• Zyratoxx@lemm.ee
    70·
    9 months ago

    To me, a european, those urban areas packed with the same house over and over again always seem so depressing and boring. Is there any variety or does it look like this for kilometers miles?

        • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
          5·
          9 months ago

          nah, HOAs should have legally regulated limits on what they can and cannot do, sweden has HOAs too but basically all they do is pool together money to pay for infrastructure in the neighbourhood.

          like, i for one quite like having paved roads and functional pipes, but i guess you do you.

          • Passerby6497@lemmy.world
            4·
            9 months ago

            like, i for one quite like having paved roads and functional pipes, but i guess you do you.

            Do non HOA homes not have paved roads and working pipes?

            • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
              1·
              9 months ago

              There are no such areas, i’m not sure how you envision common infrastructure being maintained without an organization owning it?

              Or do you just envision the municipality being in charge of maintaining your street’s piping? Have fun waiting half a year for them to get to it when it breaks.

              • shottymcb@lemm.ee
                2·
                9 months ago

                Or do you just envision the municipality being in charge of maintaining your street’s piping?

                That’s how my neighborhood works.

                Have fun waiting half a year for them to get to it when it breaks.

                They’re usually there within an hour if that happens.

        • ohlaph@lemmy.world
          5·
          9 months ago

          When my wife and I were looking for a house. I automatically filtered any house part of an HOA. They really should be a thing of the past.

          Unless actual buildings are attached, they shouldn’t exist.

          • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
            2·
            9 months ago

            And buildings means a community park with an Olympic sized pool, at least. Only HOA I’ve ever heard of that made a tiny bit of sense, maintained a park, golf course, and pool for the community that lived there.

    • kautau@lemmy.world
      20·
      9 months ago

      I agree, and these houses look way too small and overpriced for a comfortable family setting, but stating that identical homes packed next to each other is purely an American thing is disingenuous. It’s a byproduct of capitalism, which supersedes national borders

      • ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world
        18·
        9 months ago

        In Chicago there is one block just north of Wrigley Field that was a demo for a planned community decades ago. Each of the 10 or so connected houses on one side of the street are all different. The opposite side of the street is identical, but mirrored. That means the northernmost house on the west side of the street is identical to the southernmost house on the east side of the street. The effect is that it looks like a very unique and natural community in spite of being completely planned and regimented.

        • kautau@lemmy.world
          8·
          9 months ago

          That’s a better approach I think. It’s economically viable to make similar houses, but aesthetically and psychologically pleasing for houses to be different and unique, even if it’s just a variation per house on a street and not every street itself

      • ohlaph@lemmy.world
        5·
        9 months ago

        It seems like a huge waste of vertical space. If they condensed all of that into a small 8-10 story building, they could create green spaces all around it for everyone to enjoy.

    • PorkRoll@lemmy.world
      15·
      9 months ago

      Not only is it boring, it’s made in the shittiest way possible. It’s the American way, after all. You want properly installed outlets? What are you, some sort of royalty or something? Properly sealed windows? Look at Mrs. Moneybags over here. The siding is falling off the house? What did you expect from a $350k home?

    • scoobford@lemmy.zip
      3·
      9 months ago

      Generally it is each subdivision, but it can be larger groups of homes like that.

      They are depressing, but people buy them because they’re generally new construction and represent good value. You get over it if it saves you enough $$$.

      • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
        1·
        9 months ago

        I’ve yet to go into any new construction that wasn’t shit compared to the 100 year old house I grew up in. That place was rock solid. The only problem with it was a roof leak that was actually from the extension my parents had done on the 2nd floor (aka new construction). By comparison every time I go visit their new house they’ve uncovered some new shoddy workmanship from the shit builders that inly focus on cranking out houses as fast and cheap as possible. I hate so much that they sold their old place for this garbage I’m going to have to fix when I inherit it.

        • scoobford@lemmy.zip
          2·
          9 months ago

          I agree, old homes have hella survivorship bias. But, you are playing roulette that nothing with fail immediately. The advantage of new construction is that you don’t have to worrru about any stupid retrofits and that you know nothing will break for at least a little bit.

          • Clasm@lemmy.world
            3·
            9 months ago

            Or worry about all of the asbestos, lead, and formaldehyde -laced building materials that were all of the rage in previous decades.

