No more McMansions

[Cantousent]

or are you just happy to see me?

 

Here's an article about communities in the United States limiting the size of houses. I'm neutral on the laws restricting size. On one hand, why shouldn't folks be able to do what they want with their money. On the other hand, if there is some clear disadvantage to the community in folks building these house, then the community has the right to limit house sizes in the same way it can limit liquor licenses or building codes.

 

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/business/articl...S00010000000001

 

My brother has a 4,000 square foot house and a maid. For those of us who don't have that kind of scratch, it seems on the ostentatious side, but at least it's not a 17,000 square foot house. Ugh, and even 4,000 sq.ft. seems like a monster to me. That size house for 4 people? It doesn't make any sense. It's not more comfortable.

 

Now, my mom and dad and sister bought a 2,600 sqft house and I've always liked it best of all the Vegas crowd. Recently, they put their house on the market and purchased a 3,300 sqft house. The new one just doesn't feel the same to me. I don't like it as much. It's more work (and work for them means calling me) and not as cozy. That house cost them just shy of a half a million dollars. If they'd bought it around me, it would have cost over a half a million. In LA or Orange counties, it would have cost over a million dollars for such a house.

 

Anyhow, it's strange to think of someone building a 17,000+ sqft house. I guess if you're filthy, stinking rich, you've got to do something to show everyone else.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Your houses are pretty good value for the size.

[Surreptishus]

Pfft, you yanks with your space and cheap houses. <_<

 

 

That amount will get you on average about 600sqft in Greater London.

Edited February 21, 2006 by Surreptishus

[Hurlshort]

I bought a 910 sq. ft. condo in August for $355,000. I now hate your parents.

[Gabrielle]

I want something big, like a castle. You Euros have plenty of those.

[Moose]

**** me, your houses are cheap

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

I want something big, like a castle. You Euros have plenty of those.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Castles are horribly drafty.

 

I used to want to live in a castle, but I changed my mind after spending the week up in Scotland.

[Hurlshort]

Well, that's in Vegas. It's a desert. I guess if you want to live in a desert, you don't have to pay too much.

[Cantousent]

Yeah, and those houses are more expensive than they were a few years ago. In the city of LA, they couldn't possibly afford what they have now, let alone the county.

 

I have a friend who works for AMD. We went to look at houses up in Milpitas CA about 5 years ago. There was a house, 1,165 sqft that was selling for 410,000 bucks. Prices are even higher now. It's nuts.

 

...But the question isn't 1,165 or 4,000 sqft. The question is 17,000 sqft.

[Enoch]

I quibble with your use of the term 'McMansions.' A McMansion generally refers to one of a series of large homes (3000+ sq.ft.) put up by a developer in previously undeveloped land (often former farmland). 3-car garages and ridiculously vaulted ceilings are common features. They're often substantially identical to one another. A 17000 square foot home, though, is probably an actual mansion, uniquely custom built to the owner's specifications. People putting down that much cash don't pick out of a floor plan catalogue.

 

Anyhow, restrictive zoning is as old as the hills (or at least as old as Euclid v. Ambler Realty). Usually such rules place minimums on building size, but maximums are not unheard of (and minimum setbacks and building footprint to lot size ratios are quite common). Given the townie/ski bum class warfare that often goes on in areas like Aspen, its unsurprising that some anti-mansion rules have made their way onto the books.

 

As for why people would build such gigantic monstrosities, well, your guess is as good as mine. I'm just hoping that the housing bubble deflates considerably before I have to move to the DC area in August.

[Moose]

Well a detatched house in the south of England will easily cost you over $850K so to be honest the smart move as a Brit is probably to sell up and move to the U.S... you could probably live in a palace for that over there.

[Cantousent]

I used the term from the article, Enoch. I didn't coin the term myself. ...And I'm talking about the 15,000+ homes.

[Gromnir]

Pfft, you yanks with your space and cheap houses. <_<

 

 

That amount will get you on average about 600sqft in Greater London.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

ain't got nothing to do with being a yank. park avenue real estate makes most of greater london looks cheap. buy some boggy bit o land in northern england for more or less than what it cost to buy on chicago's gold coast? maybe you is one of the handful of mainlanders that managed to own a shack on kuai...see how much that costs.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

...But the question isn't 1,165 or 4,000 sqft.  The question is 17,000 sqft.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

What would we like to live in one ?

