The American obsession with owning a ton of property is really weird, amirite?

I met the older gentleman next door about 2 or 3 days after we moved in. He was still building his house. 70s as well, he tends to tell me the same stories/details, but I gladly listen. I understand the convenience of city life I've done that too. I will always prefer to live on the outskirts of town. I enjoy my privacy very much. I grew up on dirt roads and in the woods.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I get more joy mowing my lawn than I probably should. Like, made it.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Mowing the lawn is my favorite activity lol.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Same. Left the city for 40 acres. Best decision.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Same

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Same. I don't want to be able to see or hear my neighbors. I've had too many obnoxiously loud neighbors in the past.

by NoMessage 3 weeks ago

I want Neighbors far enough away that nobody is calling the city because I have a storage container in my driveway for a few weeks...the kind that go in your driveway for the purpose of leaving it there for a few weeks while you do house renovations. Or call the city because I parked two wheels of my own car onto my own lawn.

by Responsible_Proof 3 weeks ago

Ugh, those neighbors sound exhausting.

by Brilliant_Bag 3 weeks ago

Basically, I'm the same. I just want a little more quiet, a little more of a buffer from everyone else, and a little more space to pursue my hobbies.

by Shoddy-Shame 3 weeks ago

I want all of that but I also want more space to entertain. I have a large family and it's so difficult for us to get together on holidays or occasions because we all live in apartments and there's no room for all of us to sit and eat together. My dream is a backyard big enough to host my family and friends for thanksgiving and fourth of july. That's all. Doesn't even have to have a pool.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

exactly!! my husband owns a metal fab shop. it would be great to have land so we could build him a shop there so our home and his business can be on the same property. i will take dealing with the land maintenance over having immediate neighbors.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I just want enough land to have a vegetable garden that I can use to feed myself and my kid. I don't care if it's a townhouse with a large yard or a house in the woods.

by Cold_Kangaroo 3 weeks ago

I grew up in a townhouse and honestly never heard my neighbors indoors. I wouldn' mind living in one again.

by LongjumpingWait8546 3 weeks ago

It's not weird, but it's a bit anti-social, which is common for Americans.

by kaileeeffertz 3 weeks ago

it has nothing to do with being anti social. i don't want to deal with immediate neighbors because they bring nothing to the table for us other than being a nuisance. due to my own interests and my family's interests - it would be beneficial for us to have more land and less people nearby.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

If all your neighbors are a nuisance..then you're probably the one that's a nuisance

by No_Wish_3157 3 weeks ago

What if he's super quaint and quiet and his neighbors own loud dogs, have parties, etc?

by Opposite_Page_7066 3 weeks ago

That's exactly the situation. I want peace and solitude but instead I get to have trap music shake my house and dogs barking at all hours. But yea, I probably am the problem 😂😂

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

The way he talks makes it sound like his neighbors only have the option of being a nuisance. Neighbors can be very good though.

by No_Wish_3157 3 weeks ago

Neighbours are a nuisance in general, it's nothing personal. I'm sure mine are lovely people but I'm glad I don't have to see/hear them unless I go out of my way to do so, and I would assume they feel the same way about me.

by Fuzzy_Debate_8647 3 weeks ago

this is such a weird mentality lol

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Idk what to tell you man, not everybody wants to live in a termite mound. Kinda weird to universalise your own preferences and assume anyone who doesn't share them is some kind of deviant.

by Fuzzy_Debate_8647 3 weeks ago

ummmm we actually keep to ourselves....so........ its not all the neighbors. just the ones who moved directly next to us in the past few years. i'm almost 40yo. i just want to do yardwork in peace.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I don't know what "interests" you are referring to but you definitely sound anti social here. I've always been on good terms with my neighbors and had a few that were super helpful or nice to be around and when it's time to mind our own business then that's what we do. You act like that kind of stuff doesn't happen. Maybe if you have always been in conflict with your neighbors then it's you who are the nuisance.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

It is definitely not common. Maybe in your life it is but not mine… are you American?

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Funny you say that because farmers are now renting out their land for solar farms haha. Guaranteed income, free electricity for basically life, and they don't have to deal with the government squeeze

by Renee21 3 weeks ago

Would you allow a trailer to someone with similar hobbies?

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Depends on who the someone is and as long as I have enough room to be out of sight. It would have to be someone who is at least on a friend level. The best way I can put it is, I want to be able to drink my coffee and walk around the yard in my underwear while my dog runs loose nearby. That's the kinda distance I need 😂

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

So what is a friend then, at the most basic level to the highest?

