McMansions: How The Ultimate American Dream Became A Nightmare

Chelsea talks about the American obsession with space, and how having so much of it is actually making us worse off.

Join this channel to get access to perks:

The Financial Diet site:

[tonyclemens]

When my wife and I were looking to purchase a home we wanted a home we could tolerate and pay off as quickly as possible. Bankers were trying to convince us that we should get a home suited to our status in society. We purchased a townhouse and have been mortgage free for 20 years.

[hallamshire]

I grew up in a McMansion that my parent bought in the 90's. Can confirm: we had a dining room and living room that we used once or twice a year... and can also confirm that we filled it with expensive furniture and nicknacks. When I went to buy a home myself, I was intentional that I didn't want to buy more than I needed. I feel blessed to have been able to buy a home, but I am also proud that we use every room in the house most days of the week.

[butterflybe]

I remember Wendy Williams always said that she hated large homes because “there’s more places for the killer to hide” and that always stuck with me! Lol.

[tamarah]

I’m so glad you mentioned the “third place”. IMO that’s the worst thing about tract housing developments, whether they’re McMansions or more regular sized houses. Not having anywhere to be, other than inside your house- the isolation and lack of connection with a community is bad for mental health. And our kids and the younger generations are already suffering mental health problems at least partly due to isolation. That’s why when we bought our home almost 20 years ago we prioritized living jn a walkable neighborhood. Even though it’s a relatively small and old (100 years old) home with its own share of maintenance issues the fact that we can walk to a library or the grocery store or a café within a few blocks is so, so valuable. And I love the freedom that’s given our teenage son. I wish the US had more neighborhoods that made that possible.

[kjm]

It really stinks that sometimes we don't get a choice about what to purchase. All the nice, reasonably sized, actually affordable homes in my area keep getting snatched up by all cash offer flippers. Then they go crazy adding all kinds of extra space and generic remodeling. Once they are done, the 1, 000 sqft affordable home moves to a 2, 500 sqft million dollar listing. It's frustrating.

[CBH]

As a woman living alone, I actually feel safer in a condo or townhouse over living in a separate family home. I like having others around me in an emergency situation while still having my own small space. Also, I currently live in a rural area so it's nice to have a small sense of community, especially while living alone.

[gauriganesh]

My mom really enjoyed her large house when my siblings and myself were living there. Now that we've moved out, she's exhausted with how much upkeep the house requires for herself and my dad and is ready for apartment life again. Seeing how much it takes to maintain their house, I decided a long time ago I would rather just have a small home or apartment!

[mmps]

I grew up in McMansion hell and it's very true that people end up buying crap for the sole purpose of filling rooms! My family was like this. We had a whole half of our house with a bunch of furniture and a pingpong table collecting dust and no one goes in there except maybe twice a year.

[papertweet]

Funny how when you’re young and raising a family and in need of a large home you cannot afford it. Later in life when you can afford a larger home, you don’t need it.

[elizabethwillis]

I feel extremely privileged that I live in a home with less than 1, 400 sq ft, built in 1948, in walking distance to schools, shopping, and parks. It forces me to not buy more stuff because it just won’t fit! So I rarely buy any furniture or decor. Plus 1948 closets are quite small. So I can’t have a large amount of clothing. You can say no to fast fashion much easier when you have nowhere to put it!

[CaliHinojosaVids]

I rented a townhouse that was built by one of those McMansion developers and it was horrid. I could hear all my neighbors all the time. Sitting next to any window in the winter was freezing. Everything was falling apart and the home wasn’t even 10 years old. ‘Builder grade’ is an absolute scam. Who wants to buy a house that you have to turn around and replace everything in? And while we’re at it, screw whoever convinced everyone they needed to remodel their kitchens in the 90s.

[jjberg]

My McMansion childhood sucked. When I could have been studying or exploring a walkable neighborhood and developing my individuality, my main childhood memories are mostly of yard work and not being allowed outside unless parents were home. I vowed never to live like that. My friends thought the same, though after a couple of decades they all think it's THE ONLY way to live and look down on anyone who doesn't. I'm still holding out!

[fizzimajig]

When I bought my house in 2008, I had to repeatedly remind my realtor that just because the houses were lower in price, I didn’t want more home than I needed as a single woman or that could take care of long term. I kept leaning towards something less than 1500sq ft and no more than 2-3bd and 1-2 bath. This is in Tampa and now after watching the expense of upkeep on those massive homes in my area, I’m even more happy I pushed for a smaller home that I’m still happy with 15years later in a solidly middle class neighborhood. I’ve also almost got it paid off.

[victoriajenkins]

I grew up a minute away from my primary third place—my martial arts studio—and that was awesome. Down with suburban sprawl, down with HOAs, down with lawns, and down with giant useless houses!

[CherryChics]

When I was a kid my DREAM was to have a McMansion. That was really only to prove to everyone that I’d “made it” and had so much money. After spending time in NYC and abroad I laugh at just how far my preferences have shifted from what younger me wanted. And I HATE that there’s nowhere in the US that can give us a walkable, community that isn’t NYC. And it’s all because of corporate lobbying! We’ve been scammed.

[christa]

Homer Simpson was a funny example of a homeowner who probably makes less than he can afford in a home, but what immediately popped into my head was Married with Children. Never made sense how Al Bundy could afford a house like that on a shoe salesman income…

[Jhddtukbdd]

I was always ashamed of my childhood home, a 1940s built rental home on piers with old used cars in a poor neighborhood. We only had one bathroom for four people. I longed for a huge house in the suburbs and fancy family cars in garages and lots of bathtubs. Now I know that my parents did the smart thing, saving money to cover medical debt. The rich suburbs flooded almost every month, our little neighborhood of elderly/immigrants/poor folks didn’t flood. I won’t buy a huge home even if I can afford it years from now, something with good bones and low natural disaster risk is enough.

[beccaleigh]

Content like this reminds me that the constant pressure to move my 2-person household into a larger home is inappropriate. We have 3 bedrooms and a bathroom with two vanities. We have a garden and a shed and a 1-car garage. *We don't need more strength or more ability or more opportunity. What we need is to use what we have.* Basil S. Walsh

[ljohnson]

I’m probably going to be in the minority here, but if you’ve ever had a nightmare of a neighbor then you’ll understand wanting isolation. I don’t necessarily need a McMansion and wouldn’t get one if I couldn’t afford it, but I absolutely want a well built house on acres away from people. I’ve lived in expensive apartments and lower cost apartments, and they all had one or two obnoxious neighbors who would ruin the building. Wanting to buy a single family detached home is something I won’t apologize for because my peace is priceless.

[ashleyhartadams]

Growing up, we lived in a comfortable home that was PAID OFF and had been for years. In middle school, my parents decided they “deserved” a bigger house, so they started adding on to our home. The layout was so bad and made no sense. The market crashed, we went bankrupt, and lost the house. So traumatizing. My best memories are of when we grew up in our smaller home. It wasn’t even that small!!!! Plenty of space! Parents have passed on and I can’t help but think of how much generational wealth was lost (especially in our current housing market). Sigh. . .