Archive for September 24, 2009

Asia-Pacific Cities and Premium Home Prices

September 24, 2009 / Wendy Waters / One comment

During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries cities in the Atlantic region flourished.  As key centers for “world trade” (or at least trade between Europe and the Americas, which to many was the world), great streets for commerce and neighbourhoods for families emerged, including highly exclusive addresses.

Many of these great Atlantic world cities still have pricey neighbourhoods whether for businesses in the form of office space costs or people.

But, if a recent Coldwell Banker survey is any indication, they are gradually being eclipsed by Asia Pacific cities.   In cities worldwide, Coldwell Banker queried the price of a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2200 sq. ft. home, the type of place that “middle management transferees” being relocated to a city might want for their families.

In North America eight of the top 10 are on the pacific coast.  Outside North America, some of the old Atlantic World, and even Mediterranean world cities remain on the list.  However two of the top five are also in the pacific world.

From the Globe and Mail:

North America’s 10 most expensive markets(in U.S. dollars)

  • La Jolla, Calif.: $2.12-million (U.S.)
  • Beverly Hills: $1.98-million
  • Greenwich, Conn: $1.52-million
  • Palo Alto, Calif.: $1.49-million
  • Santa Monica, Calif.: $1.46-million
  • San Francisco: $1.36-million
  • Boston: $1.34-million
  • Newport Beach, Calif: $1.3-million
  • Palos Verdes, Calif.: $1.24-million
  • Vancouver, B.C.: $1.17-million

Outside North America

  • Singapore: $1.89-million (U.S.)
  • Milan: $1.64-million
  • Florence: $1.61-million
  • Shanghai: $1.38-million
  • Bucharest: $1.37-million
  • Hamilton, Bermuda: $1.35-million
  • Rome: $1.26-million
  • Dublin: $1.13-million
Category: economic development, real estate /

Does suburbia reinforce 1950s gender roles?

September 8, 2009 / Wendy Waters / 4 comments

Over at Creative Class today I blogged about how women have become the majority in Canada’s labour force.

The shift toward a majority female workforce is probably also further evidence that the current economic downturn has accelerated the shift toward a creative economy.

After all, jobs that have traditionally employed women are creative, or have become so in recent years. In addition to the female majority in problem-solving fields like health care and teaching, what were previously more rote occupations now require tremendous creativity and smarts. …

Richard Florida has often touched on the role gender has played in shaping what we choose to do. Men (like Richard’s father) have often drifted into manufacturing jobs because it was the “masculine” thing to do, rather than doing something more creative that they might have enjoyed better.

Andrea Learned commented that the recession and the myriad job losses in the manufacturing and construction sectors may be accelerating an ongoing redefinition of what it is to be masculine (or feminine.)

[I] think that the definition of masculinity (more than that of femininity) is changing quite rapidly & somewhat suddenly. Some men are open to it and responding well to the freedom/flexibility of not having to worry about the traditional definition of masculinity (more ease in parenthood or more ease with taking care of themselves). Others are really nervous and so re-trenching in all that is the worst of that traditional viewpoint.

This made me wonder the extent to which suburban lifestyles have also tended to reinforce 1950s gender roles of a woman staying at home raising the children and the man commuting to work.    Taking the time to commute one hour each way to “the office” or “the factory” removes time a dad can spend helping to raise and nurture his kids.  Having a home distant from most employment centres also makes it hard for many women to continue their careers once they have kids — commuting one hour each way, plus spending 8 hours at the office, means 10 hours away from the children.

By contrast, living closer to employment centres might offer both parents the opportunity to commute in just a few minutes.

Moreover, living in townhomes, apartments or smaller single-family homes also tends to require less time spent doing household maintenance such as yardwork including lawn mowing, also freeing time for both children and careers (or career and an active social life).

So, it may not only be the economy that is accelerating some re-thinking of gender roles and stereotypes, but the shift to urban living as well.

Thoughts?

Category: urban families, urban lifestyles /