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I agree that the aesthetics of large houses on small lots is bad, but it is more practical, which is why they get built and snapped up. Land is expensive, and w

I agree that the aesthetics of large houses on small lots is bad, but it is more practical, which is why they get built and snapped up. Land is expensive, and whether in Florida where it's hot, or in Canada where it's cold, you get far more use out of enclosed climate-controlled space than a yard which gets occasional use. And with a detached house you don't have condo fees, have less noise, etc.

taylodl 3y ago
My town was incorporated in 1918 and was largely developed post WWII in the 1940's and 1950's. It's a very affluent "old money", suburban area. The latest craze has been to buy these old houses and then raze them and build a McMansion on them. The problem is the houses just look at of place. They also look as fake as tits on a porn star. I don't know how people can be happy living in them - then again, what do you make of people razing charming old houses? The most ironic thing is the charming old houses were better-built than the garbage they're replacing it with. Just goes to show just because you have money doesn't mean you have sense. Or taste.
kjs3 3y ago
I know a bunch of people who live in these (buying the biggest house possible was The Thing To Do), and I tend to disagree. What I've observed is that you trade a too cold or too hot yard for enclosed space you also only occasionally use. Which you are paying to climate control, clean and fill with stuff so it at least looks like it's being used. The formal dining room you use once or twice a year. The 5th or 6th bedroom in a house with 3 or 4 people living there. Sure...more WFH offices these days, but I've seen so many 'gym rooms' that have become 'just put those boxes and other crap in there rooms' it's a bit of a joke now. The 'bonus room' whose door hasn't been opened this decade. Realizing that this or that part of the house smells funny because no one has used the 4th or 5th bathroom in so long to water has evaporated from the toilet and they're getting sewer gas leaking back. Less noise, tho, sure.
ghaff 3y ago
I have a friend who lives in an older suburban neighborhood next to a McMansion development and she says basically the only people you ever see outside are the landscapers cutting the lawn etc. So, if you want a large house in a high cost of living area, there's a certain practicality in not paying for a couple acres of land just to be a bit better screened from your neighbors. The style is sort of an aesthetic disaster but it mostly doesn't affect the residents much.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  Whenever I see houses cheek-to-jowl like that, I wonder "why not just get an apartment or condo?" Those houses seem to have most of the disadvantages of apartment/condo living without the advantages.
  - ghaff 3y ago
    You almost certainly have more space in the detached house than in all but the most luxurious condo (albeit probably not as efficiently used). And there are probably other tradeoffs. But I don't really disagree for a lot of situations, especially without kids. I've always tended to prefer moderately rural or urban and not so much in-between.
  - shaftway 3y ago
    I moved into my development before all of the houses were complete, and after about two years they started building a new set of houses that they described as "zipper" style. The houses are basically "L" shaped, but turned so that they nestle into each other. I have no idea how the property lines work because you can clearly see that the houses overlap, but the official lines are all straight. I guess easements.

taylodl 3y ago

My town was incorporated in 1918 and was largely developed post WWII in the 1940's and 1950's. It's a very affluent "old money", suburban area. The latest craze has been to buy these old houses and then raze them and build a McMansion on them. The problem is the houses just look at of place. They also look as fake as tits on a porn star. I don't know how people can be happy living in them - then again, what do you make of people razing charming old houses? The most ironic thing is the charming old houses were better-built than the garbage they're replacing it with. Just goes to show just because you have money doesn't mean you have sense. Or taste.

kjs3 3y ago

I know a bunch of people who live in these (buying the biggest house possible was The Thing To Do), and I tend to disagree. What I've observed is that you trade a too cold or too hot yard for enclosed space you also only occasionally use. Which you are paying to climate control, clean and fill with stuff so it at least looks like it's being used. The formal dining room you use once or twice a year. The 5th or 6th bedroom in a house with 3 or 4 people living there. Sure...more WFH offices these days, but I've seen so many 'gym rooms' that have become 'just put those boxes and other crap in there rooms' it's a bit of a joke now. The 'bonus room' whose door hasn't been opened this decade. Realizing that this or that part of the house smells funny because no one has used the 4th or 5th bathroom in so long to water has evaporated from the toilet and they're getting sewer gas leaking back. Less noise, tho, sure.

ghaff 3y ago

I have a friend who lives in an older suburban neighborhood next to a McMansion development and she says basically the only people you ever see outside are the landscapers cutting the lawn etc. So, if you want a large house in a high cost of living area, there's a certain practicality in not paying for a couple acres of land just to be a bit better screened from your neighbors. The style is sort of an aesthetic disaster but it mostly doesn't affect the residents much.

JohnFen 3y ago
Whenever I see houses cheek-to-jowl like that, I wonder "why not just get an apartment or condo?" Those houses seem to have most of the disadvantages of apartment/condo living without the advantages.
- ghaff 3y ago
  You almost certainly have more space in the detached house than in all but the most luxurious condo (albeit probably not as efficiently used). And there are probably other tradeoffs. But I don't really disagree for a lot of situations, especially without kids. I've always tended to prefer moderately rural or urban and not so much in-between.
- shaftway 3y ago
  I moved into my development before all of the houses were complete, and after about two years they started building a new set of houses that they described as "zipper" style. The houses are basically "L" shaped, but turned so that they nestle into each other. I have no idea how the property lines work because you can clearly see that the houses overlap, but the official lines are all straight. I guess easements.