How do you feel when friend buys McMansion?

[Anonymous]

I had a friend who bought a very very large mcmansion in a far out suburb. I was happy for her because it's a beautiful house but I'm sooo curious what her electric bill is because it is humungous! Those are the only two thoughts I really had.

[Anonymous]

You are really over thinking this.

[Anonymous]

I looked up the word McMansion and there are some different definitions for it. So what I meant here was just a very big, very expensive, very nice house in a very desirable neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In other words, if your friend does well, do you act like a psychotic jerk or not?

Wow, OP. What to say? If I had one, and I knew you, you probably would not have to worry about being invited much at all.

If (not when) you are invited, bring something you would bring to any other friend. Assuming it is a friend? Assuming you treat all of your friends like this? Yikes.

Your post says far more about you and your rotten attitude than it does about anyone with a nice house.

Wow.

How is my attitude rotten? For my question, I am assuming it is just a casual friend or co-worker. If it was your best friend, then you would know the whole backstory already.
Are you saying you would give the same normal gift you give to any friend? Don't you give something better than normal? For example, if it was an expensive bday party, would you give a more expensive bday gift? If it was a super awesome wedding, don't you give a better wedding gift? Doesn't the same idea apply here?

[Anonymous]

The only folks I know who have actual McMansions live WAY farther out than I do, and their houses cost about the same as my smaller, older Arlington home. So I easily could have bought a similar house if I wanted to, but my housing priorities are different.

A $2M house in this area is unlikely to be a McMansion - it's more likely to be an actual mansion or a newer build home in a really desirable area. When my friends buy those, yes, I might feel a twinge of house envy over their nice kitchens or whatever, but not the kind that eats me up inside.

[Anonymous]

I thank The Lord I'm not buying a McMansion whenever I hear of someone getting one. I love my 800 sq ft apartment. Space doesn't do it for me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a friend who bought a very very large mcmansion in a far out suburb. I was happy for her because it's a beautiful house but I'm sooo curious what her electric bill is because it is humungous! Those are the only two thoughts I really had.

The electric bills aren't that much higher because they are a lot more energy efficient. My house which is almost 6000SF has a power bill less than a friend's who lives in an old renovated 2000SF 2 story condo in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McMansions don't cost $2million.

They do in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

where is this hypothetical house? If it is the far-out burbs, I think, Ah, well, nice knowing you, but I don't feel like going that far out to see you.

[Anonymous]

Are you saying you would give the same normal gift you give to any friend? Don't you give something better than normal? For example, if it was an expensive bday party, would you give a more expensive bday gift? If it was a super awesome wedding, don't you give a better wedding gift? Doesn't the same idea apply here?

huh? You are odd, OP. Gift giving is about finding something that you think the giftee would appreciate and that you can afford and that is appropriate to the occasion. I do not give a "better' wedding gift because it is a "better" (whatever that means) wedding. So strange. You seem rather obsessed with $$$ even in a $$ obsessed town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You and your friend or coworker live comfortably in a $700,000 house. Suppose your friend that earns the same as you suddenly buys a $2 million house. What are the thoughts running through your head?

Why was I living with my friend or coworker, in the first place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McMansions don't cost $2million.

They do in Arlington.

not really, people have moved on to McLean and other places near the orange and future silver line

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/5870-1st-St-N-22203/home/11241234

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/831-N-Woodrow-St-22203/home/11246771

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/2636-N-Sycamore-St-22207/home/11225363

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/3566-Military-Rd-22207/home/11229322

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/6201-36th-St-N-22213/home/11226427

[Anonymous]

I think nothing?

Congrats on the new house. Other people have different priorities with their money or maybe they came into some family money or their spouse earns a lot more than we do, no one in my job could afford a $2m house.

I don't really give much (or any) thought to where our friends live other than factoring in how long it will take us to get there to determine if we can accept an invitation and not have it totally railroad our kid's bed time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Are you saying you would give the same normal gift you give to any friend? Don't you give something better than normal? For example, if it was an expensive bday party, would you give a more expensive bday gift? If it was a super awesome wedding, don't you give a better wedding gift? Doesn't the same idea apply here?

huh? You are odd, OP. Gift giving is about finding something that you think the giftee would appreciate and that you can afford and that is appropriate to the occasion. I do not give a "better' wedding gift because it is a "better" (whatever that means) wedding. So strange. You seem rather obsessed with $$$ even in a $$ obsessed town.

Your first line contradicts the second line. You said whatever is appropriate for the occasion. A simple birthday party at your house is very different than say a fancy "American Girl" party followed by a full lunch. Similarly a simple wedding at home is different than a Ritz wedding. It is pretty obvious which event is "better". While it is not always true, the more an event costs, the "better" it is. I wouldn't want to invite you to one of my smashing parties...

[Anonymous]

Jealous. Who doesn't want to live in a 2 mil house?