Homes Worth More than $1 Million by State

[garbribre]

I was walking to lunch from work and I passed a street sign in SOMA, near the Filipino Community Center, on one of the small service/alley-like streets with the name Lapu Lapu. Curious--wonder what it means? Does your gf have any insight, patrick.

Now to get this thread somewhat back on topic, here are a few homes in the 'ghetto' of Oakland, which contribute to it being one of the most expensive places in the country to live.

These multi-million dollar mansions exist in the Oakland foothills and Piedmont districts. Hundreds of them dot the foothills. Brookline, eat your heart out.

Couldn't get close enough to this one. Sorry, I had to zoom on a hazy day with a point and shoot. Monstrous!

Still think Oakland is any more or less 'ghetto' than wherever you live?
(I mean the collective 'you' on this forum, not just patrick.)

I took more pics of the houses around there, but I won't post them until somebody expresses some interest. (If you don't already know, I like dense housing neighborhoods, even if those homes are somewhat steroidal.)

 

[Patrick]

Lapu-Lapu was a native island warrior of the P.I. and he led a group of men against ferdinand magellan in resistance to Spanish colonization attempts, and it was in this battle that Magellan was killed. Lapu-Lapu is thus the first national hero of the Philippines. He was a muslim chieftan, but as you know, most Filipinos today are Catholic. The reason for this being that ultimately the resistance failed and like much of latin america the P.I. were conquered and colonized by extremely Catholic Spain.

Wow those houses are impressive. I am shocked, seriously, i never would have thought those places existed in oakland. Since i am young, the only exposure to oakland i get is in hip hop songs that sing about the ghetto...those certainly disprove my preconception of the city. thanks for posting and i would be interested if you posted more.

oh yeah and P.S. Lapu Lapu is also the name of a city named in honor of the man, so the street sign could be like if we were in the Philippines and saw a street that said New York Ave.

 

[DowntownDave]

I took more pics of the houses around there, but I won't post them until somebody expresses some interest. (If you don't already know, I like dense housing neighborhoods, even if those homes are somewhat steroidal.)

Well *I* want to see them.... Where are the interior shots of the Oakland Paramount? Where are the photos of historic Oakland? Somebody is slacking off over there...

As for Lapu Lapu, the Spanish tall ship over in the grey seas thread is named for the guy who took over Magellan's fleet after Lapu Lapu killed Magellan. How's that for synchronicity?

 

[Patrick]

Market for $1 million-plus homes growing in Maine

POLAND ? The million-dollar home used to be a rarity in Maine. Now you can find hundreds of them on the market.

The real estate boom of recent years has pushed up the number of homes in Maine with price tags of more than $1 million.

There are 416 houses for sale in the state with an asking price of $1 million or more, while another 28 have sales pending, according to Colon Durrell, president of the Maine Real Estate Information System and a real estate agent in Wilton. In the past year, 196 houses have sold for more than $1 million.

Those numbers don't surprise Valerie Lamont, director of the Institute for Real Estate Research and Business at the University of Southern Maine.

Part of the push comes from the baby-boom generation, which is looking for investment opportunities and for second homes that have the potential to become year-round homes.

"Certainly the limited discussions I've had suggest it's the out-of-staters pushing this market," Lamont said.

One of those pricey homes is an 8,000-square-foot house with 550 feet of frontage on Tripp Lake in Poland owned by Rose Aikman, who converted it into a bed-and-breakfast in 1996. Aikman is ready for a rest and is asking just shy of $1.5 million, including furniture, linen and china.

Aikman admits it takes a lot to keep up a home with 11 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and extensive landscaping. But real estate agent Terry Hewitt was more pragmatic.

"If you're buying a million-and-a-half house, you'll hire someone to clean for you," Hewitt said.

Hewitt has shown the property to some people interested in using it as a single-family residence and others wanting to keep it as an inn.

Home & Garden Television last week featured a house in Newry that is for sale for $1.55 million on its "What You Get for the Money" show.

Matt Hiebert, associate broker and director of marketing at Mahoosuc Realty, which is listing the house, has noticed an upswing in pricey listings in the last few years.

"It seemed three or four years ago that a $300,000 house was a lot of money," he said.

The million-dollar homes take longer to sell, Hiebert said. After all, not that many can afford a monthly mortgage of $5,000 or more.

"Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut is really where we focus our advertising," he said. "It's amazing to be able to think what their primary home is like if this is their second home."

Some of the common denominators among the million-dollar listings are water access or mountain views, as well as amenities ranging from media rooms to heated garages to a "state-of-the-art bathroom."

 

[garbribre]

I took more pics of the houses around there, but I won't post them until somebody expresses some interest. (If you don't already know, I like dense housing neighborhoods, even if those homes are somewhat steroidal.)

Well *I* want to see them.... Where are the interior shots of the Oakland Paramount? Where are the photos of historic Oakland? Somebody is slacking off over there...

For you DTDave....anything.

Slacking, my ass! It's the first and third Saturdays of the month for the Paramount tour. You'll be back in time for this Saturday, yes? You're the photog with the bitchin gear, so get your butt over to the theatre.

I've been kinda busy myself. I'll not repost the pics lost in the forum crash, but I'll dig up a few more....someday.

