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I see some going up but what amaizes me in the continued craze do oudo the “Joneses”. Example: two people living in a 5,000 square foot home. Just goes to show how much money is out there. When the stock market inevitably turns south for a few years I’m sure those modest homes will be in demand again.
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I see some going up but what amaizes me in the continued craze do oudo the Joneses. Example two people living in a 5,000 square foot home. Just goes to show how much money is out there. When the stock market inevitably turns south for a few years I'm sure those modest homes will be in demand again.
*I designed a house for a single friend that was basicly 3 rooms and 2 baths aprox. 1500 sq. ft. It consisted of a large great room/ kitchen, a master suite, and a loft with the second bath for overnight guests. The design had all the amenities that folks want now days- vaulted ceiling, stone fireplace, whilpool tub in the master suite, huge walkin closet. A lot of the neighbors told her she was making a big mistake building a one bedroom house. That's funny, her builder got orders for 2 more just like it. I should have copyrighted my design.
*My wife and I are presently building a "not so big" house in Vancouver, B.C. Yes, it does cost more per square foot, but I agree with kcoyner, I'd sure hate to clean that 3000+ft house.We've had lots of comments from people wondering how we'll ever survive the hardship on not having a separate bathroom for each person in the house; and the appraiser from the bank wasn't too happy about our apparently radical approach to housing, but what the heck, we're not building it to sell it - we want to live there!!!!
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Mark,
As far as I'm aware your design is automatically copyrighted the moment it comes off the drawing board. Unles you assign that design in writing to another party it remains your design.
*A builder here in Dallas, not too far from where I live, built a bunch of new "smaller" houses in a neighborhood that was falling down. They can't be more than a 1000 sq. ft. each.He sold them all. The neighborhood has a new breath of life.I would like to see more of this.In Dallas, it seems like 10,000 sq. ft. is a small house nowadays. I quess that's where the big money is, but people like us need housing too.Ed. Williams
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Gregory- My parents have owned and operated a family campground just outside of lovely Pinehurst, NC (Home of the '99 US Open Golf Championship) Growing up, I had the opportunity to see wealthy "campers" arrive in their $500,000+ rigs to spend a week or so golfing and enjoying our lovely area. At times, I was invited into these penthouses on wheels, and always was astounded by their beauty, soundness, and efficient use of space, without the least bit of clausrophobia-causing crampness experienced in smaller, cheaper campers. With proper design, and enough expenditure in the right areas (Lighting, wiring, flooring materials, decking, entertainment area, kithen area, bathroom, etc) I have been able to somewhat recreate this incredible auora in 2-story cottages, and for much less than a half million dollars. My best yet is only 960 sf, costs approx. $80/sf, and is adored by all who see it. Traveling through eastern europe also helped me to get over the "big house complex" so many of us Americans seem to have bred into us. (My oldest brother, also a builder, has a wife and 2 children, and a 14,800 sf home! Tried to tell him to stop after the first floor. But the BHC was too strong. He probably uses about 1100 sf of the 14,800 sf) Anyway, smaller is better, if you ask me. In reference to houses, that is.
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If I were in the buying mode, I would snap up a "not so big house" in an instant!! MY husband and I use two rooms in our home (besides the bath), the kitchen, and we "live" in the master bedroom,hell if someone outfitted the bedroom with a fridge and a micro I could probably even forgo the kitchen!! LOL! You couldn't give me one of these huge houses, but give me a bit more square footage in the bedroom and I'd be a happy girl!!
Donna
*Someone mentioned that when the stock market inevitably heads south smaller houses will be in demand again.My question is how much will these recently built 5000sq.ft. McMansions be selling for then?Also, what is with the modern fixation with numerous bathrooms in a house?When I was a kid bathrooms were somewhere you took a "dump" or a bath in.How much time a day do you spend doing that?1 bathroom served 8 people just fine as long as we used it as a bathroom and then got on with our lives.good Luck,Stephen
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I've recently read the 'Not so big house' book and enjoyed some of the reasoning presented by the author. I've bounced some of these ideas off of some of our clients but they still seem to think they need to stay traditional to resell. Even if it means building rooms they won't use but once a year. Has anyone out there been selling or incorporating this thinking in your houses or designs?
*Greg,I can't tell you haw many houses I've built for middle-adged, middle-class couples that are 3000 plus sq. ft. and thought, my gosh I would hate to keep this house up or keep it clean. If I am asked for my opinion on a house plan that I feel is to big, I tell the client so and show him higher end options he could use in a smaller house for the same money. But American mentality in general has been the more (bigger) the better and some clients insist on "big". I consider the size and makeup of the family, their possessions and furniture, how much time they spend at home, their health, etc. and try to come up with a style and size that fits their lifestyle.
*Friend of mine does real estate apprasials in a rural area of Arkansas. She tells me there is only two kinds of activity going on right now in new housing - double wides and 3,000+ sq. ft. There is a market for modest homes but builders are more interested in the profits that come from larger homes. Speculate that customer and builder interest in modest home construction will return when the current boom runs its course.
*I see some going up but what amaizes me in the continued craze do oudo the "Joneses". Example: two people living in a 5,000 square foot home. Just goes to show how much money is out there. When the stock market inevitably turns south for a few years I'm sure those modest homes will be in demand again.