Death of the 'McMansion': Era of Huge Homes Is Over

[Texacon]

Yeah, these are the people who claim to love freedom.

RamboLiberal  (1000+ posts)        Thu Aug-19-10 05:24 PM
Original message
Death of the 'McMansion': Era of Huge Homes Is Over
 They’ve been called McMansions, Starter Castles, Garage Mahals and Faux Chateaus but here’s the latest thing you can call them — History.

In the past few years, there have been an increasing number of references made to the “McMansion glut” and the “McMansion backlash,” as more towns pass ordinances against garishly large homes, which are generally over 3,000 square feet and built very close together.

What sets a McMansion apart from a regular mansion, according to Wikipedia, are a few characteristics: They’re tacky, they lack a definitive style and they have a “displeasingly jumbled appearance.”

Well, count 2010 as the year the last nail was hammered into the McCoffin: In its latest report on home-buying trends, real-estate site Trulia declares: “The McMansion Era Is Over.”

http://www.cnbc.com/id/38757287



Good. Fits in with the death of the Hummer!
 

God these people piss me off.  They claim to love freedom and they are CHEERING city ordinances that will ban what someone can build.  F*CK these people.  I don't want to live around them.  EVER.

I don't have a McMansion or even a large home but I'll be damned if I would begrudge any human of wanting to live in what they want. 

HEY DUmmies.  I live in a restricted subdivision so I don't have to live around YOU.  You are not allowed to bring your tent and VW van in here to live in.  BUT I don't care if you want to live in them. 

This thread has close to 150 posts and a very positive rec .... it makes me sick.

KC

[longview]

I don't understand wanting a large house.  I'm very frugal and get called a minimalist. 

But, like you Texacon, I support others freedom to have it if they can and want.  I find the DU criticism insincere and sounding more like petty jealousy.

[Texacon]

tridim  (1000+ posts)         

Thu Aug-19-10 05:29 PM
Response to Original message

5. Let's start dividing them up into duplexes
 
We can probably fit 4 units into each house.

As a former architect this is great news. I orginally got out of architecture because I hated the McBuildings I was forced to "design". It was depressing.
 

Sure you were an architect.  Liar.

JuniperLea  (1000+ posts)       

Thu Aug-19-10 05:32 PM
Response to Reply #5

7. I used to hate that idea...
 So many gorgeous Victorian homes in my neighborhood were cut up that way, "bastardized" is how I referred to it... but in this case, I say BRILLIANT IDEA!

There's one McMansion a block from my house that is now being used by Buddhist monks... I kind of like that.

Oh, so they're ok as long as they are used for something YOU approve of huh?  What if they are filled with tax paying Christians?  No?  I can only imagine.

crazyjoe (472 posts)     

Thu Aug-19-10 08:39 PM
Response to Reply #15

64. why don't you go back to being an architect ? 
   

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tridim  (1000+ posts)         

Thu Aug-19-10 10:10 PM
Response to Reply #64

74. I've been trying to get back in, but I haven't practiced since 1995.
 It's tough, especially right now

Come on .... fess up tridim.  You are a loser and can't get a job and you are lying about being an architect.

Mariana  (896 posts)     

Fri Aug-20-10 01:01 AM
Response to Reply #9

89. I read that article in the Atlantic and I think it was right on.
 I live in one of these things, an early version - it's smaller and more attractive than the newer monstrosities, kind of a proto-McMansion, if you like. I'm telling you it requires damn near constant maintenance to keep up, not just the homes themselves but the yards, too. It's a real pain in the ass, and if they ever become rentals with absentee landlords who skimp on maintenance, they'll turn to shit in no time.
 

Yeah, when a DUmmie owns one it is ALWAYS 'better'.

OMGosh.  I missed this.  In response to tridim's claim of being an architect;

crazyjoe (472 posts)     

Thu Aug-19-10 08:38 PM
Response to Reply #5

63. ya, I'm a former astronaut but I quit because we need to 
 spend our money here on earth and not up in space!!! It was depressing. 

 

Whose mole?!

Ok, I'll leave y'all to it.  This is a horrible, horrible thread.

KC

[dandi]

Yeah, they're all "abominations" unless it's a rich Democrat pol who builds one. Then it becomes, "nobody's business how they spend their money."

 

[true_blood]

Stupid DUmmie idiots!!
They hate that people can have nice things when they work hard for them!! Well,....I got news for you stupid f'en DUmmies. Take a walk. I'll buy what I want, when I want, how I want. Take your liberalism/progressive thinking and shove it your idiotic ass!!

[DumbAss Tanker]

Does this mean Bobo the Hobo has to trade down to a sub-compact?

 

[Boudicca]

Yeah, they're all "abominations" unless it's a rich Democrat pol who builds one. Then it becomes, "nobody's business how they spend their money."

