I grew up in a McMansion that my parent bought in the 90's. Can confirm: we had a dining room and living room that we used once or twice a year... and can also confirm that we filled it with expensive furniture and nicknacks. When I went to buy a home myself, I was intentional that I didn't want to buy more than I needed. I feel blessed to have been able to buy a home, but I am also proud that we use every room in the house most days of the week.
@rathelmmc3194
Жыл бұрын
I think its fine to have a formal dining room that's big if everyone in the family (extended family, parents, etc) come over to your house for the holidays. But there were tons of people that had those rooms that never even had people come over.
@Novusod
Жыл бұрын
I wish they would stop building so many of these stupid McMansions. These things are always up for sale when we have a shortage of normal homes.
@rathelmmc3194
Жыл бұрын
@@Novusod Home builders love them though. The price per square foot to produce is relatively low versus what they can charge for them.
@LucasFernandez-fk8se
Жыл бұрын
@@Novusodland and labor is more expensive than in the past. So a high end mcmansion is the only thing that’s sellable. If all the land sellers are greedy and all the workers want higher wages then the builder is fucked on both ends and needs to build both a large home and a well built home. That’s why so many of these new builds are 800,000$ with all the works. Back in 2006 in my metro you could get a shoddily built 3000 sqft mcmansion for 180k. But now they want 600k-1.1 mil for mcmansions. The landsellers are getting greedy in this housing bubble. Also we have a shortage of tradesmen (not that they should have to work for low wages anyway. 50k a year can’t buy you a house anymore 😒)
@sd-ch2cq
Жыл бұрын
@@rathelmmc3194better to just have a living room that's large enough to fit the family when you shove some things aside and add some foldable chairs. Any space you're only using once a year should be folded into another space.
@tamarah2085
Жыл бұрын
I’m so glad you mentioned the “third place”. IMO that’s the worst thing about tract housing developments, whether they’re McMansions or more regular sized houses. Not having anywhere to be, other than inside your house- the isolation and lack of connection with a community is bad for mental health. And our kids and the younger generations are already suffering mental health problems at least partly due to isolation. That’s why when we bought our home almost 20 years ago we prioritized living jn a walkable neighborhood. Even though it’s a relatively small and old (100 years old) home with its own share of maintenance issues the fact that we can walk to a library or the grocery store or a café within a few blocks is so, so valuable. And I love the freedom that’s given our teenage son. I wish the US had more neighborhoods that made that possible.
@chiquita683
Жыл бұрын
But why ignore that many of the people in those communities go to church and other religious organizations as their third place? Religion is much more common in those areas than cities. Also communities in cities are non existent. No one living in San Francisco or Manhattan knows the majority of people that live in their same building, let a lone their block. People on buses and trains in the city don't talk to each other and generally view people that approach them as a threat. You go to these small communities and that is not the case at all
@laurie7689
Жыл бұрын
For an extreme anti-social introvert, like myself, the "third place" is an intolerable place to be. It would mean that I'd be in proximity to other people which is my absolute worst nightmare as I find people to be so horribly annoying. I'm a very private person and prefer solitude as I like my own company the best. Even hearing the voices of other people around me grates on my nerves.
@JetJockey87
Жыл бұрын
There's a great book about this called Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam.
@xoxo_kiyla
Жыл бұрын
@@laurie7689 Wow, that sounds really sad. Maybe one day in the future housing communities will be built by personality type lol. Extreme extroverts, extreme introverts, and then gen pop for the rest of us normies, lol. I would personally love to have a community for people who desire the same lifestyle.
@laurie7689
Жыл бұрын
@@xoxo_kiyla I suspect that it would help with reducing violence. People do better when they are in communities of people like themselves as they tend to feel safer and more comfortable. People already self-segregate whenever they can. It is only natural. We're tribal. Why not in our personalities, too?
@mmps18
Жыл бұрын
I grew up in McMansion hell and it's very true that people end up buying crap for the sole purpose of filling rooms! My family was like this. We had a whole half of our house with a bunch of furniture and a pingpong table collecting dust and no one goes in there except maybe twice a year.
@michellem6826
Жыл бұрын
I do want to add an aspect that was not mentioned in this video. My husband and I bought a larger house a few years ago. We are a multi generational household. We have three generations living in the house. Everyone has a space to be alone but the house has community areas where we gather to eat and have fun. Additionally, our extended family frequently comes and spends the night or several nights. In a time where everything is so expensive, we pool our resources and have a close bond.
@lisawise4204
Жыл бұрын
Now THIS makes sense to have a large house. You’re not living in a house full of unused stuff, but giving your family space to not be on top of each other. My parents’ house is large even though they live by themselves, but for similar reasons. They host guests (including grandchildren and offspring) all the time, so it makes sense to have several bedrooms even though they’re not used daily.
@strangerdanger8462
Жыл бұрын
This, in my opinion is the only justification for having a large house. When all that space is actually utilized.
@loriar1027
Жыл бұрын
@@strangerdanger8462 In all fairness, though, people don't have to justify to anyone how big their house is, whether they use it or not. If it's how they choose to spend their money and it makes them happy, that's their right.
@strangerdanger8462
Жыл бұрын
@@loriar1027 This is a discussion forum about McMansions. No one is saying anyone has to justify anything. Folks are throwing out opinions for and against. Wow! You must be great fun at parties.😂
@annwilliams6438
Жыл бұрын
@@loriar1027The issue is folks feeling that they have to live like this to fit in even if it would not be their first choice. :(
@elizabethwillis885
Жыл бұрын
I feel extremely privileged that I live in a home with less than 1,400 sq ft, built in 1948, in walking distance to schools, shopping, and parks. It forces me to not buy more stuff because it just won’t fit! So I rarely buy any furniture or decor. Plus 1948 closets are quite small. So I can’t have a large amount of clothing. You can say no to fast fashion much easier when you have nowhere to put it!
@thegreenhomefront
Жыл бұрын
I feel the same with a 1600 sq ft 1950s ranch house. There is no basement and only a single car garage. Nowhere to hide stuff! I feel like our life is right-sized. Nearly everything we own is on view every day so we make sure we love it all.
@mmps18
Жыл бұрын
Same!!! Mine's 1400 sq feet exactly and built in 1955. I can walk to 3 parks and a Trader Joe's and several schools (elementary and middle). I feel so blessed.
@happycommuter3523
Жыл бұрын
Same here: 770 sf condo in a small, walkable New England town. I rarely buy anything, and I love it!
@Barnacl3_Boi
Жыл бұрын
I live in a 69 sm home in the UK, balking at these home sizes!!
@bge3328
Жыл бұрын
@@Barnacl3_BoiSame. I'm in Ireland and 1400 square foot for a home is huge here.
@papertweet
Жыл бұрын
Funny how when you’re young and raising a family and in need of a large home you cannot afford it. Later in life when you can afford a larger home, you don’t need it.
