Mansionmania Tournament: Round 1, Heat 5

[Rain Man]

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, 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.

Your entries in this heat are:

Wisconsin:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/W3415-Snake-Rd_Lake-Geneva_WI_53147_M83682-42135

Guam:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/366-Pale-Kieran-Hickey-Dr_Sinajana_GU_96910_M93666-61780

[jd1020]

Guam? What in the actual fuck...

Wisconsin. I'm not even looking at the houses.

[TLO]

inb4 poll

[Rain Man]

Guam? What in the actual ****...

Wisconsin. I'm not even looking at the houses.

Hey, it's part of the USA and I needed to fill out the field to 64. It's a legit contender.

[Zebedee DuBois]

Those who value isolation from their fellow humans might look at Guam. There are less than 200,000 on the island.
Those who value cheese might look to Wisconsin

[wazu]

Guam? What in the actual fuck...

Wisconsin. I'm not even looking at the houses.

I had same reaction the opposite way. You're gonna tell me I have to stay in this place all but 2 weeks out of the year, and it's in frozen-ass Wisconsin? And I have MORE spending money in Guam? Guam by a mile.

[Rain Man]

This is a really interesting one. I'm torn.

On the Wisconsin side, you've got a good-sized house that's pretty if not awe-inspiring, on a lot that's nice. It also has access to Chicago, which is good. But why do you have an outdoor pool in that climate? It's not nearly as useful as an indoor one and isn't this land mostly ruled my mosquitos?

On the Guam side, the house is not overly large, though still plenty big enough to meet my needs. You get more money and the house and setting are attractive. But Guam? I'm not sure about that. Guam is way the heck out there. Your closest land masses are the Philippines and New Guinea. It's going to have a big military culture which may not be what I'm looking for, and I have to spend the rest of my life there. On the positive side, it would be easy to use my vacations to visit cool places like Australia and Japan and Bali. No winter, but it might get monotonous.

This is a really tough one. I'm going to have to think about this one for a minute.

[jd1020]

Those who value isolation from their fellow humans might look at Guam. There are less than 200,000 on the island.
Those who value cheese might look to Wisconsin

I value isolation but I also value affordably and easily shipping stuff to my location.

[D.A.P.]

WI

[Zebedee DuBois]

I value isolation but I also value affordably and easily shipping stuff to my location.

Don't those container ships go right by there? They could toss your purchases off the side as they hurry over stateside to wait in line.

[Rain Man]

This one really makes me think about wants versus needs.

The Wisconsin house is three times bigger, but the Guam house is more than sufficient for my needs.

The Wisconsin house has a pool that I can use, but probably for only six months per year. No pool in the Guam house.

The Wisconsin house has winter. The Guam house has no winter, but it's pretty hot and muggy year round.

Guam gives me great access to other countries for international travel, but that's only two weeks per year, and the Guam local culture is a big unknown and risk.

Guam looks like it has much easier access to local services, but Wisconsin gives me Chicago access.

With Guam, I'll never see any of my friends in person again, but hey, that's what zoom is for.

If it was a five-year stint, I'd pick Guam in a heartbeat just for the adventure. My heart says Guam, which has a higher ceiling, but my head says Wisconsin, which has a higher floor and much less risk.

Y'know, it's time for some adventure. I'll go Guam.

[Great Expectations]

I’m surprised that $4.5 mil in Guam doesn’t get you an ocean front property.

[Renegade]

This one really makes me think about wants versus needs.

The Wisconsin house is three times bigger, but the Guam house is more than sufficient for my needs.

The Wisconsin house has a pool that I can use, but probably for only six months per year. No pool in the Guam house.

The Wisconsin house has winter. The Guam house has no winter, but it's pretty hot and muggy year round.

Guam gives me great access to other countries for international travel, but that's only two weeks per year, and the Guam local culture is a big unknown and risk.

Guam looks like it has much easier access to local services, but Wisconsin gives me Chicago access.

With Guam, I'll never see any of my friends in person again, but hey, that's what zoom is for.

If it was a five-year stint, I'd pick Guam in a heartbeat just for the adventure. My heart says Guam, which has a higher ceiling, but my head says Wisconsin, which has a higher floor and much less risk.

Y'know, it's time for some adventure. I'll go Guam.

