ah, it's the mix of eras and styles that hopefully works in the end... though you're right, Ive never quite seen those shabby old slum buildings looking quite so good. Its a terrible picture of Verve though.
I wasnt having a go at your camera... just saying that you didnt capture a flattering view of Verve, tiny off in the distance and the haze. But you make a good point, its a real laugh if you just hold off on buying electronics items for a few years... the prices take a nice dip. I remember paying $650 for a SONY vcr in about 1992 - it was a top end model though and its still working great, but you couldnt find one for half that price now.
p.s. Nikon D80 is a great choice! What lens(es) does it come with? My Sony A100 came with a 17 - 80 mm which is pretty versatile giving you a decent wide angle on the short end and decent zoom on the long end...