On the issue of aesthetic "nazis". This is an issue much bigger than just aesthetics; this is a pockebook issue. We currently live in an area that is essentially without rules of any sort. For the most part people maintain their property quite nicely and within a fairly "normal" range of good taste. However, there is one house in the neighborhood several streets over which is adorned with statues, trailers parked in the side yard and the street, and cars parked on the front lawn. It is an eyesore.
While it is not near my house and I only see it when I have to drive by that house on the way out of the neighborhood, I really shouldn't complain, right? Well, as it turns out the house immediately across from this house is a very similar house as ours. It recently was on the market and because of its view sold for a lot less than it should have. When we were interviewing real estate agents and asked them about that house, they immediately talked about it in terms of their views of the neighbor's house.
So, how does that impact us? Simple - when buyers for our house look up comparable homes sales, this becomes Exhibit A in terms of arguing for why our house should be priced closer to what the house with the "view" sold for. So, the net effect on us is not aesthetics but probably at least $10,000. With that in mind, I warmly welcome the aesthetics police of TV.
|