The Return of McMansions
The NYTimes had an interesting article last week called “The Return of McMansions”. It reminded me of the “McMansion Wars” that occurred in South Miami in boom time. Back in those good ole days The City of South Miami government folks, famous for not wanting change of any kind, put a moratorium on new construction while they thought about and tweaked the codes. Lucky for them the market tanked before the Wars got too heated, but I sense this battle is going to rise again.
I’ve sold over 100 homes in South Miami, and if I had before and after pictures of every property in South Miami which witnessed demolition and then transformation, I think most would agree that “new” was a welcome change (not to mention a sizable tax base for the City). I actually had those pictures many years back when I addressed the moratorium with one of the more stubborn South Miami commissioners and even he couldn’t argue when looking at the facts.
[space]There are a handful of properties in South Miami which have been purchased in the last year which I suspect are going to be a cloud of dust very soon. Most of these very old homes are quite small, and unable to accommodate Miami’s “Modern Family”. Many of them have structural, plumbing, and electrical deficiencies which are not insurable or safe in today’s times. All of them lack the hurricane protection required by today’s code. Sometimes you put that all together and it is too costly to remedy!
BUILT IN 2006. SOLD BY VAL BYRNE 2007 & 2011.
BUILT IN 2005. SOLD BY VAL BYRNE IN 2013.
[space]If the walls of those sweet old homes could talk they would tell us about many years of good times and good people, gatherings full of love and tradition, and endless stories of “life”. New construction is like new life – the cycle starts all over again and history is made. One thing I know from 20 years in real estate – a house is made of concrete and wood, a home is made of people. [space]
To learn more about South Miami or any other community – including Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne with EWM Realty International on www.MiamiRealEstateWorks.com or email at [email protected] or by phone at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!
