Cookie home builders are such trash, not sure why Americans continue to buy

[integralx2]

Looking for another house and am dumbfounded and how people in America continue to buy cookie cutter mega builders. The workmanship is literally trash and that’s being nice. Are Americans simply stupid or all they see is “oooo white kitchen” must over pay. Srs.

[gatovolador]

It's disgusting, agreed. A lot of people don't want to spend their 20s and 30s rennovating their house and putting the effort- or don't have time.

Unfortunately:
1) Building in a west coast city is expensive and difficult for anything custom, due to all the permitting. Cookie cutter designs are basically pre-permitted.
2) Competent contractors and architects are difficult to find, even if you pay $$$.
3) Land is $$$$.

I bought an older house and am dumping in $50k year updating it, but that's probably not what most people want. Friends of mine bought a smaller ****tier house for the same price cause the woman wanted a place that required zero work.

[swoleyo]

Because the common man thinks they are "building equity" when they buy their cookie cutter garbage quality house with a 30 year mortgage.

They fail to understand that when the 30 year mortgage is up, the houses will be about to fall down and the neighborhood will have turned into the 'hood because nobody will want to live in 30 year old trash houses.

There's an interesting chapter about this in Thomas Stanley's "The Millionaire Mind"

Millionaires, when polled, prefer to live in older homes built from high quality materials such as brick. They know the houses will last longer and that the neighborhood will stand the test of time.

This is true. Chicago has a lot of multi-unit properties made of brick/plaster and solid wood construction which you will no longer find. You're better off buying an older building and spending 50/70k updating it to drywall/electrical and plumbing. The place will look new and still maintain the superior structural design choices.





Oh you could buy cookie-cutter and get a mc mansion made of particle board/MDF.

[Frank Drebin]

Because the common man thinks they are "building equity" when they buy their cookie cutter garbage quality house with a 30 year mortgage.

They fail to understand that when the 30 year mortgage is up, the houses will be about to fall down and the neighborhood will have turned into the 'hood because nobody will want to live in 30 year old trash houses.

There's an interesting chapter about this in Thomas Stanley's "The Millionaire Mind"

Millionaires, when polled, prefer to live in older homes built from high quality materials such as brick. They know the houses will last longer and that the neighborhood will stand the test of time.

One of the dumbest things I've ever read. 1990 was 30 years ago and if you ever have been in a neighborhood from that era they are goat with mature trees and yards.

As long as the neighborhood isn't filled with high density chit like townhouses or ultra small sfh resale will be great in 30 years.

[Frank Drebin]

This is true. Chicago has a lot of multi-unit properties made of brick/plaster and solid wood construction which you will no longer find. You're better off buying an older building and spending 50/70k updating it to drywall/electrical and plumbing. The place will look new and still maintain the superior structural design choices.




Oh you could buy cookie-cutter and get a mc mansion made of particle board/MDF.

You're out of your mind if you think the building practices of the past are superior to what they use today. Cookie cutter or not.

That's like saying you'd rather drive a fixed up 1951 cadillac rather than a new Ford focus.

[katya422]

I think most of them don't know any better. They just believe that a new house = less problems/maintenance. Or they don't want to do any work themselves.

I wonder what the split is on buyers who see the model and then go ahead and spring for all of the upgrades vs. buyers who buy the bare bones house w/the expectation that they will fix it up later?

You're out of your mind if you think the building practices of the past are superior to what they use today. Cookie cutter or not.

That's like saying you'd rather drive a fixed up 1951 cadillac rather than a new Ford focus.

Definitely mixed and will vary by location and time period. The one I'm in now was built early 80s in TX and has no insulation (AFAIK) in the walls and the windows are crummy. Lived in a house and a condo in MI built around the same time period and the windows/insulation were definitely better.

[swoleyo]

You're out of your mind if you think the building practices of the past are superior to what they use today. Cookie cutter or not.

That's like saying you'd rather drive a fixed up 1951 cadillac rather than a new Ford focus.

Cookie cutter neighborhoods are designed to be built the cheapest way possible. A building today "could" be designed much better but it won't because the design choices revolve around the cheapest way possible.

Older buildings were built during a different era of America and the design reflects this. Victorian mansions weren't built to be the cheapest they possible could be. Most builders today cannot even make a building as it was 100 years ago.

[Bcl2]

The McMansion trend is more offensive. But I mostly agree with you

[Frank Drebin]

I currently live in a neighborhood where they broke ground in 2001. Across the street they are just now breaking ground on another neighborhood with houses of similar size.

The houses in my neighborhood are going for 100k less than the ones across the street.

Well because they are brand new and don't need impending kitchen and flooring upgrades, new furnace/ roof etc in the next 15 years? Plus houses today are just better than what they were 20 years ago.

Just because they're not as expensive as brand new homes doesn't mean that they're a poor investment.

[A0wner21]

Dumbasses who get memed into :

You are paying X for rent you could pay Y for this house !

