moneyptu2015
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Also, any chance you're in a suburb of Orlando, FL?
Would You Rather: House Addition
- Thread starter kimrossie
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- stay-at-home parents
@moneyptu2015 No, but we are in the Southeast!
@moneyptu2015 Agreed, it’s one of the most desirable neighborhoods in our whole state, and for a good reason. Unfortunately it’s one of the only ways we’ve seen in a while- anything under 500K is rare in this area, and they’re all fixer uppers anyway. The neighborhood is either small fixer uppers/total gut jobs or million dollar new builds. Very very few houses in between
moneyptu2015
New member
@kimrossie I know I am biased because I've lived in A and would love to be back in A, but I think you should go for it! Give it a chance, don't do any major changes for a few years and build up the savings so you can renovate and make it the most beautiful original home in a neighborhood full of knockdowns.
@kimrossie thats really tough. we moved to house b (although it was much farther than 6 minutes) and we are considering a house a option (1700sq ft ranch with finished basement) but we’re probably done at 2. a 4 bedroom house for a family of 4 is a lot of work. we spent 6 weeks with a 3 and 1 yo in a studio hotel while husband was on orders and it was the best time of our life. we didn’t have a ton of stuff, it was easy to clean and we spent more time doing stuff together than maintaining the house. walkability like that with kids is huge. the smaller space didn’t matter so much because we spent so much timing doing things. bigger isn’t always better but there is also no wrong answer.
@kimrossie SAHM of 3. We live in house A, situation B. About 1400sf, just shy of an acre, 5 min drive to great little walkable village.
I'd want to be in town over in a bigger house any day. I'd kill to be able to walk out the door and not need to get in my car everyday.
I'd want to be in town over in a bigger house any day. I'd kill to be able to walk out the door and not need to get in my car everyday.
patersonchristian
New member
@kimrossie I’m in shock that $500k is expensive and 1100sf with a yard is small! 
My HCOL area has totally warped my perspective.
Both are good options, it just depends on your priorities and desired lifestyle. Think about if this is a for-now home, for-kids home, or forever home. If it’s for more than a few years, which neighbourhood would you want your 8yo to ride their bike? Your 13yo to hang out with friends? Your 17yo to drive? Does one or the other offer more safe independence (bike paths, greenways, buses)? Where do the older kids hang out? Do you want to be the hang-out space?
What is your family’s lifestyle? Do you love to garden? Go on lots of walks? Is it likely your kids will play terrible music in a garage band?
For me, while I would do terrible, terrible things to have access to a yard, I value walkability and public transit. I hate loading both kids into the car and timing outings around car naps. I’d much rather babywear on the bus to the library, or go on a stroll to the grocery store with milk and veggies in the undercarriage.
My HCOL area has totally warped my perspective.Both are good options, it just depends on your priorities and desired lifestyle. Think about if this is a for-now home, for-kids home, or forever home. If it’s for more than a few years, which neighbourhood would you want your 8yo to ride their bike? Your 13yo to hang out with friends? Your 17yo to drive? Does one or the other offer more safe independence (bike paths, greenways, buses)? Where do the older kids hang out? Do you want to be the hang-out space?
What is your family’s lifestyle? Do you love to garden? Go on lots of walks? Is it likely your kids will play terrible music in a garage band?
For me, while I would do terrible, terrible things to have access to a yard, I value walkability and public transit. I hate loading both kids into the car and timing outings around car naps. I’d much rather babywear on the bus to the library, or go on a stroll to the grocery store with milk and veggies in the undercarriage.
@patersonchristian Every area is different for sure! We are just shocked because only 4 short years ago, prices were half of what they are now!
Either house could be either a for-kids home or a forever home. House A has the neighborhood I’d want my middle schoolers biking in, and would offer more independent for older kids (in terms of “get out of my house, play outside with neighbors, come back when it’s dinner time” lol). In that sense, House B seems more socially inconvenient for growing children.
Family lifestyle- we love walking together. Love meeting up with friends and walking to coffee shops or for ice cream after dinner. House B doesn’t offer that as well because of the lack of sidewalks in the area. But, I love to garden and I want chickens and a big dog lol as well as a big space for my kids to play. My husband and I would both love to “homestead” (
) in certain ways, which House B would be able to provide. House A yard is big enough for a small garden and a fort, but chickens would overcrowd it lol and there would quickly be no room for kids to play. But we’ve joked that “Mayberry” neighborhood is the only “yard” kids need, as soooo many families in the area have 3+ kids in shoebox houses
So that to say, both houses make sense for both the lives we envision ourselves leading- we unfortunately just can’t decide which path to take!
