Future of Commercial TV

Well possibly all of these people who advocating tiny homes. Relatives of my ex-wife used to live 7 people in a double wide. They didn't call them environmentally sustainable lifestyles in those days.

Quote: Pacomartin

Well possibly all of these people who advocating tiny homes. Relatives of my ex-wife used to live 7 people in a double wide. They didn't call them environmentally sustainable lifestyles in those days.

I'd quite like a 'tiny home'. Problem is finding the land to build it on, rather than renting trailer park space. They always look nice in the woods, but rigging them into services seems like a chore, and I see no need to have one on wheels.

Quote: TheCesspit

I'd quite like a 'tiny home'.

You like the idea of it. You'd actually hate it,
like living in a closet. Or those guys who convert
dumpsters into 'apartments'. You have more
room in a jail cell.

My grandfather had one of those Chris Craft wood boats from the 1950's. The one in this photo is about the same size. It has a kitchen, head, and shower and bunks. He and my grandmother used to fantasize about living on the boat, but in reality it is rather difficult. My grandmother would have probably drank herself to death, as she had no interest in the mechanics of boat ownership.

Here is their yacht club, 13 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Quote: Pacomartin

My grandfather had one of those Chris Craft wood boats from the 1950's.

Were they rich? That was a luxury boat,
only the extremely well off owned them.
This type of boat was called a 'motor
launch' and was available only to the
top 5% of the country. You could live in
one if you were single, and you were
Travis McGee..

Quote: Evenbob

Were they rich?

They died very poor. My grandfather used to make a good living, and he bought the boat as a mere hull. But he was an expert carpenter and he built it up over the decades to be a full size cabin cruiser. He did the same thing with the house, but by the time he died (1988) it was a dangerous slum, and my grandmother got about $20K for the 4 bedroom house with a finished basement.

Quote: Pacomartin

What if you have the most expensive real estate purchase in the USA? Wouldn't that make even a buddhist happy?

Buddhism is probably the religion I can most relate to, and I can say, flat out, I'd be miserable in that house. I'd use the garage and that first portion connected to it, and that's it. All the rest to heat and cool, a giant yard to mow, a giant pool to clean? Get the cops called on me any time I ran a 4wheeler or started my race car? Can't shoot my guns?

Even with the "lake", those are the kind of lakes I don't like. That's a decoration, a swimming hole. Where's the swamp and weeds and overgrowth that makes it a good fishin' hole? If I had that house I'd sell it, buy my dream home on my dream lot, and have $146,700,000 left over. Every penny of which I'd then spend on cars and guns XD

That log trailer is a bit too minimalist, but I'd be more comfortable in it than that mansion. I think 2 or 3 of them, plus a garage and minus the wheels, would be sufficient, and about the size home I hope to build in 5 year's time.

Quote: Face

Buddhism is probably the religion I can most relate to, and I can say, flat out, I'd be miserable in that house. I'd use the garage and that first portion connected to it, and that's it. All the rest to heat and cool, a giant yard to mow, a giant pool to clean? Get the cops called on me any time I ran a 4wheeler or started my race car? Can't shoot my guns?

Can't skin a deer in the yard.

You would love the place where a college buddy of mine lived. 10 or so acres IIRC. About a 1-2 acre lake on it, had some kind of storm drain but there was fishing as his family held fishing derbys and they had a bait and snack shack on site. They had a state park grade shelter with 10 or so picnic tables. Woods in back. House was nice but I'd build with better use of space.

I don't get some of those mansions. I've been in some very nice, large homes and I never really feel comfortable. Place like that feels like a hotel spa, not home. Yes it would be nice going a week without going to the bathroom in the same place, but even then do I want to drag my reading material with me?

Quote: AZDuffman

I don't get some of those mansions. I've been in some very nice, large homes and I never really feel comfortable. Place like that feels like a hotel spa, not home. Yes it would be nice going a week without going to the bathroom in the same place, but even then do I want to drag my reading material with me?

