I don't see a practical reason to have a house that large. I mean just to heat and cool it would be insane! I have better things to do with my money than to prove that I am a real "man" or success because my house is the biggest...I also think in the future, those homes are going to be tougher to unload, because people aren't having as many kids to even justify a home half the size of that. There is just no way to justify a home that large.

That example in the paper this morning is both ostentatious and obnoxious. Acknowledging the existence of such in the course of other reporting is bad enough but to write a feature piece on it is just inexcusable.

400sf for core common features and mechanical equipment plus 200sf x 4.5people yields the very common and more than adequate 1300sf so common.

A bit more elbow room can be nice but isn't really needed... is it? Most of the not overly large families (a whole other issue) have manged quite well with a fair bit less.

Why is it that hardly anyone I know who have--- and can afford these homes have no kids? Hmmm. OK, so all that the space is for entertaining, right? And the folks with larger families who could use the space can't afford them. I guess that's a no-brainer.

Why does 1 person and 2 small dogs need 6,700 square feet and 3 acres??

I agree, the home was obnoxiously large; a typical boring McMansion. But Mr. Rational, don't blame the reporter for writing the story. It's a weekly feature; anyone can submit their Dream Home, whether it's 1,000 square feet or 8,000. Our home was featured about a year ago and the reporter is a very nice lady.

Kathy, I blame the assignment editor. The reporter is just working for a living. ;)

but I also take your point.

In my humble opinion more than 3,000sf is overkill if your family is comprised four or less occupants. Most people get caught up in the race to “keep up with the Jones”. In other words, you motivated not by your needs buy by the implied status you have with friends who see you in a grand home or McMansion.

When you buy a larger house, most client of our do not realize or even take into consideration the cost involved in decorating, furnishing, landscaping or even the BGE bill.

As a member of the Fallston community and a proud owner of a large home, I would like to pose a question for those of you who call the decision to occupy a larger than the norm home "obnoxious". Is it wrong to judge someone and suppose you know their motivations if they live in a small house? I assume you would find that immoral and offensive, but yet you have no problem at all assuming you know what motivates us and judging those of us who live in large homes. To assume that everyone who lives in a big house is simply trying to obtain social status and has no kids and therefore no use for the space is downright ignorant. I have a family of five and we use every inch of our home. I know only a few childless families in the McMansions of Fallston. The subject in this story is the exception, not the rule. To add to the list of things you don't know about our community, we happen to have wonderful schools, active, top-notch recreational and sports programs, and an easy commute to 3 major cities. There are a lot of reasons to buy in Fallston and why not spread out a little? It's affordable and we've got the space! It's called the American Dream for a reason my friends!