New York Times Back for More
Below is a link to the newest NY Times article about Marfa, The Great Marfa ... Land Boom and a couple of select quotes from the story.
Real estate values have sharply risen the last few years, especially for the sought-after old adobe houses... "What you used to get for $25,000 or $30,000, you now pay up to $100,000 for," said Valda Livingston... Still, to a big-city resident, houses seem stunningly affordable. Prices range from $40,000 for a tiny house in need of major renovation to more than $300,000 for a larger house in move-in condition. Adobe houses in good shape - the holy grail for pilgrims from distant cities - have become hard to find. What are left are mostly properties in various states of disrepair for under $100,000.
"I liked it the way it was," said Eugene Binder, a New York art dealer who bought an adobe house in 2000... "I got here before they put in street signs. I'd say 'I live in Clem Bolter's old house.' That was all I needed." Mr. Binder lived in Aspen in the mid-1960's and fears that Marfa could change as Aspen did, becoming a chic getaway only the rich can afford. Already, Marfa real estate is beyond the means of lower-income residents, many of them Latinos who make up about 60 percent of the population.
Did you see this Accompanying graphic?
What are your thoughts on the article? Is it a fair depiction of what is happening?
Real estate values have sharply risen the last few years, especially for the sought-after old adobe houses... "What you used to get for $25,000 or $30,000, you now pay up to $100,000 for," said Valda Livingston... Still, to a big-city resident, houses seem stunningly affordable. Prices range from $40,000 for a tiny house in need of major renovation to more than $300,000 for a larger house in move-in condition. Adobe houses in good shape - the holy grail for pilgrims from distant cities - have become hard to find. What are left are mostly properties in various states of disrepair for under $100,000.
"I liked it the way it was," said Eugene Binder, a New York art dealer who bought an adobe house in 2000... "I got here before they put in street signs. I'd say 'I live in Clem Bolter's old house.' That was all I needed." Mr. Binder lived in Aspen in the mid-1960's and fears that Marfa could change as Aspen did, becoming a chic getaway only the rich can afford. Already, Marfa real estate is beyond the means of lower-income residents, many of them Latinos who make up about 60 percent of the population.
Did you see this Accompanying graphic?
What are your thoughts on the article? Is it a fair depiction of what is happening?
posted by Mark permanent link
5 Comments:
Aspen? without the ski areas or other major activities i doubt it could ever go to that level. like the article said - ...just how many trips can you make to the Dollar Store?
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Take off your trendy "in your face" glasses, find a ride out of town and close the door when you leave.
Well, I heard today that this article is fueling the fire. The gold rush is officially on! Both realtors, Bob Wright and Valda Livingston, have been inundated with long-distance callers ready to buy. My sources say an old adobe was "just bought for $325,000. An hour later, someone offered $375,000 and the next day someone offered $425,000 for it."
And to anonymous,
My glasses are not that "in-your-face", and more importantly, if you haven't noticed by now, Marfa has no door.
my husband and, both artists and texan, neither of us wearers of glasses, are looking to move to marfa. we don't like how plastic and commercial austin is.
what i fear most is that marfa could become that, what with all the hipsters crawling about needing to go back to new york and say "i've been to marfa". will that get you laid or something?
i grew up in tx, camped, hiked, and travelled with my family in west tx growing up and i cringe when i see developments out there. is nowhere sacred anymore?
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