Mansionmania continues. I'm going to show you the most expensive homes in every state and a few territories, with a few extras thrown in from the largest states to get the tourney up to 64. It'll be a single-elimination tournament.
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.
I looked at the Bel Aire house first, and found myself liking it.
Then I saw the Santa Fe house, and it is really beautiful, much more warm - even if some rooms looked like it might be a corporate training facility. I really liked Santa Fe the one time I visited. Santa Fe and chili verde for me! [Reply]
I'm not a big LA fan, but this is the easiest one yet - LA in a landslide. House is incredible, access to a major metro and the ocean, Santa Monica, numerous state parks. The NM house does nothing for me. While the $1M stipend in NM would be nice, no idea what you'd spend it on - not much happening within 100 miles. [Reply]
Cali born and raised. I would do the LA home and just let all my friends move into the place. I'd hardly ever see them. plus, it has all the stuff my current home has, just bigger. (swing in the bedroom personal plunge pool, sauna with glass walls, wine tasting room---JUST KIDDING I live in a 3 br crap ranch)
New Mexico home interior just feels like the late 90's to me. Plus it has a conference room in it. yuk. [Reply]
I like these areas of the country, but the Cali crib is too P Diddy for my taste, and the NM place would be a fun for a little while, no interest in being there forever. [Reply]
The NM house would probably win some rounds just for being in the southwest, but not up against that $100 million complex that sits on an acre and takes up almost the entire lot.
I could definitely see taking the +$750k/year though. [Reply]