Why Americans Keep Buying McMansions

For years following the Great Recession, “McMansion” were considered "ugly" or "bad investments," mainly because they were considered unnecessarily large, had way too many amenities and built often with cheap materials. But during the pandemic when Americans sought to move to larger homes in the suburbs, they had a resurgence. In 2025, tariffs and immigration crackdowns will cause an increase on the price of new construction, helping the already built McMansions. But not all of these home are created equal. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:22 Chapter 1. The rise of McMansions 3:34 Chapter 2. The Great Recession 4:55 Chapter 3. A bad investment? Produced Shot and Edited by: Natalie Rice Animation: Jason Reginato, Mallory Brangan Senior Managing Producer: Tala Hadavi Additional Camera: Erin Black Additional Footage: Getty Images, AP Photos, NBC News Additional Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Redfin