 

Beat me to it!
I HATE a ****ing hypocrite worse than damn near anything else in this world.

[AllosaursRus]

Yeah, I'm with them! Let's start with AlGore's waste of resources, then move on to John "the ambulance chaser" Edwards!

Oh, we can't do that? What's that you say? They earned the right to their huge carbon footprint and extravagant waste, 'cause they're down for the environment? The hell you say?

I doubt McMansions are over. I agree they're probably gone in all those "blue" cities run by DemoncRats, but out here in fly over country there's plenty of space, I we don't give a rusty what you build as long as you keep it far enough away from our property lines!

You DUmmies need to crawl back into your cardboard refrigerator cartons, tucked away in mommy's basement, and let the adults take care of it.

[Texacon]

Here's a fun exchange;

Mnemosyne  (1000+ posts)       

Thu Aug-19-10 06:23 PM
Response to Original message

32. Tell that to my sister, wife of a border patrol thug, who has bought 2 in the 

 last 4 years. One for $290,000 and another for $280,000, on a border patrol 'agents' pay, both over 2400 sq. ft for only three people.



Her FAUX-news watching, modeling and bar-tending degree have taken her far.    


These people base their own value, and others, based on what they own, not on what kind of people they are, really kind of sad...

 

crazyjoe (474 posts)     

Thu Aug-19-10 08:44 PM
Response to Reply #32

65. are you saying a 2400 sq ft house is a mcmansion???
 maybe it's me but this tread is really stupid.

 

Mnemosyne  (1000+ posts)       

Sat Aug-21-10 02:26 AM
Response to Reply #65

149. It is to me. n/t

Ok, so Mnemosyne is not only too stupid to realize that being a Border Patrol agent is a real job but is making fun of her sisters success while at the same time calling a 2,400 sq. foot home a McMansion.

Something tells me Mnemosyne thinks anyone who lives in a larger mobile home than she does is too wealthy and should have their decks taken off their trailers and given to others who only have stairs.

No offense to anyone here who lives in a mobile home ....I just don't see many conservatives who STAY in mobile homes for long.

KC

[RobJohnson]

Interesting.

I bought a house this month. It's 2722 square feet. It's a very good investment. Check out my facebook photos for pics.

I hope the shadow from my carbon footprint keeps the DUmmies in the dark.

Unemployment is 19% in my town. I took advantage of the foreclosure market. 

[JohnnyReb]

Back in the late '60's and early 70's there was a government housing program (I believe it was called "235" loans) that helped the less fortunate to buy homes in the 1,000 to 1,200 sq.ft. range. So, I guess anything above that is a McMansion, huh.

[Texacon]

Interesting.

I bought a house this month. It's 2722 square feet. It's a very good investment. Check out my facebook photos for pics.

I hope the shadow from my carbon footprint keeps the DUmmies in the dark.

Unemployment is 19% in my town. I took advantage of the foreclosure market. 

That's what the market is all about.  Congrats on your purchase!

KC

[debk]

Just read Wiki's definition of a McMansion.  Hmmmm....who knew?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMansion

I do think this is the "key" in description though..."McMansion is a pejorative term for a large new house which is judged as pretentious, tasteless, or badly designed for its neighborhood". Another point was "shoddy construction".

So if your house is well built, blends in with the neighborhood, and is over 3000 SF....it's not a "McMansion".  

It's a nice house, in a nice neighborhood, and you like it.

[Chris_]

I don't understand wanting a large house.  I'm very frugal and get called a minimalist. 

But, like you Texacon, I support others freedom to have it if they can and want.  I find the DU criticism insincere and sounding more like petty jealousy.

When we were house hunting, we looked in the range of 1,200-1,700 sq feet.  Anything above 1,700 sq ft just seemed like too much for us.  But I have no problem with people who have 12,000 sq ft homes.  I'm not paying their electricity bill. 

[DefiantSix]

Just read Wiki's definition of a McMansion.  Hmmmm....who knew?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMansion

I do think this is the "key" in description though..."McMansion is a pejorative term for a large new house which is judged as pretentious, tasteless, or badly designed for its neighborhood". Another point was "shoddy construction".

So if your house is well built, blends in with the neighborhood, and is over 3000 SF....it's not a "McMansion".  

It's a nice house, in a nice neighborhood, and you like it.

Basically a "mcMansion" is any place that sets a DUmbass' envy gland into overdrive.  There, word defined.

[Chris_]

Interesting.

I bought a house this month. It's 2722 square feet. It's a very good investment. Check out my facebook photos for pics.

I hope the shadow from my carbon footprint keeps the DUmmies in the dark.

Unemployment is 19% in my town. I took advantage of the foreclosure market. 

As long as you hand out drugs for a living, you'll never be unemployed.

Awesome house.