 

No , although I wouldnt mind large grounds with a stables like my folks had. As long as It wasnt me doing the cleaning up.

 

I'm too lazy for a house that big I'd have to have a golf cart or something to drive to the kitchen.

[Enoch]

I used the term from the article, Enoch.  I didn't coin the term myself.  ...And I'm talking about the 15,000+ homes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah, I hadn't noticed it in there. I think the author was being a bit sloppy in that case-- I don't think the Arlington VA ordinances were made to deal with full-on mansions. Lumping it in with Aspen is a stretch.

[taks]

it's about $120/sq. ft. out here in colorado springs... with the average somewhere in the $250k range for a 2000 sq. ft. home with an unfinished basement. that includes land and all your hook-up fees (which are expensive). finishing the basement is about the best deal because it only costs $25/sq. ft. and actually returns better than 1:1 if you do it when you build.

 

denver, however, is ridiculous. the same $250k house up there (say, in littleton) is probably $350k and it gets worse in some neighborhoods (cherry creek area).

 

taks

[taks]

oh, btw, on topic, there's a big deal about this going on in aspen right now. apparently the area has decided that it is already rich and snooty enough. at $650/night in a comfort inn near the base of ajax in the off season, you'd think they'd be worried about other things than some rich folks and their big houses.

 

taks

[Cantousent]

Where the hell do you find folks to take care of the services you need? I mean, comeon, there has to be problem with finding enough people willing to drive from outside of the area to do the work. They still need policemen, garbagemen, and all sorts of other folks to provide services in the community. Don't they?

[taks]

where?

who are you referring to?

 

taks

[Cantousent]

I was talking about Aspen. Sorry, just popping in and out trying to confuse the issue.

[WITHTEETH]

Its nice to have nice things. I'd live to go to one of those houses and gawk for awhile at the architects work, Its a form of art to me, is ther something wrong with that?

[Kor Qel Droma]

I was looking at a transfer at work a couple of years ago. The town I was going to go to was Canmore, just outside of Banff, Alberta. A mobile home ( thats a trailer in other words) was selling for 250K. That's freaking retarded. Needless to say I told them (politely, of course) to shove it up their collective asses.

[Darque]

I want something big, like a castle. You Euros have plenty of those.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I want something like a secret base with my own private army and airbase (w00t)

[Gabrielle]

I want Area 51.

[Cantousent]

You'll have to take it from the government, Gabs.

 

You misunderstood me, TEETH. I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was only pointing out that the community has the right to set limits on the size of these houses if that is their desire. Personally, as long as it doesn't cause congestion on the roads or other such nonsense, it seems that these mansions, 15,000+ might help the local economy. Someone has to build the house. The house owners probably need someone to clean the house and maintain the grounds. There is undoubtedly a lot of work to be done just to keep up the place.

 

If someone is rich enough to buy a mansion, let them. It's his money and he is free to spend it within the confines of the law. However, the community agrees on the code, so if they don't want a 15k sqft house, that's the way it is. The potential housebuyer can go and buy a smaller house somewhere else.

 

BTW: KQD, good idea. My sister recently applied for and was offered at a job in LA county. Even at six digits, she would still have had less money than in Henderson, and so she declined the position. Making more money isn't always the answer when it comes to jobs. If you have to take an 1,100 house for the same price you've paid for a 3,300 house in Henderson, then you're not getting ahead.

 

The housing prices have been growing quite rapidly in Las Vegas/Henderson. It is, as I write this, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. It has been moving in and out of the number one spot for some time. I'm quite taken by Las Vegas, and not only because it's my home town. It has beautiful scenery, a night life second to none, and is close to interesting natural and mad made features. The only problem is, I'm not enamored of the 120 degree summers and the freeways in the area are constantly under construction. Sure, land prices will be higher where the population density and demand are greater. Still, that's probably why the national population is moving west and south.