@gauriganesh1070
Жыл бұрын
My mom really enjoyed her large house when my siblings and myself were living there. Now that we've moved out, she's exhausted with how much upkeep the house requires for herself and my dad and is ready for apartment life again. Seeing how much it takes to maintain their house, I decided a long time ago I would rather just have a small home or apartment!
@TheNinjapancake14
Жыл бұрын
The larger house probably made sense at the time. A lot of older folk downsize when the kids move out.
@openranks4519
Жыл бұрын
It really doesn’t require much upkeep if no one is living there fool😂
@LucasFernandez-fk8se
Жыл бұрын
Large homes are ideal for families with children. Post retirement though she should downsize so a nice young couple can afford that house. Bish better not list that damn house for 670k though when she knows damn well she paid 150k for it in the 90s 😒
@chiquita683
Жыл бұрын
@@TheNinjapancake14He acts like that is an argument that large houses shouldn't exist. He instead showed exactly why large homes exist. Having to raise a family with 3 kids in a 1 bedroom apartment for $4k a month would not be a great choice
@natelevy1040
Жыл бұрын
@openranks4519 Yes, grass and hedges detect when there's less people in the house breathing oxygen so they don't grow as fast. Also dust can not accumulate if nobody goes in that room to see it.
@CaliHinojosaVids
Жыл бұрын
I rented a townhouse that was built by one of those McMansion developers and it was horrid. I could hear all my neighbors all the time. Sitting next to any window in the winter was freezing. Everything was falling apart and the home wasn’t even 10 years old. ‘Builder grade’ is an absolute scam. Who wants to buy a house that you have to turn around and replace everything in? And while we’re at it, screw whoever convinced everyone they needed to remodel their kitchens in the 90s.
@cynsational7225
Жыл бұрын
You are so right! Also, YESSS whoever decided the 90's were the time to gut all the old school midcentury style kitchens deserved bad karma
@icypeanutpolo
Жыл бұрын
And they replaced them with the ugliest Florence “inspired” design details which were inserted everywhere without attention paid to the actual necessity.
@cyclicmusings2661
Жыл бұрын
Of course, "builder grade" is just a phrase for the absolute cheapest and often low quality materials that is often bought in bulk by developers. I exclusively buy older, cheaper homes in neighborhoods that are not HOA - most houses I lived in throughout the years were about 40 years old at the time of purchase. These houses may have originally had what was "builder grade" decades ago but it was often of higher quality - unless it had things like lead paint or asbestos which I would immediately remove. Pains of an older house aside, I could replace what I wanted as I got the house cheap to begin with. Funnily enough I am dealing with a major kitchen remodel at the moment - one done about 20 years ago, technically from the early 2000s but still scream "90s" with its orange oak cabinets, Corian countertop and white appliances - most of it in good shape but just appear tired.
@cremebrulee4759
Жыл бұрын
I don't know who told you that "builder grade" meant high quality. What it means is cheap. It was what the builder could buy cheaply and in large volume. The same fixtures, cabinets, etc. went into every home they built.
@lv1543
Жыл бұрын
The best of both worlds would be to have towers where each 2 floors could hold a mcmansion. That way you can cram more luxury living spaces. The lower tier single units can be small apts. and for cars, just make giant parking garages or vending machine style ones.
@tonyclemens4213
Жыл бұрын
When my wife and I were looking to purchase a home we wanted a home we could tolerate and pay off as quickly as possible. Bankers were trying to convince us that we should get a home suited to our status in society. We purchased a townhouse and have been mortgage free for 20 years.
@annabarr1304
Жыл бұрын
Same, our banker wanted us to borrow as much as they could lend us. We bought a house 200k less than the bank was approving us for. We have one guest bedroom and my family can't understand why we didn't get something bigger to "host " everyone. Btw my family only visits once a year if we are lucky.
@anaalves3658
Жыл бұрын
You are both highly intelligent people, that saw through the b#llsh@t from the bank and didn't get pressured into buying something you didn't need 👏👏👏👏👏👏.
@tonyclemens4213
Жыл бұрын
@@annabarr1304 When I told the banker if we borrowed more then we would not have enough for a down payment he said "We lend you the down payment and call it a "furniture loan"
@thirstwithoutborders995
Жыл бұрын
@@annabarr1304 Have they heard of hotels, much cheaper in the long run.
@larabraver
Жыл бұрын
Brilliant! I also bought for less than I was pre-approved for.
@rochellesmith8837
Жыл бұрын
We just purchased a 1985 1700 sq ft home in an old neighborhood. It looks dated as hell, but it was clearly a high end builder. Everything feels so solid. We're finding how to properly bring it in 2023 without stripping out all our beautiful wood casement windows and wood trim. I'm so grateful to not have a plastic feeling house.
@tranger4579
Жыл бұрын
Mine was built in 1945. You can't beat the quality build.
@katnap7157
Жыл бұрын
Make sure you keep the wood casement windows, I was reading somewhere or saw in a video that if you take care of them and maintain them, they last a super long time and you won’t have to replace them
@AB-lp8jd
2 ай бұрын
Ours is from the 16th century. I expect we can get another couple of centuries out of it
@ljohnson1908
Жыл бұрын
I’m probably going to be in the minority here, but if you’ve ever had a nightmare of a neighbor then you’ll understand wanting isolation. I don’t necessarily need a McMansion and wouldn’t get one if I couldn’t afford it, but I absolutely want a well built house on acres away from people. I’ve lived in expensive apartments and lower cost apartments, and they all had one or two obnoxious neighbors who would ruin the building. Wanting to buy a single family detached home is something I won’t apologize for because my peace is priceless.
@ElaniaG
Жыл бұрын
this!
@ariwl1
Жыл бұрын
I know this feeling. Lived in apartments most of my adult years and the peace and privacy tradeoff is real. And I've generally had pretty good neighbors but when someone's smoke, be it weed or other, wafts through your apartment or you can hear your neighbors...doing things, while it's certainly not the end of the world it is a point in the con side of a dense housing.
@lemoncat9213
Жыл бұрын
@@ariwl1 I used to live in an apartment and our neighbors were constantly arguing and screaming at their kids. One day I woke up to my neighbors yelling at the kids and I was like "dang it's 7 in the morning. What did the kids do already??" lol.
@ariwl1
Жыл бұрын
@@lemoncat9213 Oh man warring neighbors are the worst. Nothing makes me want to live away on land more than feeling like I have a front row seat to family drama.
@reckonerwheel5336
Жыл бұрын
For a while, I got to live in an apartment with great soundproofing. My neighbour right next to me was a party girl, and I had gone over a few times and while it wasn't crazy loud, it was definitely party noise. I was amazed when whenever I went to the bathroom in my apartment, I could only hear a bit of bass. My fridge was louder. I really wish this kind of soundproofing was the standard and wouldn't make a unit cost a fortune to live in...
