How Big Is a Mansion?

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  Written by Felicia Oliver

👉 Sections: Mansion, defined | McMansions | Effect on property values | Mansions as an investment | FAQs

There isn’t a hard and fast definition for how big a mansion is. The size range is generally between 5,000 and 8,000 square feet, but there’s no consensus among builders or realtors.

Mansions are commonly defined as a large home with luxury elements and features.

What makes a house a mansion?

While there’s no official consensus, mansions are generally considered to be of above-average size, with an above-average number of rooms, and on an above-average plot of land.

As a point of comparison, the typical U.S. home size has at most:

• 2,500 square feet
• 4 bedrooms
• 2.5 baths

A mansion is a custom-designed, one-of-a-kind home. It’s made of high-quality building materials — fine woods, stones, finishes, and fabrics. It has top-of-the-line appliances, and high-end home security features.

Mansions can also have high-end amenities, for example:

• Bowling alley
• Indoor theater
• Swimming pool
• Wine cellar

What’s bigger, a mansion or a manor?

Mansions and manors are both big houses, and they sound similar. So what’s the difference?

A manor house is typically surrounded by acres of land, while a mansion is on a comparatively smaller piece of land to accommodate just the home and maybe a few additional amenities.

Traditional manors are part of a bygone era. In the U.S., Neoclassical and Greek-revival styles of manors were popular with rich plantation owners during the Antebellum (1820–60). Manors were also favored by the super wealthy during the Gilded Age (1870–1900).

Today’s closest equivalent to a manor might be an estate: a very large property on which a mansion or country house might be located, as well as gardens, woods, farms and other types of property.

» READ: How much should you spend on a house?

What are McMansions?

A McMansion is a derogatory term for a mansion “wannabe” that became popular in the ’80s and ’90s.

McMansions have a bigger-than-average amount of interior floor space, they’re typically mass-produced using poor quality building materials, and with poor architectural design.

Bad design includes:

• Odd, nonstandard, or disproportionate sizing and placement of windows, porticos, porches, and doors
• Excessive amount of gabled roofs
• Mismatched roofing styles

These “unique” details don’t add much, if any, value to the property. The design elements don’t coordinate well with each other, and appear to be thrown together instead of being part of a recognized style of architecture.

Considering a McMansion?

If you are considering buying a large home, pay particular attention to its construction quality — and get a complete home inspection from a reputable professional.

And remember: odd architectural details may not hold up well over the years that you own the home. They may already be outdated!

Does a mansion affect property values?

Just listing a house as a mansion doesn’t affect its property value. As with any home, buyers will mainly care about the condition of the house and its estimated fair value compared with other homes in the area

While you might get more eyeballs on your home if you call it a mansion, you’re not likely to get more or higher offers.

» READ: How to Choose a Realtor: Expert Secrets

Should I buy a house on the same block as a mansion?

Having one mansion in the neighborhood isn’t likely to affect the value of surrounding homes. A comparative market analysis*A comparative market analysis (CMA) uses recent sales data from comparable homes in the area to determine an appropriate listing price for a home. A CMA also takes into account a home's unique features. of other homes in the area wouldn’t apply, since the mansion wouldn’t be a comparable home.

Still, some buyers might find a neighborhood appealing if there’s a mansion nearby.

Is buying a mansion a good investment?

As a rental property that will earn you extra income, a mansion probably won’t work as an investment. The rent you can charge is unlikely to cover your expenses given the high purchase and maintenance costs.

If you can buy a mansion below fair market value, and you’re okay with taking on the risks of having a negative cash-flow* Negative cash flow means that you have more money coming in than going out. property (potentially thousands of dollars a month), a mansion might be worth considering as a home.

FAQs about mansions

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