Mansionmania Tournament: Round 2, Heat 3

[Rain Man]

Mansionmania continues with our 32 2nd-round contestants. 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.

Your entries in this heat are:

Arizona:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...3_M18775-78835

California:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...7_M18383-06951

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

This is fair.

But is it THAT much worse than Bel Air?

And I figure being tucked in/around those mountains would help a bit as well.

I mean ultimately I just can't convince myself to live amongst those weirdos in/around LA. I just find weather to be a relatively unpersuasive distinction here as we're not talking SoCal vs. Wyoming.

Having lived in Tempe for 13 years, it's not any single day of 115° heat that gets you. It is a dry heat, like they say. It's the day-after-day-after-day grind that gets you. By August and September you've just had enough. And that's not even accounting for the nights - where "low" is in the low 90s. By June your pool is like bathwater.

That being said, I'm in the process of moving back down there, so it's not like it's completely unbearable. Nothing better than March, temperature is great, orange trees are blossoming and the whole valley smells like perfume.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

Having lived in Tempe for 13 years, it's not any single day of 115° heat that gets you. It is a dry heat, like they say. It's the day-after-day-after-day grind that gets you. By August and September you've just had enough. And that's not even accounting for the nights - where "low" is in the low 90s. By June your pool is like bathwater.

That being said, I'm in the process of moving back down there, so it's not like it's completely unbearable. Nothing better than March, temperature is great, orange trees are blossoming and the whole valley smells like perfume.

Right, but with a million per, I'm buying a truckload of ice a week and dumping in that pool. If I can replace evaporation with ice, let's roll!

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

Having lived in Tempe for 13 years, it's not any single day of 115° heat that gets you. It is a dry heat, like they say. It's the day-after-day-after-day grind that gets you. By August and September you've just had enough. And that's not even accounting for the nights - where "low" is in the low 90s. By June your pool is like bathwater.

That being said, I'm in the process of moving back down there, so it's not like it's completely unbearable. Nothing better than March, temperature is great, orange trees are blossoming and the whole valley smells like perfume.

Yeah, it could be a 30 degree difference in highs... I don't know that LA hits 90 very often? I went to a Dodgers game once and heard several people complaining about the 85 degrees/30% humidity as being unbearable.

Exactly how I think of it, too... yeah, 110-115 is pretty damn hot, but I believe a record was set last summer at like 25 days above 90 degrees. As in 24/7 above 90. At least you would get relief from that extreme in LA.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Right, but with a million per, I'm buying a truckload of ice a week and dumping in that pool. If I can replace evaporation with ice, let's roll!

I think they actually make pool coolers now. I'd imagine the cost to run one is pretty outrageous, especially in a pool the size of the PV home. But I'm sure the extra 3/4s of a milli would cover it.

This heat was a tough one. Both of these properties would've made it to - or close to - the finals for me.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

I think they actually make pool coolers now. I'd imagine the cost to run one is pretty outrageous, especially in a pool the size of the PV home. But I'm sure the extra 3/4s of a milli would cover it.

This heat was a tough one. Both of these properties would've made it to - or close to - the finals for me.

Oh ****. If there is a refrigerator for the water, I can roll that into the paid for utilities and keep the cash!

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Oh ****. If there is a refrigerator for the water, I can roll that into the paid for utilities and keep the cash!

Good point, didn't think of that.

[EPodolak]

Prefer the house in AZ by a lot. Would love to be on the Pacific coast though...probably go with CA on this one.

[TrebMaxx]

I am going with Arizona. I like the house style more than the Cali house. Would you be breaking the rules by having a cabin during the hot times as long as it is within 100 miles? Salt River is close. I could get me a couple of wet bikes, maybe a boat and enjoy.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by TrebMaxx

I am going with Arizona. I like the house style more than the Cali house. Would you be breaking the rules by having a cabin during the hot times as long as it is within 100 miles? Salt River is close. I could get me a couple of wet bikes, maybe a boat and enjoy.

Good point. If it's within 100 miles, you could certainly have a cabin. And you'll have the money for a nice one.