How pompous. A Pittsburgh couple has sued Google because photos of their house are now on Google Maps Street View. They allege that ever since the photos have appeared on Street View, the value of their property has plummeted. Property records indicate that the domicile was purchased for a cool $163,000, which, I’m pretty sure, wouldn’t buy a garbage can in any livable city in this country.
They want some $25,000 in damages from The Google.
The couple lives at 1567 Oakridge Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.
In Chicago what the Borings paid for there house would buy you 3 parking spaces in the city.
From the pictures they need the money for shutters and grass seed.
White Trash idiots.
With this level of stupidity I actually fear for them.
You really don’t think 163,000 can buy a nice house in a nice city?
You really need to get out of the big city. It’s a big world out there. You don’t have to blow a pile of money, for next to nothing, everywhere.
That’s correct – if you want next to nothing, you can get it for under 200 grand.
Maybe if they would at least try to keep grass in the yard they would not have lost any property value. That house would sell for about $30,000 where I live and $163,000 would practically buy you a mansion – but I live in the sticks in Missouri so that probably does not qualify as “livable”.
Is that a well in the front of the house in the first picture? If so they got screwed paying more than 100k for a house without city water hookups.
163,000 will buy you a nice house in -any- large city in the US with the possible exception of LA, San Francisco, and NYC and their surrounding areas. But since the majority of people in the US don’t live in those places – its usually not an issue.
Yes, because surely the market conditions, mortgage lender meltdown and general recession atmosphere have absolutely *nothing* to do with your house’s value dropping.
….
There’s a saying about correlation and causation that’s right on the tip of my tongue, but… oh well, lost it.
As for big city costs… 163k won’t really get you a nice house in Seattle. It will get you a nice housebarge. In fact, mine is on sale for 125k (or will be within a month). 600 sq ft, 10 minutes from the needle. But, the rest of the town? 163k is half to two thirds of what you have to spend to live *in* the city.
Can you buy in a nice city for that price? Sure. Hell, my home town is a city, it’s nice, and 163k can get you a hell of a nice house. Admittedly, gardner, ma is a *small* city, but, it’s a city =)
You guys need to invest the time in reading the terms of the case. The case states that the couple lived on a PRIVATE road with a “50ft right of way to their home” which has a Private Property sign posted at the foot of the entrance. Even if you are just looking at the Street View images, you can tell that it is not a public road.
With that said, the basis of the lawsuit should be shifted to trespassing instead of falling home value.
And *that* would be a valuable suit.
Tho, actually, considering Trespassing is a crime, wouldn’t it be a criminal suit and not a civil suit and not their job to file the lawsuit but the municipalities?
I wouldn’t go around calling Pittsburgh an unlivable city just because it’s home values are affordable…the city was named most livable in the country last year. We’re not some smoky old town anymore! I don’t think anyone would pretend that Pittsburgh is NYC, Chicago, LA, etc, but I personally think affordable home make a place more livable.
BUT…I agree with previous comments about the suit. Sounds more like trespassing to me. And I don’t get how photos on Google Maps affects their property value at all.
Yea, if you take a look in Google, its almost as if street view goes up their driveway. I think the grounds for the lawsuit are wrong, I could see trespassing or invasion of privacy but lowering the property value is kind of dumb..
Course I could see that happening to a lot of properties, on the real estate sites they only show pretty pictures, so now in street view you can see how it really looks…
Too funny…Good thing no one was skinny dipping in the pool like some of these other Google Street View Sightings:
http://streetviewgallery.corank.com
I agree. Their right to privacy has been invaded and published for the whole friggin’ world to see without permission and without compensation.
There is no news value in this picture, therefore they have an expected right to privacy.
Google is screwed!
DogsWithCones, their friggin’ right to privacy is invaded every day by people just driving by–exactly what Google Streetview does. I don’t really see how they have a case.
Depends. If they took the pictures from private property, they could probably be gotten on an invasion of privacy issue too, but IANAL. If they stayed on public roads, then no, I’m pretty sure there isn’t an invasion of privacy here.
Wow, I’ve never been offended by anything on a blog. As a lot of the authors know on here my comments are 50/50 serious/silly. But that comment about not being able to buy “garbage can” in this country is just completely and absolutely ignorant. When did you go to relator school? Have you actualy been all over the country like I have? I paid $160,000 for my house and I live in a 2003 built house with tile through out , nice carpet , three floors , several fire places , and 2400 square feet with a HUGE back yard and a large two stall garage. I also live in a very nice community with yearly fees. We also have very nice schools in the neirborhood. I also know for a fact that in Florida and Texas you can buy the equalivant for the same or maybe a little more! If you’re interested I’m located in iowa city, iowa. Which happens to be a large university town holding the University of iowa and quite a few well off inviduals. So our market is even higher than surrounding cities and towns.