[BlueStateSaint]

Basically a "mcMansion" is any place that sets a DUmbass' envy gland into overdrive.  There, word defined.

And if that's all that does it, I want one!

[PatriotGame]

Mnemosyne  (1000+ posts)       

Sat Aug-21-10 02:26 AM
Response to Reply #65

149. It is to me. I live next door to Bobo-The-Hobo in a 12 sq. foot Frigidaire refrigerator cardboard box.

f1x0r3d...

[crockspot]

Garage Mahal.... I like the sound of that. I want one.  

One of the guys on my island has a garage that makes me salivate every time I drive by. I was in it when I was shopping for homes a few years back, and I would have lived in that garage. It is a two story gambrel style, on a 24x36 footprint. From one end is two garage doors accessing a 24 x 24 space (two 12 x 24 parking bays), and around the back on the side is another bay door, and another 12x24 bay perpendicular to and walled off from the other two, which he had set up as a workshop. Up the stairs was a wide open 24x36 flat. I looked at it in November, and it was pretty cold outside, but quite cozy inside from the passive solar coming in the windows. The guy built it himself, and I dream about having him build me one some day.

[NHSparky]

Interesting.

I bought a house this month. It's 2722 square feet. It's a very good investment. Check out my facebook photos for pics.

I hope the shadow from my carbon footprint keeps the DUmmies in the dark.

Unemployment is 19% in my town. I took advantage of the foreclosure market. 

Lemme guess--you probably picked your house up for LESS than I picked up MY 1900 sq. ft. "McMansion" on an acre-plus.  A former SCC poster threw that one in my face, right before the bitter angry lesbian picked up a "historic" home for herself and her strap-on buddy.

Dammit.  Then again, my assessment dropped about 20 percent from the time I bought it to now.

[Ptarmigan]

Interesting.

I bought a house this month. It's 2722 square feet. It's a very good investment. Check out my facebook photos for pics.

I hope the shadow from my carbon footprint keeps the DUmmies in the dark.

Unemployment is 19% in my town. I took advantage of the foreclosure market.  

You can get some mighty good deals with foreclosed homes. Sometimes, you have to inspect to make sure it is not trashed by the previous owner. Other than that, it is a fire sale.

For me personally, I would not like to live in a McMansion because it is a lot of work and maintenance and I would like to keep that to a minimum. I hate those hypocrites who complain about McMansions.

[debk]

You can get some mighty good deals with foreclosed homes. Sometimes, you have to inspect to make sure it is not trashed by the previous owner.

Even if they have been trashed, the price is often so low, that it's still a very good deal.

Many (the property itself) will qualify for rehab loans. This is usually dependent upon where the house is located. Either an urban area, where home improvement will bring up the value of the area, or to prevent a subdivision value from decreasing due to the property becoming a blight on the neighborhood.

[Ptarmigan]

Even if they have been trashed, the price is often so low, that it's still a very good deal.

Many (the property itself) will qualify for rehab loans. This is usually dependent upon where the house is located. Either an urban area, where home improvement will bring up the value of the area, or to prevent a subdivision value from decreasing due to the property becoming a blight on the neighborhood.

Oh yeah. At least cleaning it up is not that expensive. I could not pass such a deal like that. 

[Chris_]

Even if they have been trashed, the price is often so low, that it's still a very good deal.

Many (the property itself) will qualify for rehab loans. This is usually dependent upon where the house is located. Either an urban area, where home improvement will bring up the value of the area, or to prevent a subdivision value from decreasing due to the property becoming a blight on the neighborhood.

We were told we could get up to $50,000 in a rehab loan on certain homes if they were trashed.  We saw one house that was so bad.  The rehab loan would have done nothing.  The cupboards, sinks, toilets, tub were all gone.  Holes in the walls, mold in most areas, broken windows.  It was awful.  They were still asking $115,000 (sold for $386,000 in 2004) for it.  What a joke.  It was a beautiful home otherwise.  Whoever bought it has to put a lot of money into it.  For us, it obviously wasn't worth it since we were looking from homes that were move-in ready.

[debk]

Oh yeah. At least cleaning it up is not that expensive. I could not pass such a deal like that. 

Sometimes it's a lot more than just cleaning up.

Light fixtures, plumbing - pipes, fixtures, faucets, appliances, countertops and cabinets, carpeting, heat pumps, hot water heaters....any or all may be gone. Holes in walls....I see a lot of holes about the size of someone's fist or foot....they have a distinctive look.

One of the worst though, that was not a trashout(removal of personal property and cleaning) situation (some of those are so awful)....was one that looked like someone had stood on a ladder and peed on the walls.... either that or they had incredible aim to hit 6-7 feet up on the wall!!!  

Sometimes....there's really nothing wrong with them....that a little paint, carpet, yard cleanup, won't fix.

I have to go to one in the next two days....depending on what it looks like....I may post some pics.