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

so you want to avoid all neighbors now because you've had a few stinkers...? a good reason to have neighbors close be is in case some sort of crime happens near your property, there's likely to be more eye witnesses...... this mentality of not wanting to be near other people is what makes our world worse IMO.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Not everyone wants to live in the bug hive with you dude

by Fuzzy_Debate_8647 3 weeks ago

Was thinking that very thing. OP is describing a condo!

by desiree01 3 weeks ago

💯

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Then sell it. You're not being forced to own property. Your dislike for it doesn't have any bearing on why people want it. Your needs aren't everyone else's. This feels like someone complaining that they're too successful or too attractive. "Hey ugly people. You don't know how hard it is to be attractive. Trust me. You don't want it."

by jerdelela 3 weeks ago

Then sell it. You're not being forced to own property. You absolutely might be in some areas. Maybe they love their house and the area they live in but the towns rules say you can't sell half of a lot for example.

by janismonahan 3 weeks ago

Well that sounds like bad research. In a lot of OPs complaints seem like things you'd find out doing research for a place. Yeah, things are going to suck if you don't research things and have no idea what you're getting into. That's true of anything.

by jerdelela 3 weeks ago

You sound like me. I want a life with a short to-do list. I've always enjoyed apartment living. I had a pool and a gym. The pool was great for the kids. Now, there is no way I could afford a nice apartment in my area.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I'm with you OP, and so are most people in places like Europe or Japan. Most houses in Japan don't have a yard, because most people aren't into gardening, and public parks are there for people to relax and kids to play in (with other kids too!). Americans have always loved the idea of controlling land, and owning stuff in general, and the individualistic tendencies of people mean they prefer what's theirs over what's shared. It's not a bad thing in and of itself (well, unless you consider the environmental implications of lawns and mcmansions, and how prioritizing low density, car centric infrastructure creates unsustainable fiscal situations for most towns), as long as people have a choice. The US doesn't really give you that choice due to overly strict and outdated zoning laws. But yeah, you're outside of the norm with this opinion, even though I agree everyone looks crazy being obsessed with possessions and wasting time and money on them instead of living a meaningful life. Most people definitely spend more time mowing their lawn than chilling on it.

by These-Ad-7661 3 weeks ago

It feels like you're going between two extremes: there are houses in between mansions with tons of land and an apartment where you don't have any land outside the living space. Most people here (where) are looking for something in the middle - maybe 10,000 sqft of land with a 2500 sqft house. Not acres and acres of land and also not no land at all

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

and non Americans are so weirdly obsessed with what Americans are doing all the time. if your country is so perfect, then focus on that and mind ya business

by AggressiveProfit3257 3 weeks ago

I'm 99.99% sure this person is American. I don't think non Americans really care about the American dream.

by paucekhans 3 weeks ago

Dude it's the first sentence lol

by paucekhans 3 weeks ago

As a non American I can safely say that I am not obsessed with what they do all the time. As far as I understand it, work a lot, pay a lot and whine about the government. Just like the rest of the world 🤣 I can understand OP though. Have a single friend who has had a condo for many years. He's living a simple life, no garden, no maintenance for the outside since the HOA arranges that. No trouble with noisy neighbours because the walls isolate noise pretty well. He's paid off his condo due to a large enough inheritance and works 4 days a week. If so inclined, why not? If someone wants to live that way, it would be nice to have that opportunity. Think OP wishes to live somewhere like that which I can understand with all the maintenance.

by No-Improvement-4653 3 weeks ago

Moved to the other side of the moon. its really quiet most days. can walk over a few white sands and get a nice view of blue earth. no rain or nasty weather, traffic noise or bums asking for change. have gained a few pounds, but the light gravity makes me still feel like am 250lbs.

by AdPrior 3 weeks ago

I don't want to share walls

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

The upkeep is worth it to not have to deal with neighbors. I value peace, quiet, and privacy. I have room to ride my horses and my dogs have space to run and a creek to play in. I've learned so much about how to maintain equipment, it's quite satisfying really. Sure, it's a lot of work to keep up with but I enjoy it. A day on the tractor is a good day in my opinion. What's else would I be doing, watching stupid crap on tv?

by SituationNo3910 3 weeks ago

Anything that I personally don't want is weird and should be shamed

by Interesting-Camp 3 weeks ago

Ok well than give it to me then

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Plant fruit trees and vegetable gardens and fields of flowers. Mow less and enjoy it more!