@namenamenamename7224
Жыл бұрын
90% of this is due to car culture. My GF and I own a detached single family home that has no garage. We've slowly realized all the benefits are for car culture - working on the car when it's snowing/hailing/raining, using power tools or charging EVs when it's snowing/raining, storing the motorcycles and bicycles in the garage to keep them dry during the cold season... and our resale value takes a hit because no one can store their car out of the elements without a garage.
@aprilroses17
Жыл бұрын
I'm living a version of this now in a smaller apt aspiring for one with a modicum of security to even own a car again after mine was towed right out of my spot so someone else could start parking there
@therealmrsdiz4544
Жыл бұрын
Perhaps, but her car culture argument makes several incorrect assumptions. Like I commented in that video. First, it's almost impossible for the future of cars to be electric. Especially since the utility companies pretty much have a monopoly in most cities, and the infrastructure is nearly 50 years behind, with no urgency to upgrade. In her words regarding sub prime loans, these utility companies are "Extremely predatory" Second, Dems drive trucks too, including UAW members. Third, the majority of the US population lives in the suburbs. Fourth, I'm not going to go so far and say true generational wealth is a myth, but it's exceptionally rare, even with people that lived in the 1950's.The odds of their families still having that wealth today is depressingly low. Finally, poor road maintenance is due to a number of factors, less then quality materials, semi truck loads (yes, I realize this is a fact of consumerism) and weather, etc. Not to mention politicians making crappy deals with the road commissions and the vendors. (Both Dems and Reps are guilty of this.) I'm not a big fan of McMansions. (I live in a 1940's cape cod that is not too big and not too small.) And, I'm not a fan of obsessives consumerisms, but these industries keep a lot of people employed and the economy turning. But that's a whole new critical conversation....
@jblyon2
Жыл бұрын
@@jaredmiller8740 I spend good money for quality durable goods that I shouldn't have to replace. All Clad and LeCreuset cookware, La-Z-Boy furniture, etc. Buy once and keep for decades. My pants? From a thrift store. Decor? Also thrift store. My car? A 9 year old Camry I intend to drive until the wheels fall off. I do have a nice Polo branded jacket...but I bought that off eBay for $23. I refuse to spend any more than necessary on anything that wears out.
@animalluver4ever9836
Жыл бұрын
I grew up in a suburb dominated by McMansions (didn’t live in one) and it definitely left me feeling envious. I didn’t learn about urban planning in until college and how much better our quality of lives could be. Thank you for addressing these issues ❤
@belorama8
Жыл бұрын
My husband and I just bought a home for the first (hopefully only,) time and that alone is a massive privilege, but weirdly it was only possible because no one wanted our adorable 1920s bungalow on a quiet street 2 blocks from a great lake, and 6 blocks from the town main street. But the developments and subdivisions on the other side of the freeway that go for 40,000+ more were hot cakes getting AOs in 48 hours. I don't think I will ever understand other people's priorities.
@samanthasmith9472
Жыл бұрын
That sounds amazing!
@nata3467
Жыл бұрын
Same I got a house that's 1200 square feet for $62,000... Beautiful bungalow in a diverse neighborhood.
@violetlight1548
Жыл бұрын
Congrats! And it's nice to actually see a homeowner who acknowledges how privileged they are.
@InnerGiggles
Жыл бұрын
Sounds lovely. I’d love to find something like that. Enjoy!
@gilliantopaz97
Жыл бұрын
Your house sounds so great!
@ashleyhartadams3939
Жыл бұрын
Growing up, we lived in a comfortable home that was PAID OFF and had been for years. In middle school, my parents decided they “deserved” a bigger house, so they started adding on to our home. The layout was so bad and made no sense. The market crashed, we went bankrupt, and lost the house. So traumatizing. My best memories are of when we grew up in our smaller home. It wasn’t even that small!!!! Plenty of space! Parents have passed on and I can’t help but think of how much generational wealth was lost (especially in our current housing market). Sigh. . .
@superherostepdad
Жыл бұрын
My family and I don’t need/want a ‘McMansion’, BUT we love having a larger home that comes with privacy from neighbors, security, comfort, quiet, a yard for the kids to play in, rooms for everyone to use without being literally on top of each other, and just a great quality of life. Tiny $4500/month NYC shoeboxes aren’t for everyone.
@jadesea562
Жыл бұрын
This comment is the most rational and relatable comment I've read after reading them.for 20 minutes. Fully agreed.
@alisonpepper9575
Жыл бұрын
Same. If I could have bought a smaller house on 2+acres, I would have. But all the houses around me on a lot that size were large houses. After suffering years of terrible neighbors living on top of me in tight neighborhoods, I love having a lot of space between me and neighbors. It makes my life more peaceful, and I love it. Not everyone wants to live in dense neighborhoods. If that's your thing, great, enjoy, but not everyone wants to live like that.
@Sharukurusu
Жыл бұрын
Lifestyles like that are a historical anomaly and are not sustainable without cheap fuel and huge public infrastructure debt subsidizing it. If you work remotely (or work your land agriculturally) it can make some sense, but commuting is very wasteful. You don’t interact with people organically outside of work which can be hugely isolating. (Church can fill this gap but comes with its own set of issues) Medium sized cities are where it’s at IMO, you get enough people for it not to be insular, dull, and lacking economic opportunities like small towns but you don’t get the massive traffic and feeling of isolation from too many people that can happen in big cities. Everyone has different preferences but we need to think practically about how we design the spaces we live in to avoid destroying the environment and culture.
@TheGrownUpMillennial
Жыл бұрын
I’ve visited a fair share of McMansions and the neighborhoods are so eerie. The houses all look the same (and ugly with no character), the insides feel plastic, you don’t hardly see anyone out and about and even if you do, it doesn’t seem like they want to talk to you. We bought a house in a neighborhood built in 1953 - it’s the classic post war suburb, but since it’s 70 years old, the houses have evolved over time, none are larger than 1500 sf, there’s more of a mix of type of neighbors, and we can walk to way more places than we could in a McMansion development. McMansions are truly heinous and I will never live in one.
@timothyandrewnielsen
Жыл бұрын
Such a hater.
@lampyrisnoctiluca9904
Жыл бұрын
They say that the future horror stories will be placed in the mansions built just before the 2008 crash.
@laurastedman2771
Жыл бұрын
My husband, two kids and I lived in an apartment for a year while he was between jobs. I thought i would hate it, but there were lots of great things that outweighed not having extra space. I spent a lot of time getting outside with my kids and our dog and going to the apartment pool. This was because I had to, but also because I wasn't spending so much time inside, taking care of the house. Now that we are living in a house again, I'm trying to be more aware of what we have so all my time isn't taken up with taking care of my material possessions.
@lampyrisnoctiluca9904
Жыл бұрын
❤ Houses are overrated. Or are the apartments underrated? I just know that the difference in the upkeep costs is huge. There is also no lawn to take care of.