I’m sorry for the rant but i just can’t believe how bold and ignorant of a statement that was.
1) it isn’t in the city of pittsburgh, its in a suburb of pittsburgh, and reis run road is a popular road to live on for the northern snots.
2) 160,000 is a median price for Pittsburgh. The housing bubble and price increases never hit pittsburgh, so you can still buy a very good house here for that much, espcially outside of the city limits.
3) research before you talk about other cities. Sorry we aren’t san fran or chicago, but at least I can still buy a house in this city and not need double income.
What makes that worth $163,000 – the garages that are nicer looking than the house, or the two AC units hanging out of the windows?
Let’s start with Marc — I would never live anywhere near Pittsburgh or Iowa City, therefore I agree with the author. ;-)
Dogs with Cones — As far as reasonable expectation of privacy, so long as they are doing it from the street there is no reasonable expectation. Had they owned a fence, and it showed beyond that, then maybe. The couple has not a snowball’s chance in a toaster UNLESS….
They listen to Arthur and John, and they should move this to a civil suit. I however did not find any statement that says they actually, your know, *own* the freaking road.
Oh really, How many times have you visted Iowa city? Did you stay longer than an hour driving on I-80? Igonrance is not a pleasant thing, just to inform you. You must live in paradise to have such a strong opinion ; don’t eat the forbiden fruit.
“livable cities” are completely overrated. I’m living in Chicago right this moment and you absolutely CANNOT buy a house in the city for under 600K and it would be a dump the size of that garage that you’d have to put 50K in to live in. You seriously can’t even get a 1bd condo for 160K and Chicago is not at all livable. There are too many people and seriously there is no culture anyway. I had to sit at a Panera yesterday to be able to sit and do work w/out feeling like I had to leave (mind you I paid for food of course) AND get free wi-fi. I can have that in Springfield, USA.
I don’t know if agree with the whole lawsuit … I can understand trespassing on a private road isn’t “kosher” with most people but I don’t think google’s intentions were to “trespass.” As far as the value of the house goes, I am not sure I can see how their value went down from these pictures, so I think the whole basis of their argument is a bit off track ….
as far as the whole $163,000 can/can’t buy a house thing… here in Colorado Springs (not a Big City by any means, but around 450K people or so) a “starter home” in an OKAY area is between $200k and $225k – and we’re not talking about the nicer areas, just the okay areas.
ANYWAY… this lawsuit is just another in an endless stream of people trying to live the new american dream: having money without working for it. …what a waste of everyone else’s time.
then again, they’re suing because of an “invasion of privacy” and because apparently that picture caused them “mental distress” …i almost wonder if they’re under the impression that it’s a video feed or something… and they’re all stressed out thinking that everyone in the world can tune in and watch them live.
haha
Google’s street views also includes photographs of children playing directly outside their homes, license plate numbers et al. Very clear photos, which is simply disturbing. Just who wants to claim responsibility for this short or long term?
I don’t agree with the reasoning for the Boring lawsuit but I predict many more in googles future if they don’t start using better judgement. I strongly suggest ‘everyone’ check their residence on google street view and report inappropriate content. In checking my immediate neighborhood I was shocked at what I saw. I’m not talking property. I doubt google will win this suit and when expectation of privacy & quiet enjoyment come into play, the Boring lawyer is going to make a fortune.
In Edmond Oklahoma $163,000 can buy you a brand new 3 bedroom 1 bath in an exclusive area. Research the facts before you post a comment on the Internet…..some people believe everything they read. Interesting post otherwise.
Im pretty sure that I spotted an alien in the bushes to the right of the nearest garage. Both garages are looking pretty suspicious, and a possible replacement for alien technology to be housed here after Area 51 moved from its current site.
There is also a suspicious dry patch where there was once grass. Could this be the landing site of a UFO where half the population of American citizens claim to be abducted and brought back to Earth? The pool is obviously a cleansing area to wipe away any alien buggy thingamajigs. I’m sure the ripple in the water is where the pool cleaner was consumed by a bug like creature of immense proportions. Nasty little critter.
If that were the case then the CIA would be interested in purchasing this plot of land for an undisclosed sum. I’m sure it’s really worth millions now, and Google should cough up some brass to keep any retired alien in the splendour he or she has been accustomed to in the distance part of the galaxy where once they enjoyed a quieter life