            • shottymcb@lemm.ee
              1·
              9 months ago

              I think Formaldehyde is a bigger problem in new construction than old. Asbestos and lead are harder to deal with though. Formaldehyde just needs ventilation and a few years of offgassing.

          • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
            1·
            9 months ago

            nothing will break for at least a little bit.

            Has not been my experience. Yea the builder will usually fix it but I’ve seen them try to weasel out of that too.

    • soviettaters@lemm.ee
      3·
      9 months ago

      This isn’t what most houses are like in the US. Sure, there’s a lot like them, but places that don’t have a strong HOA (most places) become very diverse after a while. My home was built in the 60s and was initially very similar to the ones around it. Over time each house gets changed little by little and every house becomes unique.

  • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
    62·
    9 months ago

    What a poor use of land and space for housing. Why not increase density with at a minimum a duplex or triplex? This is ridiculous.

    • eek2121@lemmy.world
      58·
      9 months ago

      A lot of people don’t want to share walls.

      “Hey uh, I have 3 loud kids and a wife who is loud during sex. Wanna be my neighbor?”

      • AggressivelyPassive@feddit.de
        56·
        9 months ago

        Then maybe develop the concept of a brick wall and social skills.

        These types of houses won’t protect you from noise. You’re never more than 5m away from your neighbors and only separated by cardboard. You will hear them.

        I’m currently living in an apartment building from 1910 or so, made from proper bricks. Hardly ever even notice that I have neighbors.

        • owenfromcanada@lemmy.worldEnglish
          15·
          9 months ago

          Can confirm. I currently live in the suburbs, with a fairly wide lot (100ft). In the warm months, there is almost never a moment of daylight where I can’t hear lawn equipment (lawnmowers, leaf blowers, etc). And my house is well-built and sealed properly. For some reason, everyone thinks they need a giant riding mower or an enormous gas-powered leaf blower. There are lawn service contractors parked on the road almost all the time. The winter months aren’t as bad, but snow blowers are out at the slightest hint of snow.

          I had a much quieter experience when I lived in an apartment building. It’s anecdotal, but it makes sense once you’ve lived in both.

        • oyo@lemm.ee
          4·
          9 months ago

          Yeah, it’s almost impossible to build with bricks in California. (Earthquakes)

      • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
        16·
        9 months ago

        What about neighbors who mow their own way 8am on a Sunday with their kids running around and screaming outside or their teenager blasting loud music out their bedroom window or every neighbor using some kind of noisy power tool because there’s always someone doing renovations of some kind?

        It’s not because you live in a separate house that you will automatically have peace and quiet.

      • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
        14·
        9 months ago

        A lot of people have very narrow lived experiences, but are happy to talk about imagined experiences.

      • usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca
        12·
        9 months ago

        Exactly. If I’m working nights and need to use power tools in my home? No problem. In an apartment? Good luck

        • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
          8·
          9 months ago

          Unless you’re living way out on a farm a mile away from your neighbors, even if you live in a detached home in a suburb, you still have to respect noise bylaws. Especially with power tools.

        • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
          2·
          9 months ago

          what? do you think people in apartments never use power tools?

          just keep it between 10 in the morning and 10 in the evening and you’re fine.

          • usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca
            2·
            9 months ago

            I specifically mentioned working nights… I guess I could’ve been more clear that the power tools are for work.

            I have a small shop set up in my basement that allows after-hours work without disturbing the neighbours (two walls with 10ft+ between them will beat any apartment wall assembly for sound transmission), within reason for the noise I’m making of course.

      • ECB@feddit.de
        7·
        9 months ago

        My current place is super quiet. I essentially never hear anyone and it’s quite relaxing.

        I’m on the sixth floor in a building with 100 units, it’s just built well.

      • Numhold@feddit.de
        2·
        9 months ago

        Reading this thread has taught me that soundproofing a shared wall isn‘t possible in America.

          • Numhold@feddit.de
            1·
            9 months ago

            If you can be heard through a decoupled double layered brick wall, you can also be heard through two wood frame walls standing 12 feet apart, especially when there are windows in them.

      • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
        3·
        9 months ago

        Right??? How about increased density with amenities at a maximum 15 minute walk distance and public transportation?

