What type of neighborhood do you live in?

[parkersmama]

We live in a golf/swim/tennis subdivision with all the stuff...clubhouse, playground, etc.

1. We built in this neighborhood prior to having children and mainly purchased here b/c we thought we'd move on pretty quickly and thought the neighborhood would have good resale values. I would love to live in an urban area but our city isn't that big and there is no urban living.

2. Our lot is on a cul-de-sac (which we adore) and is probably about 1/3 of an acre. The yard is a really nice size and we've done a lot of work on it. We built the house when it was just the two of us and a small dog. Now we have 3 growing children and a big dog! We are totally bursting at the seems! We have 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths in 2250sqft so it's a nice size but all the bedrooms and the kitchen are cramped.

3. Definitely NOT our forever home. As a matter of fact, we are in the process of fixing things up to put it on the market. We were right about one thing...resale in our neighborhood is great! Our house has appreciated by about 75% since we bought it 8 1/2 years ago!!! Wow! We are planning to build in another neighborhood that has just been started. It will be smaller than this neighborhood without the golf/swim, etc, but our lot will be over an acre. We'll still be on a cul-de-sac and we already know most of the people who will be our neighbors.

4. Pros: It is wonderful being in a neighborhood with lots of other young families. Halloween night is like it is in the movies! Fun! We also really enjoy having access to the pool but don't use the golf course, clubhouse, tennis, or playground very much. I love having a large backyard. Our street is filled with kids the same ages as my children.
Cons: I hate that we have to drive everywhere we go. There aren't even sidewalks for us to walk to the pool! There is little to no public transportation in our city and it certainly doesn't come out this far. Being the tree hugger that I am, it makes me feel really guilty the amount of gas I use running errands and taking the kids to school. I wish we lived in an area where errands were a walking thing and we could take public transportation to parks, museums, and work.

[parkersmama]

We live in a golf/swim/tennis subdivision with all the stuff...clubhouse, playground, etc.

1. We built in this neighborhood prior to having children and mainly purchased here b/c we thought we'd move on pretty quickly and thought the neighborhood would have good resale values. I would love to live in an urban area but our city isn't that big and there is no urban living.

2. Our lot is on a cul-de-sac (which we adore) and is probably about 1/3 of an acre. The yard is a really nice size and we've done a lot of work on it. We built the house when it was just the two of us and a small dog. Now we have 3 growing children and a big dog! We are totally bursting at the seems! We have 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths in 2250sqft so it's a nice size but all the bedrooms and the kitchen are cramped.

3. Definitely NOT our forever home. As a matter of fact, we are in the process of fixing things up to put it on the market. We were right about one thing...resale in our neighborhood is great! Our house has appreciated by about 75% since we bought it 8 1/2 years ago!!! Wow! We are planning to build in another neighborhood that has just been started. It will be smaller than this neighborhood without the golf/swim, etc, but our lot will be over an acre. We'll still be on a cul-de-sac and we already know most of the people who will be our neighbors.

4. Pros: It is wonderful being in a neighborhood with lots of other young families. Halloween night is like it is in the movies! Fun! We also really enjoy having access to the pool but don't use the golf course, clubhouse, tennis, or playground very much. I love having a large backyard. Our street is filled with kids the same ages as my children.
Cons: I hate that we have to drive everywhere we go. There aren't even sidewalks for us to walk to the pool! There is little to no public transportation in our city and it certainly doesn't come out this far. Being the tree hugger that I am, it makes me feel really guilty the amount of gas I use running errands and taking the kids to school. I wish we lived in an area where errands were a walking thing and we could take public transportation to parks, museums, and work.

[parkersmama]

We live in a golf/swim/tennis subdivision with all the stuff...clubhouse, playground, etc.

1. We built in this neighborhood prior to having children and mainly purchased here b/c we thought we'd move on pretty quickly and thought the neighborhood would have good resale values. I would love to live in an urban area but our city isn't that big and there is no urban living.

2. Our lot is on a cul-de-sac (which we adore) and is probably about 1/3 of an acre. The yard is a really nice size and we've done a lot of work on it. We built the house when it was just the two of us and a small dog. Now we have 3 growing children and a big dog! We are totally bursting at the seems! We have 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths in 2250sqft so it's a nice size but all the bedrooms and the kitchen are cramped.

