Inside my NEW BROOKLYN Townhouse | Ryan Serhant

@mosimosi630 says:

Right

@timward3116 says:

@Raymond Smith Hi Raymond. I trust that all you say is true. I’m from Chicagoland (the term people in the Chicago area use) originally. We moved out here when I was a kid. Then I moved back to a very nice suburb (not a ritzy one, but pleasant) as an adult for a few years. I know that finding parking in the city proper was a huge problem, but the old brick and/or stone two-flats and individual homes on streets lined with mature trees were charming.

I worked in North Scottsdale (LOL, everyone in North Scottsdale always makes sure to say “NORTH Scottsdale”). It’s nice enough but it doesn’t have what I would call a patina, charm, or class (very subjective terms, I know). So much of it is new and brown… and, for me, without charm. But that’s true of hundreds of square miles of homes in the Phoenix area that have been built in the last 40 years. Mind you, I’m not whining. I’ve lived in those developments and, God knows, there are worse places to live. Currently, I live in a nice older area that actually has grass, trees, and quiet streets with historic and mid-century non-cookie-cutter homes. I love my current area. Best of all worlds. However, generally, homes built in the last 40 years here a cheaply built brown cubes, little better than oversized stucco’d appliance boxes attached to a garage, which is usually the homes most prominent feature. I just think that we could have done a much better job with creating variety, picturesque streets, and a sense of personal ownership and creativity. Most neighborhoods here seem undistinguishable from each other and, though not individually horrible, somehow collectively create the feeling of a huge brown nightmare.

@timward3116 says:

@Raymond Smith Happy holidays to you, as well, Raymond. Believe it or not, I’ve been to California three times in my life (twice to Stockton for work, once to Knott’s Berry Farm for a wedding). Call me crazy, but I thought Stockton was sort of neat… except for the people there, who were nuts at the time.

Although the quasi-official story is that the homes here are brown to blend in, my theory is that they’re brown so they don’t show the dirt and won’t have to be painted (or even washed) as often. Think about it: Have you ever heard a realtor use the expression “beautiful dirt-colored stucco”?

Nine years was a long time for you, but I have you beat. I know what you mean about the summers getting longer (God, I hate them). I am really only here because my memories, history, network and friends are here… and now I am too lazy to move. Happy Holidays again!