cute fuzzy bunny
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
ROFL.
Was alcohol involved?
Was alcohol involved?
What ever happened to small houses?
- Thread starter Whakamole
- Start date
J
jazz
Guest
I think it's what they call the baby boom. When all our kids move out and we get sick of all the extra house, the ranches (or ranchers as they call em here in DC) will be in high demand! For the time being, they built so many modest ranch homes around here in the 50's and 60's that NOBODY will touch one now except as a starter home. Several builders here started offering new homes with 1st floor master suites, but they did not catch on.
J
jazz
Guest
I lost my canary during the testing phase.[/quote]
Those darn canaries just make for more work anyway
Those darn canaries just make for more work anyway
trumpeting_angel
Full time employment: Posting here.
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I don't think it's the baby boom. I'm a boomer (b. 1953), and the biggest house we lived in growing up was a raised ranch with 3 br up and an extra one down. It was HUGE compared with every house we'd lived in before and every house I've lived in or owned since. And it was nothing compared to what's going up these days. Boomers may want more for their families than they had, growing up, but it reaches a point of absurdity.
The "McMansions" I refer to around here have 5-8 bedrooms, at least 4 bathrooms (I've seen ads for some houses that have more bathrooms than bedrooms), 3+ car garages, gigantic stainless steel everything and gadgets that I'm completely sure won't be used more than once a year in the kitchen, wine cellars, multiple decks. Thousands of square feet. Does one suppose that these families have 5 or 6 children, or perhaps take in foster children and need the extra room?
I'm still quietly gloating, though, that many of them are half-empty of furniture. And most of the furniture I own would probably be declared unsuitable. . .
Anne
The "McMansions" I refer to around here have 5-8 bedrooms, at least 4 bathrooms (I've seen ads for some houses that have more bathrooms than bedrooms), 3+ car garages, gigantic stainless steel everything and gadgets that I'm completely sure won't be used more than once a year in the kitchen, wine cellars, multiple decks. Thousands of square feet. Does one suppose that these families have 5 or 6 children, or perhaps take in foster children and need the extra room?
I'm still quietly gloating, though, that many of them are half-empty of furniture. And most of the furniture I own would probably be declared unsuitable. . .
Anne
wabmester
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A major factor is the price of land. If a lot is expensive, the developer is going to build a large/expensive house to keep his margins high.
C
Cut-Throat
Guest
Not at that time. But many hours of Reminiscing about the fate of the ol Fish House were spent around drinks!
Sounds like the one McMansion I was in, down in Livermore. It had five bedrooms and six bathrooms (one bathroom for each bedroom + the "public" bathroom.) The living room looked like it had a 30 foot ceiling.
I can't see buying such an expensive house when it's just a cookie-cutter home; ALL the other houses in this development looked exactly the same.
cute fuzzy bunny
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Not at that time. But many hours of Reminiscing about the fate of the ol Fish House were spent around drinks!
Gosh, do you think I can reminisce about the old fish house later on this evening over a bottle of shiraz? I'm running out of excuses.
I even cleaned out my office yesterday to pave the way for three bottles of sam adams lager.
Woo hoo! I now have an office again!
Unfortunately, as a result, I no longer have a garage.
But next weekend is garage cleaning day!!!
Easy care, low costs.
http://www.cavco.com/parkmodel/default.asp
Billy
Web-site www.geocities.com/ba264
http://www.cavco.com/parkmodel/default.asp
Billy
Web-site www.geocities.com/ba264
unclemick
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Circa 1989, we took our camper up the Rio Grand Valley - Brownsville area to McAllen over Christmas/New Years - seems like every RV park had a section of Park Models for Winter Texans. I'm sure they've improved over the years. My unoffical License plate count over 4-5 parks of those parked next to the models - Iowa, Kanas, Texas(? north Texans?).
No doubt, the snowbirds favor them, but many ER's and fulltimers enjoy them as well. They have come a long way since 1989.
Billy
Web-site www.geocities.com/ba264
Billy
Web-site www.geocities.com/ba264
J
John Galt
Guest
Hi unclemick! Our Texas property is in extreme north Texas, and it does get cold at times. My spouse opined that maybe we should be further south. Maybe. I guess
after spending January and February there we will know better. Of course I lived there before and kind of know what to expect. However, I wasn't completely retired then. Sure loved the area at the time though.
John Galt
after spending January and February there we will know better. Of course I lived there before and kind of know what to expect. However, I wasn't completely retired then. Sure loved the area at the time though.
John Galt
John,
On most days in North mcgdo you can get by with a
light jacket in the dead of winter ..... and sometimes
that's too much by mid afternoon. It is rare when
we have more than 1 or 2 snows lasting a couple of
days. That being said, every few years we have a
"blue norther" that even gets the attention of our
northern transplants. I hope it is not that way when
you come down in January.
Cheers,
Charlie
On most days in North mcgdo you can get by with a
light jacket in the dead of winter ..... and sometimes
that's too much by mid afternoon. It is rare when
we have more than 1 or 2 snows lasting a couple of
days. That being said, every few years we have a
"blue norther" that even gets the attention of our
northern transplants. I hope it is not that way when
you come down in January.