        Where the fuck are the trees in that picture? Where’s the shade? How far are things if everybody needs a car? How bad must traffic be in the morning and evening at rush hour? It’s just a concentrated suburb with all of its problems intensified.

  • Sekrayray@lemmy.world
    37·
    9 months ago

    You can’t buy a shed for that price where I live. An apartment of that size would be $2500+ per month.

    I don’t want this to be the future but it’s better than a future where no one can buy anything at all.

    • chemical_cutthroat@lemmy.world
      15·
      9 months ago

      Exactly. I saw the price and the sq ft. and I was like, damn, I wish that wasn’t in Texas.

      I fucking hate the real estate market where I live. So do all my roommates.

      • Sekrayray@lemmy.world
        11·
        9 months ago

        My wife and I finally decided to take the leap and buy back in 2022. We had been waiting for years for the “market to correct” and finally just decided that we needed to stop waiting. Within months interest rates became unaffordable, and they’ve only gotten worse since then. We would not be able to reasonably afford our current home with current interest rates. It’s insane. The whole thing is rigged.

  • neocamel@lemmy.studio
    35·
    9 months ago

    What is amazing is that people would rather live like this, and have four feet of grass between them and their neighbors, than in a place twice as big with a shared wall…

    • petrescatraian@libranet.de
      8·
      9 months ago

      To each their own. I do hear all sorts of sounds coming from my neighbors in my apartment. From moaning to phone alarm vibrating, sounds of various objects hitting each other, even arguing sometimes.

      Not to mention some people open their doors and windows when cooking, allegedly for the draft to get in and get the smell out of the kitchen (don’t know why they do this, just open your damn window and that’s it). And when the air goes the opposite way, the hallway of the building is a mix of various smells of whatever they cook.

      Oh, by the way, did I mention I need to take the elevator to reliably reach my apartment?

      • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
        10·
        9 months ago

        here in sweden we do this amazing thing called “actually building things solidly”, our apartment blocks are largely solid concrete and the only thing i hear from my neighbours is when their kids drop what i can only assume to be anvils onto the floor, which results in a faint thunk.

          • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
            5·
            9 months ago

            these apartment buildings are part of the million programme back in the 60’s, where we churned out tons and tons of standardized high density housing eras much like your commie blocks.

            So it’s not a problem of being cheap or communist, it’s a problem with effective execution.

            And fwiw communist housing tends to generally be one of the better places to live, provided it’s not that one fucked up place in russia where it’s just highrises in a sea of parking lots.

            • petrescatraian@libranet.de
              3·
              9 months ago

              @Swedneck I live in a communist era neighborhood myself, so I know how it is to live there. It’s generally great, but the execution of the buildings was rather poor (mine included). Some say it was for the better surveillance of the inhabitants, others say it was just rushed building. Whatever is the case, it’s still not pleasant knowing that you risk being heard by all the neighbors when you do the most normal noise.

              And I like Russian blocks as well, provided they are those Hruschocskas (or Plattenbeau?) that are 5 storey high or less. We have some as well. The areas they’re in is generally really green with tall trees, so it’s really pleasant.

              We generally use the term “commie block” to describe buildings during that area, but I included buildings raised after the '90s as well because the developers try to eschew regulations when building, so their quality is even poorer sometimes. That’s not to mean that all buildings during these times have thin walls or floors either tho.

              It’s great to hear that the buildings where you live were raised with more attention to details like these though. Probably if I’d visit/live in one a bit I’d change my opinion about our buildings from that time as well. 😁

  • taanegl@lemmy.world
    33·
    9 months ago

    “Listen, you’re gonna live as the markets dictate. The labour markets, the consumer markets… are you listening?”

    *me, lighting the Molotov coctail*

    Ah-huh. Continue.

  • crispy_kilt@feddit.de
    31·
    9 months ago

    US-americans: apartments suck, I want a single house

    Also US-americans:

    Meanwhile, in the civilised world:

  • DharkStare@lemmy.worldEnglish
    26·
    9 months ago

    The houses are so close together and have so little yard I don’t see why they didn’t just turn them into townhouses.