Either house could be either a for-kids home or a forever home. House A has the neighborhood I’d want my middle schoolers biking in, and would offer more independent for older kids (in terms of “get out of my house, play outside with neighbors, come back when it’s dinner time” lol). In that sense, House B seems more socially inconvenient for growing children.
Family lifestyle- we love walking together. Love meeting up with friends and walking to coffee shops or for ice cream after dinner. House B doesn’t offer that as well because of the lack of sidewalks in the area. But, I love to garden and I want chickens and a big dog lol as well as a big space for my kids to play. My husband and I would both love to “homestead” (
) in certain ways, which House B would be able to provide. House A yard is big enough for a small garden and a fort, but chickens would overcrowd it lol and there would quickly be no room for kids to play. But we’ve joked that “Mayberry” neighborhood is the only “yard” kids need, as soooo many families in the area have 3+ kids in shoebox housesSo that to say, both houses make sense for both the lives we envision ourselves leading- we unfortunately just can’t decide which path to take!
patersonchristian
New member
@kimrossie Sounds like the choice is if you want walkability or chickens! The two are rarely compatible: to have a yard big enough for chickens, you’ll be in a more suburban space that doesn’t have coffee shops (even if it might have sidewalks)
@patersonchristian We definitely want the best of both worlds and are frustrated that where we live simply doesn’t have it 
stephaniethomps
New member
@kimrossie Literally same thing I told my husband tonight. I feel you!
@patersonchristian Seriously. I’m in an area where $500k gets you a condo. Maybe. You aren’t getting anything close to a house for less than a million and even then it’s a termite ridden shack that you’re gonna shave to tear down and completely rebuild. And there will be a bidding war and it will go for over ask.
ocean_soul
New member
@kimrossie Oh, it's B hands-down for me. The past few years have shown me how unpredictable life can be - what if housing/reno costs skyrocket again and you can't renovate, or go underwater on the house? What if friends switch jobs and relocate? House B is still close enough without the space issues.
I'm currently trying to get out of a house that didn't last as far into kid #2 as we hoped...some behavioral issues preventing us from having the kids share a bedroom. I love the location but we're still in our house more than we're out of it, and it just doesn't work for our family of 4.
I'm currently trying to get out of a house that didn't last as far into kid #2 as we hoped...some behavioral issues preventing us from having the kids share a bedroom. I love the location but we're still in our house more than we're out of it, and it just doesn't work for our family of 4.
@ocean_soul Definitely thought of this too. My husband and I aren’t conspiracy theorists by any means, but for the last few years we’ve seen just how much is out of our control. A decent sized plot of land where we can grow some food and get some free eggs/chickens seems appealing.
My concern is that prices will skyrocket so much to the point that we can’t afford an addition, even with my husband’s salary, and that we’ll be stuck with a small house. Can’t decide if that’ll be worth it if it means we’re still in the neighborhood we like.
Basically: big lot, big house, so much potential for independence and crazy kids…but potential for some slight boredom and isolation during the early years when us and our friends have new babies and driving anywhere seems impossible but small house with so much social potential may mean we are super cramped for a while.
My concern is that prices will skyrocket so much to the point that we can’t afford an addition, even with my husband’s salary, and that we’ll be stuck with a small house. Can’t decide if that’ll be worth it if it means we’re still in the neighborhood we like.
Basically: big lot, big house, so much potential for independence and crazy kids…but potential for some slight boredom and isolation during the early years when us and our friends have new babies and driving anywhere seems impossible
but small house with so much social potential may mean we are super cramped for a while.@kimrossie Big question: do you have access to a car?
Look, I live in a kinda house 1. Same size, walkability, it’s WONDERFUL. I love it. We have a small yard. The layout of our house is perfect, it really maximizes that 1100 sqft, and we are very content with 2 kids and 2 dogs, and we bought it planning on having up to 4 kids. The one bath is a drag, but that’s it. We love the community and walkability.
However, while it is dated, it is 100% livable and pleasant as is. Well constructed 50s, original kitchen and bath, but like, it’s great. We have considered an addition someday, unclear if we’ll do it. But living in a construction zone with a toddler suuuucks. We’ve had to do some stuff and that has been miserable enough. My new rule is don’t plan on needing any construction with anyone under the age of 5 in the house.
