Mansionmania continues with our Sweet 16 3rd-round contestants. You will choose among each pair of houses with the following assumptions:
The purchase price for you is $0.
All maintenance, utilities, property taxes, HOA fees, and cleaning is included.
You must live in the home for the rest of your life.
You can't travel more than 100 miles from home (via google maps drive time) other than 1 two-week vacation each year.
You get $250,000 per year as a living allowance
You get an additional living allowance at the cheaper home, which will be valued at 1% of any cost difference annually. I will note this amount in the poll.
You get the furnishings. If unfurnished, you get an allowance that will give you mid-grade furniture in every room.
You get any vehicles in the garage. But only the garage - nothing parked outside.
I encourage you to click on the maps in the listings to see the general location and neighborhood.
Also, I will only enter contestants if they have a sufficient number of photos to judge, as determined by me.
If we dive into minutiae, here's how I would decide.
1. Advantage California: It's all one unit rather than a compound, so I won't get annoyed at walking from the kitchen to the home theater during a tropical rainstorm.
2. Advantage California: The views. The Hawaii view is fantastic, but the California view is one of a kind.
3. Advantage Hawaii (or not): It's mostly one level so I can age in place. However, California has an elevator, which actually means it's more accessible. So this may be a push.
4. Advantage California: California has the better pool by a long shot. However, Hawaii's pool can be used year-round. Slight advantage to California.
5. Advantage Hawaii: Neither has a large outdoor area to throw a football around, but you're less likely to die falling off of Hawaii's yard.
6. Advantage California: San Francisco may not be the greatest city, but it's still a big city with big-city services.
7. Advantage Hawaii: The stipend in Hawaii gives you the full-time chef.
8. Advantage California: It's like it's a spy house. It's all unassuming from the front, and then it opens up into this fantastic home. I love that element.
9. Advantage Hawaii (or not): I kind of like cooler weather but you can't diss Hawaii here. This might be a wash or even slight advantage to California for me personally.
The truth is there's no wrong answer here. But in the end, I think California has more stuff nearby to help me fill my days, and I'm just gaga over the home design and setting. I would grin at that view every single day. [Reply]
Originally Posted by wazu:
Hawaii. I just do not like San Fran weather. Feel like I'd be enjoying that view from inside more than outside.
People that don't know confuse Bay Area weather with "California" weather... it isn't! That house having an outdoor pool (unless it is heated) is mostly worthless! The wind coming off of the bay is crazy cold and the fog doesn't burn off most days until the afternoon.
The 100 miles was disappointing as I need an additional 50 miles to get to the other racetrack that I would want to spend a lot of time at! [Reply]
I would have to go with Hawaii only because I don't like the weather in the Bay Area and the 100 mile limit keeps me from going to a racetrack that I love to race my motorcycle.
The color scheme of the Cali house is not my favorite; however, the views are awesome and I like that it is a multi layer house.
Hawaii gives me more options to do with nature. I could easily fish and kayak daily in waters that don't require me to wear a wetsuit.
The layout of the Hawaii place could make it to where it can be a different place every month or a great place to have friends come visit. [Reply]
I would not have guessed California is more expensive than Hawaii, especially considering the Hawaii location. Both places are resorts, really.
In this case it comes down to amenities. Cali by far has the lead there, but how far does the 100-mile radius cover on the Hawaiian Islands starting at the big island? [Reply]
This is my favorite of the California properties, and I am voting for it.
The 100 mile limit makes the Hawaii place a one-note entertainment place - even though it is a fabulous note.
I think it would be easier to get my friends and relatives to visit me in SF than in HI, and I would put them up. [Reply]
I've been to both of these locations (in general, not these actual houses) recently. Give me perfect weather 100% of the time over cold and damp any day. [Reply]