  • doctorcrimson@lemmy.today
    21·
    9 months ago

    Honestly not a bad deal if you live alone. Make an offer for 130k and settle for 145k then get approved for a loan with APR around 5% and you could be making monthly payments under 600 USD for 20 years. That’s a lot lower than rent, I’ll tell you that, and you can get your equity back at the end when you move.

    Only issue is the loan term, variable property value, and if you’re actually buying the land or just the abode.

        • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
          19·
          9 months ago

          A shoebox like this should, in a reasonable world, be like 50k. Many years ago someone with a basic factory job could have a REAL home for a family of four on his income alone. Then boomers ruined everything and, now, people look at this bullshit as ‘good.’

          Yes by 2024 standards it’s ‘good’. But that’s like saying only being 400k in debt after cancer treatment is ‘good’

          • doctorcrimson@lemmy.today
            7·
            9 months ago

            I mean, if you’re making $12 USD an hour, which is considered very low, then you’re still only spending 28% monthly wages on the above example I gave, and you get to keep what you put in minus depreciation when you resell, sometimes at a profit. Like I said, it’s way better than renting. Plus, these aren’t trailer homes, they have an actual foundation and a connection to city sewer, so the probably don’t depreciate very much if you take good care of it.

            Yeah, the boomers fucked up the American Dream and now family homes aren’t available to the majority, but the property in the image is not a bad deal at all and I stand by that opinion.

          • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
            5·
            9 months ago

            Yeah, but American homes are unsustainable in their sizes. What you’re looking at there is already the norm in Japan. We don’t need as much space as we use for single family houses in this country. Sure we have the space, but we also have a homelessness crisis. These tiny homes are a very good solution for that.

            I will agree that $150,000 seems a bit higher than it should be, but depending on how close to San Antonio this is, that is fairly typical for a major city in pricing. If this is some suburb in the sticks, then yeah, they need to be asking around $75,000

            • OneWomanCreamTeam@sh.itjust.works
              8·
              9 months ago

              Space isn’t the issue here. We have more empty homes than we have homeless people.

              Prices aren’t astronomical because we’re running out of space.

              • htrayl@lemmy.world
                1·
                9 months ago

                They are astronomical because we build too large. That accounts for the vast majority of home ownership cost increases. The average home size is up 230%+ from the 70s, or 300% per person.

                This makes up the vast majority of the difference in prices seen since that time.

                Other direct causes are that we add two or three car garages (30k+) and increased home construction standards ( which add cost up front but often save money long term).

                When looking at a price per area, the price is almost static (after accounting for inflation).

        • Asafum@feddit.nl
          7·
          9 months ago

          That price, but 1.5 to 2x the size so my shed house isn’t 6’ from my neighbors shed house

        • lud@lemm.ee
          5·
          9 months ago

          You can buy apartments too. Specifically I think you buy the right to live there indefinitely and not the actual building.

          • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
            4·
            9 months ago

            dunno how it works in the US, but in sweden there are like 3-4 ways it can be done, and fwiw renting here generally comes with the right to continue renting however long you like thanks to very strict renters’ rights laws.

            I know two of the ways to own an apartment is either straight up owning the actual apartment itself (with some asterisks obviously because it’s part of a building), and the most common form is to own the right to live there (and pay maintenance costs, which is why i find it pointless to own) and sell it on.

        • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
          1·
          9 months ago

          i mean you do realize that owning housing comes with maintenance costs, right? why would i spend money i probably don’t actually have to buy a house when an apartment would have about the same rent as the maintenance costs (and the ability to just move if the apartment is flooded or whatever)?

          • InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world
            2·
            9 months ago

            Home maintenance sucks, but its not that expensive. Certainty basics are on YT. If it were a real challenge then apartments wouldn’t exist either. How often does your building need a new roof?

    • Razzazzika@lemm.ee
      4·
      9 months ago

      Don’t forget the mortgage insurance for several hundred a month if you’re not able to put that 30k down to pass the 20% thresshold.

      • Kit
        3·
        9 months ago

        PMI would be roughly $70/mo in the example they posted.

      • doctorcrimson@lemmy.today
        3·
        9 months ago

        It’s unlikely at this exact moment, for sure, but USA national average 30 year rate was below that less than two years ago, 2.65% in 2021, and it was below 5% for almost the entirety of the 2010s.