It really doesn't matter which way you vote, both will surely be eliminated next round.

[KCUnited]

Rethinking Guam after spotting the demon monkey haunting the shower

https://i.imgur.com/uwfbOQh.jpg?1

[Dartgod]

It really doesn't matter which way you vote, both will surely be eliminated next round.

Yeah, I don't see either one of these going very far. I voted Wisconsin due to the proximity to Chicago.

[ModSocks]

Wisconsin. Why the hell would i wanna live in Guam. Screw that. I bet the food sucks too.

[EPodolak]

Hehe, I like this round...places couldn't be more opposite.

Are you technically an ex-pat if you move to US territory? The tropics are tempting and if I really to make this choice I'd think hard about it. Since I don't though I'll go with the safer bet...despite the cold, that property and home in WI is first rate.

[displacedinMN]

Guam over Wisconsin anyday.
But I would miss Spotted Cow.

[Bugeater]

Guam? What in the actual fuck...

Wisconsin. I'm not even looking at the houses.I'm looking forward to his housing option in the Midway Atoll.

[Bugeater]

I have to admit I like the Guam house much more than the Wisconsin house. But I can't live in fucking Guam...I don't even know where the hell Guam is...

[jd1020]

I'm looking forward to his housing option in the Midway Atoll.

LMAO

Shit might win the heat. Judging by these numbers theres a much higher % of people, than I would have thought, willing to live out their days on an island in the middle of the Pacific so small that they probably couldnt even locate it on the globe where men outnumber women probably 10:1 because of the military base.

[DJ's left nut]

Can't see myself voting for either of those in the next round. Went with Wisconsin because the Guam house still isn't quite an ocean property. If I'm gonna live in a 3rd world sort of jungle environment, I need to be able to hear the waves from my deck and throw a rock into the water without having Mahomesian arm strength.

And that place kinda gives me a 'nice AirBnB' vibe. It has the feel of a vacation condo.

[Kiimo]

The Wisconsin house is pretty close to Beloit where I visited for a wedding. It isn't my favorite place but I still would have to vote for it over freakin Guam.

[mr. tegu]

Wisconsin. And whoever is selling that Guam house thinks very highly of that little gazebo. It’s the feature point in six of first seven photos.

[KCUnited]

This is like a mid-season Thursday night NFL matchup.

I know nothing of Guam other than my dad was stationed there decades ago and pretty much played golf for 4 years until he was discharged.

I might actively hate the style of the WI house but its on Geneva Lake and close enough to my current friends and familiarity. That said, WI is referred to as the Land of Bland around here for good reason. Probably one of the most plain and ordinary places on Earth.

[Kiimo]

I just want to be clear here. You see that tiny island just north of Guam?





https://i.imgur.com/EtZbJR6.png





It's over 100 miles away, you can't even visit that.

[ThaVirus]

Man, I really love tropical destinations, but Guam is so damned remote, I don't think I could commit to living there for the rest of my life. I suppose with my stipend I could fly in friends and family but would they really want to go to Guam?

Not to mention the location would eat into my 2 weeks of vacation time as well. Any flight to America, South America, the Caribbean, or Europe would have to take at least 12 hours. If there's any kind of layover I'm losing 2 days of my vacation time each year just to travel.

[Zebedee DuBois]

There is just not much appeal to being THAT remote.
And when you pack up to go and you are telling your family and friends that you are going to while away your days on a tropical isle, you can't say you are going somewhere with a sexy name like Tahiti or Fiji, you have to say Guam, which sounds like something you accidentally stepped in.

[Ebolapox]

After a bit I can buy a yacht if I save and invest well, but can do a ton of yachting I guess if I get bored in Guam.

[Buehler445]

Guam is appealing. But not enough. Wisco.

[Bearcat]

This one really makes me think about wants versus needs.

The Wisconsin house is three times bigger, but the Guam house is more than sufficient for my needs.

The Wisconsin house has a pool that I can use, but probably for only six months per year. No pool in the Guam house.

The Wisconsin house has winter. The Guam house has no winter, but it's pretty hot and muggy year round.

Guam gives me great access to other countries for international travel, but that's only two weeks per year, and the Guam local culture is a big unknown and risk.

Guam looks like it has much easier access to local services, but Wisconsin gives me Chicago access.

With Guam, I'll never see any of my friends in person again, but hey, that's what zoom is for.

