{"id":17112,"date":"2011-09-21T13:06:45","date_gmt":"2011-09-21T20:06:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/seattlebubble.com\/blog\/?p=17112"},"modified":"2015-04-10T06:01:33","modified_gmt":"2015-04-10T13:01:33","slug":"how-long-will-seattles-ugly-townhomes-last","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seattlebubble.com\/blog\/2011\/09\/21\/how-long-will-seattles-ugly-townhomes-last\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Will Seattle’s Ugly Townhomes Last?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once in a while I like to have a look around and see what’s on the market in a totally off-the-wall market segment that I have absolutely no personal interest in ever owning. Today that segment is townhomes in the city of Seattle.<\/p>\n

As I browse around at what’s for sale in Seattle’s townhome market, a few questions come to mind: Why would someone have built these monstrocities, and why would anyone buy one of these eyesores?<\/p>\n

Seriously, look at some of the absolutely architecturally bleak townhouse inventory around Seattle:<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\n\"7749<\/a>\"440<\/a>\"6348<\/a>\"12531<\/a>\"5942<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/div>\n

\"2836<\/a>\"6318<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

Why? Why do these exist? How can there possibly be demand for such souless shells?<\/p>\n

As I scanned through the listings trying to find some examples of townhouses with even a modicum of curb appeal, I was able to find a few:<\/p>\n

\n\"818<\/a>\"4314<\/a>\"2444<\/a>\"2850<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

That’s four listings. Out of about three hundred and fifty<\/a>. Pitiful!<\/p>\n

I realize that “Seattle’s townhomes are butt-ugly” is a tired topic, so let’s take this in a different direction. Let’s talk about longevity.<\/p>\n

In some of Seattle’s older neighborhoods there are homes still standing that were built 90+ years ago. Somehow I have a hard time imagining most of these things lasting that long, both due to the low quality of construction and the complete lack of visual appeal and usability (making 10-point turns to get into your garage and trudging up a flight of stairs just to get to your living room gets old fast).<\/p>\n

What about you? How long do you think most of these cheap, opportunistic bubble boxes will last?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once in a while I like to have a look around and see what’s on the market in a totally off-the-wall market segment that I have absolutely no personal interest in ever owning. Today that segment is townhomes in the city of Seattle. 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