@harrisonthorburn7415
Жыл бұрын
My father is an HVAC technician and whenever he works in peoples McMansion style homes, the owners always complain about how difficult it is to maintain consistent temperatures across the house. Those homes aren’t designed well from an airflow and space use perspective, which ends up costing more to heat and cool.
@arieller2483
Жыл бұрын
I'm hearing more from friends and other about living intergenerationally, especially families with young kids who desperately need the support that we historically had from relatives. The single family home as a concept is also isolating for families as well. I wonder how many of these McMansions could be repurposed into multi-generational dwellings allowing for private space, work from home space, and community space within the home.
@MicheleHerrmann
Жыл бұрын
In my hometown, there were beautiful craftsman homes about a century or so old. They had maybe two bedrooms and one bath but amazing details. When new owners bought some of these houses, they decided to level them and build new ones; the end results were out of place eye sores.
@fizzimajig
10 ай бұрын
When I bought my house in 2008, I had to repeatedly remind my realtor that just because the houses were lower in price, I didn’t want more home than I needed as a single woman or that could take care of long term. I kept leaning towards something less than 1500sq ft and no more than 2-3bd and 1-2 bath. This is in Tampa and now after watching the expense of upkeep on those massive homes in my area, I’m even more happy I pushed for a smaller home that I’m still happy with 15years later in a solidly middle class neighborhood. I’ve also almost got it paid off.
@t.c.3393
Жыл бұрын
There were 7 McMansions recently built in my neighborhood, dwarfing the homes around them. It's bad enough that the cost homes in Northern Virginia is so egregious but these things have a starting price of 1.6 million a piece. The biggest one has yet to be sold and every time I drive past it, the mean spirited part of me hopes the builder is hemorrhaging money. Lol
@BenjaminBanks615
Жыл бұрын
😳😳
@anaalves3658
Жыл бұрын
😂😂😂😂. Why are they allowed to build such huge houses? I don't live in the USA but usually you can only build on a set percentage of the total land area, so a Mcmansion wouldn't get approval unless it's on a huge piece of land.
@LucasFernandez-fk8se
Жыл бұрын
@@anaalves3658depends on the municipality but Virginia has large lots, mcmansions can be very small (only 2600-3000 sqft) and even a midsized lot like 7200 sqft often you can build half the lot in home sqftage
@cyclicmusings2661
Жыл бұрын
Recently I purchased a 1,500 SF house built in the 70s - roughly a third in size of what would be considered a "McMansion." The house is space efficient with 4 bedrooms/2 baths - 3 bedrooms are roughly 10x10's which most people would call "tiny" and the master bedroom is just 11x13. Both bathrooms are small and each contain the basic sink, toilet, tub. The house fits my family of 4 comfortably and I really can't imagine "needing" a larger house - mine feels "big" enough as is! But my favorite thing about it - no HOA!
@literarymary4933
8 ай бұрын
This is how my house is, too! Every space is snug, but there are lots of little spaces (4/3 with upstairs and downstairs living rooms). And the view out of every window is lovely. My house is not “goals” to many people, but I couldn’t love it more! ❤
@joshgarrison92
Жыл бұрын
Can we talk about how McMansions are literally subsidized by their dense city centers? Force the suburbs to pay their fair share for road and utility maintenance.
@toin9898
Жыл бұрын
Lots of the infrastructure serving the parasitic suburbs is reaching its end of life, there's a looming parasite suburban bankruptcy crisis as their water and sewage systems need more and more replacement. I for one, will watch it with glee.
@timothyandrewnielsen
Жыл бұрын
Vice Versa punk. Cities are subsidized by the entire nation because theyd all fall apart if we stopped allowing illegal immigration. Suburbs are a way out of those hellholes.
@lampyrisnoctiluca9904
Жыл бұрын
@@toin9898 Where do you live? I don't ask for the proper location, but just is it urban, suburban or rural? What kind of neighbourhood? Also, those are the poor subsidising the rich.
@toin9898
Жыл бұрын
@@lampyrisnoctiluca9904 I live somewhere more densely populated than Brooklyn. Also, that's not how it works. Poor people live in cities or rurally. The suburban lifestyle necessitates a certain amount of money to sustain (cars, increased upkeep costs associated with HOAs, higher utility costs etc etc), they may *feel* poor as their cars bleed them dry but they're usually financially better off than their rural or urban counterparts.
@lampyrisnoctiluca9904
Жыл бұрын
@@toin9898 I was agreeing with you. You misunderstood me. Of course the richest live in the suburbs. I know that. Their infrastructure is being subsidized by the poor of the more densely populated parts of the cities.
@krmendozaa
Жыл бұрын
As a child of immigrants, I dreamt of buying an HOA home that wasn’t necessarily a McMansion, but always wishing we had more space. Now I live in the exact type of home I dreamt of growing up, and while I now realize I don’t need as much space as we theoretically say we need, it is nice to have space to call my own. But living in Vegas, a city filled with McMansions, I’ve been unlearning this idea that in a few years we’re gonna sell to move into a huge house for cheap, and I’ve been accepting and loving the idea of living in my home for many years, as this is more than most of my family has had in the motherland, and because we can always customize the home to use space in a smarter way. My ideal is using tiny home building/storage practices and adapting them to my “normal” home.
@timothyandrewnielsen
Жыл бұрын
What u do for a living in vegas?
@SkySpiral8
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for validating my hatred for McMansions and McMansion neighborhoods. I could watch a whole series on this. Additional reasons to hate them: Their neighborhoods are artificially insular. Developments fail to accommodate displaced wildlife. The houses often lack windows on a whole side. They cause indoor pollution due to all the new carpeting and other materials combined with tight weather sealing that reduces airflow from outside. They deteriorate faster due to cheap materials. They are architecturally a mishmash and often have poor layouts that don’t accommodate family habits.
@carolperdue7534
Жыл бұрын
My home was built in 1939 and is about 1300 sq feet. I'm always complaining about needing more space so its surprising to hear that my home was larger than the average size home at that time. Its funny how our expectations have been manipulated into thinking bigger is normal. Its like we don't even know what "normal" is anymore, everything is supposed to be humongous!
@catherinegreen8440
Жыл бұрын
Many of these houses also have large lots that are turned into chemical and water guzzling lawns. Ugly, expensive, useless. The American Dream.
@happycommuter3523
Жыл бұрын
Plus God only knows how many mature trees were bulldozed to build those houses.
@ariwl1
Жыл бұрын
As a single American, the biggest house I could ever realistically see myself living in would probably max out at 1500 sq ft. That's arguably still too big depending on your perspective but I've spent pretty much all my adult years living in apartments that are at most half that size so you do get a "the grass is greener" effect in regards to space and privacy. But it's definitely a trade off. The bigger something is the more upkeep it requires, and that doesn't even get into lawns which I have a borderline irrational distaste for.
