DINKS with style – what do you expect?

From MarketWatch:

Why house prices in gay neighborhoods are soaring

American homeowners can take pride in these prices.

At the nadir of the housing market in 2012, homebuyers had to pay an average premium of almost 29%, or $209 per square foot, to live in communities with a higher share of gay, lesbian and bisexual residents. This year, homebuyers will need to pay a premium of nearly 37%, or $320 per square foot, to live in these same neighborhoods, according to a study released Thursday by real-estate website Trulia and online dating site OKCupid IAC, -3.67% The conclusion? “Clearly, America’s gay neighborhoods have recovered at a faster rate than non-gay neighborhoods.”

Typically, researchers had to use U.S. Census data on same-sex couples in order to determine where gay populations concentrate. There is an obvious downside to that methodology, however: Not all LGBT people are in relationships and, as such, researchers may be inaccurately measuring where they live. To address this, Trulia and OKCupid developed the “Neighborhood Pride Score,” using OKCupid data on the location of gay singles combined with U.S. Census data on the location of gay couples. The researchers then cross-referenced this with house prices in those areas.

The highest premiums were in West Hollywood, the Castro District in San Francisco, Uptown in Dallas, Palm Springs, Hillcrest in San Diego and Edgewater in Chicago. On the one hand, the legalization of same-sex marriage in June 2015 may have led to more married couples buying homes together in those neighborhoods. On the other, since gay individuals and couples tend to have fewer children and higher disposable incomes, they may also seek to live in neighborhoods with more desirable amenities, or they may simply attract such amenities after they move in.

Another theory: “If you are not raising children, you have two male incomes and have more money to devote to improve their home environment,” says Gary Gates, the recently retired distinguished scholar at the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the University of California. There are possible limitations to house-price rises within a “gayborhood.” It may need to be “socially liberal” for an increase in same-sex households to increase house prices, a 2011 study by researchers at Konkuk University in Seoul and Tulane University in New Orleans found.

Ultimately, diversity is good for the economic development and housing prices, Richard Florida, an urban theorist and author of “The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community, and Everyday Life,” concluded. He found that high-tech hot spots followed the gay neighborhoods. His own separate “Bohemian Index,” which measured the prevalence of artists, writers and performers, had similar results. “Artistic and gay populations,” he wrote, “cluster in communities that value open-mindedness and self-expression.”

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32 Responses to DINKS with style – what do you expect?

  1. Mike says:

    Good Morning New Jersey

  2. Mike says:

    Yes you should pay a premium for living next to lesbian neighbors with hot tubs

  3. Ottoman says:

    Of course there is also the simple fact that many of these neighborhoods are adjacent to already well established and highly desireable neighborhoods/towns and they had gained a foothold and a floor 15 years ago during the bubble when enough people of means moved in, not just teh geyz. Maplewood is a good example of this. Asbury Park had already started to turn. Hamilton Park in JC. Collingswood. The Philly g@yborhood is smack dab in between Society Hill, rittenhouse Square, and the skyscrapers so what did anyone expect when the boom happened? Same with Hell’s Kitchen.

    BTW, did Ted Haggard and Larry Craig and that homophobic guy who hired the twink luggage lifter check off g@y on their census? Who says there aren’t more g@ys in Peoria than West Hollywood?

  4. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    We never felt so rich as we did in early 2002, our last year of DINK.

  5. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    Big move from DINK to SI2K.

  6. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    BTW, I mentioned this a month ago. If you want to improve a community you have to seed it with gays. For good measure, you should probably sprinkle in some Jews too.

  7. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    BTW, the furnished house we are now renting is owned by a 69 year old gay college professor and his 45 year old latin husband. How else could I find a well decorated turnkey home to rent with modern kitchen and baths?

  8. Grab them by the puzzy says:

    Mark Foley

    Ottoman says:
    June 12, 2017 at 7:57 am
    BTW, did Ted Haggard and Larry Craig and that homophobic guy who hired the twink luggage lifter check off g@y on their census? Who says there aren’t more g@ys in Peoria than West Hollywood?

  9. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    The prof retired and they are now splitting their time between Florida and Brazil.

