Inner Loop Housing Options

[Guest danax]

I'll take a hybrid version, thankyouverymuch.  Just give me room to park my big SUV, and give me a houseing unit with a yard large enough for a sizable oak tree, and a place for my grill.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I borrowed a quote from a different topic, hope that's ok with Admin., as I think this needs it's own topic.

Where are these hybrids? A yard for a big oak might not be large by old neighborhood standards but I don't think the new townhomes or patio homes have them, do they?

We all want to be close to the center of the city these days and that isn't likely to change for a long time. What choices does the average income person today have? A Perry type home or an older home in a old, inner-loop neighborhood with a front and back yard. Do you want to raise a family in a townhouse? The problem is the remaining older, affordable inner-loop neighborhoods are all east end and north end and the funky-looking neighborhoods, poor schools, crappy retail and smaller old homes just seem to scare everyone off. But for the same price as a new 150-200K townhome, you could buy an old house, send your kids to private school for less than a condo maintenance fee, put some money into the house to fix it up the way you want and have the so-called suburban lifestyle within minutes of all the urban you want.

The reason I point this out is because these old, inner-loop neighborhoods are precious just for the reasons I've stated and they're in danger of being bulldozed for the townhomes etc. that everyone seems infatuated with. Replatting of lots with the Planning Commission's blessing make it profitable to do so.

When will this townhome trend taper off, as all trends eventually do? When people get tired of living on top of each other? When they get tired of their tiny, street-facing balconies, plants in pots and no privacy? Sounds like the apartment that I used to live in before I bought a house. And this residential built on top of retail trend just means more people swarming your home. I personally don't want to step outside my door and see people everywhere. And where do friends park when you have a get-together? When does going downstairs for a latte finally get old?

To each his own and I wouldn't mind living downtown in a loft but the old house option doesn't seem to get much play anymore and I think we'll one day regret the widespread reinvention of neighborhoods and replacement of our close-in, low-density housing stock.

[jm1fd]

A yard for a big oak might not be large by old neighborhood standards but I don't think the new townhomes or patio homes have them, do they?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The townhouses in BFE past the beltway do have yards....but few here inside the loop do.