Slate Launches Real Estate Blog

Slate Launches Real Estate Blog! was originally published on Housing Complex on Feb. 03, 2009, at 9:35 am

As my Jesus-obsessed childhood postman used to say: God is surely shining down on us today. 

I already love almost everything Slate publishes, and now it has a new real estate blog. The mag’s politics editor Michael Newman will be chronicling his family’s home search. He currently lives with his wife and his young son near the Van Ness Metro in a two-bedroom apartment.

Thus far in their hunt, the couple almost put down an offer on a Silver Spring home listed at $569,900. Ultimately though, they deemed it not worthy. The trek to the Metro was too far and too ugly—or at least too far considering its ugly scenery: “The owners said that they walked to the subway every day, and we don’t doubt them. But it is a 1.3-mile walk along a grim, busy thoroughfare. Neither of us is averse to walking a mile and a half to the subway. But isn’t a nice walk one of the things you move to the suburbs for?

There were other issues: “That dreary basement, the tiny living room, and more important, the fact that the neighborhood high school isn’t one of the county’s better schools.”

Slate’s other editors are probably banking on the fact that Newman has a rough time finding a home. If this thing is a cinch, why did they launch the blog in the first place?
Either way, he’s very brave for sharing his finances like this. Frankly, I’m already worried for the guy. He and his wife are both journalists! Talk about no professional diversity. (Hey, I got another journalist in the family too.) Tanking industries and mortgages generally don’t go too well together. But, Newman, I’m behind you. I’m glad you’re checking out Takoma Park next. Smart move.

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