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

That is one plan of many. Thanks.

by Imaginary-Lab-4229 3 weeks ago

That's my situation. I have a small lawn with a couple fruit trees and the rest is given over to wildlife. Don't even really need my fences, they're just a backdrop for all the bushes and shrubs that give me more privacy than they ever could.

by Fuzzy_Debate_8647 3 weeks ago

I lived in a small house right downtown for a few years and absolutely hated every minute of it. Homeless people shooting up in front of my house, loud cars/trucks constantly honking, zero privacy in my tiny yard. I moved to the outskirts of town now on a few acres. It's absolute bliss. My commute is exactly the same (15 minutes) because I go to work early enough that I don't hit any traffic and can go quite fast the whole way. There is zero noise at my current place outside of the birds chirping and the creek running. I have multiple outbuildings I can use for storage, but also if I'm feeling lazy after a hard day working I can leave stuff outside and have zero concern that anything will get stolen. I enjoy maintaining the yard. Wake up drink some coffee, take an edible and then just cruise around mowing the lawn. I get to watch my horses graze in the pasture, or the deer playing in the trees. I don't care to spend my time surrounded by crowds of strangers yelling small talk in a noisy club, much rather sit in my lawn chair with my feet in the creek. City living is good for some people but I could never get used to it.

by Repulsive_Pin 3 weeks ago

TLDR

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

You never said how much land you have. You know it's really cheap to hire someone to mow a normal yard, right?

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Its a very common fable, wanting more land How Much Land Does a Man Need?

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Preferences differ. Thats really all it is. I love taking care of my place and wish i could do it more. Id love to have a nice big plot out of city limits so i could target shoot whenever i wanted. Yeah, more maintenance for the land, but worth it for me because of my preferences. For someone with different tpreferences itd be a waste. No right or wrong to it..just preferences.

by Evalangosh 3 weeks ago

I respect your wishes and wants. Different strokes. Living in a row house in a city sounds like a nightmarish hellscape to me. I want it to take a few minutes to get from the main road to my (not giant, even small by most peoples standarda home). Again, different strokes.

by Rennerjeff 3 weeks ago

Am I the only one who agrees with basically all of this lol?

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

One thing about buying land as an investment is…… well they aren't manufacturing more of it

by Trick-Condition-3021 3 weeks ago

A lot of people like the work. I love a good day in the sun staining the fence or weeding the flowerbeds.

by Shanel93 3 weeks ago

Property is an investment that doesn't usually lose value. It's a big reason. Yes maintenance is a pain, but not having a landlord to answer to is nice too.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I probably live in what is a lot of people's dream a nice sunny apartment in a really nice neighborhood in NYC, I can not wait til the day I have land and don't have to deal with someone's head up my ass the second I open my front door

by Worldly_Escape_6736 3 weeks ago

Fellow American here--totally agree with OP

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

My parents and I live in about 10 acres of land without close neighbors in farm land. It's not too bad if you're a hermit like my mom can be

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Yeah a good lawn is a pain, take a look at gravel yards.

by Glendawilderman 3 weeks ago

That's why I rent a house. If crappy neighbors move in, I leave 🤷🏽‍♀️

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

People always want what they don't have. I have 8.5 acres in a nice area close to society, and I still think about how awesome it would be to sell for 700k and buy some luxury property with an HOA and boomer neighbors.

by OddHovercraft983 3 weeks ago

I enjoy most of those things you listed. Cleaning does suck but everyone needs to vacuum and do the dishes and do the laundry anyways. Mowing the grass, weeding, making it look nice... that's fun to me. Home reno projects are also fun, tearing apart a room and making it how you want it is rewarding as hell.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I want to live in a way that does not rely as much on money. Like yourself I'm very frustrated w the flow and its maint. Hunch that you're not going to take up a vagabond lifestyle but…check out my page and tell me I don't seem fulfilled, bredda. Hoping you find better stead going forwards. Unsolicited advice - personal freedom lies within acceptance and accountability. The key to everything else is language. Think about that.

by Dwight75 3 weeks ago

At first I didn't realize I needed all this stuff I had a little cottage and that cottage was enough A place where I could sit and knit A place where I could sell my thneeds But now I've had a little time to reassess my needsAnd I need a bigger office, I need a bigger chair A bigger desk, a bigger staff A bigger hat to wear

by mannshyann 3 weeks ago

Just hire people to do the stuff you don't want. I have multiple lawns and no lawn mower.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

First world problems... just focus on being grateful. Life is work.

by No_Paramedic 3 weeks ago

I like big boats. And I cannot lie.

