MovieChat Forums > Gilmore Girls (2000) Discussion > How on earth did Lorelai afford her hous...

How on earth did Lorelai afford her house? And why private school?

posted 8 years ago by isabellaconnor
21 replies | jump to latest

Alternative thread title: what is up with US house prices?

So, it's stated on numerous occasions that Lorelai bought her house when Rory was about ten, which would have made Lorelai 26-27. How on earth would a 26 year old maid been able to have afforded a house that big. And, yes, whilst I know that we're meant to think of Lorelai's abode as being humble and modest (especialy in relation to her parents) it is actually a very big house and looks expensive. I'm from the UK and a detached house with a porch and a garden and a driveway and a garage would be very costly, even in a small town, and having lived in the US the same applies. I know it's fiction and we're meant to suspend reality and so forth, but it always makes my eyes roll whenever I listen to Lorelai's spiel about how they are lacking in money.

Point no.2.

I always find the decision to attend Chilton as a means to get into Harvard an odd one to say the least. My parents are teachers who've coached students applying for 'top' universities, and it seems to be the case in the UK (and in the US) that actually from an admission officer's perspective coming from a private school puts you at an overall disadvantage. Yes, private schools might train you better, but actually having gone to a public (or state) school, achieving the same kind of grades and having the same passion for your studies is more likely to demonstrate greater potential and determination than someone who went to a school like Chilton were they are trained and coached excessively.

[–] perfect_lover2012 8 years ago

Rory went to Chilton so Lorelai would have to make an arrangement with her parents and be apart of their lives. I would assume that Rory didn't have access to certain advanced classes at that particular public high school. It really depends on your location because some neighborhoods are zoned to the best public schools while some aren't so parents opt for private schools. Realistically Lorelai wouldn't have a house nearly that big.

"When life gives you lemons"
Jessica D: sleep with their fathers and have secret lemon children

[–] barbarapaulmayer 8 years ago

Lorelai wasn´t working as a maid at that point, at least we could assume that. She was a manager, second in command after Mia and earned much more than a maid when the show started. Lorelai was a hard worker and beloved by Mia, so I guess she worked as a maid for maybe the first 2 years, then was the head maid or whatchamacallit, I guess this could be for another 2 years or maybe 3-4, so she would be the manager at least for 2-3 years when the show started.

She probably has to pay most of her monthly income towards a mortgage. First, I thought she may had a trust fund that kicked in when she was about 25 to pay for that house, but we discussed that in another thread and somewhere Lorelai stated that the 75000 for her birthday from Richard were the biggest sum she ever had, so that is probably not the case.

So maybe Mia co-signed a mortgage, so Lorelai was able to get it and now she spends almost her complete income to pay that off.

I personally think the house is kinda small for the US, at least it does not seem that big. I would say about 100 qm on the first floor and the second floor maybe a bit smaller, until the redo in season 6. So in total maybe about 150 qm or so. I would say that is normal to small, but not really unusual big.

In one episode they had the laundry machine on the porch (Rory went through the back door to get to the laundry machine). Rory had to give up her room for Gigi. You would not do these thing if you had enough space inside.

[–] Jen_luvs_salad 8 years ago

With regards to the private school thing, wouldn't a letter of recommendation mean more coming from a school like Chilton?
Just because it would be assumed the workload is much higher and it is much more competitive?

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

In regard to private schools, I am baffled by this issue as well (being from Australia). Here it's the same deal as the OP described in the UK - private school kids actually do worse than public ones once they get to uni, because they're used to being pushed for results and don't develop personal motivation and work ethic like the high-achieving public school kids that have to learn to survive the system without much individual attention.

But I'm guessing that our education system is much more egalitarian: you don't need anything other than grades to get into even into the country's top uni. It seems like in the US you need to do lots of dirty politics on top of this - recommendations, connections etc. If the picture this show is painting is true - then going into Chilton is more about bribery (high tuition in exchange for recommendation) than about the quality of the education.

[–] A_Llama_Drama 8 years ago

And yet they all succeed in getting good jobs after graduating despite their grades... it's called nepotism and is embedded in most cultures.

My teenage angst has a body count

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

Considering the house, I'm more bothered by why Lorelei actually needed a house over the affordability issues. 2 people without pets or gardening needs would find life more convenient in 2-bed apartment. There would be lower costs and hassle with the upkeep - no need to worry about gutters or shovelling the snow, for example, as encountered by Lorelei in the show.

What's even stranger is that she doesn't consider selling the house and buying a small apartment when she's in need of money for the inn construction. There is even less need of a house when Rory lives at uni.

[–] nuhor_lir_gurenna 8 years ago

Lorelai is kind of a nester. She settles into a place and won't leave. She wouldn't even buy a new car.

A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

[–] chazpboro 8 years ago

I've always assumed that the 10/11 yrs spent living in the potting shed saved thousands. No rent, utilities, food at the inn. She could have saved a huuuge deposit. I'm also from the uk, and propery is massively more expensive here. If you have a look at some real estate websites you'll get an idea - not major cities.. you'd need to sell a couple of vital organs and maybe a soul for New York.
Tried to pick a similar propery and location. http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/208-Wooster-St-New-Britain-CT-06052/57754982_zpid/ - this is around 140k in English and its 3 beds. Bigger, property market has risen etc.. she had to do up the house when she bought it. She could have paid as little 110k US for it.
As for the college or uni admissions, private schools aaalways help. Ever hear of a kid from Eton or St. Benedicts get refused a college place? That's not to say you can't get in to some of the best uni's in England coming from a regular state run academy. I understand why the private school, 35000 applications every year, only 2000 get in. You need as much help for that place as possible.
I'm more a state run parent myself :)

[–] nuhor_lir_gurenna 8 years ago

but actually having gone to a public (or state) school, achieving the same kind of grades

But that is the key, isn't it. You are unlikely to have the same grade.

