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I live in a very small town that has gone for "smart growth" in recent years. Lots are about 7,000 square feet, with 8' setbacks on both sides. Accessory dwelling units legal on the property. I've had people point out (like I hadn't noticed)
how close the adjoining houses are. It's what I want and can afford. I wanted a small house (in my case, 800 sq.ft, no second floor, no basement- much too expensive and hard to do in this environment) and it's town density, not failed suburban density. If neighbors were azzhats, 16' is certainly not enough but neither would a bit more help.
If I didn't want to adopt multiple senior dogs and have a tiny yard for them, I'd prefer a condo that is built to be a condo- thick walls, and so forth. Towns have this density to everyone's benefit- it's not a failed suburban attempt. When I lived in the city (Boston/Cambridge) I automatically favored neighborhoods with a town density. I note that in major cities, these neighborhoods are a premium and very well desired, like the West Village in NYC, or Back Bay in Boston. People like a town density, at least many of us do and are willing to pay for it if possible.
Thread makes me feel really, really lucky. We retired in place.
We like all our neighbors and know them all. True, I have privacy fence on the North and South sides, but the East side butts up against a maintained 5 acre estate. It will never be developed.
There is probably some excitement in looking for a retirement home, but I'm happy we never had to do that.
Maybe more people should consider retiring where they are, even if they change homes.
We retired in 2010.
Maybe more people should consider retiring where they are, even if they change homes.
Staying in the Bay Area was never an option for us. Our home was (is) one of our piggy banks.
I think most people eventually understand exactly what they want and need. Sometimes they need a change from the same-old same-old. After living in the Bay Area for 30-plus years I couldn't wait to get out.
Thread makes me feel really, really lucky. We retired in place.
We like all our neighbors and know them all. True, I have privacy fence on the North and South sides, but the East side butts up against a maintained 5 acre estate. It will never be developed.
There is probably some excitement in looking for a retirement home, but I'm happy we never had to do that.
Maybe more people should consider retiring where they are, even if they change homes.
We retired in 2010.
Easier said then done, no snow and ice, in the south.
Where do you get this stuff? Disrespected the laborers? How so? By giving them work so they can feed their families and pay their mortgages?
I think you are reading far too much into a high density housing development. They aren't for everybody (definitely not for me), but you are making yourself the arbiter of some imaginary code of building propriety. People in cities have lived in row houses and brownstones that literally touch each other on the sides for centuries. Have you ever been to Europe? People all over the world live in apartments, and high rises, and duplexes, and quads. None of this is disrespect for anyone. It's a matter of economy of building costs, and providing homes that are cost effective for homeowners, and that provide maximum utilization of the available land. If you don't like it don't live there, but they aren't disrespecting anyone.
I think you are missing my point. I'm the laborer who's looking for an inexpensive home. This guy was bragging about how well he did buying orange farms, developing them with cheap Mexican labor. And he wants me to buy a home from them. They sure are nice houses, but too close together, thats all.
Before I retired and moved to Florida I lived in the country on what used to be pristine farm acreage. Yet no matter which direction I turned, I could still see other houses.
That said, living so close to others is very hard to get used to. As I type this I’m listening to my neighbors dive into their pool. Later, I will be able to hear their conversations as they sit on their lanai. So, I go inside and choose another time to go outside. It’s not for everyone, and as I’ve said a hundred times in these threads, were it not for family health issues I would never live here full time.
As you age, the ability for a neighbor to be able to see a neighbors' house becomes a good thing. Neighbors know routines and if for example your paper was still outside the next day, a neighbor would call or stop by to see if you are ok. Maybe that is not important to you but it is a benefit.
How many of you live in a home where you can see your neighbors home from your yard? I've live in a rural area and am looking at homes in Fl. of course and most places are so close together I don't think I could take it. Are most snowbirds from urban areas up North ? I spoke to a Disney employee who developed Disney owned land who said they even stopped 2 car garages so they could get more houses in. It's disgusting to me and I would rather live in a swamp than one of these developments.
I can see four homes from our front sunroom (three across the street and one next door), but as the lots are all almost entirely wooded and are about 1.5 acres each, it doesn't bother us at all.
I think you are missing my point. I'm the laborer who's looking for an inexpensive home. This guy was bragging about how well he did buying orange farms, developing them with cheap Mexican labor. And he wants me to buy a home from them. They sure are nice houses, but too close together, thats all.
I "missed" your point because you never made your point. You never said any of the above bolded information in prior posts. You made it sound like you were disgusted because the houses were close together, and you queried others about if they could see other homes from theirs. None of that implied that the developer was profiting off illegal labor.
Other than that, I still say if you don't like that close of living, just buy something else. There are plenty of homes in FL on larger lots. They may not be new construction, or in the exact location you want, but we all have to make compromises.
Last edited by TheShadow; 11-01-2020 at 06:04 AM..
I live in an HOA comprised of 112 "patio homes" which are basically smaller, standalone, single family homes that are 1200sq ft to1400sq ft, one or two story. In the early phase there was a duplex (side by side) model that was done away with.
Patio home style generally means a small home on a small lot, which we are. All homes face a street and have about a 25ft long front yard. All home have a 6ft tall privacy fenced in backyard about 24ftx20ft. Each home backs up to woods or a pond. There is about 20ft between the side of the homes. It is a neighborhood of older both married and single folks with very few children. We are a dead end neighborhood so very quiet and with little traffic.
The HOA does all outside home maintenance and landscaping so we appeal to those that want a carefree lifestyle. We strive for a common look which means one cannot plant anything or do any type "not our standard" landscaping. What one does inside their backyard privacy fence is not our concern as we do not maintain the landscaping in that area. Some have gardens, hot tubs, etc. I think one is growing dope back there.......LOL
Again, a quiet and care free lifestyle.
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