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America's most expensive homes, where you living?

Threads with an onging chat or conversation

Johnny boy

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I scroll Zillow and do the math

50M

Mortgage 420k a month

Monthly income needed 1.25M a month

Avg profit per month per crew: 6,000

Crews needed: 208

Customers per crew: 100

Needed customers: 20,800

Can I find that many people in all of the United States that need a basic home service? I hope so.

Signup time is in the spring. It’s about 120 days that we give most of our quotes.

If every year we signup twice as many people as before what does our next 5 years need to look like?

X+2X+4X+8X+16X=20,800
31X=20,800
X=703

So I need 703 customers. Over 120 days in the spring to sign them up that’s 5.8 rounded up to 6 signups per day.

I just need a way to stay organized signing up 6 people a day. Then I need to improve only enough to double the amount of signups we do the next year. And then continue that each year.

Easier said than done, but not unachievable whatsoever.

Now just gotta go get em!

Your attitude and outlook changes a lot when your income turns into a math equation that you have control over instead of a depressing “oh look, I’d have to work at my job with no days off for 923 years to afford this house….nice.”
 

MJ DeMarco

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Stuff like this always inspires me and I'm proud that I can actually afford a few of these, then some others, not even close. Gotta grind harder and build bigger! LOL

Question is, if you could live in any of these -- price and TAXES no object -- where you live?

For me...

Washington ... $75M
Arizona ... $75M
Florida... $98M

and surprise...

Vermont...

Close seconds...

California and Colorado ($100M)

While some might find this exercise futile, I do not.

I feel like these kinds of things are within my reach if I'm simply willing to put in the work into the system and the organization.

If you subscribe to FASTLANE IDEALS, you should too.

There are NO LIMITS to what you can accomplish if your organization can deliver massive value.


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MakeItHappen

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I wouldn't need a super big, fancy house. But I would want to have a big property without any direct neighbors.

4297274466c85f50de7c23c1317c69f8-cc_ft_960.jpg

9ad5a1fd76e264cb746e3435a984bcec-cc_ft_576.jpg
 
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Lex DeVille

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MJ DeMarco

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Looking at the Timber Cabin style homes. Not sure yet, but I do love Nature.

These are the guys who are doing my Timber home in Sedona, if I ever get around to doing it.


Screenshot 2024-04-14 at 9.37.46 AM.jpg
 
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MJ DeMarco

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deprives me of my freedom

Yes, because you're analyzing ownership through the prism of a middle-class existence.

Homes like this are managed by other people and made hassle free, most likely, just like the owner's company which allowed the owner to afford this huge house in the first place.

I bought my house and an optional "caretaker" came with the home, as long as I was willing to pay his salary. He would take care of all the hassles you errantly predict would steal your freedom.
 

Antifragile

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I’m a highly functional introvert. I can impress groups with my networking skills and can do a good job with public speaking. But I enjoy my alone time and crave it. It is reflected in my choice of sports, my meditation practice etc.

That said, I see no conflict with having staff / employees. Both at the office and at my house. Just the same as I don’t see a conflict with having a pilot on a plane or someone making me a latte at a cafe.

At a house, some (like @MTF ) may see it as an escape from others. Yet that’s where my family and I live in peace. People who take care of our needs here, aren’t in the way, they help.

I’ve never understood folks on this forum who oppose having employees. It’s just another skill to learn - no different than whatever skills feeds you today. It’s a way to save time, earn more money, and create the life on your terms. All the while helping someone else pay their bills through employment.

The houses in this thread prove it, no solo-person can buy USD 9-figure priced house.

Sidebar comment: there is a show called ”Alone” - a survival competition where contestants are alone in the wild with some tools and skills… whoever lasts the longest, wins. Most people quit because they are missing other people. Even those who are introverts. Yet a few can truly stay alone and it’s the hunger or illness that typically gets them. In short, to each their own. But those who love avoiding all human contact aren’t buying these houses because they can‘t.
 

MTF

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What a cool thread and a very inspiring article. I don't spend much money but if there's one thing I still want to spend money on, it's real estate.

Currently I'm only spending money renting Airbnbs in cool places. But once I find a place I really enjoy, I'd love to buy or build a house there.

My dream is to own 2-3 houses around the world, have them all furnished the way I like and with exact copies of all of my stuff (like clothes, sports gear, etc.). Then I'd travel between them with only the most personal items in my carry-on backpack so that it's super easy to move between them.

As cool as it is to try different Airbnbs, something is always wrong with each place. Either the outdoor furniture is terrible, or there's a little too much noise from a nearby road, or the bed could be more comfortable, or they lack some useful appliances, or the entrance gate is a pain to open, or the Internet connection is slow, or a neighbor is loud, etc.

