Archive for June, 2008

Here’s the McMansion version of the triple cheeseburger: McMansion #9



1633 5th Ave W Seattle WA 98119

Neighbors say the house that used to sit on this lot had a wonderful garden. Move over fruits and vegetables! Here comes the beef! Adding one more patty sure improves the view. The new owners will be able to see the Sound and two mountain ranges. The neighbors will just get to see your house… No matter which way they look.

No room for tomatoes and lettuce. Boy, am I full.

Please email us a picture and description of a McMansion in your neighborhood. There is still time to convince developers and buyers that smaller portions are a good idea. Send suggestions to: nomcmansion@gmail.com

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3 McMansions for $1: McMansions #5, #6, and #7



1024 W Ruffner St Seattle WA 98119

Okay, so you can’t really buy all three of these McMansions for $1, but listen to what one of our readers has to say about what can happen when a developer was able to replace one normal-sized house with three McMansions.

“3 huge box houses, no vegetation!, All painted the same color. Each house is at least 3600 square feet and sits on a 4400 square foot lot (this doesn’t included the green belt in the front of the houses). If you include the garages at 1020 and 1024 W. Ruffner, they are 4-story houses when viewed from the alley. The signature trend of this developer- make the street view of the house look “ok”, but use cheap siding/no details on the other 3 sides of the house. From all but one viewing angle, they look like apartments. Not your traditional
Queen Anne house.”

Those Dollar Menu items may sound good when you are hungry but the aftertaste is not so pleasant. I don’t know about you but I think I’ve lost my appetite.

Please email us a picture and description of a McMansion in your neighborhood. There is still time to convince developers and buyers that smaller portions are a good idea. Send suggestions to: nomcmansion@gmail.com

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Butterfly flying over your house: McMansion #4


3439 10th Ave W Seattle WA 98119

What a lovely summer day. A butterfly gently flies over your house. Sounds like a pleasant thought unless the huge moth-like wings are actually the roof of a developer’s new McMansion next door.

Gone are the gentle breezes from the South, replaced with an odd looking giant insect on sale for more than twice the value of any home in the neighborhood.

Try to look on the bright side, or should I say the shady side? You will never have to worry about bubbling paint on the south side of your house again. Instead, I would recommend investing in a power washer as your new found shade will likely result in increased moss growth.

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Here’s a burger that hangs over the bun: McMansion #3


3222 10th Ave W Seattle WA 98119

Don’t you hate it when you bite into a hamburger and come up empty? All bun and no meat. No need to worry with this McMansion. The original house had three bedrooms. Now there are four. The bathrooms used to be two and now are three and half. The old house took up 1,920 sq. ft. This new whopper expanded to 3,400 sq. ft. The burger is practically hanging off the bun.

Please email us a picture and description of a McMansion in your neighborhood. There is still time to convince developers and buyers that smaller portions are a good idea. Send suggestions to: nomcmansion@gmail.com

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Supersize Me: McMansion #2

McMansion at 1023 West Ruffner St Seattle WA 98119

These two houses used to be twins. Guess which one is currently owned by a flipper?

Oh, the life of a flipper… it’s a good life. You never have to cut the grass. No need for concern when you block neighbors’ views. You don’t have to think twice about building right up to the property line. You’ll be on to the next neighborhood just as soon as you can put up that sold sign.

You might even be tempted to tell the IRS that you lived in the house the whole two years it sat vacant waiting for you to convince Seattle City Hall that gentrification is good for the neighborhood. After all, doesn’t economic diversity mean that we need new neighbors who can afford higher property taxes?

As for maximizing the footprint of the house, who needs trees anyway? There is no need to worry about higher temperatures caused by global warming when your McMansion permanently shades the neighborhood. You can walk tall and feel proud that you build a house that looks like it ate too many french fries.

Please email us a picture and description of a McMansion in your neighborhood. There is still time to convince developers and buyers that smaller portions are a good idea. Send suggestions to: nomcmansion@gmail.com

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We have a winner! McMansion #1

McMansion at 3456 12th Ave West Seattle, Washington
Here is a McMansion that is for sale before it has been built. How about a 4200 sq. ft. home on a 6000 sq. ft. lot? Sounds a little out of proportion. Okay, so this is a two-story house but it will also have a 990 sq. ft. deck. The deck will have a larger footprint than most houses in the neighborhood. That’s going to look a little out of place.

The seller is excited about the 18 ft. ceilings on the second floor. Must be a green house. The ad says that this Queen Anne neighborhood has “endless views.” I’m guessing they meant “ended views” for the neighbors.

Please email us a picture and description of a McMansion in your neighborhood. There is still time to convince developers and buyers that smaller portions are a good idea. Send suggestions to: nomcmansion@gmail.com

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No more McMansions

This is a new blog dedicated to homeowners in communities where the lots are more valuable than the houses. I live in such a neighborhood. It is sad to see nice older homes being purchased to tear down and build new houses. It’s even sadder when developers buy these homes and build over-sized mansions on small lots. I think it is time for us to let developers and prospective buyers know that we don’t want these houses in our neighborhoods. Please send me pictures of McMansions in your neighborhoods. My hope is that this site will get popular and developers will think twice before tearing down a perfectly good house and think three times before replacing it with a McMansion.

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