3 ms·

So, something I don't get: why would a home have any value at all, if it's located somewhere with no service economy, no schools, no hospitals, no firefighters,

by derefr 3y ago

So, something I don't get: why would a home have any value at all, if it's located somewhere with no service economy, no schools, no hospitals, no firefighters, no sanitation workers, etc (because none of the people powering those services can afford to live there)? People living there wouldn't be able to: get groceries, get a haircut, see a movie, get prescriptions filled, eat out or go out for drinks, visit (maintained) parks, use (maintained) sporting areas like baseball diamonds or tennis courts... etc. At that point — other than maybe having electricity and running water — isn't living in a home there effectively the same as squatting in an abandoned home in a depopulated area?

FredPret 3y ago
You can still winter there for a short stretch
karaterobot 3y ago
I don't see where in the article they say there aren't schools, hospitals, etc. in town. I think the idea is that people who have jobs there but can't afford to buy homes would have to commute in from neighboring communities—sometimes a long way.
- Shog9 3y ago
  Yep. If you drive around through any of these towns, upon leaving in any direction you'll encounter a mobile home park down the road just a ways, tucked into a valley or next to a railroad, somewhere the views aren't as valuable and the roads aren't as good. Inexpensive manufactured housing or RVs on tiny lots (that still cost too much to rent for what you get). That's where you'll live if you work most jobs in the town, if you're lucky; otherwise, you'll commute a lot further - potentially over dangerous mountain roads in icy conditions. Better hope I70 stays open...
Manuel_D 3y ago
Services like sanitation still exist, they're staffed by people who live out of town. Like much of San Francisco's services. Houses are expensive because the desire to live near a good skiing mountain is high. That, and the potential to rent it out.
adrr 3y ago
Its a ski town. Vacation homes is what is driving up the prices and they don't care about if they can get a hair cut or not or if the local school can hire teachers. Ski resort is either bussing in their employees or has employee housing.
StanislavPetrov 3y ago
Speaking from personal experience (having visited Steamboat dozens of times) it has a service economy, a school system, including a college (Colorado Mountain College Steamboat Springs), a hospital, firefighters and sanitation workers. It has grocery stores, pharmacies, parks, maintained sporting areas and every sort of amenity. Don't get me wrong, housing is a serious issue for workers. Many of the large hotels and employers there have housing programs for employees. https://www.steamboat.com/employment/housing https://www.steamboat.com/employment/housing And despite being a "ski town" (and it certainly is), there is a lot to do there in the summer. The ski trails are used for mountain biking, with gondola rides available. There is also fishing, hiking, rafting, hot-air balloon rides and a variety of other things to do outside of the winter season. There aren't as many flights out to Yampa during the summer season, but a couple of airlines run all year round. Highly recommend visiting in any season.
mynameisnoone 3y ago
In the middle of nowhere, it's mostly sociopolitical where dumb money vies to belong to some trend or near celebrities. If you're not already absurdly rich, then trying to play that game is a fool's errand.
yencabulator 3y ago
If you have a multi-million dollar extra home you use only for seasonal vacations, these really don't bother you much. And that is the problem. > get groceries, get a haircut, see a movie, get prescriptions filled, eat out or go out for drinks, visit (maintained) parks, use (maintained) sporting areas like baseball diamonds or tennis courts... etc. Have a staffer drive in with all the fresh goods you want, just before you fly in. They'll also deliver some of your favorite clothes so you can travel light. You got a haircut last week before you flew in. You have a private movie theater in your fancy house. And so on.

by derefr 3y ago

FredPret 3y ago

You can still winter there for a short stretch

karaterobot 3y ago

I don't see where in the article they say there aren't schools, hospitals, etc. in town. I think the idea is that people who have jobs there but can't afford to buy homes would have to commute in from neighboring communities—sometimes a long way.

Shog9 3y ago
Yep. If you drive around through any of these towns, upon leaving in any direction you'll encounter a mobile home park down the road just a ways, tucked into a valley or next to a railroad, somewhere the views aren't as valuable and the roads aren't as good. Inexpensive manufactured housing or RVs on tiny lots (that still cost too much to rent for what you get). That's where you'll live if you work most jobs in the town, if you're lucky; otherwise, you'll commute a lot further - potentially over dangerous mountain roads in icy conditions. Better hope I70 stays open...

Manuel_D 3y ago

Services like sanitation still exist, they're staffed by people who live out of town. Like much of San Francisco's services. Houses are expensive because the desire to live near a good skiing mountain is high. That, and the potential to rent it out.

adrr 3y ago

Its a ski town. Vacation homes is what is driving up the prices and they don't care about if they can get a hair cut or not or if the local school can hire teachers. Ski resort is either bussing in their employees or has employee housing.

StanislavPetrov 3y ago

Speaking from personal experience (having visited Steamboat dozens of times) it has a service economy, a school system, including a college (Colorado Mountain College Steamboat Springs), a hospital, firefighters and sanitation workers. It has grocery stores, pharmacies, parks, maintained sporting areas and every sort of amenity. Don't get me wrong, housing is a serious issue for workers. Many of the large hotels and employers there have housing programs for employees. https://www.steamboat.com/employment/housing https://www.steamboat.com/employment/housing And despite being a "ski town" (and it certainly is), there is a lot to do there in the summer. The ski trails are used for mountain biking, with gondola rides available. There is also fishing, hiking, rafting, hot-air balloon rides and a variety of other things to do outside of the winter season. There aren't as many flights out to Yampa during the summer season, but a couple of airlines run all year round. Highly recommend visiting in any season.

mynameisnoone 3y ago

In the middle of nowhere, it's mostly sociopolitical where dumb money vies to belong to some trend or near celebrities. If you're not already absurdly rich, then trying to play that game is a fool's errand.

yencabulator 3y ago

If you have a multi-million dollar extra home you use only for seasonal vacations, these really don't bother you much. And that is the problem. > get groceries, get a haircut, see a movie, get prescriptions filled, eat out or go out for drinks, visit (maintained) parks, use (maintained) sporting areas like baseball diamonds or tennis courts... etc. Have a staffer drive in with all the fresh goods you want, just before you fly in. They'll also deliver some of your favorite clothes so you can travel light. You got a haircut last week before you flew in. You have a private movie theater in your fancy house. And so on.