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**Rain Man** · 10-23-2021, 04:56 PM

Mansionmania continues. I'm going to show you the most expensive homes in every state and a few territories, with a few extras thrown in from the largest states to get the tourney up to 64. It'll be a single-elimination tournament.

You will choose among each pair of houses with the following assumptions:

The purchase price for you is $0.
All maintenance, utilities, property taxes, HOA fees, and cleaning is included.
You must live in the home for the rest of your life.
You can't travel more than 100 miles from home (via google maps drive time) other than 1 two-week vacation each year.
You get $250,000 per year as a living allowance
You get an additional living allowance at the cheaper home, which will be valued at 1% of any cost difference annually. I will note this amount in the poll.
You get the furnishings. If unfurnished, you get an allowance that will give you mid-grade furniture in every room.
You get any vehicles in the garage. But only the garage - nothing parked outside.

I encourage you to click on the maps in the listings to see the general location and neighborhood.

Also, I will only enter contestants if they have a sufficient number of photos to judge, as determined by me.

Your entries in this heat are:

US Virgin Islands:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...0_M97779-80235

California:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...1_M11425-39758

mr. tegu · 10-23-2021, 05:08 PM

This California house might be the best location and lot so far, or at least in the top three. I’m not a fan of the house itself all that much though. The island house is just too crowded around it. Plus 30,000 square feet is crazy big. I’m not even sure what to compare that to.

HonestChieffan · 10-23-2021, 05:09 PM

Missouri still wins over either

eDave · 10-23-2021, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

Missouri still wins over either

No, it doesn't.

I'm taking California. So much more to see and do with LA, SD, Mexico, and points in between within the travel limitations.

EPodolak · 10-23-2021, 05:27 PM

Virgin Island property is spectacular. Not sure what is within 100 miles, but can't beat the view and the property, I'm taking the tropics.

**Rain Man** · 10-23-2021, 05:32 PM

Boy, this is a 50/50 proposition.

Virgin Islands - That house is pretty much perfect, and the setting is beautiful. It might be more tropical than I prefer, but there are a lot worse problems to have. St. John is a relatively small world to live in, but it's a nice small world. And with $1 million+ to spend every year, life would be good.

California - The house isn't exactly my style, but it's nice and I could live there. Damn horses again. But the location is superb. I can get to San Diego and up the coast to Laguna and Newport. I wouldn't be rich, but I think I'd be happy.

As much as I like the Virgin Islands, I think I'd go with the California house. Tough call. Tough, tough call.

**Rain Man** · 10-23-2021, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

This California house might be the best location and lot so far, or at least in the top three. I’m not a fan of the house itself all that much though. The island house is just too crowded around it. Plus 30,000 square feet is crazy big. I’m not even sure what to compare that to.

I noticed in the details that they're including both inside and outside space in their 30,000 foot estimate. That's kind of cheating, though in the Virgin Islands maybe you can count all of it. I wonder what the actual indoor space is.

**Perineum Ripper** · 10-23-2021, 05:41 PM

Wife’s sister lives in San Diego, the few times I have been in San Diego I have loved it. I like the island house better but I think I would be happier in SD

**Bearcat** · 10-23-2021, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eDave

No, it doesn't.

I'm taking California. So much more to do and see.

Pretty sure he just says the most miserable thing possible for attention.

**Bearcat** · 10-23-2021, 05:50 PM

Yeah, LA and SD, and could even make it well into Mexico if you really wanted, or Palm Springs if your much older parents are visiting and you miss the 70s.

A big unknown in the Virgin Islands compared to an amazing southern California location.

**TrebMaxx** · 10-23-2021, 06:05 PM

U.S.V.I for me. Been to St. John multiple times over the years. Ironically I have a St. John hat on right now. Hurricanes would be a bitch though but it looks like that house was built for the storms. Just have supply's on hand and with a million plus a year that should be no problem.

Otter · 10-23-2021, 06:06 PM

Virgin Islands.

MagicHef · 10-23-2021, 08:40 PM

Not much to do in the Virgin Islands, but I'm not sure if I'd ever want to leave that place, other than walking down to the beach. The CA location is very hard to beat, but I don't like the house much.

**Buehler445** · 10-23-2021, 08:54 PM

Virgin Islands here.

The Cali house is impressive but goddamn every room looks cramped. Definitely not a horse person. Perhaps I know enough horse people to know what managing a horse is actually entails. And I know people who actually use horses and want no part of that noise.

That Virgin island house is spectacular. I don't even know what living in a place like that would feel like. But I'd love to find out.

eDave · 10-23-2021, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Virgin Islands here.

The Cali house is impressive but goddamn every room looks cramped. Definitely not a horse person. Perhaps I know enough horse people to know what managing a horse is actually entails. And I know people who actually use horses and want no part of that noise.

That Virgin island house is spectacular. I don't even know what living in a place like that would feel like. But I'd love to find out.

I'd lease that horse space out. Probably enough land there for a practice track and stuff. Turn it into a training facility.

