Replies

“1) Where you live and
2) Do you have children? (or were they raised in the McMansion?)”

I am South of Tallahassee in a rural county. I have no children and I see your point. However, I was raised by children of the Depression. At Christmas I generally got one present and it was generally something I needed, not a toy. Oddly, I looked at my friends piles of toys and realized they did nothing for their happiness. My clothes were hand made. I got new hand-made, as opposed to hand-me-downs, which irritated my middle sister no end. Pretty much everything we had was purchased on sale at a significant reduction or was used when we got it. My parents owned our home, which was very basic, and hand built. (Being raised that way today would probably be called child abuse.)

As to the McMansion, I was, when I bought it, a mid-level manager in a high tech company. I bought a home under what I could afford. When the price doubled, I sold it as it was obvious to me we were in a bubble. I paid off the mortgage and paid cash for a significantly cheaper mobile home I bought at a distressed sale. I was never happier than with my five acres of woods in the country. It killed me to move out into the rural county where I am now, but the other homes are in this county where taxes and government are much cheaper and smaller. The sixty mile round trip to “work” was killing me. I will rent the old home.

A lot of people turn up their nose at “trailer trash.” I thought it might affect my job prospects, but I never entertained at home anyway and it didn’t. (I am retired now.) I have, on several occasions, tried to help friends with a path to home ownership, but the prejudice against buying a mobile home is so high that they wouldn’t do it. They end up in tract houses in cramped neighborhoods living on top of their neighbors, when for similar or less money, they could own acres of trees. And, best part, I LOVE my neighbors, who bring over deer meat and help out with big chores. Any time I rent a big piece of equipment, I dig their holes or smooth their dirt. Great arrangement. And, their kids know how to do stuff.