As I have mentioned in comments from time to time, I am a Realtor in the area of Los Angeles County called the South Bay, just south of LAX. I go in and out of many homes each week, and there is always a striking difference in the way different people live. But this week, maybe because I have been worried about the election, or maybe because the situation is just getting worse, the disparity was really brought home to me. This week I saw two different Americas, the Republicans' and the one for the rest of us. Some thoughts and action after the jump.
One of the many things Realtors need to do in order to keep up with inventory is go out on "Broker's Opens" and see the new listings that come out each week. One day this week I saw a 3200 square foot $7 Million home with wrap around ocean views, gleaming granite and cherry and stainless kitchen with it's own flat screen built in over the ovens (because, dontcha know, the one in the living room was SOOO far at about 20 feet away), outdoor Viking kitchen, pool with waterfall and Bose speakers, coffered ceilings, steam shower, rare woods, yada, yada.
The damn thing even had a 6 car garage that was cleaner than my own kitchen at home, filled in 3 little rows 2 deep with classic Porsche cars. I asked if there was a dumbwaiter, since the groceries would have to be carried up flights of stairs; the answer was that, no, the maid does it, so they didn't bother to put one in.
Of course, as I dutifully toured this house I was getting sicker and sicker to my stomach at the flat out excess of this home. It only had 3 bedrooms, so it wasn't even like there was a large family to enjoy it. It was obvious from the pictures scattered here and there (except the two tucked into the kitchen by the aforesaid maid of a small, brown-eyed Latina girl), that this was a home lived in by a single man who was divorced and had kids who visited him once in a while. Coming round the corner to the office, I found what I was expecting, as I see it in so very many homes in this neighborhood -- the picture of the owner with George H.W. Bush (42), smiling broadly at the camera.
As we left, I tried to express my feelings to my fellow Realtors, but most of them are apolitical out of necessity -- you never know who you might need to sell a house to, so most don't get involved. Basically they thought the house was overkill, but no one but me seemed to think it was actually sad that this much money had been spent by ONE GUY on what was essentially his bachelor pad and toyroom.
The rest of that day's tour wasn't much better. Many multi-million dollar homes, almost all with the "thank you for your support" pic tucked away on a bookshelf. I saw a few Obama signs in the neighborhood (a shocker!), but by the end of the caravan I was really depressed. I came home and sent Obama $100, read a little dKos, and tried to calm down.
Today, I had to go take pictures at a listing my partner and I have just gotten. It's an investment property of an old woman, who is now dying of brain cancer. She is too ill and has been for some time to really take care of the property, which is rented to a Latino family. The home we are selling and the one she lives in are her few assets, and she needs to sell the investment property in order to take care of medical bills and help her son with his business. When we went to the rental property, it was so very sad. This home is in a terrible neighborhood, tucked underneath the armpit of the intersection of two freeways, with LAX planes landing in the background. As near as we could figure out, a couple, their grandparents, their 4 children, a cousin and her child are all living in this ramshackle 4 bedroom one and a half bath home, That's 10 people for 1400 square feet!
They didn't speak much English, except for one 10 year old, and they were very nervous about us coming because they are afraid the home will be sold and they will be evicted -- and they will have to move to an even more run down, smaller place! I felt like I was the ugly Republican, coming to make their lives even worse. I tried to tell the 10 year old to tell his parents and grandparents that most likely another investor will buy the place and they'll be allowed to stay. I wanted to tell them that it wasn't my fault, that I was just doing my job and that at least if I do it they'll be treated with respect, which another Realtor might not. I tried to remember that my client was also not wealthy and needed to sell this property and that it was my duty to help them get this done. And I tried not to cry because 10 people had to live in such a tiny little house, with their view being the cars and the planes going by and the graffiti from the gangs rather than the gorgeous ocean view that Mr. Fat Cat Six Cars had.
So I came home and sent Barack Obama another $250. I don't have it, since because of this damned recession I haven't sold much of anything the past 6 months. I charged it anyway. I cannot let someone who thinks that rich is more than $5 Million run this country. I cannot let someone who thinks that Sarah Palin is qualified to determine policy for my body, my children's future, or possibly the start of World War III get elected.
And then I told my partner that I wasn't showing any property tomorrow or Sunday -- I'll be phonebanking for GOTV in Nevada.
Thanks for listening, fellow Kossacks. I just needed to get this off my chest.