  10. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    BTW, our pre-war condo that is now worth $500K for 900 square feet ($555 per square foot) is filling up with gay couples too. It seems like 50% of the recent sales go to gay couples. Nothing lures them in better than reservoir views, hardwood floors, high ceilings, and fireplaces. Before you know it the kitchen and bath is remodeled and the whole place looks fabulous and everyone’s unit goes up in value.

  11. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    When the current RE bubble pops there will be a lot of gay bagholders (pun intended).

  12. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    Stock pick of the day: NGLOY

  13. Steamturd supporting the Canklephate says:

    “If you want to improve a community you have to seed it with gays. For good measure, you should probably sprinkle in some Jews too.”

    I lived in West Hollywood for nearly two years. My two roommates and me were the only straight household on our block. They tolerated us since I was Jewish. What a completely wack neighborhood. Every Friday night, as the homos were getting decked out to party on Sunset, the Hebes would all be walking to temple.

  14. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    In Boston the trendy gay neighborhood is South End. This is NOT the same as South Boston aka Southie. Our place would probably be about $850,000 for 1 bath and 900 square feet ($944/square foot).

  15. Steamturd supporting the Canklephate says:

    I see the FANG disconnect continues. Heck, I knew something was wrong when I saw my Google shares were over $1,000. Glad I’m only in one of them.

  16. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    if it was in the South End, that is. I was just looking at an 800 square foot place for $900,000 (2br, 1 small bath) :

    https://www.redfin.com/MA/Boston/690-Tremont-St-02118/unit-4/home/12446714#property-details

  17. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    Same here, I only own one (AMZN). I was thinking about selling just under $1,000 and then again just over $1,000 late last week. Heck, it’s only at $950 now, I haven’t even moved my stop (currently set at $776). If it drops below the 30 week moving average(around $820 right now) I’ll move the stop up to 3% below that.


    I see the FANG disconnect continues. Heck, I knew something was wrong when I saw my Google shares were over $1,000. Glad I’m only in one of them.

  18. deplorables grab'em by the pu$$y says:

    Sign of the times. This guy, with not one ounce of integrity, was put in power under a democratic election system. What does this say about our country? Sad times for the USA.

    When a joke from a Simpson’s episode from 20 years ago becomes your reality…..

    https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-06-12/trump-s-history-of-lies-according-to-biographer-timothy-o-brien

  19. 3b says:

    I was in Asbury yesterday. Beautiful beach day. Stopped in at a local sports bar the burgers were excellent. There were people from all walks of life. The gay community from what I have seen does not come out no pun intended until the late afternoon ear evening.

  20. D-FENS says:

    I’m getting a little sick and tired of the constant bashing of the President. Can they send him a frigging infrastructure bill? Where is the healthcare bill? Are Republicans not for lower taxes anymore…where’s that bill? For once there’s a guy that will sign all of the bills they’ve said they want to pass. WTF are they doing?

  21. LurksMcGee says:

    Deplorables Grab:

    It says our country loves money and each individual identifies with someone that has more money aka wants to be them.

    Expat:

    Bet ACBFF does better than NGLOY today.

  22. Steamturd supporting the Canklephate says:

    They are as stunned as the Dems!

  23. The Original NJ ExPat says:

    Lurks – somebody else who traded penny stocks used to post here. I think you probably are a lot better at it than he was;-)

  24. D-FENS says:

    More footage of CNN fake protesters after London Bridge

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTdqZnu6Gao

  25. LurksMcGee says:

    I’m probably not that good. I mainly follow just two marijuana stocks since I believe in it being inevitable. Everything else is in index funds.

  26. JJ fanboy says:

    Went to Denny’s for the first time in years. Since when did you have to be middle class to go there? $38 including tip for 2 grand slams, a burger and 3 iced teas.

  27. Clotpoll says:

    nothing is more inevitable than the collapse of western civilization.

    prepare accordingly.

  28. Clotpoll says:

    fanboy (3:28)-

    you shoulda shot that place up.

  29. Math Major says:

    Eddie- Q. How many times does 16 go into 25?

    A. As many times as it can.

  30. Chi says:

    JJ fanboy: Since $15 min wage; Did you order from waitstaff or a portable kiosk?

Comments are closed.