Giant White Houses (no not that one)
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Have you guys seen this in your areas?
A construction crew spent the spring and summer building a new house, which, like all new houses in our suburban neighborhood, dwarfed our own. Indeed, the house is quite similar to nearly every other new house built in our neighborhood over the past few years, built in a style I think of as the Giant White House.
Giant White Houses are white, with jet-black accents: the shutters, the gutters, the rooves. They are giant—Hulk houses—swollen to the very limits of the legally allowed property setback, and unnaturally tall. They feature a mishmash of architectural features, combining, say, the peaked roof of a farmhouse with squared-off sections reminiscent of city townhomes. They mix horizontal siding, vertical paneling, and painted brick willy-nilly.
https://slate.com/business/2025/03/houses-real-estate-luxury-sale.html
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Yes, there are a few "rich" new construction neighborhoods that often use this style. Normally the house sells for like $2 million. Sometimes we stop by during an open house just to see. Totally not my style, all the finishes are top of the line (marble this... designer that...) but ultimately the layout is usually sterile and TONS of wasted space. Then again, some are beautiful construction and emphasize the clean and somewhat-minimalist look that can be very peaceful.
Oh and around here these luxury homes usually include a "sports court". Mostly because the climate doesn't allow outdoor basketball (etc) during the winter months, so a half-court is usually installed. It seems crazy at first, but man... my kids (and I) would love that in our house!
Here's one for example: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/720-Lanewood-Ln-N_Plymouth_MN_55447_M76848-49743
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I don’t mind the style, though wouldn’t want to own one. They look cold and I don’t think the style will hold up well over time and will look dated rather than classic.
My issue is exactly what the author is describing. These things are popping up in working class neighborhoods. 2-3 bedroom ranches selling for $500K-$600K are getting bought, torn down, and these huge über mansions go up in their place. How would you like to be some average guy working your ass off to cover the mortgage, and then you have one of these things plop up next door ruining the view. Then another and another, and as the selling prices go up, it shifts the assessment of your property up, raising your taxes. Of course, you could always sell to take advantage of the higher selling price, but you still have to buy something else, and at 7% interest rates. This is extremely problematic.