In case of Rory, she was the bottom of the class when she attended Chilton and ended up with top grade, so her grades improved drastically in short period of time.

A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

she was the bottom of the class when she attended Chilton and ended up with top grade

But aren't grades scaled via standardised tests in the US in senior high school? To me it still seems that a valedictorian in a public school would have more strength of character and individual drive than one in Chilton, because no one pushes you for results in public school and because they got there without luxury facilities and resources. Good students in public schools develop better life skills than good students in private ones because they are not sheltered.

[–] nuhor_lir_gurenna 8 years ago

That is true, then again my point is that the same person through private school might end up in ivy league and in public school would have much less chance.

If you are a parent and money is no object, which one would you choose for you children to go? Even awaring the fact that if your children made it in ivy league through public school they would have more life skills and success.

A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

Well, it makes sense in terms of keeping the circle of elitism going, as disgusting as it is.

[–] super-staff 8 years ago

It kind of bothers me that people automatically assume going to private school equals elitism. A lot of kids go to private school because the environment is more study focused, and less crowded than public schools. I almost went to a private school, despite the expense, during my middle school years due to having been bullied really badly and also not feeling stimulated enough by the way lessons were being taught. Unfortunately, I failed the math portion of the entrance exam. My husband also went to a private school (Catholic) all his life, and based on what he's told me, the experience was much different than mine in public school. It's not perfect, but the standards are different, there's more opportunities for advancement given, and the environment is less hectic. That can be more attractive to a lot of parents/students than what public schools offer.

[–] nuhor_lir_gurenna 8 years ago

I agree. My colleague put his kid through private school despite the fact he lives in the suburb with the best public school in Australia (Killara high School) and cost. His reason was simply, he went there and had a look and he found out kids there smoke. He also thinks private schools also have better extra curricular activities, like sports and arts.

A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

I have nothing against private schools if they are genuinely used for attaining a better education. I just hate that they can give unfair advantage for university admission, as seen in the Chilton-Harvard-Yale situation in the show because of an existing school hierarchy of prestige, not because of individual achievements of students. Considering the skills shortage in Western countries, it makes zero sense to waste human talent like that.

[–] nuhor_lir_gurenna 8 years ago

because of an existing school hierarchy of prestige, not because of individual achievements of students.

I don't live in US, but it seems it still comes down to individual achievements of students. Like OP said, for college admission public school students with the same test score actually have more advantage.

Private schools I think just push students harder and more motivated (for their prestige) to help students preparing entrance of universities.

Public schools on the other hand have no real reason to push students, unions insisting against any kinds of teacher's performance standards did not help either.

A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

[–] LoBo_77018 8 years ago

From the outside the house looks big but inside its not that big. Entry, living room, eat in kitchen and two bedrooms.

My cousins live in California where real estate is super expensive. They were able to buy a place by setting up a mortgage with a big balloon payment at the end. At the end of the term they just refinance the balloon payment. Perhaps Lorelei set up something like that??

[–] zendatrim 8 years ago

You have to remember this started in 2000, when Rory was 16. So take off 10 years and it was 1990 there was a housing slump in the USA then. Also this is a small town in the sticks, and the house was TINY. Really 1 bedroom upstairs, and a small bathroom, kitchen, and lounge, and the room came off which was rories, which could have been a partition from the kitchen/diner etc. Remodelled.

The house was small and needed a lot of repairs hence Luke was always there fixing things. So i expect when she bought it, it was a fix me up, so very cheap. Also living in a potting shed she would have saved money. I dont think the house would have been very expensive at all..... dont forget there was a fight over that huge house with kirk and luke which even in 2006 was only valued at way under 250,000 dollars......

I think she would have afforded the house, and probably had help with 20percent deposit for Escrow.

As to private schools, they would go to a private school to get to harvard, as they are recommended etc. If you note non of the remaining students went to harvard or yale. Its all so different there, i have lots of friends who live in the states.

You cant pitch us lot in the UK against the machinations of the USA, its totally different, a different world if you have money thats for sure.

[–] fachowfriend 8 years ago

In the US the reality is that some public schools wouldn't be competitive and respected enough to necessarily impress the admissions board at universities like Harvard and Yale. Sure, being a valedictorian anywhere helps, but Harvard would know which schools are far less challenging than others. Top private high schools always send many students to Ivy League schools. Rory was just trying to to raise her odds. Also, remember that she struggled when she first got to Chilton...it's clear that it was far more challenging than her previous school.

[–] zendatrim 8 years ago

Yes well it may have been to start challenging but she went from being totally challenged and out of her depth to becoming valedictorian, so she obviously was capable, just had to catch up. I think its just a t.v. programme anyway and i never take them too seriously lol. I find her a bit of a spoilt brat to be honest when things dont go her way she strops of has a melt down. This is probably reality when she has be brought up by a clinging mother.

I cant wait to watch the year in a life coming november 25th, shame the series ended so badly.

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

Thanks for explaining that. It seems that the chasm between public and private schools is unusually wide in the US.