I agree. I just have a modern ranch style, and still only use 40% of it. 2 beds for me and my kid, a bathroom, and the living room houses my computer and gun cabinet. Half the kitchen is used, half is just decorated to look nice. The entire dining room serves only to house my fishing gear, pics of fishing trips, and fishing inspired decoration. Of the entire basement, I use one room to house the washer and dryer, and the entire rest of it is just storage for Pops.

Seriously, 2 of those mobile cabins pictured above would completely meet all the area needs I currently have. I'd just like a third one for some versatility.

I've only been in one big house, a sort of mansion right at the end of my street. It's three stories and has 30 rooms if it has one. This one is unique in that it was a big stop in the Underground Railroad. As such, its setup is very bizarre. Although it is huge, I don't think a single room has the area that my living room does. They're all very small, and connected by hallways that seem to have no purpose. Many of the rooms have hidden portals that lead to hidden quarters, a tunnel through the hill to the outside... it's just weird. A retired surgeon lived there when I was a kid and allowed us in often. Someone new moved in recently and gated it all off complete with German Shepards.

Even one of those weird scenarios where you have a blank check but have to spend it on only the actual house, I couldn't do much more than a large cabin. You're right; big ones feel like hotels. Put me in that giant mansion and 80% of it would be gutted for an indoor go-kart track, just so I had a use for all the space =p

Quote: Face

I agree. I just have a modern ranch style, and still only use 40% of it. 2 beds for me and my kid, a bathroom, and the living room houses my computer and gun cabinet. Half the kitchen is used, half is just decorated to look nice. The entire dining room serves only to house my fishing gear, pics of fishing trips, and fishing inspired decoration. Of the entire basement, I use one room to house the washer and dryer, and the entire rest of it is just storage for Pops.

Seriously, 2 of those mobile cabins pictured above would completely meet all the area needs I currently have. I'd just like a third one for some versatility.

I had a bigger place in Rochester and when I left it I said "never again." Too much to heat, cool, and clean. 1,000 square feet not including garage should be enough for anyone. I now have 650 plus the same in garage and basement. Configuration is bad but you just don't find such small places with any garage much less two. It is redneck in that I have a "1/2" in the address. 100 years ago it was clear that the lots in front build smaller places in back to rent to the mill hunkies.

But because I can easily cover the costs instead of stretching I am near done turning the back yard into a English Garden but for all food. Now once I pay for it I may get a bigger place lot-wise where I can put up a 4 car barn-garage. I will have my regular car and a convertible for summer. Put a sign in front saying "Small Items Sandblasted/Welded" for extra cash. Naturally it will not be in suburbia but on a busy road but not a highway. Screw HOAs.

Quote:

I've only been in one big house, a sort of mansion right at the end of my street. It's three stories and has 30 rooms if it has one. This one is unique in that it was a big stop in the Underground Railroad. As such, its setup is very bizarre. Although it is huge, I don't think a single room has the area that my living room does. They're all very small, and connected by hallways that seem to have no purpose. Many of the rooms have hidden portals that lead to hidden quarters, a tunnel through the hill to the outside... it's just weird. A retired surgeon lived there when I was a kid and allowed us in often. Someone new moved in recently and gated it all off complete with German Shepards.

If it was purpose built for the UR then that explains some weird stuff, but old houses were big on the hallways and small rooms. Wasted space.

Quote:

Even one of those weird scenarios where you have a blank check but have to spend it on only the actual house, I couldn't do much more than a large cabin. You're right; big ones feel like hotels. Put me in that giant mansion and 80% of it would be gutted for an indoor go-kart track, just so I had a use for all the space =p

What is killing the average American family right now is they buy the big house and fill it with junk. In the 70s the average household was twice the people and the house half the size. Now the house is twice the size with half the people. I will concede I like a fairly large kitchen, all the better to keep more food stored so one doesn't end up like those losers after Sandy, dumpster diving because they could not last 3 days on their own.