@Mezog001
Жыл бұрын
I have lived in apartments that large as a single person and I found that I used one bedroom and the living room. The other bedroom was not used.
@ariwl1
Жыл бұрын
@@Mezog001 I work mainly from home so one would definitely be an office/multipurpose room.
@grammarnazi12
Жыл бұрын
Hahah I'm looking to buy a home (really, a condo or small town house) right now and a I have learned that lawns and significant sidewalks / driveways are apparently deal breakers for me. As a single woman living alone, I'm tired just thinking of maintaining the lawn or shoveling the snow (I live in Canada). My rule is if I have to buy a lawn mower, I'm out.
@ariwl1
Жыл бұрын
@@grammarnazi12 For real. I would love a garden, but I'm picturing a small backyard with a limited amount of grass. We're talking just enough that I could use one of those manual push mowers and be done in like 5-10 minutes. XD
@Setsunako6587
Жыл бұрын
Your distaste for lawns is correct.
@hopehowell4338
Жыл бұрын
When my spouce and I started looking at homes it has been staggering to realize how inefficient the layouts of ginormous houses. Seriously a bedroom doesn't need to be a suite. And a house that's 3000sqaure feet that only has 3 bedrooms is crazy.
@Libertaro-i2u
Ай бұрын
Although having an ensuite bath in each of 3 or 4 bedrooms is a great thing to have if a house is to accommodate roommates or multiple generations of an adult family.
@allen7585
Жыл бұрын
Bought a 270 sq ft studio 10 years ago in a great walkable neighborhood and my bank account has loved me ever since. Can’t buy useless crap if there is no room for it.
@rallyrally
Жыл бұрын
I don’t want a huge house but I do want land to have a small garden 😢 but builders these days always build houses with 1 foot of land to space, it looks ridiculous
@thomaslusignan762
Жыл бұрын
As Not Just Bikes put it: "We've yot a room for every kid, of course. And this is the guest room. And this is the guests' guest room, in case the guests have guests. There's no gym nearby, so I'm gonna turn this room into a gym. There's no bar nearby, so I'm going to turn this one into a bar. There's no library nearby so I'm going to turn this into a library. There's no church nearby so I'm going to turn this into a zoo. There's no minigolf nearby so... well, you get the idea. Yep, this is the ultimate way to live."
@abrin5508
Жыл бұрын
I bought a McMansion after the last crash - TBH it was a bargain back then and is quite useful when you are working from home. I'll be selling it in the next year or two, pocketing the cash and build something more sensible in size with a bit more land to grow food.
@militarymom6690
Жыл бұрын
When I built my McMansion in 2007 a GC told me they don’t build homes to last anymore because typically people move every 5-7 years so the construction is only solid enough for the first owner. Great….thanks builder for charging an outrageous price for sub par construction. The smaller home I bought after I sold the McM was built in 1957 and has more solid construction (tho I did love the floorplan of my McM we only lived in about 60% of that house…) The movie The Big Short was an excellent journey thru the sub prime wickedness. Thanks for this vid, Chelsea🌺
@Libertaro-i2u
Ай бұрын
The original mansions and castles (those built during and before the Gilded Age) were often designed and built to last centuries as each royal, noble and later, magnate family formed part of their own aristocratic and mercantile dynasties, which would remain in their exalted position for generations upon generations. Each exalted family would have a few residences they would live in periodically.
@cheeryme23
Жыл бұрын
I've seen this firsthand, usually when people start making six figures. I have colleagues who have moved to suburban, even rural areas in order to get the amount of house they think they are entitled to with their earnings. This is exacerbated by the view that it is borderline child abuse to raise children in an apartment in the city.
@PaulRizzo504
Жыл бұрын
I have seen people on single incomes making 23 an hour get one of these then go right to the next step of getting an Escalade because everyone else has one in the neighborhood and they are effectively poor each check. Pools in the backyard that they can never hope to maintain or almost constant repairs from those cheap materials she mentioned. The amount people pay for electricity to cool these monstrosities in Louisiana is obscene.
@Jhddtukbdd87542
Жыл бұрын
@@PaulRizzo504the McMansions in flood zone suburbs in Louisiana with all the SUVs are what I dreamed of growing up in a poor rental South Louisiana neighborhood. Now I realize my parents did the right thing, and our house on piers with old used cars was appropriate for a place that floods so much. A concrete slab foundation with mortgage and flood insurance and a huge leased SUV is just ridiculous. My undergrad peers live that life and I’m not jealous.
@InnerGiggles
Жыл бұрын
Great point about the borderline child abuse view.
@mastersnet18
Жыл бұрын
@@PaulRizzo504$23/hour isn’t even enough to get a tiny house where I live! I need to move to Louisiana if houses are THAT cheap 😂.
@Jhddtukbdd87542
Жыл бұрын
@@mastersnet18 quantity>quality with real estate in Louisiana. Choose wisely with housing there. Flood plains, natural disaster repair history, septic tanks, etc are good things to ask if you find a cheap place.
@gilliantopaz97
Жыл бұрын
While I positively loathed apartment living, I’m glad we have a smallish house. The kids get their own rooms but it isn’t a big open echo chamber or a nightmare to clean.
@elizabethwillis885
Жыл бұрын
I agree. I wish more home building companies would build smaller new homes with better materials instead of giant homes with crappy materials.
@emmasavage9804
Жыл бұрын
The Simpsons only have that home because Homer's father sold his house and gave Homer the money. Also they are frequently shown as struggling with the mortgage.
@tylerforeman667
Жыл бұрын
I buy small houses on large lots in towns where new houses are being built on small lots. Eventually the large lot will either be split or someone will want to build a mansion there. It’s always a “good deal/good idea” if it’s a good company/property etc. market fluctuations are just gravy.
@michaelgraham19871
Жыл бұрын
Get your investments right before venturing into real estate, I leverage on the volatility of the market for significant returns rather than holding and loosing value to the volatility of the market I made my first mill from going diverse, mainly stocks, ETFs, few Cryptocurrencies and bonds. thankful to my now financial advisory Olivia Rene Reyes. It’s a long term plan for me so I invest and re-invest. about to purchase my second property ..she's the best in the business
@stanleyfujiwara1394
Жыл бұрын
An everyday millionaire. Well done
@nataliehinnes5221
Жыл бұрын
found her webpage by looking up her name online.... Her resume is quite outstanding, I'll be writing a mail to her shortly
@adamtennant129
Жыл бұрын
Very entrepreneurial of you
@taylorgreen5908
Жыл бұрын
@@michaelgraham19871 thanks for the tip!
@chrisb7908
Жыл бұрын
I don't like McMansions, nor do I like the need to denigrate those that do
@thetrainhopper8992
Жыл бұрын
I shops for clothing like 3 times per year. Couldn’t imagine it being a weekly occurrence.