If it was a five-year stint, I'd pick Guam in a heartbeat just for the adventure. My heart says Guam, which has a higher ceiling, but my head says Wisconsin, which has a higher floor and much less risk.

Y'know, it's time for some adventure. I'll go Guam.

Agree with the thought process.... and I think the Guam house is a great use of space. Not that ~4000 sq ft is small, but it has a theater, bar, wine storage, and a laughably small place for hoops? ...FFS, the Wisconsin place has 10.5 bathrooms for 6 bedrooms.

If it was Sheboygan, Wisconsin with no access to Chicago, I might just go with Guam... but, year-round access to Chicago is huge, especially since my well-paid drive can deal with the weather and traffic while I play my PS5 and drink beer in the back.

Surprisingly one of the more interesting rounds.

[cdcox]

But why do you have an outdoor pool in that climate?

That's an ice skating rink.

[RollChiefsRoll]

Guam. Fuck yeah.

[WhawhaWhat]

Island living appeals to me a lot more than the cold winters of Wisconsin.

Guam wins.

[cdcox]

I love the house in Guam, and the tropical climate, but the distance from the US, the predominant military culture, and no pool are going to force me into going Wisconsin.

[HonestChieffan]

No desire to go to Guam

[Bowser]

Wisconsin, Guam is just too remote. And I would bitch about the winters everyday up there.

And what is it these rich people are thinking when they decorate their house like some plantation out of the mid 1800's? Yet ANOTHER mansion I have to redecorate. Yeesh.

[HemiEd]

This is a really interesting one. I'm torn.

On the Wisconsin side, you've got a good-sized house that's pretty if not awe-inspiring, on a lot that's nice. It also has access to Chicago, which is good. But why do you have an outdoor pool in that climate? It's not nearly as useful as an indoor one and isn't this land mostly ruled my mosquitos?

On the Guam side, the house is not overly large, though still plenty big enough to meet my needs. You get more money and the house and setting are attractive. But Guam? I'm not sure about that. Guam is way the heck out there. Your closest land masses are the Philippines and New Guinea. It's going to have a big military culture which may not be what I'm looking for, and I have to spend the rest of my life there. On the positive side, it would be easy to use my vacations to visit cool places like Australia and Japan and Bali. No winter, but it might get monotonous.

This is a really tough one. I'm going to have to think about this one for a minute.
I spent the better part of two years on Guam 69/70 and saw nothing like this house.
It rains, often, several times a day. The good thing is, it moves out usually as quickly as it comes in. Geckos are everywhere, it gets to the point you don't even pay any attention to them. Snails decorate the concrete.

[jd1020]

I spent the better part of two years on Guam 69/70 and saw nothing like this house.

Was it really the better part, though?

[HemiEd]

Was it really the better part, though?
Better meaning most, but it was a heck of an experience. I could talk about it for hours but it would bore most people.
One of our daily duties was to fly the H34 out and check on/harrass the Russian troller that was monitoring the activity of the Island. Giving Helo Island tours to VIPs was my other main duty.

[ThaVirus]

I sat on it and decided on Wisconsin.. and..:

I would bitch about the winters everyday up there.


lol

[ClevelandBronco]

That's an ice skating rink.

Don’t like either house. Hockey seals the deal.

[PunkinDrublic]

I went to Guam twice when I was in the Navy. I think it took two and a half hours to drive around the whole island. The closest island is Sai Pan which has a bunch of Casinos. Guam is convenient for those who want to retire in the Philippines because if you get a serious illness you can go there and use your Medicare.

[HemiEd]

I went to Guam twice when I was in the Navy. I think it took two and a half hours to drive around the whole island. The closest island is Sai Pan which has a bunch of Casinos. Guam is convenient for those who want to retire in the Philippines because if you get a serious illness you can go there and use your Medicare.

That is so interesting as that has all changed since I took R&R on Saipan. They had just found a submerged Japanese zero when I was there getting drunk on rum for three days.

Oh and Guam must have added some roads for it take that long, lol.

[MagicHef]

No pool in Guam? What's that watery thing in the first few pictures?

[Rain Man]

No pool in Guam? What's that watery thing in the first few pictures?

I pondered if it could be a pool, but it has some planters in the middle of it. I think it's purely decorative.