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  1. #1
    cindys is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    Default Smaller house less money/Bigger house more money?

    I have posted that we are house hunting....Its getting very frustrating...

    DH wants 10+ acres and a basement...I want a nice kitchen and at least 4 bdrs/baths and a pool.

    We have lost out on 2 houses because we didnt move quickly enough.

    There is a house he loves but I like...It has what he wants but its only got 3 bdrms/2 baths on main level but then 2 more bedrooms and a bath in the basement and no pool.

    I really wanted more bdrms/baths upstairs...

    The price since we first started looking at it has dropped over $50,000.

    This is the house we want to be in for the next 30 yrs, the house I want my boys friends to come hang out at and the house I want my grandkids (when I have them) to come stay as well as our Moms.

    With this low price we can afford to add the pool and finish out the part of the basement that hasnt been completed and its only 30min from my job.

    Part of me feels like this is the way to go but then the other part of me says if I am going to be in this house for so long I should get what I want even if it is more expensive but then we might not have money to put in a pool or finish the basement anytime soon.

    I dont want to be house poor but then again I dont want to live in house I dont really love for the next 30 yrs.

    Anyone feel like they settled but then later were okay with it?

    Cindy
    Mama to 3 boys...20, 6 & 3

  2. #2
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    yeah we settled and are still working on it which has been frustrating with the pace that DH works and with small kids. Almost 7 years later we are still working on finishing the upstairs (ie we have a 2,000 SF house and are living in 1,200 SF with 2 kids and a packrat DH. So I would take into consideration whether you would actually get to the work that you would want done quickly or whether it would be a long drawn out process "we can do this ourselves/need to find the perfect person for it/???)
    Margaret and
    (DS 2/06) and (DD 3/08)

  3. #3
    twowhat? is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    We definitely "settled" on a couple of things that were not deal breakers. For us, in the end it came down to how likely we were to find anything better. For example, we wanted a downstairs guest room (deal breaker) and very few homes we looked at had that. You end up having to prioritize what is important to you because chances are, you will not find the perfect house unless you are building. Decide what your priorities are and go in knowing you will not get exactly what you want but that you got as close to it as possible...remember you will feel some buyer's remorse and that is normal!

    I won't lie...every now and then I look at our backyard and wish we had more grassy play area. But I remind myself of the nice open floor plan, private downstairs guest bed and bath, great neighborhood, etc and I know we made the right choice.

  4. #4
    ellies mom is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Smaller and less money has advantages. One of which is that life happens and having wiggle room financially is nice. After our big nursing school/work furlough fiasco and how long it has taken for us to get wiggle room again, I'm a firm believer in not deliberately making yourself house poor. Also there are advantages to making the upgrades yourself such as being able to do them your way on your schedule.

    Close to your work is nice. I've done the long commutes. They suck when you don't have kids at home waiting for you and they suck worse when you do.
    Veronica

    Miss Ellie 11/03
    Baby Audrey 4/08

  5. #5
    wellyes's Avatar
    wellyes is offline Blue Diamond level (20,000+ posts)
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    I would be fine with compromising for smaller and less money, but bedrooms in the basement is a no-thank-you for me.
    DD - 8
    DS - 5

  6. #6
    cindys is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    bedrooms in the basement is a no-thank-you for me


    I feel the same way...We would all be upstairs...DH would use of the bedrooms downstairs as his office, the other would be used for my oldest boy when he comes home to visit from college so he can play his music and keep all his instruments down there as well...

    There are other rooms in the basement but they are not bedrooms.

    Cindy
    Mama to 3 boys...20, 6 & 3

  7. #7
    ellies mom is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by wellyes View Post
    I would be fine with compromising for smaller and less money, but bedrooms in the basement is a no-thank-you for me.
    Bedrooms in the basement are great if they are guest rooms and would also make a great room for the oldest to have a bit of privacy if he still has a room at the house.

    But putting younger kids on their own down there, I agree. We were looking at a three story townhouse that had two bedrooms on the top floor and one on the very bottom. That would be great if we only had the one child but with two kids it was a deal breaker. If there were three bedrooms on the top floor, we'd have seriously considered it.
    Veronica

    Miss Ellie 11/03
    Baby Audrey 4/08

  8. #8
    khm is offline Ruby level (4000+ posts)
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    I think in your situation, (ages 6 and 3) 3 bedrooms up is great. I would not want them in the basement at those ages, but that won't be a problem, correct?

    We have an upstairs guest room next to the kids'..... and it's just a catch-all mess of stuff that ends up there until an actual guest shows up. I mean, it's nice to have 4 BR up for resale, but if you are looking at a "30 year place", then buy it for you, not for resale.

    And really, before you know it, they'll be of an age where it won't be a biggie to have one or both in the basement if you so choose.

  9. #9
    mikala is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by cindys View Post
    I feel the same way...We would all be upstairs...DH would use of the bedrooms downstairs as his office, the other would be used for my oldest boy when he comes home to visit from college so he can play his music and keep all his instruments down there as well...
    The layout you describe doesn't sound bad at all to me since it doesn't sound like you'd need to put young kids in a bedroom on a different floor. It seems like the downstairs bedrooms could also be useful in the future if you end up with a post-college student living with you for any period of time, need a place for more privacy for guests, etc.

    We've never had it done but pool installation seems more manageable than many house renovations since it's all exterior work. I wouldn't let the lack of a pool be a deal-breaker if you have the land and funds to do it later.

    House-hunting always seems to be a compromise in some way. We can't all afford the perfect location with the perfect floorplan with the perfect finishes so something has to give. It's really up to you and your DH to figure out where you're willing to compromise.

  10. #10
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    It sounds like a decent option if your DH does not mind having his office in the basement (I would, I need lots of light). And I don't believe in forever houses. People tend to move and have new needs/situations. So as long as the house works for the next 5-10 years, I'd be comfortable buying it.
    Mom to DS born on Thanksgiving 2003

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