2023 Real Estate Observations (Boston, Braintree: codes, authority, down payment)

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by AtkinsonDan

I think of McMansions as oversized colonials made of flimsy materials commonly built in the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis (1990s to 2006). These latest developments are a step worse and much uglier than the McMansions from the pre-2008 era.

The fancy term for a mishmash of styles is “eclecticism”. When that is done poorly, you get McMansions.

A poorly constructed colonial that mostly sticks to the colonial style isn’t a McMansion. You might know it from the insides falling apart, but from the outside it isn’t terrible. Add a few unneeded gables and you’ve passed into McMansion territory. To be fair, though, I’ve never seen a shoddily-constructed colonial that didn’t add a bunch of unnecessary architectural features, so the difference may be theoretical. I would say a shoddy Tudor or whatever with strange, inconsistent architecture would also be a McMansion.

https://mcmansionhell.com/post/15027...01-eclecticism

[MtPleasantDream]

Here is a list of all homes sold in the past week, in Middlesex County.
One home in Burlington cost $1.8M but the others are still in “middle class price range”

A half of the buyers in Lexington are Asian.

https://www.masslive.com/realestate-...o-april-9.html

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by msRB311

The question is why do people feel the need for such a big house especially when people have less kids than they used to. It's been discussed before that siblings used to share bedrooms. Now people have bedrooms and rooms they don't even use.

I know some multigenerational families who bought a mcmansion. That makes more sense than a family with two adults and 1-2 kids.

I hate splits. Those were a hard no for us, which eliminated about 50% of the available homes when we looked. The stairs cut the house in half for no reason. Like someone said before, the upstairs is always a cramped kitchen, living room and 3 small bedrooms. The downstairs was often a second half kitchen or living room (why do you need two of either one) and then a random open space or half bath or unfinished area. If finished then that leaves no room for storage, so people will put their stuff in the garage and park outside.

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

(why do you need two of either one)

May have been an In-law unit, legal or otherwise.

[msRB311]

Are multigenerational homes that common ? I've heard they are in certain cultures. I could never ever live with my mother in law.

[simplexsimon]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Are multigenerational homes that common ? I've heard they are in certain cultures. I could never ever live with my mother in law.

I don't have the data but my feeling is that American culture is the outlier and even then I believe it was not uncommon or looked down upon until recently in history...maybe after WW2?

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

May have been an In-law unit, legal or otherwise.

Splits often don't even have a real bedroom in the basement though.

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Are multigenerational homes that common ? I've heard they are in certain cultures. I could never ever live with my mother in law.

Outside of US culture, yes.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by simplexsimon

I don't have the data but my feeling is that American culture is the outlier and even then I believe it was not uncommon or looked down upon until recently in history...maybe after WW2?

I can see where it wouldn't be for everyone.

[bricka]

feels to me like sales are falling of a cliff and market is becoming illiquid. there are some houses for sale inside 495 but the asking prices are clearly just people fishing that don't need to sell their home. very curious to see what happens over next couple weeks.