Priced-out vs Blissed-out? Where should we house hunt?
Space starved in Greater Boston? You’re not alone. Today’s blog post on Boston.com recognizes that Boston buyers are not just space-starved, but that the “overcrowded and overpriced” region has left people house-poor, time-starved and stressed out. Is there is a breaking point, individually and collectively, when the high-cost of living cannibalizes QOL – Quality of Life, and people (and start-ups) begin looking elsewhere to find “their element.”
Before you trade Boston for Austin, step back and listen to the rebroadcast on “Discovering your Passion” tonight, 8-9pm on 90.9FM / WBUR Boston or online anytime. Then ponder the soul searching questions asked by Finding Your Element by the visionary who gave the most viewed TED Talk ever – nearly 17 million views!
“Best of Breed” tools for DIY Homebuyers
If you’re at that tipping point where you’re willing to trade off quality of life for size, or consider some locations outside Greater Boston, Real Estate Cafe has a Menu of Best of Breed tools to help. Here’s a sample:
1. Existing sites like http:WalkScore.com enable homebuyers (primarily urban hipsters) to search beyond size, price, and number of bedrooms to locations and housing options that offer a rich pedestrian lifestyle, independent of space or price per square foot.
2. Other BETA tools like http://planwise.com will enable users to layer personalized cost of living assumptions or life decisions, like having children or getting divorced, to help individuals or couples make better life decisions and homebuying decisions.
Housing BlissBots
3. Still other apps will enable homebuyers to track their personal data and locational considerations to develop their own “heat maps” that reflect housing options that meet their cost of life considerations, spatial needs, and life passions. Think of them as housing “BlissBots.” If your life is rich, does it really matter how large your house is, particularly if you’re willing to trade-off proximity to passions and friends for size?
Why not? Don’t behavior surveys and research show that happiness is correlated to personal connections not house size?
Maybe that’s why some have said that Micro-Housing or A-Dorms are the new McMansions. Looking back at blog topics on Boston.com over the past two days, the big question is whether government and the private sector will develop new housing options that are affordable and family-friendly.
Commonwealth vs Paper Wealth
Without that, the wealth created by the innovation economy will continue to widen the gap between the housing haves and the have nots, rather than rebuilding commonwealth. Will the growing disconnect eventually hit home regardless of how big it is? Here’s what the Boston Business Journal is already writing:
Can generations X and Y afford to buy their parents’ homes?
http://bit.ly/GenPricedOut (Please share this tiny URL with friends via social networks)
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