A big reason the Beach Reporter is free is also a big reason it's so heavy: Real estate ads.
So builders all over MB will be choking on their lattes, er, scotch, when they open up their copies this week and see, right on page 2, columnist Paul Silva's piece. In "The Stains of Speculation," Silva bemoans the…
A big reason the Beach Reporter is free is also a big reason it's so heavy:
Real estate ads.So builders all over MB will be choking on their lattes, er, scotch, when they open up their copies this week and see, right on page 2, columnist Paul Silva's piece. In
"The Stains of Speculation," Silva bemoans the continuing redevelopment of Manhattan Beach by profit-seeking speculators.
Now, MBC is neutral on the subject, but here's Silva's take:
[I]f you build an ugly, ostentatious house just for profit, you deserve to go broke doing it....
It's hard to think of another form of profit-seeking that leaves us with as many public stains as real estate speculation... an ugly house can last 40 years or longer....
Silva's complaint isn't just about garishness, but size. Building out to every allowable square foot means no yards, and changes the flavor of a neighborhood.
The builders will tell you that maximum square footage is what sells these days, but it's a circular argument because few developers have the courage to place a bet on open space.
Builders are yella!?!
What prompted Silva's outburst? The writer lives near a large new house in MB that's been sitting on the market for months. He's not-so-secretly happy that the builder has had trouble finding a buyer – maybe it will be a lesson to others.
Or not.
Silva worries that there isn't much that can be done. "[W]e are at the mercy of the taste and discretion of spec builders," he sighs. Unless, that is, the buyers in the $3-$5m range turn their backs on these new homes, and insist that less is more:
If these wealthy newcomers demand more yard space and less grandiosity, and a few developers lose their shirts on some mini Taj Mahals, we're all better off.
Wow, that's twice Silva is openly hoping for builders to lose money. It's for a purpose, of course: a desire for a better-scaled community. But what do you think the business department at BR said when they saw the piece?
Please see our blog disclaimer.
Listings presented above are supplied via the MLS and are brokered by a variety of agents and firms, not Dave Fratello or Edge Real Estate Agency, unless so stated with the listing. Images and links to properties above lead to a full MLS display of information, including home details, lot size, all photos, and listing broker and agent information and contact information.
Based on information from California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of March 18th, 2024 at 7:20pm PDT. This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.