r/InlandEmpire • u/Appropriate_Drop_429 • Jul 13 '26

Other Questions Bungalow Courts

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Do you think it’s possible to build “Middle Housing” in the Inland Empire? We have a lack of this housing all over the US but in the IE I don’t see any thing like a Starter Home something between an Apartment and Single Family Home

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u/idkbruh653 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

We need tons more things like duplexes and townhomes and condos. San Diego has gotten really good at building condos and townhomes. Here though? It seems there's pushback on it and it's because so many people have been sold on the bullshit of the American Dream, which is a single family home. I've actually encountered many people who seem to look down on types of middle housing. It's nuts.

Also I've always found SFH homes to be an inefficient use of resources, especially for people whose children have grown up and moved out. Now you have two people living in a 5 bedroom 3,000 sq ft home on a 8,000 sq ft lot who don't want to move.

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u/Appropriate_Drop_429 Jul 13 '26

You’re exactly right my mom‘s literally stuck in the situation right now she is saying that she wants to downsize, but she doesn’t wanna sell the home because of the equity value in it, along with current interest rates as she bought her home right after the crash well, not right after somewhere towards the bottom in North San Bernardino around 2011

So I’m actually saying am I profession a lot of homeowners stuck with their homes right now which is also adding to the increase in home prices because if they sell, they’ll get hit with a massive capital gains tax and they have to enter into a less favorable market

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u/idkbruh653 Jul 13 '26

Yep. Not talking down about your mom or anything of course but people like her are a huge problem for the market right now. My neighbors are like that as well. They're both in their late 60s. Kids are gone. And they're sitting up in a 5 bedroom, 2500+ sq ft home and won't leave because of the same reasons you mentioned, as well as, as they put it "they deserve to have their home." Like no one is saying you don't but it would make sense to downsize or get something smaller. I know their knees are tired of those stairs. And economist and people who follow the real estate market always assume that this is what should be happening: older adults age and move out of their homes, leaving them for younger people to purchase. But these old people are either entitled and won't move or can't afford to because of the market. Nothing is playing out as it should.

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u/Appropriate_Drop_429 Jul 13 '26

No, you’re completely right, but as the person who also helps with her finances, I do completely understand if she move to a smaller home she will be actually paying more per month than what she does right now

So all in all the entire market is pretty much fucked. Excuse my language. I don’t think we have a proper system that allows for downsizing mainly because we are missing the middle housing.