Then there's also all the research and the worry that even after all this research, you'll still encounter some surprises. And of course, then there's the fact that you can't stay as long as you like as there may be other bookings in the future.

It would be so nice to own 2-3 homes in places you love and set everything up in the same or similar way as that would greatly diminish the time needed to adapt to a new place. As the seasons change, I'd move to always enjoy the best weather and the best lifestyle.

As for expensive houses in general, I never understood how people could spend millions on houses with neighbors right across the fence. I would much rather have a small house on a big lot outside of it all than a big house on a small lot but in a "high-status" neighborhood.

To me, as @MakeItHappen wrote, the only way is to have a house without any direct neighbors. First and foremost, I'm looking for peace and quiet. What's the point of spending a shit ton of money only to still be surrounded by other humans on all sides and never feel 100% free and private in your own home?
 

MJ DeMarco

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I guess that's a personal preference. My home is for me, my family, and my friends. Not strangers. Having strangers in my house would limit my freedom rather than help me live a life on my terms. I wouldn't be able to walk around naked (yeah better try not to picture that), be in complete peace (because someone would be always around), or just be alone without worrying that I'd stumble upon a cleaner, chef, landscaping guy, etc.

For the same reason, I hate hotels and almost always rent Airbnbs away from it all. This is how I recharge. If I had people constantly around, I'd go crazy.

I don't need help and wouldn't want to live in a huge mansion. It's not a matter of finances or limiting beliefs or whatever. I just prefer a smaller house, no more than maybe 200 square meters (which for the American standards is probably a tiny house) but have it located away from other people.

I sometimes hire someone for a deep clean but otherwise I'd rather clean myself and not have to deal with the stress and potential risk of having a stranger at my home, potentially going through my things. Yes, I know, it depends on who you hire. But to me, it's still not worth the stress and risk.

Same goes for cooking or whatever else you would need to maintain a big house. I'd rather cook myself as otherwise I'd get fat with a chef. I'd rather leave the backyard/garden/plot natural than hire someone to create a fake manicured landscape that consumes tons of resources to keep that way.

I don't avoid people. Rather, I want my home to be the sanctuary where I let in only the people who are closest to me.

Give me this (a random picture from somewhere in Australia that was once for sale that I saved for my vision document) over a huge mansion that requires staff (and/or comes with direct neighbors):

I'm certainly not one to complain about the general decline in humanity and the desire to live in the boonies, away from the big city.

Yet, you describe avoiding people like the plague for several paragraphs, and then say, I don't avoid people. So I tend to believe the former, not the latter. Complete isolation to the point you don't want to hire people to make your life easier doesn't sound like happiness; it sounds like paranoia and neurosis, like a bad, overused Hollywood trope.

Sadly, it sounds like you don't need a home, you need a bunker and barbed wire fence.

On some days I must admit, I feel the same.
 
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MattR82

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I'm going beachfront in Bali.

12 room luxury Villa for sale in Tabanan, Bali - 45819542

b3.jpg
b1.jpgb2.jpg


It's a mile or two up the beach from this villa below which I rented for 6 months back in 2019 and I can't stop thinking about moving back to the area. Actually, someone from the forum here rented a room off me for a few months lol. Good times! The one I rented is for sale at 3.5 mil but that's for all 4 villas.
1_75_0.jpg
 
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Last edited:

MJ DeMarco

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I also think that is the main reason. Maybe an attitude like mine will change suddenly if you have the appropriate financial resources. Maybe it's just because it seems so surreal to me when I compare such possessions with my status quo.

Think of someone cooking, cleaning, landscaping, and doing everything for you ... you live like a king. That's what happens when money no longer becomes an issue. And if you think you have to manage those people, you can still hire a manager that does all those management tasks.

I wish I was at that level (I can hire people to manage the house but I still have to manage the people I hire).
 

Kak

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Yes, because you're analyzing ownership through the prism of a middle-class existence.

Homes like this are managed by other people and made hassle free, most likely, just like the owner's company which allowed the owner to afford this huge house in the first place.

I bought my house and an optional "caretaker" came with the home, as long as I was willing to pay his salary. He would take care of all the hassles you errantly predict would steal your freedom.
Gold. The same way people think a bigger business with more resources deprives them of freedom.
 

mikecarlooch

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I will own this exact home.

I drive past Sanctuary Lane every day and get chills down my spine. It's gated, and I have no access. there's a burning curiosity in me.. it's like a magic world on the otherside.. I want to enter that magic world.