3. Definitely NOT our forever home. As a matter of fact, we are in the process of fixing things up to put it on the market. We were right about one thing...resale in our neighborhood is great! Our house has appreciated by about 75% since we bought it 8 1/2 years ago!!! Wow! We are planning to build in another neighborhood that has just been started. It will be smaller than this neighborhood without the golf/swim, etc, but our lot will be over an acre. We'll still be on a cul-de-sac and we already know most of the people who will be our neighbors.

4. Pros: It is wonderful being in a neighborhood with lots of other young families. Halloween night is like it is in the movies! Fun! We also really enjoy having access to the pool but don't use the golf course, clubhouse, tennis, or playground very much. I love having a large backyard. Our street is filled with kids the same ages as my children.
Cons: I hate that we have to drive everywhere we go. There aren't even sidewalks for us to walk to the pool! There is little to no public transportation in our city and it certainly doesn't come out this far. Being the tree hugger that I am, it makes me feel really guilty the amount of gas I use running errands and taking the kids to school. I wish we lived in an area where errands were a walking thing and we could take public transportation to parks, museums, and work.

[parkersmama]

We live in a golf/swim/tennis subdivision with all the stuff...clubhouse, playground, etc.

1. We built in this neighborhood prior to having children and mainly purchased here b/c we thought we'd move on pretty quickly and thought the neighborhood would have good resale values. I would love to live in an urban area but our city isn't that big and there is no urban living.

2. Our lot is on a cul-de-sac (which we adore) and is probably about 1/3 of an acre. The yard is a really nice size and we've done a lot of work on it. We built the house when it was just the two of us and a small dog. Now we have 3 growing children and a big dog! We are totally bursting at the seems! We have 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths in 2250sqft so it's a nice size but all the bedrooms and the kitchen are cramped.

3. Definitely NOT our forever home. As a matter of fact, we are in the process of fixing things up to put it on the market. We were right about one thing...resale in our neighborhood is great! Our house has appreciated by about 75% since we bought it 8 1/2 years ago!!! Wow! We are planning to build in another neighborhood that has just been started. It will be smaller than this neighborhood without the golf/swim, etc, but our lot will be over an acre. We'll still be on a cul-de-sac and we already know most of the people who will be our neighbors.

4. Pros: It is wonderful being in a neighborhood with lots of other young families. Halloween night is like it is in the movies! Fun! We also really enjoy having access to the pool but don't use the golf course, clubhouse, tennis, or playground very much. I love having a large backyard. Our street is filled with kids the same ages as my children.
Cons: I hate that we have to drive everywhere we go. There aren't even sidewalks for us to walk to the pool! There is little to no public transportation in our city and it certainly doesn't come out this far. Being the tree hugger that I am, it makes me feel really guilty the amount of gas I use running errands and taking the kids to school. I wish we lived in an area where errands were a walking thing and we could take public transportation to parks, museums, and work.

[sbjf]

>
>ETA: I'm a SAHM, who feels pretty crazed and isolated much of
>the time, and that is IN a subdivision and busy suburban city!
> If I actually lived in the country, like I dreamed about, I
>think I'd lose my mind! Maybe that's not such a good idea!

Andrea, I'm re-reading this thread tonight, still getting my thoughts together on what type of area might be best for us.

I have thought the same thing as you before, 'I'm lonely and isolated in this subdivision with houses all around me, how could I even think about building on some land?', but then I realized that it would be different in that on land/acreage, you expect to be alone, solitary, one with your land and nature (hehe), but in a subdivision, you expect to actually see neighbors, have chats with other parents and kids at the community playground or across the yards, but since we don't it's even more isolating or lonely. That's how I feel anyway. It's just disturbing to be surrounded by houses and go days without seeing my neighbors and months without talking to them.

I'm leaning towards moving to an intown neighborhood in Atlanta. Researching, researching, researching. :-) If that doesn't work out I think we'll explore building on land, we'll see.

It's been interesting to read where others live and how they feel about it!

[sbjf]

Lucy, sounds like a great place to live! Similar to what I'm looking at and hoping to find in our price range in the Atlanta area. :-)

[sbjf]

Sounds GREAT! How are you liking the new house? I love Spanish style houses, got any pics?

[sbjf]

I like the sound of your subdivision, being able to walk to everything yet still being in a sub-d is nice. Also great that there are other babies around for you guys!

[C99]

Karen,

I live in "greater Independence Park." I put it in quotes b/c some Chicagoans get pedantic about the names of neighborhoods and think it doesn't exist. It's technically w/in the borders of Old Irving Park.