2023 Real Estate Observations (Lynn, Franklin, Hingham: Home Depot, Lowes, village)

[MtPleasantDream]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Those are fairly mild examples to me. I don't love either of them, but I don't find them to be offensive either.

This one in Burlington fits the bill (to me, anyway): https://www.redfin.com/MA/Burlington...3/home/8442581

There are an unnecessary amount of peaks. The cornice is inconsistent (it goes across the entire facade section on 2 peaks, but not across the third). The front door (and 2nd floor windows) are off center on their particular section of exterior wall. And the big offense - the garage takes up about 50% of the front facade which is just so tacky. It looks to me like a garage with a house attached (smooshed up against the side of it causing the roof to buckle into those unnecessary peaks) and not the other way around. But hey, I couldn't afford it even if I loved it. So maybe it'll make someone very happy.

I found nowadays many houses have quite some (around 10) steps to the entrance, even though they are not built on a slope. Isn't it inconvenient?

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by redplum33

There are many different views of what makes a house a McMansion, but 3000+ sq ft is widely accepted.

All McMansions are large houses over 3K square feet but not all large houses are McMansions. Both of my parents grew up in authentic Victorian houses in Woburn built between 1870 and 1910. Those two houses are over 3K square feet but they are in no way McMansions. My own house built in 1969 is a basic split entry raised ranch. Both levels are roughly 1,650 square feet each, making the house over 3K square feet and it is not a McMansion.

I believe the three minimum criteria required to label a house a McMansion are:

• over 3K square feet
• cheaply built
• combines multiple architectural styles that often clash or don't belong together

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by redplum33

There are many different views of what makes a house a McMansion, but 3000+ sq ft is widely accepted.

Originally Posted by msRB311

Ok but you can't just say any 3k sq ft house is a mcmansion.

Why are you being so argumentative on this? lol. We are in agreement that 2019 was cheaper for sure and you could get a better house in 2019 than you could today for 700k.

Fine. I'll agree with what AtkinsonDan basically said:

"Not all 3000+ sq ft houses are McMansions, but all McMansions are 3000+ sq ft."

I don't think your idea of a McMansion is how most people view McMansions. From what you've written, I get the impression that you view McMansions in a positive way (really big nice houses). It seems a lot of people view McMansions negatively (big, tacky, cookie cutter design, built with cheap materials). Personally, I have always thought McMansions were just really big houses...and usually nice.

[msRB311]

I think of a McMansion as a house built in the 90s or later and big.

[Iced_Coffee]

I used to enjoy this site a long while back. Haven't really thought much about it, but the McMansion discussion brought me back.

https://mcmansionhell.com/

[robr2]

Originally Posted by MtPleasantDream

I found nowadays many houses have quite some (around 10) steps to the entrance, even though they are not built on a slope. Isn't it inconvenient?

It's usually done to create a 10' deep basement and keep the house above the water table.

[BostonMike7]

I'm in different to the idea of McMansions. I don't love or hate them. They are just another house.

I also seem to think I'm coming to the conclusion i have zero taste in home architecture. lol. I don't even noticed half the things some folks can point out, and don't mind a lot of these frowned upon design cues.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by MtPleasantDream

I found nowadays many houses have quite some (around 10) steps to the entrance, even though they are not built on a slope. Isn't it inconvenient?

I've noticed this. I actually grew up in a home like this (typical 1990s colonial you'll find in any suburb). We almost never used the front door. We either entered the house through the garage, or through the side door between the den and the kitchen. I've been to a lot of homes where this is pretty much the norm too. So it may not be convenient, but it doesn't seem like many people use those doors anyway.

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

I also seem to think I'm coming to the conclusion i have zero taste in home architecture. lol. I don't even noticed half the things some folks can point out, and don't mind a lot of these frowned upon design cues.

I don't think most people care all that much. If you like the house, you like the house. I'm sure the new owners of the $1.85 million house I critiqued above certainly wouldn't put much weight into my opinion. I don't think most people care all that much about the exterior architecture of their home so long as it's in decent shape and isn't a jarring contrast to the neighbors. If the yard's nice, the interior has all of the things and space they want to put in it, then that's all that matters.

[id77]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

I'm in different to the idea of McMansions. I don't love or hate them. They are just another house.

I also seem to think I'm coming to the conclusion i have zero taste in home architecture. lol. I don't even noticed half the things some folks can point out, and don't mind a lot of these frowned upon design cues.

What bothers me is the combination of design queues. It makes a McMansion stick out as being as look-at-me trashy as a Civic with a giant wing spoiler bolted on to make it look faster that it is. With McMansions, elements are often slapped on just as haphazardly to make an otherwise standard (albeit large) home look fancier than it is.

I'm sure the owners don't mind and are convinced in their minds their Frankenstein's house/car is the ****.

[msRB311]

All i see being built now are those white farmhouses with black windows. My guess is that someday those are going to be considered weird and ugly looking because people don't even seem to like them now. People are buying them because they are pretty nice on the inside and well, low inventory. But they are odd looking homes to me.

I kind of like the colonial style homes. They seem to be timeless but it's rare to see homes being built like this anymore. Everything is big, all different shapes and levels. too much.