Let’s talk math for a moment.
The average bit o’ housing in S.F. is $995 a square foot. In 2-bedroom terms, that works out to $1.275M.
Which got us thinking: For the cost of an “average” 2BR in S.F., what can you get in other dream locations?
Spoiler: A freaking lot.
PARIS
The French capital actually works hard to keep its real estate prices low — thanks to a highly politicized citizenry, it works. For €1.295M, you can have a three-bedroom in a Hausmannian building on the actual Champs Elysées in the affluent (if boring) 8th arrondissement. (And to get it a little closer to the original target, here’s a 4BR in the Marais around the corner from the Centre Pompidou for €1.268M.)
MAUI
How about Maui, recently voted the best place to live in Hawaii? Here, $1.274M will buy you a four-bedroom ranch with ocean views, master suite, solar energy system, and two-car garage.
MIAMI BEACH
The per-square-footage in Miami Beach — fun, fun, fun, and sunny — is about half what it is in S.F., so proximity to the ocean won’t come at too staggering a cost. For $1.2M, take a look at this four-bed, four-bath single-family home on W. 47th Street, with over 2800 square feet of living space … and a pool, for when the ocean’s just a walk too far.
NANTUCKET
Nantucket’s not cheap, and you might need to relocate for half the year — but it’s still cheaper than here. For $1.195M (or about $500 a square foot), consider this colonial-style three-bedroom (“one of only a few houses in Naushop with free-standing garage”!). Deck, patio, and proximity to the ferry.
MARFA
Austin’s got its own housing crisis, so for our Texas dreams, we head west, to the unlikely art capital of Marfa. It’s a small town, so we need to dip over or under: Under, we’ve got a three-bedroom on a 10-acre spread with endless skies (pictured above); over, a legit-famous 1BR for $1.69M that was literally just published in Arch Digest.
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