Okay, it is one thing for someone who wants to live within a block of Central Park to pay $700 a month for a 90-square-foot “apartment.” But now a major homebuilder, D.R. Horton, is building 364- to 687-square-foot micro-homes in Portland.
“You can’t just keep going farther from the city and acquiring farm land,” says Portland advertiser Jim Beriault. Well, actually, you could if it weren’t for that pesky urban-growth boundary. Oregon (which is 98-percent rural) has plenty of land, and there are plenty of urban areas that are much bigger than Portland.
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These micro-homes are supposed to sell for $120,000 to $180,000, or roughly $300 a square foot. Let’s see: in Houston, $180,000 will buy you a 4-bedroom, 2-1/2 bath, 2,600-square-foot home, while $120,000 will buy a 5-bedroom, 3-1/2 bath, 3,200-square-foot home (you read that right–perhaps it’s not in as nice a neighborhood).
I understand the dream of the ’90s is to live next to a bike path rather than a freeway. But even near downtown Houston you can buy this 4-bedroom, 3-bath, 2,500-square-foot house for $180,000. Or, if you prefer something smaller, for the same price you can get this 3-bedroom, 2-bath, 1,700-square-foot home just two blocks from a planned light-rail line. If you want something really micro (Texas-style), how about this brand-new 3-bedroom, 2-1/2 bath, 1,450-square-foot home for just $120,000?
I don’t wish ill to D.R. Horton, but any Portlandia residents crazy enough to buy Horton’s micro-homes are fooling themselves if they think they are somehow morally superior to people elsewhere who can buy much nicer homes for far less money. Oregon’s elite has created an artificial land shortage and is using that shortage to stick it to young people and other newcomers to the region. That’s plain disgusting.
@Jardinero1:
You’re underestimating the diversity of attractions in proximity to Portland. Very literally, you can be at the ocean, in the desert, in a high desert, at a mountain, on a volcano, or near a top notch fishing spot all within 1 to 3 hrs drive.
I’m sure there are wonderful spots to be @ in Houston, but they pale in comparison to Seattle or Portland.
I’m really not sure what you’re arguing here, people do enjoy the Portland area for its beauty. Some people move here just for that.
@Frank
“Interesting concept. Do you have anything that supports the declining price and income levels assertion?”
No data to support this. Declining prices are due to a stagnant economy and I would attribute further declining prices due to incomes that cannot afford the housing here. Portland’s incomes relative to “similar” cities like Seattle and Minneapolis are low low low. It’s basic understanding that if incomes are low and housing prices are high — people are going to be spending a large portion of their incomes on housing or be pushed out to cheaper areas.
Say what you want about Demographia studies, there is something to say about Cox’s work with incomes relative to housing costs (median multiple, or whatever it is).
Of course, transportation costs are always purposely omitted from these studies, which is not cheap at $4 a gallon!
From Portland you can be on a beach in an hour, where you can bundle up in gloves and rain clothes and stare into out into the grey fog and drizzle looking for grey whales. Access to most of the coast is geographically or legally impossible. You can’t fish in any personal boat most days because the open ocean is way too rough. Even Lewis and Clark stayed away from the coast or else they would have froze and starved to death there.
Gee, why doesn’t every fisherman and beach lover move there?
Why don’t you Professional Planners tell us more about how you know where everyone ought to live, though few real people (like Mexicans and families) actually move there?
Dunno, Andy, why are suburbs so ageist and against people who don’t want to have families? So few twenty somethings move there.
@Dan
Yes, and I somehow managed to graduate in four years. Went back in 2008 and am nostalgic for the small-town atmosphere. Chose the campus for its natural amenities. Lucked out and had some world-class professors. Been to Hale’s and like it a lot. Also a fan of Elliot Bay in West Seattle. Looking forward to beer with you.
Hey WS, your questioned has been answered: “Portland is the city where young people go to retire.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVmq9dq6Nsg
For some reason, when people have kids, they don’t think about retiring. Also, Mexicans don’t tend to run to the USA to retire. Even despite Professional Planners deciding that it what they should want to do.
LOVE Elliot Bay and that little neighborhood. Have an old GF who lives near there and that was our hangout.
DS
Bennett
It doesen’t matter a hill of beans how much natural beauty Oregon has if one can not get out to it; if I play by Portland’s game I should ditch my F-150 for a bicycle. If the Eviros had there way more natural beauty of Oregon would be off limits for use. i guess we can enjoy it in pictures from our Portland Micro home ghetto.
Richard,
That’s funny, because I’m DRIVING to Portland at the end of the month and have several activities planned in the natural beauty while I’m there including hiking, rafting and Mtn Biking. So let’s see… Driving and recreating outdoors. Any other hyperbolic bs we should cover?
If the Eviros had there way more natural beauty of Oregon would be off limits for use
Horsepucky.
DS