@brucegalbraith6029
Жыл бұрын
We resisted the urge to "upgrade" back in the 80's. We bought a townhome, and now are comfortably retired debt free.
@QuantumKitty
Жыл бұрын
I never felt the need to buy a “McMansion” we live in the north east and we bought a cape cod style 1800 sqft home. We are blessed! I like character charm and history. Our home was built 130 years ago and you can still see the fireplace in the kitchen. I’ll never understand why people want new builds. I love owning a piece of history!
@rochelle2758
Жыл бұрын
Excellent, excellent video. With this and the video on unions last week, TFD is on fire lately! I remember reading Sarah Susanka's The Not So Big House years ago, which was an appeal to put the money you have into details you will love about a house rather than sheer square footage.
@drehgonden1103
Жыл бұрын
Lol I’m a wrestling fan as well as a fan of this channel . There’s a guy called the American dream and his son is called the American nightmare. Lol the notification made me laugh bc of that. But this is an important topic tho.
@mstwelvedeadlycyns
Жыл бұрын
Interesting
@drehgonden1103
Жыл бұрын
@@mstwelvedeadlycynsyeah the American dream is dusty Rhodes, he was very popular in his day. The American nightmare is Cody Rhodes. He’s currently the top good guy in the wwe nowadays .
@TheYasmineFlower
Жыл бұрын
The one draw for a large home I see is all the space I would have for books.
@sarahbernhard4939
Жыл бұрын
My family of three lives in a suburban home around 2000 sqft plus a semi finished basement. More than plenty of space for us, yet my MIL thinks we should triple out mortgage to get a bigger house. Insanity! We already have more than we need. What is it about the American obsession with bigger is better?
@sananmitch1
Жыл бұрын
McMansion-ism is alive and well in Texas, fueled (in part, but not entirely) by the current wave of people moving here from other parts of the country, who can afford a lot more house here than where they moved from - so they buy a lot more house. Not because they need it, but because they can afford it. And so smaller houses in existing neighborhoods are torn down to make room for giant homes, and farm land is sold to developers who build seas of huge cookie cutter houses - in gated "communities," sprawling forever outward from the urban areas.
@rachelgreer1518
Жыл бұрын
My Dad lives in a McMansion all by himself and I hate it so much. My mental health worsens when I stay there, and I feel far more depressed and isolated.
@timothyrday1390
Жыл бұрын
I remember in the 90s, my family would sometimes discuss the illogic of people taking on too much debt to live in these big, tacky homes. We had a smaller, fixer-upper farm house in the "inner-city" that our family had paid off by the time of the GFC. The walkability was a big part of the quality of life we enjoyed growing up (albeit in a safe university town).
@danielintheantipodes6741
Жыл бұрын
Personally, I feel that the Gilded Age war between Alva and Alice Vanderbilt played a big part in this. I am Australian and we have much the same issue here. Thank you for the video!
@CurvyGirls
Жыл бұрын
That is where the huge lawns became status, many of those mansions were tore down (even less than 30 years later), it seems to be a human condition to watch others and want to emulate what we think they are about. It does have repetitive cycles from the Gilded Age to Present Day, bust and boom.
@TMendocino
Жыл бұрын
We had a McMansion in San Diego....it was expensive to cool and heat in San Diego where the average temp is 70. We moved to the Bay Area and bought a 1600 sq ft home built in 1929. In a neighborhood of custom homes, tree lines streets, each house different from the other. We can walk to the main street to have dinner, a cocktail, coffee or breakfast. This life-style is worth giving up the huge albatross with the formal living room, bonus room, family room, library (yes a library), 3 1/2 baths and 5 bedrooms for two people. We did love our view. Other than that we never used most of the home except for Christmas. It was ridiculous.
@karenellis1031
Жыл бұрын
It’s no different in Australia- I don’t understand why people want bigger all the time. I had a big house and now I don’t and smaller is so much easier and way less time consuming
@dragonstooth4223
Жыл бұрын
I'm not from America so I didn't understand the feet thing. But when I converted it ... holy crap. My house is about one sixth the size of the minimum size and its enough for me. I actually thought it was big. I can't imagine cleaning a mcmansion. That's horrifyingly huge. No one needs that
@SsHartman
Жыл бұрын
McMansions make me think of Costco. Don't get me wrong, I love Costco for the convenience of buying in bulk, but sometimes when shopping I see merchandise that is clearly for customers that live in hugh mcmansions. Like those big teddy bears they used to sell to 8 foot Christmas trees. I live in a 1918 home that has a lot of storage for its age but there's no way I'd buy Costco furniture or other home goods, The sizes are just too big for my space.
@freeheeler09
Жыл бұрын
After our last move, we looked for a simple, two bedroom home. We don’t have kids and wanted just a bedroom and a guest room/office. No luck.
@kimberlyx4060
Жыл бұрын
Love my solid brick home. I am happy I got it even if it’s from 1960. I have had the garage and part of the home tuckpointed. It’s got it’s downside but it stays cold or warm much easier. I have upgraded so much since 2008.
@PNWGardener
Жыл бұрын
I'm in my 30's. Last year I was fortunate enough to buy a condo that I LOVE that is surrounded by beautiful trees and lovely people (plus it has a pool!). But y'all, my at-home office is also my bedroom. Is it ideal? No. Does it work? Yeah. Older folks keep calling this my starter home, but with the way the US economy is looking I'll feel lucky to be able to keep this place the rest of my life, let alone upgrade!!
@CaraMarie13
Жыл бұрын
I look at those big af houses and my head spins. Like I guess that big af house is a signifier that you can afford a large cleaning company. Bc I would prefer to fight for the park bench around the corner if it meant I didn't have to clean one of those monstrosities.
@joshparker5779
Жыл бұрын
Presumably you afford the cleaning company by renting out all the bedrooms, whether on airbnb or craigslist or whatever
@CaraMarie13
Жыл бұрын
@@joshparker5779I will never complain about the cleaning fees airbnb charges again. All that square footage doesn't clean itself.
@amberdawn444
Жыл бұрын
When I was a kid watching TV and movies I always thought bigger was better for houses... then I realized it's just more toilets to clean!
@ck7506
Жыл бұрын
I've always been wondering if American families just want to avoid each other. Having a kid's room, a family room, a formal living room, a playroom... You never have to see each other 😂 Also kids having their own bathrooms - who checks if they properly brush their teeth?
@down-to-earth-mystery-school
Жыл бұрын
Sometimes they have 2-3 more bathrooms than bedrooms - who is using those extras?
@ZePopTart
Жыл бұрын
@@down-to-earth-mystery-school I love a high bed/bath ratio. I’m always cleaner than all my roommates, and I’m tired of cleaning up somebody else’s pee. Prevents a lot of arguments.
