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In Victorian times, there were usually two reasons a house would be more than 3000 s.f.: they were rich, and/or they had a large family.
My neighbor's turn-of-the-century Victorian house is about 4000 s.f. The original owner was the founder of the Stambaugh hardware store chain. On a different side of town, there are large houses built in the teens and twenties, by the local steel mills, for the workers in those mills. These houses were large, because the families were often very large. It wasn't unusual for a family to have 10 kids, back then. This is also why you see those big old farm houses out in the country. Farmers were often relatively wealthy, and had large families to help with all the work.
Generally, the people buying large houses today (3000 s.f.+) aren't rich, and usually don't have large families.
Yes. This is worth repeating.
We just said that bigger houses actually cost less per square foot. But there is still an idea that the bigger the house, the more wealthy you are.
I posted about my parents and their larger home. They had that idea. Posters who have empty rooms "because they can" seem to share that idea. My daughter bought a house that is 1400 square feet by a rather well regarded MCM architect in Palm Springs, CA -- I am sure most of you who favor big new builds wouldn't look twice at it-- but it was much more costly per square foot than a house more than double the size in a new development not far outside of downtown.
Big is the new affordable even though we still have associations with larger home indicating wealth and a higher social class.
We just said that bigger houses actually cost less per square foot. But there is still an idea that the bigger the house, the more wealthy you are.
I posted about my parents and their larger home. They had that idea. Posters who have empty rooms "because they can" seem to share that idea. My daughter bought a house that is 1400 square feet by a rather well regarded MCM architect in Palm Springs, CA -- I am sure most of you who favor big new builds wouldn't look twice at it-- but it was much more costly per square foot than a house more than double the size in a new development not far outside of downtown.
Big is the new affordable even though we still have associations with larger home indicating wealth and a higher social class.
Maybe that's how some people view things but not all. I certainly don't. We bought a larger house because it suits our needs and why would we get less space when we don't have to? Why is that such a foreign concept and that people feel one is trying to "keep up with the Jonses" by purchasing a home that's over 2500 sq ft? I wouldn't say that big is necessarily affordable either. Between the actual purchase price, the utilities, and the maintenance, "affordability" is relative.
It also depends on where you live. California is a completely different animal than other places with lower COL. That would probably explain why my city is getting a lot of refugees from the Northeast and West Coast. And what do many want? More space. Many people expect more for their dollar. That translates into ever escalating prices too.
Dining rooms and porches are wasted space. Family rooms and living rooms are there so kids can have a place to watch TV while parents watch something else. It's quite handy to have a living and a family room though I suppose they could just watch TV in their bedroom. Extra bedrooms or bonus rooms and bathrooms I have no objection too. I don't see the point of the article except to say that dining rooms are pointless, but most middle class homes built today don't come with dining rooms or porches anyways. They come with the rooms people use.
I spend a ton of time on my porch, have a tv out there, hang out there with my dogs, friends smoke cigareetes out there, I smoke joints out there. I'll sit out there all evening and sometimes sleep out there.
I spend a ton of time on my porch, have a tv out there, hang out there with my dogs, friends smoke cigareetes out there, I smoke joints out there. I'll sit out there all evening and sometimes sleep out there.
I have one of those big, unnecessary houses. And I love it. Do I use my formal dining room every day? Nope. But I love the heck out of it when we have family over. I love being able to have everyone in one room for meals when we need to. Do we use our game room much? No. But man do I love having it when one of my daughters has a sleepover. We also have a guest room and guest bathroom that aren't used much. But it makes hosting my in-laws every few months so much nicer. Everyone has some privacy, and they both have health issues, so they really need a real bed. Oh, and we are on our porch at least 3 nights a week
Do we use all of these rooms all the time? No. But we do use all of the rooms some of the time. And those times we do use them, they are wonderful to have.
I'm basically the opposite of you. I bought small, do I sometimes wish I had more space? Yeah I'll admit I do. If I had a basement instead of a crawl space it would be the perfect size but I'm lacking the basement for storage and hobbies.
Maybe once or twice a year I'll host overnight guests and yeah it would be nice to have a bigger house, but would it have been worth another 50k to 100k on my home price, another couple thousand decorating this space and another couple hundred a year heating this unused space, nope.
I spend a ton of time on my porch, have a tv out there, hang out there with my dogs, friends smoke cigareetes out there, I smoke joints out there. I'll sit out there all evening and sometimes sleep out there.
You need a beer fridge and a living room couch on your porch. Also if your motorcycle breaks put it on the porch too and take it apart. That way you can watch tv on your couch while driking beer, smoking a joint, and fixing your motorcycle. Now that is multitasking.
To me the epitome of excess space is a house someone has been building in our community for the past 12 years. Not sure what happens to make it take so long.
According to people working on it, it is 28,000 s.f. It has: 16 fireplaces; 3 elevators; and a swimming pool, bowling alley, bar and movie theater in the basement. It is for a couple - 2 people (and their dog). The dog reportedly has a 2100 s.f. suite in the house - except by now the dog has probably died. The dad had a kid from a prior marriage but he only stays with dad sometimes and by the time the house is finished, he will be up and out anyway (unless he decides to live in Dad's basement and play video games - while floating in the pool?). From what i can gather around town, this couple has no local friends. They are a bit standoffish and look down their noses at the peons around them, so they are not likely to make a lot of friends. However I will reserve a conclusion for when/if I meet them, they might be wonderful nice people, but I still do not see how they will make enough friends to justify that much space. As of 2008 I was told the estimated cost of the house is $30 million. I do not know whether the reported size and cost is accurate. I do know the thing is flipping huuuuuge. It appeases to be 3 floors plus the basement, so it might be only 7000 s.f. footprint, but it seems bigger than that.
Oh and it is in the top ten ugliest houses I have ever seen. They ran several chimney across the front of the house which not only looks awful, it limits the windows. They bough five waterfront lots to put this thing on and they hardly have any windows in the front. Everything about this house seems to epitomize waste and bad ideas.
I wonder if they ill ever move in. If they do, I wonder whether they will ever find friends to entertain in the behemoth house. If they don't or if they get old and move on. Who will live there? I cannot imagine anyone will want it and be able to afford it. Condos maybe? It might make a decent hospital. Our community lacks a library and there is no public indoor pool, maybe it could become the library and rec center.
We've owned three homes and we've downsized each time. Our family of four plus a dog and cat are now happily living in about 1,400 square feet in the perfect location.
To me the epitome of excess space is a house someone has been building in our community for the past 12 years. Not sure what happens to make it take so long.
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