CambridgeToday received the following letter in response to our article, What does the cheapest house listing in Cambridge get you? An open concept bathroom
Frankly I was floored by your recent article on the cheapest house for sale in Cambridge. (And speaking of floors – did you actually look at ALL the photos in the listing? Some of them show some pretty marvellous intact hardwood floors that looked decidedly salvageable.)
Houses of that era were solidly built and remain as structurally sound today as they were when they were built. Homes built after 1970 don’t have the same quality materials nor do they have the character of houses built in the early 20th century.
Have I mentioned floors? You certainly cherry-picked the MLS listing photos that were included in your article. Do you realize that some potential home buyers would be attracted to this house just because of the hardwood floors?
Consider the homes in the neighbourhood, visible on Google's Street View. The houses in the immediate area show evidence that they have been well maintained over the past decade and many have had recent improvements. This could be an ideal location, either as a starter home or as a place to raise a family.
For someone who is struggling to afford to become a homeowner or for a person with handyman skills who plans to flip the house to make a bit of a profit this house is a gem.
To suggest that a wrecking ball might be an option (even in the jokingly smug “aren’t we clever” tone which colours this story) reflects an attitude that has contributed to the current housing crisis. It parrots the mythology created by developers that everyone needs a 3500 square foot house in the burbs or a unit in a shiny glass tower. Using existing housing stock is vital in a world facing both affordability and environmental crises.
Sincerely,
Jill Marks
Cambridge