@loborocket
Жыл бұрын
I raised my family of 4 in a 1400sf house. It felt just about “right”. A bit small sometimes when we had parties or gatherings, but that was once or twice a year. Now that it is just my wife and I, it almost feels too big. We may move as we enter retirement, but I am afraid we might not be able to find a nice small house that works for us.
@zwatwashdc
Жыл бұрын
I would say almost all houses over 3000 qualify as a McMansion. This also applies to cottages. On many lakes, most of the ‘cottages’ are well over 3000 square feet. And having visited a few lakes recently in high season. Most are empty or owned by older couples who live almost entirely inside. But big houses are expensive to maintain.
@electricgecko8997
Жыл бұрын
I’ve noticed the newest McMansions now like to be all hard-lined and boxy - a look my architect brother calls ‘Frank Lloyd Wrong’. They’re trying to hide the crassness under a layer of ‘culture’.
@cherryghost15
Жыл бұрын
Parking plays into this as well. A good and surprising book about that specifically is Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar. The subtitle is How Parking Explains the World. I was caught off guard by the facts. It's eye opening.
@jasminewilliams1673
Жыл бұрын
As an expat who may be moving back to the US soon. I’m terrified! I have two small kids, so to obtain an even half baked education, schools are always better in the suburbs. Schools in citites are chronically underfunded. I didn’t realize out the US, all schools are treated exactly the same unless private. I really love raising my kids not in the suburbs.
@LucasFernandez-fk8se
Жыл бұрын
Kids love the suburbs if you don’t limit them. We were never allowed to go past our dead end street when I was growing up (late 2000s and mid 2010s). But when we were allowed the whole neighborhood it was much more fun. There will be neighbor kids to explore with if you don’t force them to stay within your culdesac. Teach them basic vehicle safety and not to go on busy suburban arterial roads and they’ll love it 🤷♂️
@jasminewilliams1673
Жыл бұрын
@@LucasFernandez-fk8se it’s not really like that anymore, I grew up 90s-00s. At least here in Korea it feels more like how I grew up, walking to parks and taekwando and ice cream, 5 playgrounds the boys can get around on their scooters. We hop on the buses and subway. It wasn’t until I left did I realize what it was I didn’t like about the burbs, but sometimes they feel like a fancy jail. When we inevitably move back, I’d love to live more mixed use than a traditional new build home, we don’t need 3000 sf and sidewalks would be nice. Plus pedestrians can’t really exist in the US and everyone drives tanks.
@kurtwillig4230
Жыл бұрын
Listen and learn: avoid multi story houses. All it takes is one injury or illness to make half your house useless to you. Opt for single story whenever possible.
@SienHoornik-m1p
Жыл бұрын
I grew up in a 40 X 12 trailer in a trailer park. It was hell. I will never apologize for loving my big house. Every day I look up at my 20 foot ceiling and smile.
@luvlyrickle
Жыл бұрын
This was so well reported, thank you! Why include parks in the count of 'lawns', though? Golf courses I get. But parks? We all get to use that green space, thankfully!
@PacRimElectric
Жыл бұрын
I'm an electrical contractor that works residential and mcMansions are the worst. Poor quality material and the architects designed the house without maintenance in mind so I if the home owners want a new lighting fixtures or receptacle I will have to cut into dry wall. Just unnecessarily expensive
@jasons5916
Жыл бұрын
Part of the reason for the growth of big houses and especially houses the same size as the lot (no yard) is that developers can charge more for them. Not having a yard maxes out the size of a house on a lot and also lets them cram in as many big houses as they can in the development. If houses are getting smaller now, my guess as to why that is is because they can't find enough buyers at that higher price point, so they have to move down a rung. They're still going to build houses the same size as the lot, however, because they can fit more houses into the land they bought to build them on. It's really annoying for someone who would like to have a yard to garden and have private space outside.
@suzysizzle
Жыл бұрын
The neighbourhood I live in is being McMansionified. Small post-war homes are being converted into no character 2 story monster homes that take up the entire lot. Not that the unified post-war homes are much better but it's really depressing to see these lots with towering McMansions and no yard, greenspace or trees...
@dcinlv3420
Жыл бұрын
The main reason for the decline of McMansions being built now is primarily due to the rising costs of land, labor, materials and capital. Add in the current affordability crisis with record low inventories and higher interest rates and the size of houses had to shrink purely for economic reasons.
@James-bv2co
Жыл бұрын
"The Giant Pool of Money", produced by This American Life is a pod cast that superbly explains the financial crash, the effects of subprime and CODs of 08
@Loissupes
Жыл бұрын
When you mentioned how damaging lawns are, made Me think you will like my friends book “ Bicycling with Butterflies “
@matwinner9708
Жыл бұрын
The McMansions are to houses what SUVS and glamour pickups are to vehicles.
@micahnightwolf
2 ай бұрын
A bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, a music studio, a workshop, some storage space, and a garden full of vegetables. That's all I need in a house.
@samanthanewport6709
11 ай бұрын
I did a double-take at the fast fashion stats. Multiple new pieces a week!?! Who?!? Why!?!?
@PhoenyxAshe
Жыл бұрын
In the mid-'80s, I had the opportunity to live in what I thought at the time was the largest house I had ever, er... lived in. It was a house in England that was about 150 years old at the time, which I believe would have made it Early Victorian? The first floor had two decent sized front "parlor" rooms, a slightly larger living/dining room, galley kitchen, and two odd, empty rooms that I now suspect might have been the original dining room and kitchen before it had been renovated at some point in it's life. Second floor had two large bedrooms, one normal-ish bedroom, a small narrow bedroom, bathroom, the "butler/valet/whatever's room that was about the size of a small walk-in closet (which was how my parents actually used it), and "servant's quarters" that were so small as to be barely usable for storage. The least used rooms were the hollowed out ones, and even with those, we had a laundry space, and storage. The front parlors became my father's office/stamp warren and my mother's craft room. It was spacious, but not so much as to create a compulsion to fill it up. Looking back on it, it probably had about the same square footage as my grandparents' 1960's ranch house (including the basement), but because of the design, it _felt_ larger. I have been in three "mcMansions" ... and while all of them had larger footprints, none of them felt "large" on the inside, and only one of them felt comfortable - and that was more because the owners are dear friends. If I can ever afford to buy a home... I'm going for one like my grandparents had... or build one similar to that Victorian. Either way, I'll have a functional home.
@jenniferburns2530
Жыл бұрын
Raised my daughters in an older 1100 square foot house. 1 bathroom, eat in kitchen, it took less time to clean and was filled with family pictures and bookcases. We gardened and spent our free time participating in community events. I was able to afford it as a social worker. Were there times I wished for more space? Yes, but they passed quickly and almost always center on the desire for another bathroom. The idea of killing myself to pay for a larger home (and never being there to enjoy it) never appealed to me. It was located in a neighborhood of small homes, 3 blocks from the library and walking distance to a variety of stores and small restaurants, and on a bus route, so we drove less than a lot of families.
