My Pinterest dump

Some things I've found that interest me....

Cool Cars 

Stairs

 

  

Girls and Guns

Guns 

Marshallers 

Rockies

 

Cool Jeeps 

Interesting

 

Dogs

 

Small Houses

 

 Scotland (my peeps!)

Sidewalk Cafes

 

Rugby

Some new Pintrest favorites....

 Dogs 

 Girls and Guns 

 Cool Airplanes

 

 Europe

 

 Small Houses

 

 Guns

 

 Cool Cars

 Watches

Funny Stuff

The end of the McMansion?

I read an interesting story today that said in many parts of the country "McMansions", those 3,000-5,000+/- square foot homes that have been all the rage for the past several decades, are losing their appeal.

The report went on to say that many buyers in their prime home-buying years are opting for new, smaller homes or older homes with "character".  It said that today McMansions are often looked at as large-but-poorly-built examples of excess consumption, paid for with debt that owners can't afford.  (This in contrast to those families of actual means who can afford nice quality large homes.)  They say in many locations (but not here in Dallas) McMansion prices are stagnant or even falling vs year ago values, while less expensive homes are seeing nice appreciation.

What they're finding is that many of those large, relatively inexpensive homes (based on the price-per-square-foot) will begin falling apart long before they should.  Yes, eventually all homes need maintenance, but it shouldn't be as soon as the warranty expires.  Does anyone ever stop and wonder how they can sell those large homes for that cheap of a price?  Do people actually think they're getting a Bentley for the price of a Chevy? 

Here's a dirty little homebuilder secret for you:   Building codes generally aren't that tough.  In fact, the purpose of building codes is to set a baseline "minimum property standard", key word there being MINIMUM. 

At the exact opposite end of the housing spectrum from McMansions are these "tiny houses".  They're becoming so popular they now even have their own tiny house show on HGTV.  They're usually about 150 square feet and built on a trailer "foundation", which explains the wheels.  

They're meant to be somewhat mobile, which I guess has appeal to some people, and because of their mobility they are not subject to even the minimum building codes mentioned above.  There is usually only one door, and the windows don't meet the minimum size required for exit in case of fire.  The bed is usually in a low loft over the kitchen and requires a vertical ladder to get up to it.  

If you have a habit of getting up in the night to visit the loo, you'd better make damn sure you're awake before you try and navigate that ladder!  The bathroom usually consists of a toilet seat on top of a glorified bucket, and to shower you stand in a slightly bigger bucket with a shower spray overhead.  The kitchen can accommodate a microwave and a plate, glass, knife, fork, and spoon (one each) and not much else, and the closet is usually about the size of a gym locker.  While I was an early proponent of downsizing, this is even too extreme for me.

Not too big...not too small...but juuuust right!  And the view isn't too shabby, either. 

My personal preference would be to live in a small house....not too much to keep up or clean, just perfect for my lazy side.  But unfortunately most towns (around here anyway) have zoned out building small houses.   They only want those big 'ol McMansions.  Why?  Tax revenue for them, screw what we want.  Yet another example of the tail wagging the dog.

Maybe in another few years when some of those early McMansions have completely disintegrated they'll let me bulldoze one and build what I want.  I just wish they'd hurry up and see things my way.  I'm not getting any younger, you know.  :)

S

It's all about appearances....and money

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

This small house is in San Francisco, a locale where real estate is in short supply.  They're used to creative designs like this being plopped onto postage-stamp sized sites.  Except for the fact there doesn't seem to be any provision for car parking, I'd love this.  But here in Dallas, Texas when you say you want a small house this is what people think you're talking about:

This one actually appears very neat and lovingly maintained, but it isn't the sort of place that will turn heads when you're standing at the building permit desk asking if a zoning square footage  exception can be made.  That isn't actually the process, of course, but you say "small" and they just seem to automatically think this and reach for their "DENIED" rubber stamp.  McMansions bring in lots of property taxes; these don't.  That's as far as they can think.

Maybe I need to think more creatively:  I could present a front view that looks like the Palace of Versailles, but have it propped up with 2 x 6's like one of those movie-set facades.  Then behind that could be my little 1000 square foot house.  Think they'd catch on?

And here's how I'll pay for it:

Anyone remember the 'ol Swear Jar?  (Did anyone besides me NEED a swear jar?)

The idea was when you catch someone swearing they have to put a coin in the jar.  When the jar was full the money went to something fun or to a charity, whatever.  

OK, so here's my idea to pay for my new house:  I'll put "Lie Jars" all over Washington, DC.  When a politician tells a lie they'll put a quarter in my jar, and wah-lah....free house!  'Course I can't use little jars.  I'll need 55 gallon barrels.  Lots of 'em.  And with the money left over I'd be very philanthropic....I'd pay off the national debt or something.  Shoot, I'll have $16 trillion dollars by Easter.  What do you think?

S

Am I ahead of my time or just "out there"?

Did you hear about the two snails that mugged a turtle?  During the police investigation when they asked the turtle what happened he said, "Gee officers, I dunno.  It all happened so fast...."

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This must be a slow news day.  Every news network in the world I think has rushed at least one reporter to London to give us a puke-by-puke account of how Kate Middleton's pregnancy is going.  This is just the classic definition of Too Much Information.   I actually feel kinda guilty for not caring.   Maybe I'll send her one of those big, shiny helium balloons in a few months, how's that?

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I recently read an article in the paper about a couple in North Carolina who decided their big 3,000+ sq ft home was more trouble than it was worth.  They downsized "to one that is half that size, cutting their property taxes in half and their aggravation even more."  Been there, done that.

I think I'm more appreciative of not having all the responsibilities a big house comes with than K is.  When we met / married K called my house "a mansion".  Hardly, but comparatively speaking to her it may have been.  All I saw was a lawn that needed maintaining, never ending painting, fixing, updating, etc.  Every storm brought with it a fear of having to possibly deal with insurance adjusters and tree trimmers.  (I damn sure wasn't climbing up there!)

After renting for four years now the idea of building a small house, very small, is slowing creeping back into my mind.  But instead of thinking up all the "things" I could build in, I think about how bullet-proof I could make it, up to and including using those lifetime light bulbs. 

This would work

Or maybe even something more whimsical

The big problem is finding a city that would allow me to build such a small house.  Around here they're all still hung up on zoning for BIG houses.  That leaves building out in the country where they have no zoning restrictions, which has NO appeal to me at all.  I like being a 5-minute-drive away from everything I could possibly want.  I'd actually prefer to be a 5-minute walk away.  I wish the rest of my area would catch up with me and those folks in North Carolina.

S