They’ve been called McMansions, Starter Castles, Garage Mahals and Faux Chateaus but here’s the latest thing you can call them — History.Read the rest here.
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.”
Just 9 percent of the people surveyed by Trulia said their ideal home size was over 3,200 square feet. Meanwhile, more than one-third said their ideal size was under 2,000 feet.
“That’s something that would’ve been unbelievable just a few years back,” said Pete Flint, CEO and co-founder of Trulia. “Americans are moving away from McMansions.”
Thursday, August 19, 2010
R.I.P. The McMansion
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3 comments:
What's the old saying, "Good riddens to bad rubbish." Many a hapless soul has been corrupted by these offensive edifices.
Could not happen soon enough. I have seen one to many charming neighborhoods destroyed by these monstrosities. My heart goes out to the owners of the non-McMansions in these neighborhoods trying to sell their homes now that these abominations are even less desirable.
McMansions are the epitome of selfishness in more ways than one.
Every so often, I fantasize about being rich, and drive to a nearby McMansion neighborhood. It used to depress me a bit (lol), but reality set in and I realized just how cold and uninviting the houses seem. Not only that, but in addition to the short space between neighbors, the backyards look like they should be at a condo or townhouse complex, not a 4,000 square foot building.
I think what finally brought me back to reality was the fact that there's a house there selling for a "reduced" price of $750,000, down from $900K in late-2008.
These neighborhoods have been a complete waste. The one near me could've just as easily been a nice development of starter homes selling for 1/3 to 1/4 of what that McMansion that remains on the market.
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