@kimrossie B 100%
Would You Rather: House Addition
- Thread starter kimrossie
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- stay-at-home parents
@kimrossie House B, I love having land and chickens (and goats!)
roland7777
New member
@kimrossie Easily B
@kimrossie As useful as having extra space is, I've heard a lot of people talk about the value of having a small home. It just does not take as much time/money to maintain. You could look at it from a minimalism perspective and see if that resonates. It may force you to be out and about more often, simply because of the space. I have a small home and even though at times I'd love it to be bigger, when it comes down to it i wouldn't want more space/belongings for my kids to mess up.When my kids get preteen/teen i would consider adding another floor. Then they will be old enough to take care of their own things a bit better. I sometimes feel like I'm drowning in a small home, so I definitely feel a bigger home would be harder.
I think it depends on how important having the extra outdoor space is. Are chickens etc important?
They both sound like great options. Good luck!
I think it depends on how important having the extra outdoor space is. Are chickens etc important?
They both sound like great options. Good luck!
@kimrossie I think accessibility and community is more important to a family with very young kids. With a toddler and newborns on the horizon, I assume chickens, gardening and large dogs are more of a “few years into the future” thing. Having friends and family, as well as amenities within walking distance is such a lifeline when the kids are little. It also sounds like the smaller place is in a highly desirable location so you’re likely able to sell it for a good price if you ever want to move somewhere bigger.
Commenting to add that if we decided on the small house that needs updating, we can technically afford to update it and to add a second story when needed. We’d just likely not be able to get our money back on it for a very very long time, so it would mean a 15+ year commitment! But, buying it and expanding it is technically an option from a financial standpoint.
@kimrossie If you can afford it, the question should be more of which fits your lifestyle better…
@kimrossie You can’t create more land, even if you can build more house.
@kimrossie Flip a coin. If you’re disappointed, you’ll have your answer.
I will say that if money isn’t an issue and the location is THAT good, 15 years is no time at all with three kiddos. If it’s walkable to parks, make that their outdoor play space and dedicate your yard to a kitchen garden and chicken coop.
We actually had a house we made an offer on that was smack dab in the middle of everything. The house we wound up going with is a little further away (still walkable to lots of stuff, but definitely not the center of town), but the neighborhood is quieter and more established, and it feels a lot more like a community (lots of little events and lovely neighbors). You should check out the local website for events in said town to get a feel for community life there. It may be a lot less isolated than it seems.
We were in the main town today (5 min drive) and had a lovely time walking around and getting lunch, so it’s very reasonable that you guys would make that trip. We also have a much larger yard than the other house we looked at, and it’s absolutely lovely.
I don’t think there’s a wrong choice. You will probably love whichever house you wind up with. If you can tolerate a lot of renovation, you can really transform the little house into your dream home.
But if the dream is private yard space, an acre of land is something you can’t add later. Unless a neighbor sells
I will say that if money isn’t an issue and the location is THAT good, 15 years is no time at all with three kiddos. If it’s walkable to parks, make that their outdoor play space and dedicate your yard to a kitchen garden and chicken coop.
We actually had a house we made an offer on that was smack dab in the middle of everything. The house we wound up going with is a little further away (still walkable to lots of stuff, but definitely not the center of town), but the neighborhood is quieter and more established, and it feels a lot more like a community (lots of little events and lovely neighbors). You should check out the local website for events in said town to get a feel for community life there. It may be a lot less isolated than it seems.
We were in the main town today (5 min drive) and had a lovely time walking around and getting lunch, so it’s very reasonable that you guys would make that trip. We also have a much larger yard than the other house we looked at, and it’s absolutely lovely.
I don’t think there’s a wrong choice. You will probably love whichever house you wind up with. If you can tolerate a lot of renovation, you can really transform the little house into your dream home.
But if the dream is private yard space, an acre of land is something you can’t add later. Unless a neighbor sells
@mem5 Thank for you this response. I’ll definitely do the coin flip with my husband later lol that method has worked for other things before! Your second paragraph resonates and I think is why my husband pushed for option A- the neighborhood is their “yard” and our yard is my chicken coop . Others in that neighborhood have had multiple kids in small little houses and just saved for an addition or accepted the cramped space because they say the neighborhood is worth it. I see why my husband is leaning towards A, but I do think that the drive from house B is so short that it may not be a big deal at all, even if it means daily trips with several kiddos
. Others in that neighborhood have had multiple kids in small little houses and just saved for an addition or accepted the cramped space because they say the neighborhood is worth it. I see why my husband is leaning towards A, but I do think that the drive from house B is so short that it may not be a big deal at all, even if it means daily trips with several kiddos@kimrossie Does house B have sidewalks, or is it completely car dependent? I can see that being a consideration, especially with little kids. But if you can stroll through the neighborhood without issue, house B seems like a very solid option. Again, I don’t think you’re going to regret either choice.
@mem5 No sidewalks at all unfortunately, and on a fairly busy scenic street. Walking on the edge of the road with a stroller wouldn’t be safe, never mind trying to supervise a toddler on a bike lol. Not really a “strolling” neighborhood. It’s pretty car dependent, whereas option A is super pedestrian friendly with lots of sidewalks and shady alleyways- kids are always out running, skating, biking, etc.
@kimrossie For me that would be a pretty significant thing to consider as it would seriously hinder how safe it would be for your kids to do stuff independently. Option A sounds like it would be a lot safer and more flexible for kids.
introvertedbookworm
New member
@kimrossie Oh I’d definitely choose A then.
@kimrossie I live in A with 3 kids. I wish we had more space inside, a bigger yard, etc. but I choose the convenience of walking to EVERYTHING over space. We walk 3-5 miles every day, all year long, in any weather (northeast). Our neighborhood is full of families so we are always bumping into friends. My husband wants to move for more space but I can’t give up the convenience of walking. I’d rather walk for 20 minutes than drive for 6. (My 6 and 4 yo ride their scooters now and I have one in a stroller.)