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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Out of our League

A few weeks ago when we were in AZ I couldn't help but notice some of the huge houses as we drove around Scottsdale. I imagined the people who lived in them and what they must do, or did, for a living. Then I thought about all the windows and floor space and rooms that would need cleaning, but I quickly realized, if I could afford to live in a house like that, I could afford a house-cleaning service!

We just don't see houses like this in our area, so I was being a gawking tourist and took pictures as we drove by.






Then this sign caught my eye, and my jaw dropped. My eyesight isn't the best, so even with glasses on I had to ask Joe if that really said "800s" and he assured me it did. I don't think I've ever lived anywhere where a housing development advertised that they started in the mid-800s. I've seen "starting at the low 300s" before, but that's the highest I've seen.


We took a drive to see those homes, but of course it was a gated community. We found it amusing that this sign showed 80% sold out -wow there are some rich folks in Scottsdale!



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32 comments:

The Girls' Mommy said...

Housing prices here on the East Coast are SO crazy. A friend of mine saw a sign that said "Starting in the Low 1.5 Million" and she laughed and said "There IS no LOW 1.5 million!"

Anonymous said...

WOW I just can't see paying that much money for a house. Can you imagine a house like that here in little old Altus LOL

Amy said...

Wow! That is crazy. My friends just lost her home to a fire this weekend and the estimated worth was $100,000. And it was a really nice home too. Just think of how many homes could be bought with that same $800,000?

Puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?

Not trying to sound like a downer today, Michelle, I promise!

Trace said...

Those are some very impressive homes!! :)

Trace

Cate said...

Those giant houses always make me kind of sad. I picture families who don't want to spend much time together. "here, kids, you go live in the north wing."

I would take a housecleaner, though. I can mess up a house of any size.

Robin said...

"Choke, Choke, gasp, gasp!"

ChupieandJ'smama (Janeen) said...

Those have to over $800's. We have some $800's by us and they could fit inside those houses:) Doesn't it make you wonder what those people do for a living? My husband and I always try to guess that as we are driving by houses that look like that. Even with 2 incomes they both must do something incredible.

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

Some of the best and biggest homes in AZ are in Fountain Hills. This area backs Camelback Mountain. If I am not mistaken, Fountain Hills is the richest and most expensive zip code in the state. They are not gated and it's wonderful to drive clear up into the mountain and GAWK...and DROOL..and THANK God I don't have to clean it! LOL

As far as what they do for a living, I think a couple of them are professional sports players in that area.

Anonymous said...

WOW!
That is a whole lot of cleaning!

Barb said...

My husband Rob grew up in Scottsdale but I can assure you, he didn't live in one of these neighborhoods!

I've been to Scottsdale one time and I was very impressed with how pretty it is. Hot, but pretty.

Mom24 said...

I had an acquaintance once who grew up very, very poor. She had very strong feelings that it was obnoxious to live so far above "regular" people. When you think about it, who really needs to live in a house like that? Her attitude has really affected me over the years when I start to feel sorry for myself for having such a crowded, tiny house.

Sandra said...

There are stunning houses in AZ, not just Scottsdale but even around here in Glendale....I don't know how these people afford them though...LOL

Anonymous said...

I always wonder what the people do for a living that live in those huge houses! Can you imagine a $8000 house payment monthlY? Yikes.

I have a friend who lives in a 10,000 sq. ft. home and it is beautiful. She is a commercial pilot and husband is a lawyer. The home feels so big and you can't just call the kids to dinner, you literally have to phone them because their rooms are so far away from the kitchen. They have lots of help that are almost part of the family. I don't know if I would choose that life... maybe for a long summer :).

Anonymous said...

The other thing is there are 10 ac units cooling the house... they have the electric bill averaged and pay over a thousand monthly for that!

Karen said...

There are a surprising amount of those houses in the Surprise area (no pun intended) where our friends live. We have many pictures in our albums because, well, just look at them!

Julie said...

