re: #219 Guanxi88

Real trick is to inform and remind people of what a house is and should be, and what it is not, and to help them keep the practicality of the thing foremost in their minds. For some, they may realize, as we did, that a smaller, older house makes more sense than a newer one, and that, in many cases, one gets far better value from the older designs than the new ones.

As for lawns and suchlike, well, I think they’re wasteful in the extreme, and I was shocked at how green Vegas’ neighborhoods were (such a waste in a thirsty land), but i doubt one could do anything to stop the folly, short of pricing water according to its actual value.

Much of the cost of new homes is the luxury that people want in them - the fancy bathroom and kitchens particularly.

Habitat for Humanity builds very nice, well-built modest homes at very reasonable cost. But few people want that.

Guanxi - I’m with you, my house is a smaller, older home, we have a few things to fix, but the house is mine, free and clear, and fixing it costs less than a mortgage on a new house.