Cheers,
Charlie
I
I
Guest
There is something about my computer that makes
T-E-X-A-S come out "mcgdo" sometimes. Go figure.
Charlie
T-E-X-A-S come out "mcgdo" sometimes. Go figure.
Charlie
cute fuzzy bunny
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
put some bactine or something on that chuck!
J
John Galt
Guest
Hey Charlie! Did you know that there is only one natural
lake in the entire state of Texas? It's true! Do you know the name and location? An old Texas joke is about the Texan who did not believe you could have
a lake without a dam
John Galt
lake in the entire state of Texas? It's true! Do you know the name and location? An old Texas joke is about the Texan who did not believe you could have
a lake without a dam
John Galt
Just recently appraised a house, 5500sf on the upper 2.5 floors with another 1600sf finished in the bsmt - including movie theater! Price $1.5...I'll have to go back in a couple weeks to verify the ELEVATOR is complete...$65K in case you are wondering. The hot property in our market is the 800-1000sf home...lots of profit in those and lots more interested buyers. Guess they figured out that mcmansions require mcbudgets.
Had to laugh on the canary story - reminds me of my mom who used to clean the parakeet cage with her vacuum hose...until the day the keet tried to fly past the hose...thought he was a goner but these 2 little claws had clamped on the side of the hose....he looked like Ricochet Rabbit whenever the vacuum was wheeled out of the closet. Priceless memory.
Had to laugh on the canary story - reminds me of my mom who used to clean the parakeet cage with her vacuum hose...until the day the keet tried to fly past the hose...thought he was a goner but these 2 little claws had clamped on the side of the hose....he looked like Ricochet Rabbit whenever the vacuum was wheeled out of the closet. Priceless memory.
Telly
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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- Feb 22, 2003
- Messages
- 2,395
Caddo. And the indians it was named for are long dead. You have the area right!
On a cold day in winter, if you get out of the north wind, and in front of a southern exposure, it will be real nice. The sun is so much higher in elevation than in the northern latitudes...
On a cold day in winter, if you get out of the north wind, and in front of a southern exposure, it will be real nice. The sun is so much higher in elevation than in the northern latitudes...
BigMoneyJim
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Is it Lake Texoma? I can't recall for sure. You're on Texoma, right?Hey Charlie! Did you know that there is only one natural
lake in the entire state of Texas? It's true! Do you know the name and location? An old Texas joke is about the Texan who did not believe you could have
a lake without a dam
John Galt
I've always heard there's only 1 Texas natural lake, but I find it hard to believe.
J
John Galt
Guest
Yes, we are on Lake Texoma, but no, that was built in 1944 by the corps.
The first time I heard the "one natural lake" story, I thought "that's nuts!". Turns out to be true. It's Caddo Lake in east Texas. Now you can amaze your friends.
John Galt
The first time I heard the "one natural lake" story, I thought "that's nuts!". Turns out to be true. It's Caddo Lake in east Texas. Now you can amaze your friends.
John Galt
H
Halley Hart
Guest
We live in 840 square feet built in 1943 and are in the process of moving to a rural area. We are building a 1234ft house. We added a guest room and half bath. We did an open floor plan which helps it to feel spacious. This will feel like a castle to us. Plus we have two long porches on the north and south side of the house(it is on 3 acres with great views....got the land for a very low price with well and transformer) Our dtr will have a little bit larger room and a closet. Plus we'll be able to put guests in a room as opposed to the living room.
The house we live in now has served us well. It is on a large lot in a great neighborhood. At one time 5 people lived in the house.
Our new neighbors live in 740 square feet and they have 4 children. They are wanting to expand just a bit. So there are the small houses out there. Just have to look and be willing to live in them. Or have one built. I have see lots of smaller house plans.
Halley
The house we live in now has served us well. It is on a large lot in a great neighborhood. At one time 5 people lived in the house.
Our new neighbors live in 740 square feet and they have 4 children. They are wanting to expand just a bit. So there are the small houses out there. Just have to look and be willing to live in them. Or have one built. I have see lots of smaller house plans.
Halley
Hi Halley,
Your place sounds great. What part of the country are you in?
Billy.
Website www.geocities.com/ba264
Your place sounds great. What part of the country are you in?
Billy.
Website www.geocities.com/ba264
J
John Galt
Guest
Before we bought our Texas condo we intended to build
on a small piece of land in the country.
Bought a really pretty seven acre parcel with 2 ponds
and nice trees. There was a minimum building restriction
of 1275 SF, new construction only (no used mobiles).
Didn't sound like much at the time. However as we were
used to living in 1000 SF, that extra 275 SF made a big
difference (in the cost) once we started planning a house. Kind of got blindsided by that. Anyway, that
was just one reason we opted not to build on the property. Sure was pretty though.
John Galt
on a small piece of land in the country.
Bought a really pretty seven acre parcel with 2 ponds
and nice trees. There was a minimum building restriction
of 1275 SF, new construction only (no used mobiles).
Didn't sound like much at the time. However as we were
used to living in 1000 SF, that extra 275 SF made a big
difference (in the cost) once we started planning a house. Kind of got blindsided by that. Anyway, that
was just one reason we opted not to build on the property. Sure was pretty though.
John Galt
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