It’s a crisis that there are no SFHs in commuting distance to jobs with good schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from a small city that people on DCum sometimes list as someplace with lower COL. but the truth is that the dominant school system is terrible—worse than what any of the people around here consider a bad school. There’s a better school district that lies on the edge of the city but the housing costs in that district aren’t really lower than here. And the traffic is always awful because of tons of sprawl and the fact that public transportation is non existent. I thought about moving back, looked at the options and decided the DMV is a better deal than it may initially appear.

Is this in Pa by chance?

This has to be Pittsburgh.

Other than in the city, schools are localized, so doubtful. My suburban schools were wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is your proposed solution?

DP
Tax second and third and fourth homes out the wazoo.
Higher Tax on investment properties
Restrict the amount of money non-citizens can spend on real estate.
Restrict corporate ownership of SFH
Restrict foreign countries from owning property in the US
Better enforcement of money laundering in real estate

I’m sure there are more.

Ah so, something like communism.

Nor do you.


You have no idea what that word means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from a small city that people on DCum sometimes list as someplace with lower COL. but the truth is that the dominant school system is terrible—worse than what any of the people around here consider a bad school. There’s a better school district that lies on the edge of the city but the housing costs in that district aren’t really lower than here. And the traffic is always awful because of tons of sprawl and the fact that public transportation is non existent. I thought about moving back, looked at the options and decided the DMV is a better deal than it may initially appear.

Is this in Pa by chance?

This has to be Pittsburgh.

Other than in the city, schools are localized, so doubtful. My suburban schools were wonderful.

The poster said the “dominant school system” which means city schools.

[Anonymous]

Not a crisis.

Move.

There are many, many lovely other locations in the country (and the world) that have what you seek. They are also hiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whoever keeps starting these whiny threads is making more and more opposed to whatever policy solutions they want me to vote for. I commute from Anne Arundel. You can too.

I half agree with you. I commute from Howard County and a lot of our neighbors do the same. I don't understand why that isn't an option for more people on here who seem to want a certain type of home but are priced out closer in--especially for those who only commute a few days a week. It's not so scary out here, everyone, promise.

But I also think that there is a strong need for some interventions to carve out more affordable housing close in, particularly for those in the service industry or other lower paying sectors that demand full-time, in-person work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from a small city that people on DCum sometimes list as someplace with lower COL. but the truth is that the dominant school system is terrible—worse than what any of the people around here consider a bad school. There’s a better school district that lies on the edge of the city but the housing costs in that district aren’t really lower than here. And the traffic is always awful because of tons of sprawl and the fact that public transportation is non existent. I thought about moving back, looked at the options and decided the DMV is a better deal than it may initially appear.

Is this in Pa by chance?

This has to be Pittsburgh.

Other than in the city, schools are localized, so doubtful. My suburban schools were wonderful.

did you even read the post you're responding to? dominant city schools would be PPS, then it says "better school district on the edge of the city" presumably either fox chapel or mt lebanon. Ergo, suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, living in a SFH with good public schools in a Tier 1 city is a luxury good. What's so hard to understand about that? Heck, owning in a SFH in a Tier 1 city is a luxury good in most areas.

This. Its a problem everywhere.

Why is this problem? What right does someone have to live in a walk up on the upper east side? Or a SFH in Beverly Hills? Or a SFH in Palo Alto or San Francisco? Or a SFH or equivalent in London or Paris? The sense of entitlement here is pretty amazing.

Because cities should be attractive places for people to live. All people, not just ultra wealthy people.

[Anonymous]

When we bought in 2015 there were very few sfhs in commutable places that average people could afford.

We purchased in a poorer school district near Glenmont metro--and could not have afforded to buy our house in 2023.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoever keeps starting these whiny threads is making more and more opposed to whatever policy solutions they want me to vote for. I commute from Anne Arundel. You can too.

I half agree with you. I commute from Howard County and a lot of our neighbors do the same. I don't understand why that isn't an option for more people on here who seem to want a certain type of home but are priced out closer in--especially for those who only commute a few days a week. It's not so scary out here, everyone, promise.

But I also think that there is a strong need for some interventions to carve out more affordable housing close in, particularly for those in the service industry or other lower paying sectors that demand full-time, in-person work.

I agree that we need more housing, but most of that shouldn't be SFH. Suburban sprawl is not the answer. More density is. Townhouses, duplexes and triplexes, garden apartments, etc., not just large apartment buildings , although those are appropriate near public transport and along transport corridors. Everyone having their own house and yard and all is not good public policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoever keeps starting these whiny threads is making more and more opposed to whatever policy solutions they want me to vote for. I commute from Anne Arundel. You can too.

I half agree with you. I commute from Howard County and a lot of our neighbors do the same. I don't understand why that isn't an option for more people on here who seem to want a certain type of home but are priced out closer in--especially for those who only commute a few days a week. It's not so scary out here, everyone, promise.

But I also think that there is a strong need for some interventions to carve out more affordable housing close in, particularly for those in the service industry or other lower paying sectors that demand full-time, in-person work.

I agree that we need more housing, but most of that shouldn't be SFH. Suburban sprawl is not the answer. More density is. Townhouses, duplexes and triplexes, garden apartments, etc., not just large apartment buildings , although those are appropriate near public transport and along transport corridors. Everyone having their own house and yard and all is not good public policy.

Yup, agree.

[Anonymous]

Western PWC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That normal people can afford.

If you chose to have a normal life, this is what happens. People who work hard, take risks, see opportunities and capitalize on them will always outshine you because they don't want to be among the tiring normals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think high realtor commissions are to blame. Every time a house sells, COMPS go up 6%.

Curious what you do for a living?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1000% crisis and when you do put an offer above asking there’s alway some SCHMUK that bids ridiculously higher or forgoes inspections. I hope the market crash and burns again.

Have a pre-inspection done so that you can decide if want to buy the property. Than you can be like the other "SCHMUK that foregoes inspections." Then offer what you can afford or want to pay. If you don't get the house because you can't pay what they offered, this house was too expensive for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP has to be a troll. No real person can be this melodramatic.

Sounds like the nonprofit worker who was the subject of the WaPo's Arlington Missing Middle article. She was ridiculous.

And she's now running for the Arlington County Board. We call her the "victim" candidate.