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Where in Arlington can you get a house on a quarter acre lot for $750K!? Are you somewhere else (Fairfax, maybe?)

20815, actually. Didn't realize you could post on this thread only if you were talking about 22207. If you think a less than 1200 sq ft house with no AC, 1 bathroom, ancient appliances, a pathetic maintenance history, really bad layout with no clear bedrooms or driveway, a basement that is beyond creepy, and sloping floors sounds like something people would be clamoring for, then I suggest you keep your eye out because they are out there. They come up very infrequently because most people have already added on or torn down in these close-in areas, I think.

Interesting. I still don't think I could find a 1/4 acre lot for $750K or less (even with the charming home you described) in close-in Arlington, but I didn't realize you could get a huge lot like that in Chevy Chase for such a bargain. Very cool!

[Anonymous]

I'm really puzzled by the PP who hates anyone living in a smaller older home in a neighborhood with teardowns. That's me, and I'm not sure what I ever did to you. I like some of the rebuilds in my neighborhood, and dislike some of them, on the merits - some have been done tastefully, in a way that doesn't look ridiculous, and some are literally so wacky looking that they have become the butt of jokes on this forum and elsewhere. But why would anyone who either lives in those houses or wants to bash me for living in a 2000 sqft place that could use more work? To suggest that I'm either intensely jealous of the rebuilds or that I can't afford my neighborhood is just patently false. Wrong on both counts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really puzzled by the PP who hates anyone living in a smaller older home in a neighborhood with teardowns. That's me, and I'm not sure what I ever did to you. I like some of the rebuilds in my neighborhood, and dislike some of them, on the merits - some have been done tastefully, in a way that doesn't look ridiculous, and some are literally so wacky looking that they have become the butt of jokes on this forum and elsewhere. But why would anyone who either lives in those houses or wants to bash me for living in a 2000 sqft place that could use more work? To suggest that I'm either intensely jealous of the rebuilds or that I can't afford my neighborhood is just patently false. Wrong on both counts.

YES!! Or to assume we don't have the $. We love old houses. We hate clutter, unused-- wasted space, etc. we only have two children and no need for more than 2200 sq feet.

We could afford a mammoth addition, etc. We are in 22201 and make a shitload of money and we actually own two houses in more affluent neighborhoods than this in the city. We moved here for public schools and found great neighbors. Surprising to now see some in the 'hood may be judging us on the size of our house ....ESP the ones that bought 10 years ago when sh*t was dirt cheap over here. They paid $600k less than the rest of us, btw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really puzzled by the PP who hates anyone living in a smaller older home in a neighborhood with teardowns. That's me, and I'm not sure what I ever did to you. I like some of the rebuilds in my neighborhood, and dislike some of them, on the merits - some have been done tastefully, in a way that doesn't look ridiculous, and some are literally so wacky looking that they have become the butt of jokes on this forum and elsewhere. But why would anyone who either lives in those houses or wants to bash me for living in a 2000 sqft place that could use more work? To suggest that I'm either intensely jealous of the rebuilds or that I can't afford my neighborhood is just patently false. Wrong on both counts.

YES!! Or to assume we don't have the $. We love old houses. We hate clutter, unused-- wasted space, etc. we only have two children and no need for more than 2200 sq feet.

We could afford a mammoth addition, etc. We are in 22201 and make a shitload of money and we actually own two houses in more affluent neighborhoods than this in the city. We moved here for public schools and found great neighbors. Surprising to now see some in the 'hood may be judging us on the size of our house ....ESP the ones that bought 10 years ago when sh*t was dirt cheap over here. They paid $600k less than the rest of us, btw.

It wasn't dirt cheap in 22201, 10 years ago. Even 40 years ago it wasn't dirt cheap. Generally speaking, Arlington has always been expensive, just much less expensive than today in some neighborhoods. A large 4 bedroom colonial in 22201 or 22207 that sold for 300k in 1988 or 150k in '78 is probably close to 2 mill today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really puzzled by the PP who hates anyone living in a smaller older home in a neighborhood with teardowns. That's me, and I'm not sure what I ever did to you. I like some of the rebuilds in my neighborhood, and dislike some of them, on the merits - some have been done tastefully, in a way that doesn't look ridiculous, and some are literally so wacky looking that they have become the butt of jokes on this forum and elsewhere. But why would anyone who either lives in those houses or wants to bash me for living in a 2000 sqft place that could use more work? To suggest that I'm either intensely jealous of the rebuilds or that I can't afford my neighborhood is just patently false. Wrong on both counts.

YES!! Or to assume we don't have the $. We love old houses. We hate clutter, unused-- wasted space, etc. we only have two children and no need for more than 2200 sq feet.

We could afford a mammoth addition, etc. We are in 22201 and make a shitload of money and we actually own two houses in more affluent neighborhoods than this in the city. We moved here for public schools and found great neighbors. Surprising to now see some in the 'hood may be judging us on the size of our house ....ESP the ones that bought 10 years ago when sh*t was dirt cheap over here. They paid $600k less than the rest of us, btw.

It wasn't dirt cheap in 22201, 10 years ago. Even 40 years ago it wasn't dirt cheap. Generally speaking, Arlington has always been expensive, just much less expensive than today in some neighborhoods. A large 4 bedroom colonial in 22201 or 22207 that sold for 300k in 1988 or 150k in '78 is probably close to 2 mill today.

Not dirt cheap...but those neighbors in the 2 million house purchased it for $450k in 1998. $450k compared to $2 million is dirt cheap. 20% down on $450k is a lot less than on $2 million. Salaries were not on the same trajetory. The type of people (as in earners) that could afford these neighborhoods then are very different than those that can afford it now.