3 ms·

Or more likely it just shows that if you ask someone "hey would you like a bigger house?" they're very likely to say yes. I don't think it's some profound state

by pc86 3y ago

Or more likely it just shows that if you ask someone "hey would you like a bigger house?" they're very likely to say yes. I don't think it's some profound statement on the promise of suburban living.

afavour 3y ago
Well there are two halves to the question. "Would you like a bigger house even if it means amenities are further away?". So to me the 44% suggests that for a lot of people suburban amenity proximity is not worth the smaller home size. And I'm not that surprised. Not to over generalize but very few suburbs are walkable. Once you're in the car what's an extra 10 minutes on your drive? As a person sitting in the city pondering a life outside of it I can't see the point in the suburbs if I'm going to be driving and stuck in traffic anyway. I'd rather go whole hog and live rurally.
- mindslight 3y ago
  > As a person sitting in the city pondering a life outside of it I can't see the point in the suburbs if I'm going to be driving and stuck in traffic anyway. I'd rather go whole hog and live rurally. I've though this way too for a long time, both now and when I lived in a city. Having thought about it often, I think the two things driving suburbs are those with daily commutes (that 15 extra minutes twice every day adds up), and many people are not well off enough to live in the denser city to begin with (as things stand). Cities are economic attractors, and suburbs are basically less concentrated instances (or addons) of that. Also note that the question specifically says "amenities". Likely most people aren't thinking about commuting while answering the question.
- RestlessMind 3y ago
  As a suburbanite, I think my current tradeoff is just right. I have a big enough house for my needs and wants. But if I wish, a major city is just the right distance away and not too far. Also, the place is not overly crowded but it is neither desolate like the rural areas I have visited. I can go to the "main street" and have enough people. Finally, all the amenities I want for a comfortable life (restaurants, bars, hospitals, schools, sports facilities, airports, supermarkets, specialty stores..) are 20-25 min radius. Rural setting doesn't have anything like that.

by pc86 3y ago

Or more likely it just shows that if you ask someone "hey would you like a bigger house?" they're very likely to say yes. I don't think it's some profound statement on the promise of suburban living.

afavour 3y ago

Well there are two halves to the question. "Would you like a bigger house even if it means amenities are further away?". So to me the 44% suggests that for a lot of people suburban amenity proximity is not worth the smaller home size. And I'm not that surprised. Not to over generalize but very few suburbs are walkable. Once you're in the car what's an extra 10 minutes on your drive? As a person sitting in the city pondering a life outside of it I can't see the point in the suburbs if I'm going to be driving and stuck in traffic anyway. I'd rather go whole hog and live rurally.

mindslight 3y ago
> As a person sitting in the city pondering a life outside of it I can't see the point in the suburbs if I'm going to be driving and stuck in traffic anyway. I'd rather go whole hog and live rurally. I've though this way too for a long time, both now and when I lived in a city. Having thought about it often, I think the two things driving suburbs are those with daily commutes (that 15 extra minutes twice every day adds up), and many people are not well off enough to live in the denser city to begin with (as things stand). Cities are economic attractors, and suburbs are basically less concentrated instances (or addons) of that. Also note that the question specifically says "amenities". Likely most people aren't thinking about commuting while answering the question.
RestlessMind 3y ago
As a suburbanite, I think my current tradeoff is just right. I have a big enough house for my needs and wants. But if I wish, a major city is just the right distance away and not too far. Also, the place is not overly crowded but it is neither desolate like the rural areas I have visited. I can go to the "main street" and have enough people. Finally, all the amenities I want for a comfortable life (restaurants, bars, hospitals, schools, sports facilities, airports, supermarkets, specialty stores..) are 20-25 min radius. Rural setting doesn't have anything like that.