McMansions

The recent decade saw the trend of increasing number of large houses mostly built in the site of tear downs, which are given the slang term McMansions.

Though the term have certainly acquired some negative perception, especially when historic homes have to be sacrificed to built these behemoth residences, there is no arguing that McMansions are still easy to sell to affluent and even the not-so-affluent middle class.

For one, Mcmansions have always been equated with personal pride for its owners. Owning a 5,000-square-foot house with two-storey high foyers, ornate facades, and more bedrooms than are necessary do spell success in bold, capital letters.

McMansions are also closely associated with urban sprawl and are attributed for changing the landscape surrounding a metropolitan region. And though most are criticized for decidedly lack of style and refinement, there is still no arguing that these houses fed on the idealism of owners, making them feel like they’re living a near-perfect life they have always dreamed of, in spaces that practically scream affluence and luxury.

In Tampa, owners of McMansions are rarely single, most of them are married with young children who feel they need all the extra space they could get. This demographic group comprises the majority of homeowners who buy into gated communities with houses boasting more than 3,000 square feet of floor space. Most of these communities are located near waterways, where access to large bodies of waters is provided.

So despite putdowns and criticisms toward the construction of these large residential structures, despite the enormous heat and cooling costs it entails, and despite the continuing prevalence of mortgage and insurance woes beleaguering the state and the country, McMansions are definitely here to stay. For some developers, it’s just a case of furnishing all the other value-added features that increase the appeal of the house, throw in an amenity or two within the developed community, and finding the right buyer looking to manifest the oh-so-human trait of seeking the best and the mostest.