McMansions are the new SUV's. No one wants them. Who wants to pay the HUGE heating and cooling bills and ever surging property taxes on them? They're byproducts of the free credit era that has passed. Did people REALLY need those huge houses, those gold faucets, those granite countertops, those SUV's in the garages (plural), etc? Could they afford them today with the returning to the norm credit environment? Of course not. Those McMansions will be converted to multi-family section 8 houses over the next few years. Book mark it.
highly unlikely since they are in managed communities. Property values would fall like a rock in surround areas. City council would not approve of such measure. Most likely they will be bought up at a better price by middle class families.
Jealousy? I could buy something larger right now if I wanted to (even in this credit crunched market). Larger isn't better. Ask the car companies about the huge monstrosities that are englufing them now. Namely the SUV. Do you think I'm jealous I don't own one of them too? Why is it better to pay huge property tax bills instead of putting all that money into your trading account to trade with?
How many times have you purchased a car, held it for 10 years and sold it for a profit? A car isn't an investment it's a declining asset. That's the difference.