SadElder, I live in RichVille, USA, aka New Albany, Ohio. Average home price here is approximately $500,000. The people that live here are employed by The Limited, Abecrombie & Fitch, are attorneys, doctors, professors and other professionals.
Here is a link to the local real estate company:
http://www.newalbanyrealty.com/
Les Wexner, who owns The Limited, purchased most of the former farmland of a tiny town called New Albany, outside Columbus, OH, created a golf course, demanded that only Georgian style homes be built to exact standards and prices be set high.....Lo and behold all of his high priced employees turned around and gave all the bonus and stock option money back that he gave them!! Gotta admit....the guy is a genius. (All of this was done in the last 12 years. The town had 300 residents 10 years ago, now it has 4400)
These same employees are rude, arrogant, demanding and just plain mean spirited. I live in the slums of the area. Our average home price is $380,000. I live across the street from the Georgian stuff....we are literally considered in the *bad part* of town.
The people that I encounter in my daily bike rides would run me over in a heart beat. Their over indulged children do not work at the local grocery store that is 1/2 block away from the HS....they are too good for that. They drive to school in BMWs and Mercedes and the poor kids are in brand new VWs......Honestly, when you encounter these newly rich people, you realize how truly *poor* they are.
Hummers are very common in this *neighborhood*....if you can call it that. That is why it is so funny to see this thread....I do agree that the folks who have these are doing it to make a point.....*mine is bigger than yours*....and I don't mean engine. They are greedy, materialistic, etc. They really are not nice. I deal with lots of them in business and the superficial phoniness of them is too much sometimes. I have to bite my tongue when asked why I live where I do....they imply I live in a slum!!!!
However, I am glad they are *wealthy*. If were not for them and their wealth, I would not be doing what I am doing.....getting my own nest egg in order. Same with my husband. The rich people buy his companies products, so I am glad they are willing to open their wallets and indulge their expensive tastes.
I just wish they would drive slower as I ride my bike around the golf course.....(that is as close as I get to it, in spite of my car not being a beater...)