Interest rates have never been lower

It comes with a warranty

You don’t have to worry about an old house

Move in ready

Home builders pumping these things out rn to take advantage of people putting 3-7% down to get into a house that is built in a month.

[swoleyo]

There were plenty of cheap houses built in the old days. Sears used to sell you a house which they would ship through the mail. Do you think those houses were high quality?

The reason old houses are seen as better today is because only the best ones survived through the generations (usually made out of brick).

The bad quality old houses can still be seen if you take a drive through the country. They are the collapsed wooden shacks that you will see next to the highway.

I'm not talking about 20 years ago. I'm talking about 100/110 years ago. The buildings I referenced about Chicago are all about 100 years old. Anything built 1960/2020 is trash.



Houses then:






Houses now:









I know you're going to say hurrdurr those Victorian houses were only for the ultra rich. You can still buy them relatively cheap:


here's one that was on market for 75k

https://theoldhouselife.com/2019/12/...llinois-75000/

[Frank Drebin]

Cookie cutter neighborhoods are designed to be built the cheapest way possible. A building today "could" be designed much better but it won't because the design choices revolve around the cheapest way possible.

Older buildings were built during a different era of America and the design reflects this. Victorian mansions weren't built to be the cheapest they possible could be. Most builders today cannot even make a building as it was 100 years ago.

The cheapest way possible still has to adhere to building codes which have evolved over the decades. Talking about things like weeping tile, foundation coatings, sump pumps, insulation thickness, etc.

And that's not even considering the increases in technology - vinyl vs wood windows, aluminum cladding vs painted trim, vinyl siding vs x90 siding, etc.

Just because it looks and feels cheap it doesn't mean it's poor quality.

My grandma's house was built in 1960 and it was a cookie cutter home, that ugly stucco with the broken pop bottles in it. Houses today will hold up just as well.

[ScottTil]

I actually prefer smaller and more modern houses to those unnecessarily huge old mansions.
I'm not a small dik boomer, I don't need to show off in a big house. Less housework and chores for me please.

[Frank Drebin]

I'm not talking about 20 years ago. I'm talking about 100/110 years ago. The buildings I referenced about Chicago are all about 100 years old. Anything built 1960/2020 is trash.



Houses then:






Houses now:









I know you're going to say hurrdurr those Victorian houses were only for the ultra rich. You can still buy them relatively cheap:


here's one that was on market for 75k

https://theoldhouselife.com/2019/12/...llinois-75000/

You should buy a 120 year old house and tell us how great it is. That cat piss soaked one for $75 k looks amazing. I'll keep my cookie cutter with walk in closet, 60 inch shower, kitchen island and pantry.

Edit: it even comes with its own ghost at the bottom of those high quality creepy stairs.

[SwagMorris]

Dumbasses who get memed into :

You are paying X for rent you could pay Y for this house !

Interest rates have never been lower

It comes with a warranty

You don’t have to worry about an old house

Move in ready

Home builders pumping these things out rn to take advantage of people putting 3-7% down to get into a house that is built in a month.

So what exactly is wrong with this, especially if you’re in a booming area where house prices are increasing or have increased dramatically over the past couple of years/decades (sunbelt cities/suburbs)?

[swoleyo]

You should buy a 120 year old house and tell us how great it is. That cat piss soaked one for $75 k looks amazing. I'll keep my cookie cutter with walk in closet, 60 inch shower, kitchen island and pantry.

Edit: it even comes with its own ghost art the bottom of those high quality creepy stairs.

I own several 100+ year old multi-unit rental properties. Just put a new roof and windows in one. These buildings will also still be here when I'm dead.

[Frank Drebin]

I own several 100+ year old multi-unit rental properties. Just put a new roof and windows in one. These buildings will also still be here when I'm dead.

So will the ones built today. My mind is blown that you think building practices today offer less longevity than from 100 years ago.

Where exactly did they regress? Sure vinyl siding is less attractive than brick but it's just as durable.

[swoleyo]

Those houses are cheap because the maintenance would be a nightmare and they aren't built in a layout that reflects modern sensibilities.

For example - in a modern southern suburban house the kitchen is at the center because it is where we do most of our entertaining. In an old southern house the kitchen adjoins the backyard and is at the edge of the house to make it easier to dispel the heat and smoke from the woodfire.

If you buy a house at 75k you can throw 200k at it and have your modern dream home. There's no reason why you can't have a Victorian home with a modern kitchen and bathroom.

[Briisk]

These builders (now massive companies) buy cheap land, subdivide and build these cookie cutter homes, typically further away from the city center. Homeowners buy because they want to finally own instead of rent and its within their budget, and less maintenance to worry about.

The communities are so bland and lack character. Just one right after the other, no soul, no yard.

It's just reaffirming the american love for cars. Everything is so far away, cars and traffic will just continue to rise.

