Thursday, November 08, 2007

hype



This is normally condohype's bailiwick, but this came into my front door today, and there are two things that irk me (well, much more than two things...); wasted resources, and paper that comes in my front door, and goes directly into the recycling bin (kinda the same).

The paper that this advert. came on weighs 20 grams. I don't know how many people in Greater Vancouver (I refuse to use Metro Vancouver) received this, but let's say (very conservatively) 100,000 households. That equals 2,000 kilograms of wood pulp. How much carbon would that produce - from production to delivery to disposal? (I am not a Global Warming acolyte/fanatic/reactionary) It's a couple of trees that could be sequestering carbon, at the very least. Add in the toxic inks etc., and these chumps are chumps.

As I pointed out, I am not a Global Warming guy, so on to the advertisement itself...

The artist's rendition of the completed project has mature trees, and an established, bucolic atmosphere. The reality is always so much different. Selling dreams and fantasy, and I have the nerve to moniker myself solipsist. Just make it so - build it, and they will come.

The ad. goes on to mention granite, marble, stainless steel (isn't that passe yet?), custom crap etc., and 3.5 acres of private greenspace, blah, blah. Private to whom? The couple of hundred (or more) residents? Does that count boulevards, etc.? How private is it? Can I frolic naked, and have bacchanals at my whim?

Then, there are a couple of pic's - one has a soft focus framing of some seasonal flowers, and is emblazoned with life, the other has people walking so fast that anything less than 1/250th second shutter speed cannot capture them, and is emblazoned with style. Is it life, or style? The imagery is contradictory. The life suggests stopping and smelling the flowers, while the style suggests that it is going to be very fretful to try to pay for this junk.

Then, they admonish to take advantage of your Last Chance for 2007 Prices! There are only about 7 weeks left in 2007, and 2008 is not looking great for RE prices. Do they really think we are that worried about being priced out.

I also wonder at the claim of South Burnaby's fastest selling new residential community. How many new residential communities are there in South Burnaby?

Give me strength.

note: I deliberately blurred all contact information, names, etc. I will not help to promote this crap.

4 comments:

Cheeky Monk said...

I am worry about being price out. Friends, in-laws and wife are persuading me to buy now before it's too late. Don't know what to do. It just doesn't make sense.

solipsist said...

If it doesn't make sense, why would you even think about it?

Brings the old cliche to mind if all your friends were jumping off bridges, would you do it? - or however that is said.

Someone wrote somewhere better to be priced out, than priced in for the next decade. I can't imagine paying double my rent, let alone triple, plus taxes, up-keep, etc.

fgah said...

Hold on and don't buy before Olympic hoax is over;people bought in before the two wks event will be priced in their expensive investment for the yrs to come. Didn't you notice that the last part of a canada day firework ,is usually full of splendid color before folding for the nite.

Anonymous said...

Come now! You should commend them for their honesty. This is the developer's the last chance for 2007 prices. In 2008 these units will sell for much less. At least they were up front about their motivation for sending out the ad.