Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
McMansions will be haunted houses. Back in the roaring 20s folks built these big huge houses, come the great depression they sat empty and abandoned for decades.
The penalty for subsidizing the automobile has finally arrived - rising fuel costs - escalating costs for maintenance and repair of the crumbling infrastructure - the physical limit on highway expansion - the congestion of commuting to work - and even air pollution - all are contributing to the demise of suburbia and exurbia. Strip malls and shopping centers and shopping malls are dying out, becoming too expensive to operate, while not offering the lowest price so in demand by shoppers.
IMHO, the transition from an automobile dependent culture will kill off the expensive suburb and exurb, in favor of the more compact, higher population density village, town and city. The extensive road network will continue to decay. Electric traction rail will become the dominant mode of land transportation. It's common sense - finding the lowest cost, swiftest access, most efficient way to meet one's needs for survival, protect one’s assets, and build prosperity.
However, large houses may yet have a vital function - if they are built to accommodate multi-generational families / extended families. Instead of the "nuclear" family model, such large houses might be designed with a mix of private suites and a common area - not unlike co-housing models. Thus the house can be easily reconfigured as family size changes.
Haha too bad that's not actually happening. Rising fuel costs, "lack of transit", commute time, whatever has had no bearing whatsoever on the increasing population. At least here in the Austin metro. If anything we could do with less people
This thread is funny. Lots of people with crystal balls, who see the people of the future coming around to their way of thinking. In reality, the original question was asked too broadly. I suspect there will always be types who want to be far away from town, get the most space per dollar, and don't mind a longer commute to get all that. And, there will also be city people who value more action. The McMansion label gets thrown around so cavalierly lately. Some new homes are built poorly, as has been the case forever, but certainly not all. So, the future of early 21st Century housing will vary from place to place. How could it be otherwise? I do think McMansion burbs work better in smaller metros, where "far out" is maybe 30 minutes from town. Living on the fringe is a completely different experience in very large metros where it can take forever to get to exurbia.
The penalty for subsidizing the automobile has finally arrived - rising fuel costs - escalating costs for maintenance and repair of the crumbling infrastructure - the physical limit on highway expansion - the congestion of commuting to work - and even air pollution - all are contributing to the demise of suburbia and exurbia. Strip malls and shopping centers and shopping malls are dying out, becoming too expensive to operate, while not offering the lowest price so in demand by shoppers.
IMHO, the transition from an automobile dependent culture will kill off the expensive suburb and exurb, in favor of the more compact, higher population density village, town and city. The extensive road network will continue to decay. Electric traction rail will become the dominant mode of land transportation. It's common sense - finding the lowest cost, swiftest access, most efficient way to meet one's needs for survival, protect one’s assets, and build prosperity.
However, large houses may yet have a vital function - if they are built to accommodate multi-generational families / extended families. Instead of the "nuclear" family model, such large houses might be designed with a mix of private suites and a common area - not unlike co-housing models. Thus the house can be easily reconfigured as family size changes.
A lot is being said today about the declining value of McMansions is the US housing market. My questions is where does everyone see the pre-2008 McMansion exurb neighborhoods in another 20 years?
Will they retain their value?
Will they increase in value?
Will they decline in value?
With shoddy construction work, will they even be left standing?
Sounds like you've visited Monroe County, PA. Here you can't give the things away, although many banks would love to.
McMansions will be haunted houses. Back in the roaring 20s folks built these big huge houses, come the great depression they sat empty and abandoned for decades.
Yes, the assumption that suburban and ex-urban people are living totally subsidized lives at the expense of the city.
That's not the assumption to which I was referring. "To each their own" relies on the assumption that each is totally independent, unaffected by the actions of the other. And, in the "city mouse" parlance, the city mouse, the suburban mouse, and the exurban mouse have no such absolute independence from one another.
I made no mention of subsidies, so your drive-by interjection is unwelcome.
That's not the assumption to which I was referring. "To each their own" relies on the assumption that each is totally independent, unaffected by the actions of the other. And, in the "city mouse" parlance, the city mouse, the suburban mouse, and the exurban mouse have no such absolute independence from one another.
I made no mention of subsidies, so your drive-by interjection is unwelcome.
Maybe you could tell us what *assumption* you're talking about, then. That was the one I assumed from prior conversations about this issue.
Maybe you could tell us what *assumption* you're talking about, then. That was the one I assumed from prior conversations about this issue.
I clearly laid it out in the post you quoted. It was the second sentence. And, as you can see, I did not talk about subsidies in that case.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