Those houses are gorgeous. My husband was saying something about if we won a million dollars he would build me my dream house. Me being practical said, "just pay this one off."

Jeanette said...

I am from Glendale Arizona, but am now in Austin, TX. WE have homes that size and price along the Lake. They are mostly CEO's and second homes to the stars. Again, I agree with the cleaning... I would take a cleaning service for mine.. =0)

Kerry said...

I didn't realize you took a picture of my house- you should have come in for a cup of tea! :)

Tanya said...

That's exactly how it was out in the Seattle area - my jaw would just drop. We did have some friends who paid over $400k for their house, it was SO huge! I can't imagine paying that much for a house here in ND - it would be at least 7000 sq. ft. I bet :) You would need an intercom system just to find your spouse ;)

Tammy said...

I sometimes watch a show on HGTV called "What you get for the money", comparing houses across the country for the same price. It's amazing how the housing market can vary over the country! In the midwest, you can get a nice 3 bedroom, for example, for 250,000...in San Diego, you're lucky to get 500 sq ft studio apt for the same price. It always is so interesting to compare...

The architecture on those homes are interesting, and I like how some of them seem to blend into their surroundings there in the southwest!

Overwhelmed! said...

Let's be honest here, given the opportunity, I'd love to live in one of those homes! :) I'd most certainly be hiring a cleaning service though. I'm already using one for our 2,000 sq. foot modest home and it's still cluttered (as you well know).

Sadly, we will most likely never live in a home that expensive. We don't make enough money and probably never will (unless my tutus make me rich and famous) because we're not willing to live and breath our jobs to make achieve that kind of income.

Fun pictures!

Sue said...

Hey - the one kind of looks like my house....NOT!!! :) Those are HUGE. The one in the mountain is kind of cool. We have developments around us that start in the 500's and I know there are more expensive than that throughout NJ. Princeton has some major mansions going on. Many a million dollar homes in that town for sure. I too would never want to clean that much house. But you're right if I had that money, I'd pay someone to do everything for me. :)

I often wonder where these people come from...

Steve and Eden said...

There are some gorgeous houses here in CA that the prices they are asking just blow my socks off! I just don't understand how people can afford to own a house like that.

Laura said...

WOW! Those houses were beautiful...but wouldn't want to clean them. LOL

Shannon @ Gabi's World said...

OMGosh! Those are really nice! That second house is right up my alley (yeah right)! When I lived in FL, houses were always so expensive and you didn't get that much house for the money. My dad used to buil million dollar homes down there and they were not as big as you would think. There it was all about location!

Heidi said...

Oh, I see you found out where I live, next time come on up & ring the doorbell. Fred, the butler will show you to the study.

Killlashandra said...

Like NM, retired people moving to the SW might be buying homes, but it is hard to imagine spending, not mention even having, that much money to purchase a house with. The depressed economy and slumped housing market would make me really question that 80% sold sign.

Still, the houses do look amazing. ;)

Amy said...

Those houses are impressive but they would go for way more here on the east coast!

You can't get a nice 4 bedroom house for under $450 and even those are 20 years old!

I can't wait to get off the east coast!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, those are some fancy homes!

And, okay, I just can't resist saying....

You guys have been taking a lot of road trips lately.....

I AM SO JEALOUS!

haha!

I lovvveeee road trips!!!

Jen said...

didnt you know that second photo is my house?????
just jokin oh how i wish.

Dana a/k/a Sunshine said...

Yep, those houses are beautiful. It must be nice to have such disposable income!!! I must remind myself too though, there are a lot of people with large houses, but their debt is even LARGER. It is nice to dream of what it would be like to afford it though..

Stephanie said...

I wish I lived in a place where I thought "mid 800s" was expensive!! Here, mid 800s is the norm. You can't buy a house for less than that (a regular-sized house) and a monstrosity like those would be in the multi-millions. Even a 700sqft condo here starts at $400k. You guys are lucky down there with such "cheap" housing!!