@mndalran
Жыл бұрын
McMansions aren’t really a thing where I live….a few years ago, now they are everywhere. I’m 36 on my second home, and the mcmansionifcation of northern mn has really started
@anttoronto3202
Жыл бұрын
Living in a small space debt free, is absolutely a dream!
@alladin_payne
Жыл бұрын
Also, it's seems most of these types of homes are in HOA areas, which is a whole other thing to contend with. They have gone from nuisance to predatory groups themselves.
@elizabethwillis885
Жыл бұрын
I won’t live in a neighborhood with an HOA. My current neighborhood is able to keep everything tidy without someone constantly giving out warnings and fines. I mean, we are all adults here.
@marcielston3019
Жыл бұрын
I grew up in a house with seven people that was 23x38 - outside measurements. After that, as an adult I like my open space. That said 3000 SF custom built cottage style on 6.5 acres isn't a McMansion- It's heaven.
@cj222100
Жыл бұрын
When I think of McMansion, the first thing that comes to mind I that style of house where it looks like they chopped front off of 3 or 4 houses of different sizes & layered them on the front of the house.
@praecorloth
11 ай бұрын
7:04 In this section, you're saying "record low of 13,896 square feet," but the quote says "record low of 3,896 square feet." I imagine the quote is wrong, but just thought I'd throw it out there in case you want to throw up an asterisk on the screen for a correction.
@alexacarrillo4339
Жыл бұрын
Most of my husband’s coworkers that we met 20 yrs ago upgraded their homes over and over while we are in the same house. I have been through enough bubbles that burst in my life I am not going to brag we did it right because we could end up in financial trouble despite trying to be safe. Heck my husband’s cancer definitely was sobering on how fast medical bills can bankrupt people. I want a much smaller house when we move back to AZ because 2400 sq ft is becoming a clutter cleaning problem that I no longer want to deal with. I also am sick of paying for things like AC and heating on it.
@alexacarrillo4339
Жыл бұрын
I should add we use the “formal” spaces everyday and didn’t buy super nice stuff for those rooms.
@waynejohnson4960
11 ай бұрын
Due to my financial situation post-divorce, I'm currently living with my dad temporarily in a 1940s house that is small but charming. The neighborhood used to be these homes with a lot of farmland abutting the neighborhood. The owners of these little farms got wise to the value of their land, parcelled it out, and sold it off in the past 10-ish years. Since then, nothing but McMansions have been built. The neighborhood used to be a very friendly place with most neighbors giving a friendly wave anytime you passed each other, and a sense of community. Now, it's Teslas, Audis, and Porsches roaring past, and any waves I initially tried were met with no response and confused looks lol. These McMansions and their owners ruined the fabric of our humble neighborhood 😢
@thehomeless_trucker
Жыл бұрын
One reason why i have no desire to become a homeowner... a 1500sqft 3/2 home at the minimum is way to large for just myself... "we just had our first kid.. off to by a 3,500sqft home and two large SUVs!!!" While my current 65sqft dwelling is a little too small, they dont build 500sqft apartments unless I move to a city.. and even then, are built very cheaply in the US.
@Rachel-art-and-design
Жыл бұрын
Grass does clean water as it filters through into the ground. It isn’t all bad. Just should be based on area and levels of rain.
@pukasonqo895
Жыл бұрын
Not just in the states, we also have them in Australia and they seem to be multiplying
@pholliez
10 ай бұрын
15:10 re people buying these huge houses and then having to buy lots of stuff to fill them. On the decorating groups there are always people posting things like “We’ve just bought this house and I have no idea how to furnish this massive third living space…”. I don’t understand why people buy houses bigger than what they need?
@TedApelt
Жыл бұрын
One thing you brought up - lawns. Yes, they are bad. I highly recommend native plants as much as possible.
@julianskinner3697
Жыл бұрын
Lawns are OK if you never water or fertilise them use an electric mower no more than once a week. The grass actually sequester carbon into the soil.
@elizabethwillis885
Жыл бұрын
Half of my lawn has turned into white clover. That part of my yard hardly needs mowed. And the bees seem to love it.
@florabella21
Жыл бұрын
I’m an american with a 1700s stone farmhouse and barn on 16 acres. My job is stressful and I need to get away from people when I’m home. Live close to several developments of toll brothers mcmansions…the “boxes” as we call them.
@kimberlyfamoly5863
Жыл бұрын
You call it a McMansion however they are large home. Many families need large homes as necessities, they have parents and adult children and grandchildren living with them not to mention need home office space that is separated to focus on work. These home like all home are built to local building standards so they are no worse that small homes build quality. It is better to have one large homes where family is under one roof to help and support each other than several small houses. This is actually more environmentally friendly not have to drive all over town and heat and cool 3 homes. Many people have a true need for large homes, that are build to local codes.
@rpsmith2990
Жыл бұрын
Your video provoked me to consider several things. The first is the neighborhood I live in. It's well established, meaning that the house on one side of me is over a century old. Most of the houses going to the next corner exist because my grandparents had to sell land to pay taxes. So between my house and the one on the corner are homes that were built in the 1950s, '60s, and one in the '70s. Then there's the next two on the other side of the corner. They were built in the last ten years, and while they don't fit your McMansion template as far as age goes, they fit in perfectly otherwise. Then there's what I call The Fakes At Dare. This is a McMansion community, pure and simple. It also cuts up some of the trails I used to ride horses on as a kid. In fact, when an old house is torn down here, it is replaced with a McMansion. Where I live, it's a thing to build McMansions in a community named after the family farm that was sold to provide the land for the damn things, i.e. Smith Farm, Taylor Farm. We have horrendous rush hour traffic running through the area, but that's not unique. There are so many people who have moved to Isle of Wight County that the traffic jam on 17 South after the shipyard gets out is worse than you'd ever encounter on Granby Street in Norfolk without a train being present. Wheeee! Let's get away to the country! My only real estate purchase was a condo that depreciated faster than a Jaguar XJ. It was a long, sad story that is finally over.
@Letty4
Жыл бұрын
I live in Norfolk, so I got a kick out of your Granby Street and train reference!
@bonnie6866
Жыл бұрын
i feel partly it is like if you live somewhere with a bad climate or where there is nothing fun to do and you are always in your house. but also people imagine they will entertain so much and then they don't?
@anaalves3658
Жыл бұрын
We built our dream home 9 years ago, it's on well known architecture websites and magazines and I love that house, but it actually was too big for a family of 3. Our imagination got away from us and we built a home that was bigger than we needed, it's not a Mcmansion. 4 years ago we immigrated and bought an apartment that is just less than half of the size of the house and it's still more than we need, we have a dedicated home office and a dedicated guest bedroom. We have had family and friends come to visit us, once COVID was done with. My parents house is too big for them, my in laws as well. If you have a large family maybe you can justify a large home, but it's really not necessarily. It's a want not a need.
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