Investment propertyThe American Garage: Is Bigger Necessarily Always Better?
It started with one, it went to two, and luxury set in at three. Now four
car garages are becoming the newest form of decadence in production home
building. Ever since the first suburb was built, it seems that the American
garage has been the barometer of financial prosperity.
"People have a lot of toys these days," says one new home salesperson. "so
there is a big demand for a place to put them." Sometimes these places to
put them can range in size up to 1,000 square feet, larger than many
apartments, housing more boats and cars than ever before. With kids staying
home longer, the third family car has become commonplace; many neighborhoods
have restrictions on street parking, adding to the equation.
Then there is the "guy" thing, with room needed for "boy-toys", such as
Harleys, jet skis, boats, shops with workbenches, power tools and plenty of
storage. (Do we hear any "Tool Time" grunting going on?) Outgrowing the two,
and three car garage has been a fairly rapid phenomenon, but perhaps
understandable in a booming economy such as ours, when acquiring "stuff" is
easier to do. A peek into garages this size may reveal a 20-foot boat, a
full-sized truck, a sedan, tools, bikes, and sports gear, as well as a
workshop area.
The trend is not necessarily loved by all, it seems. With streetscapes
becoming garage-predominant, it can get downright ugly, in fact. Try to
imagine double-double-wide garage door expanses as far as the eye can see.
Now picture some of these garage doors open, revealing a hearty view of SUVs,
John Deeres and ski boats, and bicycles hanging from ceilings, in addition to
the usual garage junk and clutter. This consumerization and sometime visual
degradation of the suburban landscape is not an aspect of materialism whose
wheels will stop turning any time soon. In America, where "bigger is
better", enormous is no doubt becoming an everyday thing.
Some new home builders spend the extra time and bucks on architectural plans
that can split these enormous expanses of square footage into opposite sides
of the dwelling. The question is how to save the front of their homes"
elevations for real living space, such as living rooms, dining rooms and even
sunny breakfast areas. Back-loading garages seem to be the most
aesthetically pleasing rendition of garage placement, but require use of
backyard space for pavement and turning radiuses. Side-loading garages need
wider home sites for that swing, but can make the front of the home look
enormous, with windows continuing all the way to the homes" horizontal
conclusion. With higher and higher land costs, however, in many areas this
is not feasible for margin-making builder-developers in the long run. And
so, we may be left with any configuration of it that works, which makes
garage fronts dwarf the homes they serve in the average move-up home.
According to Eric Brown of The Center for the New American Dream, a
Washington non-profit group, "It"s a sign of mega-materialism going on. If
one is good, ten is better. People are getting the message from all over.
That their Christmas table is no good if it doesn"t look as good as Martha
Stewart"s. That their garage is not good unless it is as big as a basketball
court."
Where will it stop? Realtors, developers, and consumers may agree that it"s
just a sign of the times, and times are good. If the need is there for more
storage space due to changing lifestyles, there"s not much we can do but
watch what happens next. Perhaps the Donald Trumps and Bill Gates of the
world will not be the only ones with double digit garages someday, but this
is one journalist that hopes these vessels containing the trappings of
American indulgence are somehow minimized in new home neighborhoods. I may be
in denial, but I would hope that we could at least "look" like we care about
the simpler, more basic things in life, even if this monster-garage trend
continues.
Also See:
Cars Are As Well Housed as Homeowners These Days
The Most Important Amenity in a Home?
The New American Kitchen; More Functional and Beautiful Than Ever