Is there anything about your house, street, neighborhood, etc that embarrasses you?

[Anonymous]

The McMansions are ugly and too similar. Our house isn't a McMansion -- in fact it won an award for the architect -- but it's still too big. We built it right after DH made partner and we definitely don't need or use all this space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What with all the talk of shirtshacks and whether you judge people by their neighborhoods, I'm curious if there's anything about your living situation that embarrasses you? I mean your house, street, lot, etc. Before you jump on me about being superficial, insecure, whatever, I already know that this question is all those things.

I'll go first. I live on the ugliest street in an otherwise decent neighborhood. Very close to a really ugly commercial area. Sometimes that embarrasses me when I invite new people over.

We live in Chevy Chase and I'm embarrassed that it borders Kensington and Silver Spring (I'm OK with Bethesda and upper NW). My neighbors also have a Honda minivan that I wish they would keep in their garage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The McMansions are ugly and too similar. Our house isn't a McMansion -- in fact it won an award for the architect -- but it's still too big. We built it right after DH made partner and we definitely don't need or use all this space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in Chevy Chase and I'm embarrassed that it borders Kensington and Silver Spring (I'm OK with Bethesda and upper NW). My neighbors also have a Honda minivan that I wish they would keep in their garage.

[Anonymous]

I'm the house that everyone hates.

We have toys all over the yard, none of our cars fit in the garage which is filled with crap. Grass doesn't grow under our trees (I'm not trimming them because then you couldn't climb them). I just let the kids dig in the dirt. My husband won't chemical the lawn so we grow weeds (sometimes we buy the organic weed and feed).

Inside my house is retro 80s. Of course, not by choice!

I have better things to do that keep up with the Jones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What with all the talk of shirtshacks and whether you judge people by their neighborhoods, I'm curious if there's anything about your living situation that embarrasses you? I mean your house, street, lot, etc. Before you jump on me about being superficial, insecure, whatever, I already know that this question is all those things.

I'll go first. I live on the ugliest street in an otherwise decent neighborhood. Very close to a really ugly commercial area. Sometimes that embarrasses me when I invite new people over.

We live in Chevy Chase and I'm embarrassed that it borders Kensington and Silver Spring (I'm OK with Bethesda and upper NW). My neighbors also have a Honda minivan that I wish they would keep in their garage.

You are pathetic.

[Anonymous]

It had never occurred to me to feel embarrassed about where I live, which is a Silver Spring street comprised of 1950s ramblers, very near Sligo Creek park/trail and walkable to downtown Silver Spring. It is not an aesthetic marvel, nor is Silver Spring the crown jewel of MoCo, but I feel fortunate to live in a comfortable house convenient to everything and surrounded by friendly, helpful neighbors.

[Anonymous]

The people down the street who chain-linked in their front yard and erected a statue of the Virgin Mary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people down the street who chain-linked in their front yard and erected a statue of the Virgin Mary.

OH dear. I am down with the statue but people, please put it in your backyard. And just always say no to chainlink. Always.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What with all the talk of shirtshacks and whether you judge people by their neighborhoods, I'm curious if there's anything about your living situation that embarrasses you? I mean your house, street, lot, etc. Before you jump on me about being superficial, insecure, whatever, I already know that this question is all those things.

I'll go first. I live on the ugliest street in an otherwise decent neighborhood. Very close to a really ugly commercial area. Sometimes that embarrasses me when I invite new people over.

We live in Chevy Chase and I'm embarrassed that it borders Kensington and Silver Spring (I'm OK with Bethesda and upper NW). My neighbors also have a Honda minivan that I wish they would keep in their garage.

You are pathetic.

That was hilarious. Best to laugh at yourself in these threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we do not have a ballroom.

Love it! (That house was crazypants)

[Anonymous]

We live on a beautiful block of historic rowhouses, all of which are kept up very well (or at least passably). But . . . we're right next to a metro stop and a commercial area, and it is very high traffic. As a result, there is ALWAYS trash on the street/sidewalk. Always. And it's not any of the residents (I don't think) - it's the people who don't live in the neighborhood, have no investment in the area, don't care at all about litter, and apparently were raised by wolves (or at least shitty parents). There's trash cans at either end of the block - there's just no reason to throw your litter on the street. Yet they still do. Freakin' barbarians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My terrible front lawn embarrasses me. Grass will not grow there. It's so ugly, and I know our neighbors think we are fools to keep trying to grow grass year after year.

Just put in a front yard garden of native perennials. Bonus: you'll get a ton of pretty birds and butterflies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live on a beautiful block of historic rowhouses, all of which are kept up very well (or at least passably). But . . . we're right next to a metro stop and a commercial area, and it is very high traffic. As a result, there is ALWAYS trash on the street/sidewalk. Always. And it's not any of the residents (I don't think) - it's the people who don't live in the neighborhood, have no investment in the area, don't care at all about litter, and apparently were raised by wolves (or at least shitty parents). There's trash cans at either end of the block - there's just no reason to throw your litter on the street. Yet they still do. Freakin' barbarians.

I live on a similar street and always blamed stupid passersby for the trash...until I started recognizing some of the trash. It was FALLING OUT OF OUR TRASH CAN when the garbage men emptied the big can into the trucks. It's not a little bit, either. It's a lot.

[Anonymous]

I live in a 40's Cape with an iron eagle over the front porch. It's pretty outdated and I'd like to remove it but I have no idea if it's bolted in there or what, and it seems like a lot of work to remove it. So it stays.

Also, my next-door neighbors are very nice people but when I moved into my house, they were parking 6-7 really ugly, old, beater cars in their driveway and in front of their house. I'm pretty sure that's half the reason my house was on the market for 50+ days in a zip where houses routinely sell in <3 days. Now they only park 2 ratty cars and 1 nice one - improvement!