Have you ever wondered what the main difference between a mansion and a house was? Is a mansion just a very large house, or is there something more to it?
Although a mansion and a house are both residences, they carry different characteristics. Let’s take a closer look at the mansion vs house in this comparison guide. We can better understand the differences between these two habitations.
1. A mansion is much larger than a house
A mansion is always a house, but a house is not always a mansion. This is because a private residence needs to have a certain amount of square footage to be eligible to be considered a mansion. A house can be really big without necessarily being a mansion.
Although the standards can vary from place to place, many realtors consider that a house needs to have at least 8,000 square feet to be called a mansion. At the very least, a mansion should have 5,000 square feet to hold this title.
A mansion also usually has many more bedrooms and bathrooms than a regular house, even if it’s big. It’s not uncommon for mansions to have at least five bedrooms or as many as 10. In the past, mansions could have up to 20 bedrooms.
Nowadays, however, mansion owners often prefer having larger bedrooms than having many of them. Still, it takes more than a lot of square footage and an impressive amount of bedrooms and bathrooms for a house to be considered a mansion.
2. Mansions are all about luxury and quality materials
Mansions are considered to be posh houses. They are impressive, and they exude a true sense of luxury. Most of the time, you can expect them to be surrounded by a perfect lawn, a lush garden, and perhaps even a sculpted fountain.
Mansions are built with quality materials. Think about exotic woods, marble, and high-quality stonework. Their interior decoration scheme can involve custom furnishings and fixtures, moulded statues, and unique works of art.
Mansions also feature luxury amenities that are not often found in regular houses. A few examples are a ballroom, a billiard room, a game room, a theatre room, spa facilities, an indoor pool and a gym.
Mansions can have modern architecture. Their design can also borrow from architectural styles of the past. For example, timeless Victorian-style and stunning classical-style mansions seem to come straight from the roaring twenties.
Some mansions have been mass-produced and may not be as impressively unique and luxurious as others, although they will still be posher than most regular houses.
While houses come in all shapes, sizes and styles, a mansion is always large and prestigious. You can contact a luxury real estate agent to choose the property that suits your tastes.
3. Not everyone can afford a mansion
As you can easily imagine, not everyone can afford to buy a mansion. And not everyone wants to own one, either. Realtors who specialize in selling mansions deal with discerning clientele for whom luxury, prestige, location, unique amenities, and a high-end lifestyle are of the utmost importance.
Of course, these things can also matter for homeowners looking for their dream house. But the truth is that mansions are expensive and are not usually sold to the average person.
Mansions attract buyers who want their residence to be a status symbol that testifies to their success and wealth.
We could then say that mansions are residences for the wealthy, while regular houses are meant for average, everyday people.
Knowing this, it makes sense that some real estate brokers specialize in helping their clients buy and sell mansions. The needs of their clients are not the same as those of ordinary people who are simply looking for a nice house for their family.
Furthermore, a luxurious mansion will not be presented on the real estate market the same way a house will.
4. The definition of a mansion is not the same for everyone
Just as the definition of a mansion can change from one real estate agent to another, it can vary between individuals. Even after you have read this text explaining the difference between a mansion and vs house, you might still walk in front of a huge, beautiful house and call it a mansion.
In the end, it all depends on our perception. For someone who has lived in an apartment or a small house all their life, any house with more than four bedrooms could be seen as a mansion.
Similarly, someone looking to buy a mansion might look at the real estate listing for a mansion of 5,000 square feet and decide that this house would be way too small for their expectations and needs.