We also looked at a home with similar square footage but it was laid out differently and there was no room to grow/add an addition. It would not have worked as our family grew (or even immediately, couldn’t fit a full couch…), even though it had the same specs on paper (+a bath, I think). Layout is everything.
To me, house A depends on layout, if you have access to a car, and if you’re talking construction zone level updates or just some paint. We love our house A, but if any of those aren’t great, 100% house B. It’s so close, you’ll be very happy, I’m sure.
Look, I live in a kinda house 1. Same size, walkability, it’s WONDERFUL. I love it. We have a small yard. The layout of our house is perfect, it really maximizes that 1100 sqft, and we are very content with 2 kids and 2 dogs, and we bought it planning on having up to 4 kids. The one bath is a drag, but that’s it. We love the community and walkability.
However, while it is dated, it is 100% livable and pleasant as is. Well constructed 50s, original kitchen and bath, but like, it’s great. We have considered an addition someday, unclear if we’ll do it. But living in a construction zone with a toddler suuuucks. We’ve had to do some stuff and that has been miserable enough. My new rule is don’t plan on needing any construction with anyone under the age of 5 in the house.
We also looked at a home with similar square footage but it was laid out differently and there was no room to grow/add an addition. It would not have worked as our family grew (or even immediately, couldn’t fit a full couch…), even though it had the same specs on paper (+a bath, I think). Layout is everything.
To me, house A depends on layout, if you have access to a car, and if you’re talking construction zone level updates or just some paint. We love our house A, but if any of those aren’t great, 100% house B. It’s so close, you’ll be very happy, I’m sure.
@kimrossie We bought House B. I mean not exactly but we bought the bigger house, good enough yard, safe neighborhood. Great school district, short drive to anywhere we want to go.
I love everything about living here except for the house itself. I am so overwhelmed. It's so big. There's so much crap in our house. I can't ever get on top of it. I guess it would help if I spent every waking moment of every day, every bit of available, cleaning and decluttering. Then maybe I could hope to get on top of it.
I miss the moderate house we used to live in. We got a smoking deal on this house but... There are so many days where I wish we would have just stayed in our small house. It would still be cluttered but I had a much easier time keeping a handle on it
I would also suggest that when you're thinking about what your neighborhood is like, walkability versus drivability, etc. Don't just think about what it's like for your family as it is now. Imagine your oldest is 10, 13, 16. Will you still care about those aspects?
I love everything about living here except for the house itself. I am so overwhelmed. It's so big. There's so much crap in our house. I can't ever get on top of it. I guess it would help if I spent every waking moment of every day, every bit of available, cleaning and decluttering. Then maybe I could hope to get on top of it.
I miss the moderate house we used to live in. We got a smoking deal on this house but... There are so many days where I wish we would have just stayed in our small house. It would still be cluttered but I had a much easier time keeping a handle on it
I would also suggest that when you're thinking about what your neighborhood is like, walkability versus drivability, etc. Don't just think about what it's like for your family as it is now. Imagine your oldest is 10, 13, 16. Will you still care about those aspects?
@kimrossie House A all the way for me. Lower your bar for what needs updating because honestly, it’s not worth it. Kids and pets put tons of wear on a house, which is stressful when you just refinished everything and now you are seeing every new scratch appear.
I live in house A. There are days when I wish we had a bigger yard, or an extra 1000 sq ft, but most days I’m happy that we don’t because all that extra work would mostly land on me.
I live in house A. There are days when I wish we had a bigger yard, or an extra 1000 sq ft, but most days I’m happy that we don’t because all that extra work would mostly land on me.
asphaltpotato
New member
@kimrossie B. No questions asked. We just put a playset outside and did a good sized poured patio in our fenced in yard and omg. It is the best thing we ever did and it’s only been 2 days lol. We don’t live walking distance to anything but do have wonderful neighbors. But we drive everywhere anyways. Now it’s like we have our own little park and I’m here for it. 10/10 recommend.
@asphaltpotato In the house we currently rent (which is conveniently in neighborhood A) we actually have a fort and a sandpit for our toddler to play with. He hates it BUT the little stinker loves the neighborhood park which has similar stuff! He seems, at least for now, not too entertained with anything if it’s at his own house, which is why I’ve enjoyed the walkability and ease of getting out of the house
BUT the little stinker loves the neighborhood park which has similar stuff! He seems, at least for now, not too entertained with anything if it’s at his own house, which is why I’ve enjoyed the walkability and ease of getting out of the house@kimrossie House B, no question.