Just Freaking ASTONISHING Obliviousness, There

The housing market is in the toilet.

We ARE all aware of that, by now, right?

The general economy is in the toilet, too.

We ARE all aware of that by now, right?

OK; so if we're all aware of this, how is it that housing developers can be so outstandingly oblivious to it?

In Seattle, Washington, there's a development going up called Thornton Place.

Condominiums.

Not just any condos; REALLY REALLY EXPENSIVE condos; the basic unit is a less-than-600 square foot one-bedroom.

My apartment roughly matches this.

But they want EIGHT TIMES as much money for these than I pay for mine. (Actually, a little more, but let's not quibble over fractions.)

The sale price for the one-bedroom apartments is supposedly $299, 950 for the cheapest unit in the development. Unsurprisingly, they have sold NOT. ONE. UNIT.

The article in the Seattle Times is eye-opening. It purports to be about a housing developer doing something to spur sales; namely, offering to make rent payments for 6 months if the buyer loses their job after moving in.

But really. Are they honestly this astonished that no-one is moving in? REALLY?

THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT?

...And you have to seriously ASK why you can't sell these fuckers?

There is, clearly, no shortage of stupid.

Let me put this in perspective.

$300,000 for a 595-square foot 1-bedroom apartment, in Seattle.

Or, in Houston:

$7,800 for a 2 bed, 2 bath, 991-square foot home a block off of Highway 290.

$9,500 for a 1 bed, 1 bath 784-square foot condo with a fireplace.

$12,500 for a 1 bed, 1 bath 729-square foot condo.

We've now bought a house and two condos, and we're up to a tenth - a TENTH - of the price of ONE of these units in Seattle.

$14,800 for a 1 bed, 1 bath 852-square foot condo.

$10,700 for a duplex (2 units) on an 8,000+ square foot lot; the duplex building is 1600 square feet.

$13,500 for a 2 bed, 1 bath 790 square foot single-family home.

$15,000 for a 2 bed, 1 1/2 bath, 780 square foot single family home.

$15,500 for a 2 bed, 2 bath 824-square foot townhouse.

We're now up to a THIRD of the price of one of these condos in Seattle, and so far we've bought 3 houses, 4 condos, and a duplex. This is enough housing for over 20 people.

$15,900 for a 1/1 condo.

$15,900 for a second unit in the same complex, actually.

$17,000 for a condo in another complex,

$17,000 for a second unit on THAT one.

$17,000 for a 2/2 townhome.

$17,000 for a 2-unit townhome building.

We're now 2/3 of our way to the goal; we're up to 3 houses, 8 condos, a duplex, and three townhouses - housing at a minimum for 30 people.

$17,900 for a duplex with two 2/2 units.

$18,000 for another condo.

$18,000 for a 2/2 condo on the ground floor and a corner.

$18,000 for a 2/1.5 single family home.

$18,000 for a 2/1.5 single family home.

$18,500 for a 2/2 single family home.

Whoa there, went a bit over - 3 months' rent on the Seattle condo over, to be precise, but look what we got for it. $307,500 got us 6 HOUSES, 10 CONDOS, 2 DUPLEXES, and 3 TOWNHOUSES - enough housing for 47 people, using 1 per condo, 3 per "family."

FORTY-SEVEN PEOPLE COULD OWN THEIR HOMES FOR THE SAME PRICE AS YOUR FUCKING CONDO.

Are you SERIOUSLY confused as to why you can't sell that piece of shit?