How does your community feel about "super sized" homes?
How about you - how do you feel about the extremely large houses?
When is "big" just too much, such that it negatively impacts the community?
This is an issue in my town, Los Gatos, right now. I blogged about it at www.LiveInLosGatos.com and I would love to have your feedback on the question of how much is too much? (Or is there such a thing?)
St.Cloud Homes - Saint Cloud, FL
St. Cloud Fl Realtor, Osceola County Real Estate 407-616-9904
I have seen it here in St. Cloud, Florida as well. Bigger is not better-just more expensive. Higher taxes, more maintaince. My neighbor recently built a 6000 sq.ft house in a neighborhood of 2500 sq. ft homes. The taxes were just reassessed and they are having a cow. $11,000 worth. So, not only to I not have to clean it...I don;t have the burden of an enormous tax bill either.
Apr 19, 2007 03:03 AM
United Country - Fredericksburg, TX
Hi Mary.
I would never personally own a large house, however I do not support legislation restricting someone's freedom from owning one.
The last thing we need in America is more laws eroding our personal freedoms.
Apr 19, 2007 03:12 AM
The North Idaho Dream Team powered by SKE Realty Group - Coeur d'Alene, ID
I would personally own a large house and I agree with Gregory, I resent anyone restricting my freedom from owning one. Just because someone is happy and content living in a 400sf apartment in NYC does not mean someone else should have to live the same way. It's egocentrism taken to the Nth degree.
Apr 19, 2007 03:19 AM
ADT Security Services - Slidell, LA
Home Security Specialist - Greater New Orleans, Louisiana
Get the G out!!!! I am constantly disgusted about the government's nose being in so much of our business. If they can't control it, they tax it, unless they can do both, of course. Where are our freedoms?
Apr 19, 2007 03:31 AM
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA
CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley
Interesting responses. Here in California we DO already have restrictions in place. Each town or city can regulate what may be built - isn't that true where you are, too? Normally it has to do with how much land there is and what the neighborhood is zoned for. Secondly, it has to do with whether or not the land is sloped (and how much). There are somewhat complicated ratios used to determine how big a home may be built. In my area, too, a concern is "how visible will it be to everyone else?" If something is on the very top of a mountain crest, it may have to be a lower home (to blend in) as opposed to a three story home that's bright white.
So the government already IS involved, whether it's with setbacks or height restrictions or size. And most of us prefer some sort of regulation so you don't have a bunch of 1500 SF homes with one 5000 sf home in the middle of them.
In Los Gatos, I have seen homes as big as about 15,000 SF (including apartments over garages, cottages etc.). I think it's a valid question for my town: is there a size that's too big? Some of the towns nearby have very restrictive rules about the so-called Monster Homes. Los Gatos is moderate. But people here literally show up to a town council meeting if a neighbor wants to remove a tree from the front yard (one area has a "tree lined street" full of a particular type of tree and the neighbors do NOT want a guy on a corner to be allowed to remove his matching tree). So if they care so much about a tree, I wonder what they think about size.
As I said, I'm not a town planner and I'm not sure what the answer is. But I do think you can have too much of whatever - too high a home, too close to the street, too much pavement for the land. Size? I'm not sure. Some of the Monster Homes are scars on the hillside, IMHO. We need to balance out landowner rights with preserving the character of the town and land too.
So the government already IS involved, whether it's with setbacks or height restrictions or size. And most of us prefer some sort of regulation so you don't have a bunch of 1500 SF homes with one 5000 sf home in the middle of them.
In Los Gatos, I have seen homes as big as about 15,000 SF (including apartments over garages, cottages etc.). I think it's a valid question for my town: is there a size that's too big? Some of the towns nearby have very restrictive rules about the so-called Monster Homes. Los Gatos is moderate. But people here literally show up to a town council meeting if a neighbor wants to remove a tree from the front yard (one area has a "tree lined street" full of a particular type of tree and the neighbors do NOT want a guy on a corner to be allowed to remove his matching tree). So if they care so much about a tree, I wonder what they think about size.
As I said, I'm not a town planner and I'm not sure what the answer is. But I do think you can have too much of whatever - too high a home, too close to the street, too much pavement for the land. Size? I'm not sure. Some of the Monster Homes are scars on the hillside, IMHO. We need to balance out landowner rights with preserving the character of the town and land too.
Apr 19, 2007 04:13 AM
Rainmaker
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Mary Pope-Handy
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