Apr. 7, 2006 - When is a house TOO big?

One has to wonder, after attending meetings where residents take sides on what new houses should look like, how much we should or should not impose our views on one another.  Seems like when we spend less than $200,000 for a house, people have less say in what we build than when we spend millions.

Something seems odd that people who live in homes they bought for $70,000 should dictate to someone who is building a home for $1,500,000.  Sometimes I think maybe it makes them feel powerful to tell the wealthy "newcomers" what they can and can't do with all their money.

All of the houses above are certainly wonderful homes.  Anyone would be happy to own any one of them.  So why aren't we just as happy when our neighbor owns it? :-)

When someone in a position of power says, "I raised my whole family in a 1,300 square foot house!", you have to wonder where the heck they are coming from.  What does it matter what you did 40 years ago?  How is that relevant to 2006?

That being said, I would like to weigh in and say we should reduce the FAR to 50% across the board detached garages  and "air space" should be included in the square footage.  There, that should keep my view intact. Can anyone really have a truly objective opinion on this?  I doubt it.  It's all based on taste and self interest.  If people want to buy big square houses with all balcony and no yard...who's to say they can't...the people who can't afford to build them?  And someone thinks this is a free country...