<p>VaBluebird, those are both great properties. That first one is not close to 1 million dollars. >>>>>>>></p>
<p>Yeah, I know, but after I picked my jaw up off the floor, I just had to share it. : D</p>
<p>Lol…</p>
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<p>He had a house on Nantucket Island–I read that it sold for $12 million.</p>
<p>One guy that has been buying a bit of property:</p>
<p>[Oracle</a> CEO Larry Ellison makes Malibu real estate his own - latimes.com](<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-ellison-malibu-20130505,0,31151.story]Oracle”>Oracle CEO Larry Ellison makes Malibu real estate his own)</p>
<p>^^^^^That’s the kind of wealth which is hard to really imagine. Maybe someday they will re-name Carbon Beach to Ellison Beach.</p>
<p>This must be one the grandest apartments in Chicago, not too far from President Obama’s house, listed for $899,000. Which is not too bad considering the size of the place–5300 sq ft and six bedrooms overlooking Lake Michigan. </p>
<p>But that homeowner’s fee of $4857 a month! </p>
<p>[5490</a> S South Shore Dr Unit 4S, CHICAGO, IL 60615 | MLS# 07960758 | Redfin](<a href=“http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/5490-S-Shore-Dr-60615/unit-4S/home/40247117]5490”>http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/5490-S-Shore-Dr-60615/unit-4S/home/40247117)</p>
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<p>What does that nearly 5 grand a month get the resident?</p>
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<p>Armed security?</p>
<p>DH and I looked at a penthouse apartment in Dallas when our house went under contract. The apartment was in our price point, but the HOA was about $3400 a month. From what I could tell, it got us underground parking (2 spaces), security, valet parking, and a “concierge,” which I don’t think we would have utilized very much. All that is fine and good, but in addition, we were subject to additional assessments if the pool needed to be fixed, or repairs needed to be made to common areas, etc.</p>
<p>We decided against it for several reasons, most of which were not even financial ones, but that monthly HOA would have been a sticking point even without the other considerations.</p>
<p>I must clarify: My husband DOES work 4 blocks from our house. But he drives to work. Everyday he drives. I won’t drive to the stores near my house, but I drive to the market. And I use valet parking which is free. </p>
<p>When we lived in the valley we did put mileage on the cars. I loathe driving vacations. So that puts fewer miles on our cars. When we talked about replacing my car (5 years old…with 7,000 miles…which came during the time we have a kid in school)…it seems ridiculous to get a “new” car.</p>
<p>I could live in New York city.</p>
<p>McLean, VA:
3 bedroom, 4 bath townhouse: [6646</a> Madison Mclean Dr, Mclean, VA 22101 - Zillow](<a href=“http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6646-Madison-Mclean-Dr-Mclean-VA-22101/2119687651_zpid/]6646”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6646-Madison-Mclean-Dr-Mclean-VA-22101/2119687651_zpid/)
5 bed, 5 bath, 4000 sq ft from the 1940s: [1622</a> Dempsey St, Mc Lean, VA 22101 - Zillow](<a href=“Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 18546 Homes For Sale | Zillow”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1622-Dempsey-St-Mc-Lean-VA-22101/51755843_zpid/)
4 bed, 3 bath, 1800 sq ft from 1960: [6008</a> Balsam Dr, Mc Lean, VA 22101 - Zillow](<a href=“Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 18546 Homes For Sale | Zillow”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6008-Balsam-Dr-Mc-Lean-VA-22101/51758744_zpid/)</p>
<p>In Arlington, where I live, you can get probably 3-5 beds and 3-5 baths and about 2000-4000 sq ft depending on location:
4/3.5 1800, [3520</a> N Pershing Dr, Arlington, VA 22201 - Zillow](<a href=“Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 18546 Homes For Sale | Zillow”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3520-N-Pershing-Dr-Arlington-VA-22201/12087330_zpid/)
3/3, 2800 [605</a> N Overlook Dr, Alexandria, VA 22305 - Zillow](<a href=“Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 18546 Homes For Sale | Zillow”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/605-N-Overlook-Dr-Alexandria-VA-22305/12031383_zpid/)
4/4 3500 [1044</a> 26th St S, Arlington, VA 22202 - Zillow](<a href=“Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 18546 Homes For Sale | Zillow”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1044-26th-St-S-Arlington-VA-22202/12107264_zpid/)</p>