As for Lapu Lapu, the Spanish tall ship over in the grey seas thread is named for the guy who took over Magellan's fleet after Lapu Lapu killed Magellan. How's that for synchronicity?

"With one breath, with one flow
You will know
Synchronicity"

Thanks alot, DTDave!
because

"...I can't get it out of my head,
No, I can't get it out of my head.
Now my old world is gone for dead
'Cause I can't get it out of my head."

Ohhh no, nah-nah.

 

[garbribre]

Market for $1 million-plus homes growing in Maine

....

Aikman admits it takes a lot to keep up a home with 11 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and extensive landscaping. But real estate agent Terry Hewitt was more pragmatic.

"If you're buying a million-and-a-half house, you'll hire someone to clean for you," Hewitt said.

....

"It seemed three or four years ago that a $300,000 house was a lot of money," he said.

I have enough difficulty keeping up with an 1,100 sq ft space. I couldn't imagine trying to or paying to have somebody clean 5,000 sq ft (give or take).

For $300,000 in the immediate Bay Area, you'd get nothing. Decent studio apts. are rarely under $250K either.

 

[Patrick]

thats insane.

The house i grew up in is a colonial style 4 bedroom on a corner lot in a suburban section of portland. When we bought it in 1992 it was under 200K but im not sure what it is now. i cant imagine it is more than 400K even with inflation and the real estate demand these days. remind me to stay in maine.

my late uncle has a house in welesley, mass that was a little smaller than mine and it was valued at 900K. convenience and proximity are everything i guess.

 

[DowntownDave]

Slacking, my ass! It's the first and third Saturdays of the month for the Paramount tour. You'll be back in time for this Saturday, yes? You're the photog with the bitchin gear, so get your butt over to the theatre.

I'll stay in BOS for the 4th, but I should be around for the third Saturday of the month. Do they allow photographs inside?

 

[garbribre]

^It's been years since I went on a tour, but I recall people taking pictures in the entry lobby, which is the most unique and spec-f'n-tacular part of the space. Not what you'd expect from a deco theatre--glassy, milky, cool electric colors, in contrast to the auditorium which is guilded and ornate and rich and dark and heavy. I recall no flash being part of the deal, though.

 

[garbribre]

So, a few more Oakland/Piedmont manses for the masses. *snicker*

Here's what a typical street can look like.

Seems pretty suburban, yes? Just that it's densely lined with large homes on small-ish plots. (It's all relative.) A few of the homes are on an acre, or even much more, but many are actually on under one acre plots, fairly close to the street (with sidewalks!). Because they run length-wise along the street and are narrow--not too deep into the property--many do have sizeable back yards (and pools and tennis courts and formal gardens, etc.).

Best thing to do is go onto Windows Local Live and begin an aerial blitz tour by zooming in on Sea View Avenue or Crocker Highlands in zip code 94611 to see how really dense (and expansive) this cavalcade of mansions really is. It reminds me of Beverly Hills (as much as Brookline), but with older, better bones and not as gated.

And for all of you yawning at the subject matter in this post of pics, here's a money shot to keep you happy (and the view that some of these homes likely have from their upper floors).

Gotta throw some bone to the phallic brigade (pun intended) in every thread lest they ignore it. :lol:

 

[Patrick]

wow, that first street looks spectacular, garbrire! the last one is nice too!

 

[Patrick]

[quote="garbribreAnother year, some dish, I forget the name and ingredients, served in banana leaves. [/quote]

Was it suman ("soo-mahn")? had some today, and i recalled this thread, it was very good.

 

[garbribre]

^ Hmmm. Sounds familiar...but, sorry, cannot recall the name. It did have coconut as an ingredient, if that helps.

 

[Patrick]

yep, thats it. coconut and sweet rice make a delicious sticky substance wrapped in dark green banana leaves to keep it fresh. some people also eat it with a cocnut dipping sauce which is very sweet. i like it a lot.

 

[DowntownDave]

Very cool stuff. I still have some exploring to do, I see...

 

[garbribre]

Damn right, DTDave. All the fraidy cats that put it into your head that you should be cautious walking around Oakland with your gear is utter foolishness. You can get mugged or whatever most anywhere for that stuff. Right?

I was at the Oakland Museum this weekend. While perusing the finery in its gift shop, I found a reprint of a book from 30 years ago called Oakland: The Mediterranean City. I guess that confirms what I said on a previous page as to why I like it here so much.

Not to repost too many photos from the lost, first incarnation of the ArchitecturalBoston Forum, but let's recap a few.

Is this the French Riviera (okay, I'm stretching it) or my neighborhood?

The big hole in the center is to be the new Whole Foods on the site of a former natural spring bath house, which then became a Cadillac dealership. The facade of the original baths has been saved and will be incorporated into the new project.

And just so it won't feel left out, Oakland's foggy, damp, cold, ugly, stepsister on one of its better days. :shock:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:

New photos...sometime...when I can find the time to upload them.

 

[DowntownDave]

Here we see a more typical Oakland establishment....

 

[Waldorf]

Am I starting to sense a rivalry here?

 

[DowntownDave]

Nobody else gives Garbribre any grief....

 

[garbribre]

Because nobody's as brave (or foolhardy) as you, DTDave.

Watch your back boy. I know where you live.