by Danielsavanna 3 weeks ago

You can give your money to me since you hate it so much.

by Living_Panic 3 weeks ago

I mean, a lot of americans get a condo for the exact reasons you mentioned

by Commercial_Check4120 3 weeks ago

You don't have to have a bunch of stuff and a huge house with all the toys. I have 5 acres in the woods. It's my retirement plan. The area is growing and it's already worth more than what I bought it for. In 20 years I will sell it and move further out. My property is mostly woods, I have a nice sized yard that I don't do much too because a planted native plants and let the clover and yarrow take over. I rarely water and maybe mow once a month. I do have a long driveway so I have a snowblower but doing that is just a 40 min walk and not bad at all. I love the peace and quiet out here, i have a shop with all my tools and hobby stuff. I can shoot guns off my deck and have fires at night. Nobody cares if I make noise at any time of the day or night. I have dogs that can roam the 5 acres whenever they want. I also have a garden and try to grow a lot of my own food. If I wanted to I could also shoot a deer in my yard for meat. Sure having property means maintaining it but I enjoy working outside and the work is well worth all the benefits.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

It sounds like op just bought the wrong house. If yard work and home repairs are too much of a hassle, buy a condo with an hoa that provides yard service, snow blowing and general maintenance (roof repair, shared plumbing etc). My aunt did that and she loves it. She went with a smaller condo than house to afford the hoa but I think one less bedroom for the other perks was worth it for her. Also, whether or not I own the property, it still has to be cleaned while I'm living in it and my current lease doesn't cover lawn care so some of what op is describing is just adult life. Also also, you can 100% convert you yard to crops if you wanted too, or a rockscape that requires extremely limited maintenance. Or failing that, the weird fake grass turf stuff that requires no maintenance.

by Ok_Fox_5563 3 weeks ago

Good lord.. You like to complain huh? Ya don't like it, move to an apartment where everything's done for you. Leave the house with a yard for someone that actually wants it.

by Rjacobi 3 weeks ago

I'm selling my condo forst chamce I get and renting due in part to this

by StreetDirector5773 3 weeks ago

It's not an obsession. We are just quite literally far more wealthy than any other country, broadly speaking. Our welfare recipients are about as wealthy as average citizens in first world European countries.

by Initial-Drummer 3 weeks ago

Move to Amsterdam then i guess. Solves everything.

by isidroreynolds 3 weeks ago

I mean it is the same in any country above a certain income level. Stuff like owning a pool, boat, they're just flexes because everyone knows they're money pits.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

What you consider "very little" is the "obsession" most people dream of. You don't seem to realize you inhabit a dwelling of pure stability compared to most. It gives you personal independence many of us dream of and will never obtain.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Easy, people have bigger goals and work ethic than you do. Plain and simple.

by mcorwin 3 weeks ago

land has infinite possibilities

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Equity

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

You know there are people with pets and children, right? And spending time outside in a private, safe space of your own sounds like pretty good self care. Everything in life worth a damn needs to be maintained, but you are taking care of something you can be proud of, something that is yours.

by Kautzerbridgett 3 weeks ago

Working outside on the property is kinda satisfying to me and I learn things.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

It's not about a ton of property for me. I live alone now. But I do not need to hear my neighbors re-enacting triggering toxic drama in earshot that I can't escape from. And there's lots of loud, dramatic, toxic people that you might end up living in close quarters with I just want peace. No hate for good neighbors, and I do have those, I just don't want to hear everything....

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Sounds like a you problem

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

It sounds like you just want less responsibility. Which is fine, not everyone is cut out to steward. But recognize that's your opinion, and most people find responsibilities, and the powers that come with them, to be extremely fulfilling. If you're not into it then sell your house and rent a condo.

by Aklocko 3 weeks ago

I have land and it's not about owning stuff as much as it is about peace and quiet. I do not want to ride in a sardine can full of commuters. I work from home. I never see my neighbors unless it's them waving to me while I'm on a walk in my very spread out scenic neighborhood. My property is big enough that I cannot hear my neighbor's conversations or arguments and they can't hear mine. I do grow food on it and it's delicious and my garden is quiet and peaceful. Just me and the bunny rabbits.

by Some-Necessary7371 3 weeks ago

As someone who was fortunate enough to buy a house, I anticipated having to deal with the maintenance of equipment. If you have a small to medium sized house and yard, invest in electric tools and equipment. I personally use Ryobi tools, weed eater, lawn mower, leaf blower, etc., that all runs off of the same batteries. The advantage is not having to deal with small engines and their maintenance, fuel mixes, oil, etc. and only have to charge batteries.

