Flat Lots

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I agree. Sloped lots are far preferable. First of all you get a walkout basement with actual windows, which is 1000x better than a dark bomb shelter basement. Second, the setting is far more interesting. I would go insane on a flat boring lot sitting on my back deck like I'm in Kansas or something. So flat and boring. Everything looks the same. We have a gently sloping lot backing to woods and my only regret is that if isn't STEEPER. I love decks high up overlooking a hill.

thanks! Me too. I'll take the hills over the flat anytime.

Think about California - people pay the premium to live in places like San Fran, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Laguna Beach, Newport, etc. And I actually think the hilly landscape contributes significantly to the desirability, not what PP said about the places being desirable DESPITE the landscape.

I've lived in SF. The hills are awesome when you are a twentysomething sipping a glass of wine and checking out your view. They would suck as a parent with two kids bouncing off the walls because I've got no yard for them to play in outside. Families like flat lots. Fact of life.

I live in Marin County, CA on a hill with kids. Our home has a beautiful view of the SF Bay. And we are SELLING!!! Get me off this freaking hill! My kids can't play outside because the "yard" is so far down. I can't see them from inside the house if they are outside. I have to go out on the deck and look over the railing. And the "yard" is super small. Forget about a swingset or playing ball. We can't walk anywhere because kids whine and whine about climbing the hill. And of course you can't push a stroller on a hill. Also, for entertaining purposes it would be great to open up the doors to the yard and have people in and out. We have a deck, but it is limited space. And kids don't want to play on a deck. I will gladly trade my view of the bay for a flat back yard. And flat yards come at a premium here!!! Check out the Sycamore Park neighborhood in Mill Valley. It's flat. And very expensive. (much more expensive than surrounding hills) Lots of competition for it. And the flats in Larkpsur....we can't afford that either. Flat lots are really hard to come by here and the demand for them is huge so the price is high.

You sound like the type of person who rides a red scooter around Walmart because it would be too much effort to walk.

I was gonna say something similar..

So people want flat lots because (a) they want their properties to appeal to (low grade) developers or flippers or (b) they are too lazy to walk up and down a hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I agree. Sloped lots are far preferable. First of all you get a walkout basement with actual windows, which is 1000x better than a dark bomb shelter basement. Second, the setting is far more interesting. I would go insane on a flat boring lot sitting on my back deck like I'm in Kansas or something. So flat and boring. Everything looks the same. We have a gently sloping lot backing to woods and my only regret is that if isn't STEEPER. I love decks high up overlooking a hill.

My lot also has a slope and I prefer the walk out basement. The front yard is flat and most of the backyard is flat, just a slope on the sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:sandbox, swingset, badminton, croquet, frisbee, throwing a ball around, and a million other things to do outside with kids.

The only thing a hill is good for is sledding. As long as it doesn't end in a road or a stream, that is.

And woods? Have you ever lived in the woods? I have.... It's hell on a house. Wears it out more quickly. The gutters, the shingles, the decks, etc. Not to mention the wayward branch that might pierce through your roof during storms. Some trees are fine. Woods are not.

You're nuts. 99% of people would view backing to woods as a huge plus.

Doubtful. Why do you think almost everyone thinks like you?