Why do people in the DC area hate newer and larger homes?

[Anonymous]

I've said in many threads that even when we were looking in another state where we could have bought a much larger home, we still gravitated towards the smaller (2500 and under sf) homes. I honestly walk into homes larger than that and feel like they are cavernous - It just doesn't feel homey to me.

Not to mention the idea of having to clean more space makes me twitchy.

People can buy whatever size home they want, but I personally don't like larger homes, regardless of price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never met anyone who hates homes because they are new or large. I've met people who don't think its worth it to move out of the city to get a bigger/newer home. I've also met people who think most new construction is cookie-cutter and not built as well as older homes. And I've met peope who dislike when nicer older homes are torn down to put in garrish newer homes that are too large for the lot they are built on. But the notion that there's some group of people with a knee-jerk visceral hate of some homes because of their size or new-ness is just not reality.

I love people like this: I am not JEALOUS of your new home at all I just happen to despise the fact that it is larger and newer than mine!
Then they feel free to come right out and tell you how they hate the home while living in a kind of very cute little dump that you constantly have to search to think of what possible nice thing you could say about it as in " I just LOVE your new door knobs"

[Anonymous]

I think people in DC feel bad about the costs and try and lie to themselves by saying my small, old house has character and charm. Please so did my 3000 sq ft home down south. I loved the heck out of that house and miss it so much. I've been in some beautifully redone homes in this area but nothing quite compares to a brand new house in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Can one build a new house with the character and feel of old nice homes from 100 years ago? That is, solid construction with good current standards but with the feel of old houses (eg molding, architecturally correct dimensions, etc)? Wouldn't that be the best of all worlds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an architect and I generally find that the opposition to new development comes from small, bitter, jealous people. I can't fathom having nothing better to do with one's time than attempting to squash some other family's dream. Live and let live.

Perhaps, it's when you put a house ill-fitted on a lot too small and a home not keeping with the character of the neighborhood.

The assumption that anybody that does not like your work or can't afford it is completely pompous.

+100

It's a certain type that comes into a neighborhood with no regard for neighbors and builds something 3 times the size, casting shadows on everything around it.

It's like ' come look at my wife's new DD fake tits".

To assume others can't afford it is such a back ass, ignorant way to think.

I don't mind the tasteful new construction and much is an improvement over what was there before.

To be frank, I know many people in my neighborhood that made fabulous renovations of an existing structure that cost more to do than the massive, glaring Mansion. It's often cheaper to knock down then restore.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in a place where all of the houses date to the 1920s and earlier. These houses have period details, e.g. foyers with sidelights; built-ins in the living areas and bedrooms; wonderful old hardwood floors; funny little rooms and nooks here and there. They sit on 1/4 acre lots surrounded by mature trees and landscaping.

I could never consider living in a new, large home because it would feel cold and un-homey to me. I want a yard that has been gardened for decades, and trees that soar over me. I want plaster walls and interesting built-ins. Yes, I know you can have e.g. built-ins and crown molding in new houses, but the feel of them is altogether different from the feel of a house built in 1920.

No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a place where all of the houses date to the 1920s and earlier. These houses have period details, e.g. foyers with sidelights; built-ins in the living areas and bedrooms; wonderful old hardwood floors; funny little rooms and nooks here and there. They sit on 1/4 acre lots surrounded by mature trees and landscaping.

I could never consider living in a new, large home because it would feel cold and un-homey to me. I want a yard that has been gardened for decades, and trees that soar over me. I want plaster walls and interesting built-ins. Yes, I know you can have e.g. built-ins and crown molding in new houses, but the feel of them is altogether different from the feel of a house built in 1920.

No thanks.

strange. Do you commute via horse and buggy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I was thinking of houses built after 2010 vs houses from before WWII (even before WWI). No experience with 1950-1970s houses.

so most of the "old" homes around here, Arlington, Alexandria, MontCo, are built post-WWII. If you are talking close in NW, or Old Town, that is a different story. This is not an old town. Until WWII, there was not a lot here. The housing here sucks. Tearing down 1950s ramblers and putting up 2014 building code houses is an improvement (though I can argue with the architecture of the hideous craftsman style houses).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a place where all of the houses date to the 1920s and earlier. These houses have period details, e.g. foyers with sidelights; built-ins in the living areas and bedrooms; wonderful old hardwood floors; funny little rooms and nooks here and there. They sit on 1/4 acre lots surrounded by mature trees and landscaping.

