Thursday, March 27, 2008

Be Happy


Living within one's means:


Santa Barbara Style.

This little house is being dwarfed by a huge McMansion style house. I know nothing about the individuals who occupy - or will soon occupy - either house. Let me just say, I would rather have for a neighbor the homeowner of the humble house who cares enough to put up a wood-carved sign with their family name on it and some scattered potted plants than most of the people who could afford or pretend to afford the larger house. Either way, success is not evil and I hope that the homeowner of the large house chose this neighbor for the same reasons.

Wherever you live, take care of what you've have been blessed with. Someday you may have more, or you may have less. As much as you plan, save, and work, the future is not guaranteed and it can change in an instant. There will always be some economic crisis for somebody somewhere. Make these the happiest days of your life, because they just might be.

9 comments:

christiangustafson said...

Could this be the best RE bubble blog post ever? I think so.

Bravo!

christiangustafson said...

One question. Upon close inspection, the new construction appears to use real plywood.

Is this why CA real estate is so valuable?

Here in Seattle, we use pressed chipboard for everything, including pricy homes in haute neighborhoods like Phinney Ridge.

Malcolm said...

You left out one part...

After about a year, the owner of the McMaansion will complain that the small house is "bringing down the neighborhood", and will try to figure out ways of forcing out the guy who lives in the small house

(as if they didn't know it was there when they built their home)

Ray said...

Well said....

Anonymous said...

You got that right .

Anonymous said...

This does look like SB. Is this an SB bubble blog??

-Matt C, Former 'cito rat now in NM.

Anonymous said...

wow what a beautiful post..thank you !!!
I love that little house, I wish I knew where it was so I could bring them more flower pots!:)

bradinsb said...

This is in a small town named Carpinteria,Ca just south of
Santa Barbara

Tera Flop said...

I am sure that the potted-plant homeowners won't care if someone attempts to make them feel uncomfortable.

My experience with local McMansion-dwellers is they're usually too busy zipping in and out with their McLexii and McGolfingBuddies to care about the neighborhood except to vote for tearing down blight-houses through "citations" and other means.