Or just tear it all down and build a sweet guest house.

View Poll Results: Which one do you pick?
US Virgin Islands, plus $1,085,010 annual stipend	25	58.14%
California, plus $250,000 annual stipend	17	39.53%
Gosh, I can't decide.	1	2.33%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll

10-23-2021, 04:56 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Rain Man's Avatar Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house	Mansionmania Tournament: Round 1, Heat 22 Mansionmania continues. I'm going to show you the most expensive homes in every state and a few territories, with a few extras thrown in from the largest states to get the tourney up to 64. It'll be a single-elimination tournament. You will choose among each pair of houses with the following assumptions: The purchase price for you is $0. All maintenance, utilities, property taxes, HOA fees, and cleaning is included. You must live in the home for the rest of your life. You can't travel more than 100 miles from home (via google maps drive time) other than 1 two-week vacation each year. You get $250,000 per year as a living allowance You get an additional living allowance at the cheaper home, which will be valued at 1% of any cost difference annually. I will note this amount in the poll. You get the furnishings. If unfurnished, you get an allowance that will give you mid-grade furniture in every room. You get any vehicles in the garage. But only the garage - nothing parked outside. I encourage you to click on the maps in the listings to see the general location and neighborhood. Also, I will only enter contestants if they have a sufficient number of photos to judge, as determined by me. Your entries in this heat are: US Virgin Islands: https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...0_M97779-80235 California: https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...1_M11425-39758
Posts: 141,405

10-23-2021, 05:08 PM	#2
mr. tegu Forever Royal mr. tegu's Avatar Join Date: Mar 2012	Mansionmania Tournament: Round 1, Heat 22 This California house might be the best location and lot so far, or at least in the top three. I’m not a fan of the house itself all that much though. The island house is just too crowded around it. Plus 30,000 square feet is crazy big. I’m not even sure what to compare that to.
Posts: 24,059

10-23-2021, 05:09 PM	#3
HonestChieffan Seeking the Truth daily HonestChieffan's Avatar Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the Country in MO	Missouri still wins over either
Posts: 53,345	0 1

10-23-2021, 05:27 PM	#5
EPodolak Spooky Action EPodolak's Avatar Join Date: Dec 2003	Virgin Island property is spectacular. Not sure what is within 100 miles, but can't beat the view and the property, I'm taking the tropics.
Posts: 6,331

10-23-2021, 05:32 PM	#6
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Rain Man's Avatar Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house	Boy, this is a 50/50 proposition. Virgin Islands - That house is pretty much perfect, and the setting is beautiful. It might be more tropical than I prefer, but there are a lot worse problems to have. St. John is a relatively small world to live in, but it's a nice small world. And with $1 million+ to spend every year, life would be good. California - The house isn't exactly my style, but it's nice and I could live there. Damn horses again. But the location is superb. I can get to San Diego and up the coast to Laguna and Newport. I wouldn't be rich, but I think I'd be happy. As much as I like the Virgin Islands, I think I'd go with the California house. Tough call. Tough, tough call.
Posts: 141,405

10-23-2021, 05:41 PM	#8
Perineum Ripper Supporter Perineum Ripper's Avatar Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Missouri	Wife’s sister lives in San Diego, the few times I have been in San Diego I have loved it. I like the island house better but I think I would be happier in SD
Posts: 5,208

10-23-2021, 05:50 PM	#10
Bearcat Would an idiot do that? Bearcat's Avatar Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Arizona	Yeah, LA and SD, and could even make it well into Mexico if you really wanted, or Palm Springs if your much older parents are visiting and you miss the 70s. A big unknown in the Virgin Islands compared to an amazing southern California location.
Posts: 55,306

10-23-2021, 06:05 PM	#11
TrebMaxx Supporter TrebMaxx's Avatar Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Peoples Republic of CoMo	U.S.V.I for me. Been to St. John multiple times over the years. Ironically I have a St. John hat on right now. Hurricanes would be a bitch though but it looks like that house was built for the storms. Just have supply's on hand and with a million plus a year that should be no problem.
Posts: 4,321

10-23-2021, 06:06 PM	#12
Otter Live free or die hard Otter's Avatar Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Durango, CO	Virgin Islands.
Posts: 26,126

10-23-2021, 08:40 PM	#13
MagicHef The Seated Villain MagicHef's Avatar Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Seattle	Not much to do in the Virgin Islands, but I'm not sure if I'd ever want to leave that place, other than walking down to the beach. The CA location is very hard to beat, but I don't like the house much.
Posts: 10,536

10-23-2021, 08:54 PM	#14
Buehler445 Supporter Buehler445's Avatar Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Scott City KS	Virgin Islands here. The Cali house is impressive but goddamn every room looks cramped. Definitely not a horse person. Perhaps I know enough horse people to know what managing a horse is actually entails. And I know people who actually use horses and want no part of that noise. That Virgin island house is spectacular. I don't even know what living in a place like that would feel like. But I'd love to find out.
Posts: 56,777