I gotta tell you - I LOVE this community. tassojunior posted this comment in turneresq's recommended diary. In the comment there is a link to an article which not only discusses - but shows - some of John McCain's properties (Guardian UK CAN count them, where McCain CANNOT).
In that comment alone was fodder for a diary to really show what out-of-touch, elitist John McCain owns and why he isn't "one of us" as he would have us believe. Note: I know the general "homes" story has been covered. But I haven't seen a diary yet that kind of walks you through these homes and their value, putting a little more perspective on how rich this guy really is.
More after the fold.
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Crystal Gateway Condominiums - 1300 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA |
The first property intrepid reporter Oliver Burkeman shows is the one to the left. When I saw it, I thought to myself, "hey - I know that place!" And sure enough, a little creative Googling confirmed for me that the complex pictured is none other than the Crystal Gateway Condomiums at 1300 Crystal Drive in Arlington (Crystal City), VA. An elite address to say the least, directly across the river from downtown DC proper. Let's see what these condos sell for in today's market.
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View from La Playa Tower, Coronado, CA |
$899,900 will get you a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath condo in Crystal Gateway. Financing 100% of this at today's 30-year fixed rate of 6.32%, you would pay
$5,581.87 monthly to own this gem. If you're slumming or really cash-strapped, you can spend a paltry
$645,000 and cram yourself into 1,516 sq. ft. with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms for the low low price of
$4,000.79 monthly. I feel for McSame - I really, really do - having to slum it in a 2-3 bedroom 2-2.5 bath condo in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the DC suburbs when he's in Washington.
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2211 Camelback, Phoenix, AZ |
Thank goodness John and Cindy can escape to the next property highlighted by Burkeman, pictured at left. 2211 Camelback, Phoenix, AZ. Here's what
WeKnowUrban.com had to say about it:
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Kitchen, 2211 Camelback |
2211 offers a tree lined private drive to a porte cochere, a gorgeous and luxurious lobby, a true fitness center, a large and well appointed
entertainment room, a very useable business center, top of the line staff, hi-tech security and surveillance (soon to get much more high tech and sophisticated if McCain should win the Presidency...all compliments of Uncle Sam), a steam room, private massage room, breathtaking views from the roof top negative edge pool and spa, roof top fire pit, roof top gas grills, north and south roof top terraces, complimentary Star Buck's coffee Monday through Friday, manicure / pedicure room, a concierge and so much more. |
Living Room, 2211 Camelback |
I'll see your arugula, John McCain, and raise you a porte cochere. Heh.
The McCain's had to seriously pony up for this property, however. A 3,000 sq. ft., 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo in this beauty will run you $928,800. That's a payment of $5,761.75 monthly. Whooey! If you enjoy your "private time", however, and require an additional bathroom, you'll have to shell out $1,399,000 for this 2 bedroom, 3 bath beauty. Make sure you budget for the $8,677.68 monthly mortgage payment, though. Have I pointed out yet that the Guardian article indicates that the McCain's own TWO combined condos in this complex? Double that payment, my friends.
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La Playa Tower, Coronado, CA |
The Guardian article references beachfront condos in Coronado, California, a resort suburb of San Diego, California. I've been there - it's beautiful, and extremely expensive. The McCain's own not one but two condos on Coronado's exclusive La Playa Tower at 1710 Avenido Del Mundo in Coronado, CA (hat tip to McCain v. Minnesota for providing the addresses for verification). Unit 802
[sorry for the lack of link - I got the price information for 802 from Zillow.com, but for some reason the link creates a script error and won't let me post the diary!! Just go to Zillow.com and put in the address and you'll see it for yourself], with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and 1,749 sq. ft. of space is worth an estimated
$2,144,500. The more recently purchased 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 2,360 sq. ft.
Unit 204 is worth
$2,875,000.
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Living Room, 2211 Camelback |
Those are payments of $13,301.84 and $17,832.97 respectively!! Wow!! No wonder he thinks economic fundamentals are strong and the rest of us are just "whining"!
I have to be candid - I had a pretty privileged upbringing and don't think I knew/know a single person with more than a house they lived in and maybe a beach condo they rented out all but one week a month every summer in Ocean City, MD or the Outer Banks.
Obama's campaign is right to have a field day over this. McCain has been running as John "regular guy" McCain. yet this guy has many properties with his wife, Cindy. Some are owned in his name, some in the name of the Hensley (Cindy's family name) Family Trust, some by Dream Catcher LLC (A McCain holding company), and some in the name of Wild River (another Hensley Corporation). In this diary alone, he owns one condo in Arlington, two in the same building in Phoenix, and two in the same building in Coronado. That's five. I haven't counted the "ranch" in Sedona nor the beach property in La Jolla. That makes 7.
Having to have his staff get back to a reporter on just how many properties he owns in John McCain George HW Bush moment - the only difference is you don't put houses on a grocery scanner.