[guest89]

People buy cookie cutter homes because they can get 3 or 4 bed 2 to 3 bath home built for 50% of the price of a custom built home that same size.


My house is 3 bedroom 2 bath 1875 square foot. It cost me 200k. Not to long ago I was looking at a custom house this same size that costs 350k. More upscale ones are 400K in a similar size range.


To someone that's not wealthy and who won't live in this house forever it makes more sense to buy the 200k cookie cutter that I can sell in 15 years or so and make 20-30k on, and invest the difference.

There's an interesting chapter about this in Thomas Stanley's "The Millionaire Mind"

Millionaires, when polled, prefer to live in older homes built from high quality materials such as brick. They know the houses will last longer and that the neighborhood will stand the test of time.

A well built home is a well built home. There are 200+ year old plantation homes around here built from wood. Not museums. Actual homes that people live in. Not a brick in sight.

Those houses are solid as hell and will be around another hundred years.

[swoleyo]

I agree. But most people don't to buy an old home and then go through 3-6 months of renovations with the accompanying headaches and financial risk, when they can buy a new home for the same price and move in next week.

You can have something like this in 6-8 months:






Or buy a modern house and get something like this while spending more money:







Both are about equally as functional both the first has more character because of custom design choices you can't make when buying cookie-cutter.

[Briisk]

You can have something like this in 6-8 months:


[img]https://i.imgur.com/NneJqKr.jpg[/ig]



Or buy a modern house and get something like this while spending more money:


[img]https://i.imgur.com/XOi6FgW.jpg[/mg]




Both are about equally as functional both the first has more character because of custom design choices you can't make when buying cookie-cutter.

99% of people don't want to deal with remodeling, especially remolding while living in the home. That is why flipping is a great money maker if you're good at it. Save people the hassle and they will pay the premium.

[Destor]

So will the ones built today. My mind is blown that you think building practices today offer less longevity than from 100 years ago.

Where exactly did they regress? Sure vinyl siding is less attractive than brick but it's just as durable.

This, materials and construction techniques have surely improved across the board. Whether or not your new home is built well largely depends on the builder's standards, your superintendent, and the trades they employ. If you're building new, make sure you feel confident in your superintendent

[jamalfudge]

I think a big problem is that there isn't too much choice for newer houses. And even 20-30 year old houses are from planned developments that have intrusive HOAs and cookie cutters.

I think there will be a shift sooner or later because the price of lumber is skyrocketing and interest will shift to existing homes.

[A0wner21]

So what exactly is wrong with this, especially if you’re in a booming area where house prices are increasing or have increased dramatically over the past couple of years/decades (sunbelt cities/suburbs)?

The money for a new house that looks like every other with builder grade finishes could be used on an older home with good bones and use the extra $$$ to customize the home to one’s own liking. Can also get a larger lot. It’s easier to get a new house for sure just not worth it. Depends on preference. I grew up in a cookie cutter home and would like a yard and custom fixtures. Windows is a big one.

[EDcellent]

Not only that but the home prices in my area are outrageous. If I stay in CT I'm looking at getting a couple acres somewhere in a rural area and building a small cabin.

[SwagMorris]

The money for a new house that looks like every other with builder grade finishes could be used on an older home with good bones and use the extra $$$ to customize the home to one’s own liking. Can also get a larger lot. It’s easier to get a new house for sure just not worth it. Depends on preference. I grew up in a cookie cutter home and would like a yard and custom fixtures. Windows is a big one.

This all depends on the person and what they want, though. You can also go to a more expensive builder with tons of customs and larger plots. Or you can go cheaper and add on when you’re financially ready to.

For some people, getting that first home and starting to build equity is what’s important for them. Having your dream property and home can come later in life. It’s not necessarily one vs the other. It can be: this makes since now. In the future, hopefully I can do something else.

[WoofieNugget]

Would never buy a new build without custom building and having eyes on the process. It's like buying a new model of a car, they need years to get the bugs out. Plus the new homeowner will go through all the warranty stuff (which builders never actually honor anyway) and will repair any glaring problems within the first five years.

In my area they recently put up a whole suburb - on a former swamp that they just filled in - which meant that three years in people's houses literally started to sink and foundations were trashed. Think the developer is going to do anything about that? Nope. Buyer beware.

[IlChosenOne]

Fukkin lmao @ cookie cutter homecels

[xMetalocalypse]

Because the common man thinks they are "building equity" when they buy their cookie cutter garbage quality house with a 30 year mortgage.

They fail to understand that when the 30 year mortgage is up, the houses will be about to fall down and the neighborhood will have turned into the 'hood because nobody will want to live in 30 year old trash houses.

There's an interesting chapter about this in Thomas Stanley's "The Millionaire Mind"

Millionaires, when polled, prefer to live in older homes built from high quality materials such as brick. They know the houses will last longer and that the neighborhood will stand the test of time.

Repped.

If you cant get afford to pay the 15 year mortgage plus a premium on top of the principle, your home is too expensive for you.