by Visible_Discussion 3 weeks ago

OP has First world problems…

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Then you don't understand it, because owning property is how you make money. It's not Wired, it's the system.

by United-Raspberry-789 3 weeks ago

Planting veggies and flowers and experimenting with all sorts of stuff. Some straw bale gardening for example. A rwin garden by a downspout. Container gardening. Testing different ground covers to replace the lawn. A shade garden. Lots of stuff. And the back part that is fenced is primarily for the dogs. It's my therapy. It's my drug. It's my joy.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

You should see romanians lol

by Gold_Beautiful 3 weeks ago

100% this! I don't want to buy a house! I don't want to give up my money! and then I don't want to have to pay more money when things go wrong like pipes and big trees and etc etc etc. no thank you!

by Constant-Sherbert 3 weeks ago

Sell your house to someone who will love it then. Be grateful you even have a house.

by StepTraditional2332 3 weeks ago

Just sound like a whiny, entitled, spoiled, obnoxious idiot tbh

by Fair-Criticism4646 3 weeks ago

The American obsession with using "a ton" to describe an amount of everything is also weird.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I have 7 acres and I wish I had more. I love taking care of it. Literally every day I building, fixing, or maintaining something. It's great. But I like that stuff, it's not for everyone.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

My mom lives in a 55 and over community with her own house on a small lot. The HOA maintains the front yard, all the grounds, and the clubhouse that has pools, meeting rooms, a little theater, etc. She has to maintain her backyard and house. There are a ton of clubs and everyone knows and helps each other. That's my personal dream - have a smallish nice space that I don't need to do a lot to maintain and a community of support for fun and to help with things I need to maintain out of my expertise.

by josh36 3 weeks ago

I love interior decorating and I always wanted to make my place my own. I'd love some old victorian or farmhouse, lots of grown trees and creaky floors. Possibly haunted. It'll never happen, but I want it.

by Brilliant_Bag 3 weeks ago

I have 330 acres in a heavily wooded area, I would hate to live in an apartment in a city, I value being secluded too much. Sorry OP, many of us don't want to be living in a pod riding the bus to work.

by Willing-Chain 3 weeks ago

People with a vested interest in things take more care of those things. Renters trash homes and apartments. It's good for the soul of the nation that our people want to own parts of it, and therefore have a stake in its existence. Apathetic renters do not make nice things.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

I'm with you. As I've gotten older, I grew to hate having a house. So I sold it and bought an apartment in the middle of my city. I no longer need to spend my weekend doing maintenance and mowing etc. I have a pool, spa and fully stocked gym someone else maintains for me. I walk everywhere (seriously thinking of getting rid of my car) and have lost some weight because I don't need to get in the car to go everywhere. I'm never going back to a house.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

You have to understand, America was originally settled by a bunch of British and German farmers. They were very big into DIYism. Today, we've inherited our ancestors' moral sentiments, but lost the reason for them. I think more Americans are coming around to your way of thinking. It's always been my dream to have a nice brownstone town house in the city.

by Regular-Search-5682 3 weeks ago

Americans need a lot of land to separate them from other Americans

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

the european obsession with making everything close together with no land is really weird. like I would never, EVER live in the city with no land. I cannot live without having a yard and space from everything.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Wanting land certainly does not make someone antisocial… why is owning land inefficient?

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Using land inefficiently is inefficient. America gives most of its city land to cars and single family homes, which is a very inefficient use of land. Wanting to live far away from any neighbors doesn't exactly scream "social butterfly."

by kaileeeffertz 3 weeks ago

We have a ton of land and most of it is farmland, not for cities, cars and houses. Wanting to be surrounded by nature says nothing about my social life. You're drawing conclusions based on what you think, not reality.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Ok buddy, good for you. I don't care. Bye.

by kaileeeffertz 3 weeks ago

Yes having land and food is terrible! Don't come here stay in your own country.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Some people want to live in a safe middle to upper class neighborhood where they can throw the baseball around with their son in the front yard. After throwing the baseball around, they can go into their backyard to hop in the pool and grill burgers/steaks for their family while watching a game.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

Owning several acres with my home, in the middle of nowhere is amazing. I've got all the animals, 2 large greenhouses, gardens and flower beds. My husband and kids and I maintain it ourselves. For us, this is life. This is freedom.

by Anonymous 3 weeks ago

You call it maintenance, some call it being a man and maintaining your castle

by Due-Drawing 3 weeks ago