Unreal Estate

There is a lot in the news recently, with the economy in the tank, about how it's a good time to buy a house and that prices are good and low. Well, unfortunately the people selling their houses in our neighborhood didn't get the memo. In fact, we - along with everyone else in our neighborhood - actually got a memo from our friendly local real estate brokers congratulating us for living in an area where housing prices are staying strong and definitely not following the state-wide and national downward trends of becoming a "buyer's market." Harrumphf.

Anyways, lest you think we are exaggerating, I present to you exhibits A, B, and C. Note - all three houses are literally between a stone's throw and a long home run in distance from our current (rented) residence.

A: House #1 - 3 BR, 2 BA, 1,600 sq ft - $968,888

B: House #2 - 3 BR, 2.5 BA, 1,460 sq ft - $935,000

C: House #3 - 3 BR, 2 BA, 1,384 sq ft - $848,000
I can vouch for the fact that while these houses are decent, and I'd be happy to own any of them, they by no means would be considered one of the "nicer" houses in the area.

Sigh. Well, so that part of the so-called American Dream (or maybe the New Zealand dream is more accurate in this case) is going to have to wait for a while...