Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

[wildcat]

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Or perhaps a mother-in-law house for the backyard?

Jay -

I was think more along the lines of...

[Jarhead*]

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Originally Posted by TargaDave Speaking of pottery and big homes.* Here is a 5500 sq ft contract job on 9 acres big bro and I did back in 1988 not too far from* NYC.* The 1000 sq ft barrel roofed wing (can't even see it from the other side) was the sculpting studio for the owner; obviously not his real job. The RE taxes on this home in 1989 => $21k.* Kinda mish-mosh looking but it was his dream.* * Seems quite modest* compared to the monsters out there today.* *

TargaDave: Taxes in 1989 of $21,000?

What would you guesstimate they would be today.?

[Jarhead*]

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Originally Posted by cube_rat Reiterating my puke emoticon in my previous post... El Dorado Hills -- Oh but these houses are ONLY 5000 sq ft* : http://www.tollbrothers.com/homesear...&comm_num=5326

Cube: The real estate folks up here "love" the Bay Area &
So. Calif.

According to the Real Estate Board, (and common sense), 85% of the "upscale" homes sold are "refugees" from those two areas. (The locals can barely afford a starter home).

When you have lived for 20 years or so in a modest 3 bedroom home (l800 sq. feet or so), in a so, so, neighborhood in the Bay Area, or So. Calif., and it is valued at close to a $1,000,000, the temptation is apparantly too great to resist buying a huge home with acreage, and money left over, after the dust has cleared

[Texas Proud]

I think it interesting that they had two of the houses here in Houston....

If anyone is interested.... here is a 'steal'!!!

Only 22,364 sq. ft. for a miserly $9.95 mill... on just over 3 acres real close to downtown Houston.. I am sure you can get a reduction on that if you negotiate well...


http://www.har.com/search/engine/ind...0&backButton=Y

[SteveR]

Here is one with 28,000 sq. ft. on 16 acres near the city going for a measly $29,000,000.

http://www.utahrealestate.com/515311

[sgeeeee]

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Originally Posted by SteveR Here is one with 28,000 sq. ft. on 16 acres near the city going for a measly $29,000,000. http://www.utahrealestate.com/515311

Does that come with those bug-zapper lights for the back porch and a cement lawn jockey? I didn't see them listed and I'd hate to plop down $29M only to find the house didn't have all the features I need.

[cj]

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Originally Posted by Texas Proud I think it interesting that they had two of the houses here in Houston.... If anyone is interested.... here is a 'steal'!!! Only 22,364 sq. ft. for a miserly $9.95 mill... on just over 3 acres real close to downtown Houston..* I am sure you can get a reduction on that if you negotiate well... http://www.har.com/search/engine/ind...0&backButton=Y

ELEVEN bathrooms?* Who is cleaning all those toilets??* *

[HFWR]

And a hydroponic closet... *

Damn, think of the expense of keeping that place: utilities, housecleaning, lawn maintenance, pool cleaning; hell, changing the HVAC filters would be a part-time job!!??

[cube_rat]

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Originally Posted by cj ELEVEN bathrooms? Who is cleaning all those toilets??

This gives McMansion buyers excuses to hire out services. I think Cut-Throat or REW (?)had a good thread on the growing trend for "hired help" a while back.

[Ginger]

My daughter lives in the mid-West and has a huge home - over 4,000 sq. ft., 12 rooms, 5 bathrooms, tri-level home. Personally, I would not want to live in a house that large. Their utility bill just to heat is $500 a month. My husband keeps saying they will never see retirement!!

[astromeria]

Look at the multimillioon bucks in executive compensation--these guys gotta live somewhere and spend it on something, preferably impressing each other while they're at it. It's a whole 'nother world

[REWahoo]

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Originally Posted by astromeria Look at the multimillioon bucks in executive compensation--these guys gotta live somewhere and spend it on something...

I have heard physicians in some states buy huge houses as a shelter against malpractice lawsuits. Can't take the ol' "homestead" from them...

[farmerEd]

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Originally Posted by cube_rat This gives McMansion buyers excuses to hire out services.* I think Cut-Throat or REW (?)had a good thread on the growing trend for "hired help" a while back.

I didn't see that thread, and don't want to duplicate it, but here are my thoughts:

Seems a lot of people are stretching to buy these big McMansions....so they work longer hours (or the wife goes back to work too)...then they realize that since they are both working so much to pay the mortgage that no onehas time to do the cleaning and routing maint. so they hire help, then they have to work even harder/longer to make the money to pay the housekeeper and maintenance people...a vicious circle.

That said, whoever bought these $29M dollar house in the thread above I am sure isn't worrying about who is going to wash the bathrooms...

[Jay_Gatsby]

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Originally Posted by REWahoo! I have heard physicians in some states buy huge houses as a shelter against malpractice lawsuits.* Can't take the ol' "homestead" from them...

This is the case in Florida (just ask OJ).

[Outtahere]

When I purchased this business our lawyer suggested all of us homestead our houses.* Of all my partners I'm the only one that doesn't have the McMansion and the homestead more than covers the value of my home.

[unclemick]

True

The Florida law has come up - several times over at least ? couple decades?? - in various high profile instances on tv programs.

[Andre1969]

I think my house is probably now the smallest on my street, according to the dept of assements, at least. One thing that helps is that they classify it as a 1 1/2 story, and only count half of the upstairs square footage. And I have an enclosed side porch that they don't count. I figure the total square footage is actually around 1500, but according to the state it's only 1106. Guess I shouldn't complain, since part of my property tax is based on square footage.

Sometimes I think about doing some remodeliing to the house and adding on, but then I ask myself why. There are three rooms upstairs, but only one really gets used. The cats have taken over the front room, and the back room mainly collects junk. It's easy to fall into the McMansion/upsizing craze, but I'm trying hard to resist temptation.

[justin]

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Originally Posted by cj ELEVEN bathrooms? Who is cleaning all those toilets??

Read the listing closely. "Servant's quarters". "Separate building for staff offices". I think you have a small army running this place. Butlers, stewards, cooks, maids, maintenance crews, gardeners, property manager, etc.

[cube_rat]

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Originally Posted by justin Read the listing closely.* "Servant's quarters".* "Separate building for staff offices".* I think you have a small army running this place.* Butlers, stewards, cooks, maids, maintenance crews, gardeners, property manager, etc.*

This reminds me of a help wanted ad I saw for a "Estate Manager" for a Woodside family (toney area south of SF). The position paid 120K per year. What income does one have to make in order to afford to pay for an Estate Manager at 120k?

[Sheryl]

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Originally Posted by Outtahere When I purchased this business our lawyer suggested all of us homestead our houses.* Of all my partners I'm the only one that doesn't have the McMansion and the homestead more than covers the value of my home.

I'm not familiar with this term. What does it mean to "homestead" your house?