McMansions - to make my previous post complete

Otherwise, it wd be incomplete, right.

 

Live in a 4000 sq ft house with wife and 5 kids just outside the city on 5 acres with trees, stream, etc. Perfect size for us, could even be bigger. Only regret is that I did not move here sooner so that my older kids could have enjoyed building tree houses, etc. the way my younger kids have. House is designed to entertain with a large great room and less than 1 mile from the high school, so my older kids bring over a bunch of their friends everyday for lunch… and after school… and on the weekends. It is great to be the ‘hang-out place’ for high schooler as opposed to the mall or whatever. As for the extra work/chores, sure it comes with the turf, but the kids are all expected to help out, so it becomes (mostly) a positive family experience. After kids are grown and out of the house, this will hopefully be a place grandkids will love to visit (and there will be enough space to house them), so don’t see myself downsizing. So I agree with RJS- all a matter of perspective and someone’s lifestyle choices.

Comment by Bigger is better - April 7, 2008 at 2:47 pm

The concept that the Suburbs are dying and no one wants McMansions anymore is pure fluff and folly.

While it IS true that the average square foot of new construction is leveling off, that has as much to do with construction costs as it does with any large trends towards smaller housing.

The one thing that is true is that because of the commutes, more and more people will look to move closer “in”. This trend has been taking place for 10 yrs+ nationwide. It doesnt mean no one is going to buy new houses out in the Suburbs or Ex-burbs. It just means demand will change with that. But it certainly wont collapse. Thats where the least expensive housing will tend to be.

Every decade or so, we get a market correction not unlike were having now. Once the prices get “corrected”, demand will go back to where it was before.

Whoever commented that farmers were going to buy back (which they sold to builders in the first place) land to farm again is clueless. They couldnt afford it, even with the raising of Corn prices.

It’s just part of the cycle we go through.