Size Doesn’t Matter, It’s All About How You Use It!

(JULIE FLETCHER, ORLANDO SENTINEL)

Just because you own land, or purchased a piece of property, should you be allowed to build whatever want on it? More specifically as large as you want? I’m glad to hear of another town putting the ca-bosh on the”Mega Mansions”. The picture above is from the Sun Sentinel and shows a home nicked name “Taj Mahal” by it’s neighbors because of it’s 14,000 s.f..

In case you couldn’t tell the “Taj Mahal” is on the left. It will have a total of 14,057 s.f., of that 9,850 s.f. of living space ( the other 5,000 s.f. must be garage, covered porches and unfinished basement) with 6 bedrooms, 8.5 bathrooms, and 3 stories. On the right, a more typical home, with a modest 3,168 total s.f., 2,104 s.f. of that being living space (3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 2 stories).

The new rules approved would have kept the “Taj Mahal” to a still enormous 7,695 total s.f. and 2.5 stories.

So why the limitations?

In this case, the home is being built in a city of 2,400 residents. Since this town is labeled as a “Fishing Town” (by the paper) a majority of those residents could have been in the area for a long time. When those natives built their home and up until recently have been living with reasonable if not affordable property taxes. If a trend starting with the “Taj Mahal” keeps going those residents would have no choice but to leave because of the
swing in property values.

The owner of the “Taj Mahal”, Lazarus is also a custom home builder. I am speculating, but confident I am on the right track, he is (or was) betting on a trend of “Mega Mansions”. People moving in a building more Mega Mansions will elevate his property value even further.

“If I pay $1 million for the land, doesn’t it reason that I’d want to put at least a $3 [million] or $4 million home on the property? Otherwise you’re spending too much on the land.”

With the decision going against a “Mega Mansion” trend Lazarus’ home is over priced and over built for the ever. This actually causes a negative for him, when he goes to sell. His “Mega Mansion” also hurts the value of each home on either side of it, because of blocked views and natural sunlight. If I could, I would advise his neighbors to sue for the losses. After the home is finished though, you do it to soon, he will declare
bankruptcy and abandon the home as it is. Creating an even worse eye sore.

Definitely read this article, read about restrictions in other jurisdictions. Then tell me what you think.

Should you be allowed to build what and however big you want?

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