I moved to Boca Raton to get there. Currently I'm at the bottom tier of my visioned hierarchy. I feel like I was magnetized to this city. Moving cities has opened up opportunities.

Step 1 is to have an office, and a team, and a product with potential for exponential growth.

Step 2 is to do anything it takes to get to the top of my hierarchy.
 
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MattR82

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I wouldn't need a super big, fancy house. But I would want to have a big property without any direct neighbors.

4297274466c85f50de7c23c1317c69f8-cc_ft_960.jpg

9ad5a1fd76e264cb746e3435a984bcec-cc_ft_576.jpg
I cannot understand people in my city that spend millions on a waterfront property where you can hear the neighbour's kid scream and someone taking a shit. No neighbours is a must.
 

MTF

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guess no-one builds a nice, small, manageable house on a plot in a wonderful location. What developer would do that?

Not sure about the US/UK but elsewhere you can buy your own plot of land and build your own house the way you want it. There's no need to buy from a developer, particularly since most developers build whole neighborhoods with too many houses right by each other.

Also, I saw plenty of incredible and not big houses in excellent locations in Australia, New Zealand and Spain.

I'm even staying now in a house in Greece that has three bedrooms, a million dollar view and is on one hectare of land, surrounded by six hectares of olive grove. You wouldn't need to hire anyone to maintain it.
 

MTF

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I’m a highly functional introvert. I can impress groups with my networking skills and can do a good job with public speaking. But I enjoy my alone time and crave it. It is reflected in my choice of sports, my meditation practice etc.

That said, I see no conflict with having staff / employees. Both at the office and at my house. Just the same as I don’t see a conflict with having a pilot on a plane or someone making me a latte at a cafe.

At a house, some (like @MTF ) may see it as an escape from others. Yet that’s where my family and I live in peace. People who take care of our needs here, aren’t in the way, they help.

I’ve never understood folks on this forum who oppose having employees. It’s just another skill to learn - no different than whatever skills feeds you today. It’s a way to save time, earn more money, and create the life on your terms. All the while helping someone else pay their bills through employment.

The houses in this thread prove it, no solo-person can buy USD 9-figure priced house.

Sidebar comment: there is a show called ”Alone” - a survival competition where contestants are alone in the wild with some tools and skills… whoever lasts the longest, wins. Most people quit because they are missing other people. Even those who are introverts. Yet a few can truly stay alone and it’s the hunger or illness that typically gets them. In short, to each their own. But those who love avoiding all human contact aren’t buying these houses because they can‘t.

I guess that's a personal preference. My home is for me, my family, and my friends. Not strangers. Having strangers in my house would limit my freedom rather than help me live a life on my terms. I wouldn't be able to walk around naked (yeah better try not to picture that), be in complete peace (because someone would be always around), or just be alone without worrying that I'd stumble upon a cleaner, chef, landscaping guy, etc.

For the same reason, I hate hotels and almost always rent Airbnbs away from it all. This is how I recharge. If I had people constantly around, I'd go crazy.

I don't need help and wouldn't want to live in a huge mansion. It's not a matter of finances or limiting beliefs or whatever. I just prefer a smaller house, no more than maybe 200 square meters (which for the American standards is probably a tiny house) but have it located away from other people.

I sometimes hire someone for a deep clean but otherwise I'd rather clean myself and not have to deal with the stress and potential risk of having a stranger at my home, potentially going through my things. Yes, I know, it depends on who you hire. But to me, it's still not worth the stress and risk.

Same goes for cooking or whatever else you would need to maintain a big house. I'd rather cook myself as otherwise I'd get fat with a chef. I'd rather leave the backyard/garden/plot natural than hire someone to create a fake manicured landscape that consumes tons of resources to keep that way.

I don't avoid people. Rather, I want my home to be the sanctuary where I let in only the people who are closest to me.

Give me this (a random picture from somewhere in Australia that was once for sale that I saved for my vision document) over a huge mansion that requires staff (and/or comes with direct neighbors):

main.jpg
 

OMDA

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My experience in the San Juans, where the Washington house is, was as a tourist on a boat, as well as on a sailboat race to one of the islands and back to Anacortes.

Very gorgeous out there with what can be some intense rain/windy weather. I would like it for part of the year. After 8 years of living in the Seattle area I couldn't stand the constant dark winters. If I was staying there part time though and could leave at my convenience, it would be really cool. So would parts of the Olympic peninsula, and more interior by Lake Wenatchee.