I could never consider living in a new, large home because it would feel cold and un-homey to me. I want a yard that has been gardened for decades, and trees that soar over me. I want plaster walls and interesting built-ins. Yes, I know you can have e.g. built-ins and crown molding in new houses, but the feel of them is altogether different from the feel of a house built in 1920.

No thanks.

strange. Do you commute via horse and buggy?

Good one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I was thinking of houses built after 2010 vs houses from before WWII (even before WWI). No experience with 1950-1970s houses.

so most of the "old" homes around here, Arlington, Alexandria, MontCo, are built post-WWII. If you are talking close in NW, or Old Town, that is a different story. This is not an old town. Until WWII, there was not a lot here. The housing here sucks. Tearing down 1950s ramblers and putting up 2014 building code houses is an improvement (though I can argue with the architecture of the hideous craftsman style houses).

The new Craftsmans are much prettier than the pointy mixed-media things in Pimmit Hills and McLean

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a place where all of the houses date to the 1920s and earlier. These houses have period details, e.g. foyers with sidelights; built-ins in the living areas and bedrooms; wonderful old hardwood floors; funny little rooms and nooks here and there. They sit on 1/4 acre lots surrounded by mature trees and landscaping.

I could never consider living in a new, large home because it would feel cold and un-homey to me. I want a yard that has been gardened for decades, and trees that soar over me. I want plaster walls and interesting built-ins. Yes, I know you can have e.g. built-ins and crown molding in new houses, but the feel of them is altogether different from the feel of a house built in 1920.

No thanks.

strange. Do you commute via horse and buggy?

PP here. I cited my reasons in response to OP's question. Do you actually want to engage in conversation? Because your post is the opposite of conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I was thinking of houses built after 2010 vs houses from before WWII (even before WWI). No experience with 1950-1970s houses.

so most of the "old" homes around here, Arlington, Alexandria, MontCo, are built post-WWII. If you are talking close in NW, or Old Town, that is a different story. This is not an old town. Until WWII, there was not a lot here. The housing here sucks. Tearing down 1950s ramblers and putting up 2014 building code houses is an improvement (though I can argue with the architecture of the hideous craftsman style houses).

I agree. To me, post-WWII houses are all deficient in various ways. A bona fide well-constructed old house with character = pre-WWII, preferably 1920 or earlier.

The housing stock here is terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a place where all of the houses date to the 1920s and earlier. These houses have period details, e.g. foyers with sidelights; built-ins in the living areas and bedrooms; wonderful old hardwood floors; funny little rooms and nooks here and there. They sit on 1/4 acre lots surrounded by mature trees and landscaping.

I could never consider living in a new, large home because it would feel cold and un-homey to me. I want a yard that has been gardened for decades, and trees that soar over me. I want plaster walls and interesting built-ins. Yes, I know you can have e.g. built-ins and crown molding in new houses, but the feel of them is altogether different from the feel of a house built in 1920.

No thanks.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I was thinking of houses built after 2010 vs houses from before WWII (even before WWI). No experience with 1950-1970s houses.

so most of the "old" homes around here, Arlington, Alexandria, MontCo, are built post-WWII. If you are talking close in NW, or Old Town, that is a different story. This is not an old town. Until WWII, there was not a lot here. The housing here sucks. Tearing down 1950s ramblers and putting up 2014 building code houses is an improvement (though I can argue with the architecture of the hideous craftsman style houses).

The new Craftsmans are much prettier than the pointy mixed-media things in Pimmit Hills and McLean

You mean traditional brick front colonials?

I find the Craftsman to be much more appealing myself but in the long run I think they are a fad and will have more maintenance costs with painting the siding and trim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a place where all of the houses date to the 1920s and earlier. These houses have period details, e.g. foyers with sidelights; built-ins in the living areas and bedrooms; wonderful old hardwood floors; funny little rooms and nooks here and there. They sit on 1/4 acre lots surrounded by mature trees and landscaping.

I could never consider living in a new, large home because it would feel cold and un-homey to me. I want a yard that has been gardened for decades, and trees that soar over me. I want plaster walls and interesting built-ins. Yes, I know you can have e.g. built-ins and crown molding in new houses, but the feel of them is altogether different from the feel of a house built in 1920.

No thanks.

strange. Do you commute via horse and buggy?

Good one.

You two probably think that being inside the National Cathedral in DC is nicer than being inside Notre Dame. After all, 20th century construction beats 13th century construction.