Monday, September 26, 2005

Aliens Invade Suburbia

Houses in my neighborhood are over $200,000 more expensive when I bought my home four years ago. In 2001, my neighborhood was reasonably-affordable and full of extremely friendly and down to earth people. As the price of housing continues to rise in the metropolitan area, many of the original owners are now selling their homes for a tremendous profit to wealthy buyers.

All of this changes the character of the neighborhood. While our neighborhood once prided itself on being a bastion of sanity in a sea of insanity, lately their has been an influx of material-minded people who are bringing this insanity along with them.

Slowly, slowly these people will one day become the majority.

And I will be left in the minority with my "alien values".

--
Mit gelt farshtopt men der velt dos moil - Yiddish saying

Money makes the world keep its mouth shut.

12 Comments:

At September 26, 2005 at 6:57:00 AM EDT, Blogger Tamara said...

I can relate. Exactly the same thing has been going on in my community. Even housing in more 'affordable' neighborhoods has gone through the roof. And yes, it does change the character, and not always for the better.

Don't get discouraged. For starters, housing markets tend to go in cycles. Also, among the materialistic idiots you'll find the occasional mensch. Just be true to yourself.

 
At September 26, 2005 at 7:54:00 AM EDT, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

Tamara: Yes, I will be sure to be true to my alien self ;)

 
At September 26, 2005 at 10:15:00 AM EDT, Blogger MC Aryeh said...

Not sure where you live,ASJ, but my friends in Baltimore have complained of the same problem. Baltimore used to be the place to go for a wonderful, heimishe community at affordable prices, but now prices have gone up and the community is changing. I guess the Midwest is the new Baltimore, at least until prices go up and the communities change there, too...

 
At September 26, 2005 at 10:28:00 AM EDT, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

MCAryeh: Psycho Toddler's haven in Milwaukee is certainly starting to seem a little more appealing.

 
At September 26, 2005 at 11:10:00 AM EDT, Blogger MC Aryeh said...

Milwaukee is a wonderful community - an eclectic mix of yidden who all get along, affordable housing and tuition, and the Twerskis...

 
At September 26, 2005 at 11:17:00 AM EDT, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

Have you spent any time there, MCAryeh?

 
At September 26, 2005 at 1:23:00 PM EDT, Blogger Akiva said...

You too? Somebody bought the house next to mine, tore off the top and tripled the size, and resold it for $750,000 (this is suburbia, not Manhattan).

I feel like I've got a VW bug parked next to a Hummer, and of course the property values (and therefore taxes) go up up up.

 
At September 26, 2005 at 1:23:00 PM EDT, Blogger Jack Steiner said...

You just described my neighborhood.

 
At September 26, 2005 at 1:37:00 PM EDT, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

Akiva and Jack: It sounds like prices are going up on both coasts. Perhaps we could all move into Psycho Toddler's basement or work as indentured servants tending to the bees at Treppenwitz's house.

 
At September 26, 2005 at 5:14:00 PM EDT, Blogger MC Aryeh said...

I have visited the Milwaukee community, and still have some wonderful friends there who rave about it....

 
At September 27, 2005 at 6:57:00 AM EDT, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

MCAryeh: Interesting. You have peaked my curiousity and I will try to visit one day.

 
At September 27, 2005 at 10:43:00 AM EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We've lived in the Midwest most of the last 17 years, and it's worth checking out. Carefully evaluate the Torah environment (and trends)in the cities/suburbs of interest; each place has its own qualities.

As for the people bidding up prices on either coast, they have to live somewhere, too, after all! Reject stereotypes.

 

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