Arizona has a good vibe to a lot of places, especially in winter. Florida, well, I am here and a nice place like that would be worth it if it was easy enough to get where I wanted to be.

I'd go WA summer/fall and AZ/FL in the other seasons. Be a full time snow bird.
 

Mikkel

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I took a harbor cruise in the nearby town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I would argue the best state in the USA(though I'm sure I'll get plenty of pushback). Regardless, on this harbor cruise going out toward the Atlantic Ocean, there are a bunch of small islands. Some are connected by roads while others are uninhabited. The house below is not for sale but is the house I aspire to live in one day. It is the only house on the island. There is a small bridge to the island. Imagine that, you have your own bridge to your own island—kind of badass.

My assumption is the house is between $10-20 Million

You get the benefit of privacy(your own island) while still living close to a small city.
381064307_153826417784690_5557232121888520547_n.jpg381056730_329135192940685_7051291270676181031_n.jpg
 

Kak

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I'll play. Since T Boone Pickens' place sold, I'd have to go with something like this.


This was Mesa Vista for those that are wondering. A steal at 60 million. It seems his kids were douchebags.


 

Jrjohnny

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IMG_2271.jpegWell, if we’re talking expensive nice, in Canada, here’s this one.

Its going for 22.5 million canadian.

With 3.119 acres of land, and Over 15K Sq Ft Of Living Space, 6+2 Beds, 10 Baths, 10+ Parking, 7 Fireplaces, Bordeaux Inspired Wine Cellar, Tasting/Cigar Rm, Grand Dining Rm W/ Fire, Luxe Sauna, Two Pools, Tennis Crt, Reflecting Pond, Gym, Nanny Suite & Sunset View And A Golf Course Near By.

Its legit my dream house, I would drive a Ferrari on the inside of the house:rofl:
 
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MJ DeMarco

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Jrjohnny

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  1. The One - Los Angeles, California
    • This massive Bel Air estate was listed for $500 million in 2020, making it one of the most expensive homes in the United States. It boasts 105,000 square feet of living space, a nightclub, a bowling alley, a 30-car garage, and stunning views of Los Angeles.
  2. The Chartwell Estate - Bel Air, California
    • The Chartwell Estate was listed for $195 million in 2019. This historic mansion spans over 25,000 square feet and features a ballroom, a wine cellar, and beautifully landscaped gardens. It gained fame as the setting for the Clampett family's mansion in the TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies."
  3. The Manor - Holmby Hills, California
    • Originally listed for $200 million in 2017, The Manor is a grand chateau-style mansion with 56,500 square feet of living space. It features 14 bedrooms, a beauty salon, a movie theater, and a bowling alley. It's known for its opulent design and extravagant amenities.
  4. Malibu Beachfront Estate - Malibu, California
    • Malibu is home to some of the most expensive beachfront properties in the country. These properties can range from $50 million to well over $100 million, offering stunning ocean views, private beaches, and luxurious amenities.
  5. The Woolworth Mansion - New York City, New York
    • Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, this historic mansion was listed for around $90 million in 2019. The mansion has 35 rooms, a grand ballroom, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the city.
  6. Palm Beach Mansions - Palm Beach, Florida
    • Palm Beach is known for its upscale real estate market, with numerous multi-million-dollar mansions and estates. These properties often feature lavish architecture, expansive gardens, and waterfront access.
  7. Greenwich Estates - Greenwich, Connecticut
    • Greenwich is a wealthy suburb of New York City and is home to many luxurious estates. Some of the most expensive properties here can range from $30 million to over $100 million, offering privacy, spacious grounds, and top-notch amenities.
Thanks For THE MOST AI generated post ever:rofl::rofl:
 

Johnny boy

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So the profit is just $60/customer/month? That sounds extremely low. There surely has to be a better businessmodel in your industry. Maybe go B2B and do maintenance for bigger stuff - stadiums come to mind. Or add landscaping to the mix. You’d get there much faster if your profit/customer were much bigger.

Service businesses that rely on people to scale become a real pain in the a$$ as they get bigger in terms of volume. It may be better to get bigger in terms of margins/profit instead.

In my business, raising margins, instead of getting more and more customers, has recently become priority numero uno.

Apple profits 2022
100 billion

Apple users
1.5 billion

Apple profit per customer per year
$66

$5.55 a month.

Maybe.....just maybe....$ per customer is not a GREAT KPI to worry about.

"that's a bad example, that $5.55 a month per customer is very misleading, it doesn't tell the whole story and has nothing to do with their actual margins or business model"

exactly.
 
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Black_Dragon43

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Apple profits 2022
100 billion

Apple users
1.5 billion

Apple profit per customer per year
$66

$5.55 a month.