<p>… or a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo: [2001</a> 15th St N APT 1505, Arlington, VA 22201 - Zillow](<a href=“http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2001-15th-St-N-APT-1505-Arlington-VA-22201/72456718_zpid/]2001”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2001-15th-St-N-APT-1505-Arlington-VA-22201/72456718_zpid/)</p>
<p>Here’s another one in Michigan- south of Detroit, waterfront- <a href=“http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/27665-Elba-Dr_Grosse-Ile_MI_48138_M46715-32736[/url]”>http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/27665-Elba-Dr_Grosse-Ile_MI_48138_M46715-32736</a></p>
<p>I wouldn’t mind this one either- <a href=“http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/21906-E-River-Rd_Grosse-Ile_MI_48138_M45533-21680?row=5&ex=MI549770197[/url]”>21906 E River Rd, Grosse Ile, MI 48138 | realtor.com®;
<p>Or even this one would be alright…
<a href=“http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/17458-Parke-Ln_Grosse-Ile_MI_48138_M46161-69209?row=6&ex=MI545216421[/url]”>17458 Parke Ln, Grosse Ile, MI 48138 | realtor.com®;
<p>I don’t know if anyone has posted this, but the NY Times regularly has a feature, “What you get for…” Online, it comes with a slide show and description of the various properties around the country. From March 13th, here’s what you get for $1.1 million.</p>
<p><a href=“Real Estate for $1.1 Million - The New York Times”>Real Estate for $1.1 Million - The New York Times;
<p>Slide show: <a href=“Homes for $1.1 Million - The New York Times”>Homes for $1.1 Million - The New York Times;
<p>I was reminded of this because today they featured what you get for a piddling $870,000:</p>
<p><a href=“The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos”>The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos;
<p>2016BarnarndMom, I love Grosse Ille! What great houses to dream about! We had friends who had a house there and it was such a great neighborhood.</p>
<p>House Hunters had a episode in New York City, $1mil budget. I think it was a 2 bed 2 bath apartment. Crazy!</p>
<p>I live in England and property is very expensive here. However, there is a house near me for sale that I ADORE! But I could never afford it. It’s a bit more than a million $US.</p>
<p>[4</a> bedroom terraced house for sale in Winchester, Hampshire, SO23](<a href=“UK's number one property website for properties for sale and to rent”>http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38645959.html)</p>
<p>vballmom,
My friend’s son was visiting from your area. He said once sunnyvalle became the ‘in’ spot, prices soared. He lives in biking distance to Google, and says less expensive. By the way, he is a florist, in case you ever have need.</p>
<p>Just $900,00.00. Has been on the market for a while. Historic lake house in easy reach of downtown Madison. </p>
<p>[1240</a> Sherman Ave, Madison, WI 53703 | MLS# 1676557 | - Restaino & Associates Realtors](<a href=“http://www.restainohomes.com/homes/1676557-1240_Sherman_Ave-Madison-WI-53703]1240”>http://www.restainohomes.com/homes/1676557-1240_Sherman_Ave-Madison-WI-53703)</p>
<p>Cupcake, yours is to die for!</p>
<p>Buffalo’s most upscale suburb, $999K, with the region’s best ranked public school district, 10 minutes unhindered drive to the airport:
[9765</a> Rocky Pt, Clarence, NY 14031 - Zillow](<a href=“http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9765-Rocky-Pt-Clarence-NY-14031/30312107_zpid/]9765”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9765-Rocky-Pt-Clarence-NY-14031/30312107_zpid/)</p>
<p>This is my dream home: [117</a> Authors Rd, Concord, MA 01742 - Zillow](<a href=“Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 18527 Homes For Sale | Zillow”>http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/117-Authors-Rd-Concord-MA-01742/57060490_zpid/)</p>
<p>Well only on 1/31/13 would I have bought this. Wish I did, what a steal then.<br>
Imagine a 99,899,900% increase! What a return. Most houses in this town get knocked down anyway and larger mansions put up.</p>
<p>$1 then. Now $939k.</p>
<p>This is an entertaining exercise, but kind of silly to compare a luxurious home in a remote location of a sparsely populated state to a 3 bedroom split in a top NJ town with good schools and convenient to NYC. </p>
<p>Even more telling is to compare property taxes. Maybe you can afford to buy that $900,000 home in New Jersey, but can you afford to live there? You could be comparing $4k annual property taxes to $30k. $2000 per month in additional cost is roughly equivalent to spending an additional $500,000 (or more) on the house!</p>