Maybe.....just maybe....$ per customer is not a GREAT KPI to worry about.

"that's a bad example, that $5.55 a month per customer is very misleading, it doesn't tell the whole story and has nothing to do with their actual margins or business model"

exactly.
Apple sells a physical product (or even better, digital products like apps), not a service. Physical products are a lot more scaleable by nature, and they also scale faster. If you have an ecom business and your profit is $50/customer, it's not such a big deal.

But with a local service business, at least in my eyes, it ends up being a massive pain in the a$$. It's the same thing for my customers, digital agencies. Nobody wants more customers, they all want higher paying customers, so they can make more money without requiring them to keep adding more and more people to the team.

It's one thing when you get the money, and bye bye, I'll see you next year, and another thing when you get the money and then you've got to service people for that money. You need bigger margins for the latter.
 

MitchC

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I’ve been watching selling the oc

I love watching shows like this and seeing the insane houses and the massive deals they do for them

I like seeing what the buyers do as well

The first episode is a house selling for 100m paying a 3% commission. Wtf.

The thing that blows my mind even more is it seems most of these buyers for these houses I could almost never dream of buying, are buying them as 2nd or 3rd or 4th homes to stay at occasionally

Really gets you thinking bigger
 
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MTF

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Yet, you describe avoiding people like the plague for several paragraphs, and then say, I don't avoid people. So I tend to believe the former, not the latter. Complete isolation to the point you don't want to hire people to make your life easier doesn't sound like happiness; it sounds like paranoia and neurosis, like a bad, overused Hollywood trope.

I'm not sure if my writing sucks these days or if it's a cultural difference or if you're interpreting it a different way.

What I said is that I don't want or need people in my own house. Except for cleaning, I don't need anyone else to make my life easier. My life is easier for me personally when I do the shopping, cooking, etc. I enjoy it. I don't want to outsource it. It would make my life worse.

I do outsource things I can't or don't want to do (like fixing stuff) but I see zero point for me personally in hiring anyone else.

I'm aware that some people would love everyone else to take care of these things for them. I wouldn't want that.

And yes, I prefer living on the outskirts or in the countryside. And yes, I prefer spending time with just one or two people, not be in a crowd. And yes, all things being equal, I'd rather be in a place with fewer people.

And that's as far as my avoiding people goes.

My life would be way easier if I was avoiding people like the plague and being okay with it. Alas, I've been to some remote places where few people live and I would never be able to live there. And to some extent, I wish I was this kind of a loner as it would be way easier to find a great place to live. I saw some spectacular places to live in New Zealand and Australia where you could easily not see anyone ever.

But I like going to nice supermarkets. I like going to restaurants. I like being able to participate in my favorite hobbies which can often only be done with other people. I sometimes even like going to big cities to feel the energy (and then recover in a quiet place).

I also don't have anything against humanity in general and most certainly wouldn't want to live in a bunker. My only need and preference is to have my home for myself, my family, and friends.

-----

Bringing it back to the main topic, I checked the most expensive real estate currently for sale in Poland. The most expensive place that looks like a villa to live in (and not an entire multi-family historic building) is this:


1695748309484.png

It costs 30 million PLN which is less than 7 million USD. And it looks like shit for this price. Even the pictures are terrible. What an embarrassing work by the real estate agent.

For comparison, I checked the most expensive houses in one of the best areas of Spain. This one is the most expensive in this area (but not necessarily in all of Spain as the site doesn't allow me to sort all listings by price).


1695748236760.png

Price: 35 million euros (37 million dollars). And that's a baller house in your style (in that it's like a mini resort).
 

MTF

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^ That place in Spain looks quite nice, but it's very close to other buildings, and not even similarly-sized ones.

Yep not my style but definitely a style many people from this forum would love. It's a part of a super expensive neighborhood so you're paying for status, security and potential networking.

My style (the location, not the house in itself) is more like this (I wish the listing for one house I found a few months ago was still active as it was much better than this):


1695751061223.png

I wouldn't necessarily want to live there as it's a very dry climate area and I like greener surroundings. But that's just to show that you can get a private house for less than 500,000 euros. No direct neighbors, nature around, looks quiet. And it's 20 minutes from the towns and beaches.

But the style I personally love the most and consider by far the most beautiful in the world is the modern Australian style. Something like this is almost perfect (almost as it looks like the neighbors are close and the plot of land isn't that big plus the house is too huge):


1695751668843.jpeg

But of course, that's over 5 million AUD and not half a million euros lol.
 
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MJ DeMarco

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