House Poll: Perfect Fit Now vs. Lifetime

[rainydaze]

Hi everyone! My DH and I are going back and forth on this. It's a tough call without a crystal ball. So, what would you do? And if anyone has experience having made such a decision one way or the other, I'd love to hear what you think after the fact!

Would you rather move to a house that fits your family perfectly - size, features, condition, lots of fun extras - that you would have to move out of when the kids are grown and on their own (because taxes and size wouldn't be practical in retirement years) or would you rather stay in a home that is somewhat tight for your family but that you could stay in forever if you wanted to?

House 1 is completely done with every possible amenity we'd like (4th bedroom, 2nd floor laundry with folding table, big award-winning kitchen, mudroom, three car garage, irrigation, inground pool that is amazing - it would only need to have the interior painted to our taste. I don't think we'd even have to buy any new furniture - very little, if any. Payments and taxes go up a lot, mortgage is longer.

House 2 is home and a great house/yard that we love, it's just shrunk a little. Ideally we'd want to add a loft for third kid (no fourth bedroom), remodel kitchen (major remodel, NOT update), put in irrigation, add above-ground pool, update three baths. It would be paid off in less than 10 years, and taxes are half that of House 1. We'd have the option to stay here all our lives if we wanted, and thus the kids could come back to their childhood home.

 

[rainydaze]

Three votes already in favor of going for it - interesting!

Please tell me why you pick one over the other, if you have a moment! I really value everyone's thoughts!! And thank you!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

How old are your kids? What is the square footages of the two homes you're considering?

We've moved around quite a bit and I for sure would go for a slightly larger home. One thing about kids is they get bigger and so do their friends, so when they're teens, that extra bit of space sure can come in nicely. We've downsized a few times and it didn't work out for us and now we're in a house that was right for us when we house hunted, but we know that we're going to have to find a larger home in a few years because we need a family room and I feel a bit squeezed in at this point...plus, there is a lack of privacy issue at hand. I'd like about 1,000 more square feet, which may sound like a huge jump, however, once my boys are teens, it's going to feel clausterphobic with a group of teens over.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I would not be concerned about "forever" because so much happens over the course of 25+ years in life... who knows what you will desire in a home at that time? Who knows what your financial situation will *really* be, and who knows what your physical situation will be (stairs? Maybe not if you get arthritis in the knee). My point: Buy something that will get you through this stage, with kids at home, and worry about the rest of your life later.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I'm cheap. And I hate debt. And a grew up in a small house. So I want to tell you to go with the home that you can pay off more easily because it's the most practical and less-stressful option.

But I'd be a hypocrite if I said to go with the house you're going to outgrow because my DH and I bought a 4 bed/3 bath house that we could grow into with kids. And now I can even see us outgrowing it, which annoys me to even say. But seriously, kids take up SPACE.

I will say that we scaled back the budget so we could still have the size we thought we'd need, but not the most gorgeous house we could afford. Having it paid off in 10 years is still the goal. So without being a hypocrite, I can tell you that if it were me, I'd go with a larger house, but maybe forego all possible amenities, award-winning kitchen, high-end finishes, etc. to keep the budget lower. It was the best compromise for us.

 

[rainydaze]

How old are your kids? What is the square footages of the two homes you're considering?

Thanks MC, dreamer and NEL - you've definitely given me good food for thought!

MC, our kids are all under 10. One of the homes is our current home, and it is around 2700 square feet including finished basement and room over garage. The new house would be 4400 square feet including finished basement.

 

[rainydaze]

I'm cheap. And I hate debt. And a grew up in a small house. So I want to tell you to go with the home that you can pay off more easily because it's the most practical and less-stressful option.

But I'd be a hypocrite if I said to go with the house you're going to outgrow because my DH and I bought a 4 bed/3 bath house that we could grow into with kids. And now I can even see us outgrowing it, which annoys me to even say. But seriously, kids take up SPACE.

I will say that we scaled back the budget so we could still have the size we thought we'd need, but not the most gorgeous house we could afford. Having it paid off in 10 years is still the goal. So without being a hypocrite, I can tell you that if it were me, I'd go with a larger house, but maybe forego all possible amenities, award-winning kitchen, high-end finishes, etc. to keep the budget lower. It was the best compromise for us.

I KNOW, right?! For such little creatures they sure take over!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

How old are your kids? What is the square footages of the two homes you're considering?

Thanks MC, dreamer and NEL - you've definitely given me good food for thought!

MC, our kids are all under 10. One of the homes is our current home, and it is around 2700 square feet including finished basement and room over garage. The new house would be 4400 square feet including finished basement.

Can the finished basement be turned into a rec room for the kids? That will help. Remember that cute little toddler boys can grow into 6'+ tall teens in a few years time! My 12 year old wears larger shoes than me.

I think if you found a house between those two sizes, that'd be idea. The larger home comes with those larger heating bills, etc...the smaller home may be snug when you have a house full of kids! But, keep in mind, my house is 1500-1600 sq feet, three bed, office, 2.5 bath, so my upgrade would be the size of your current home. Dh wants one closer to 3,500 sq ft. I guess no matter how much room there is, it is normal to furnish and fill up the house and yhen "need" more room! Lol oh, and i also notice we use certain rooms a lot more than others...having a good layout can make a small house more user friendly. Bigger kitchens are always better!

Good luck!

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I'd take the current home and make it work.

You'll be adding equity into something you'll have paid off before a majority of the kids are off to college. That's a total bonus IMO.

You know what needs to be done in your home... but who knows what needs to be done in the place.

ETA: You wouldn't have to move... MEGA-SUPER bonus!

 

[Efe]

I voted to stay. Is there any way that you can add on besides a loft? I would go with a sure thing that you already love that is in a good location with good schools over the bigger house, bigger mortgage, longer to pay off, etc. I really think that housing is going to move away from the mega mansions back to "smaller" homes with more reasonable square footage. 4400 square feet is a big home, with big utility bills and you really have to factor in time spent maintaining, cleaning, and the like.

My sister bought a bigger home because they had kids that were approaching the teen years. They went from a house that was a little over 3000 square feet on 2 1/2 acres to an almost 5000 square foot house in a big development. It was fine for a few years, but now that they kids are off to college, they are going to sell it and are downsize big time. They felt that it was great for the time the kids were there but now they feel it is a burden money wise, time wise and just too much for them.

So, I can see it both ways, but I always lean on the size of being frugal (since I am cheap).

 

[rainydaze]

Thanks MC! I am starting to see the teenage years coming, and I just can't picture not having them climb into my lap or looking up to my son!

The room over the garage actually serves as dedicated rec room and it *is* nice. I agree, we don't need 4400 sq. ft., I think 3000 - 3500 would be great. It just happens that this new house has everything and where we live, such homes are in very short supply.

You are spot on about layout - our current home has good square footage, and the rec room is awesome, but it lacks the fourth bedroom and a good kitchen. The kitchen is small and poorly laid out. So what this all comes down to, really, is do we stay in the house that we love and spend a bunch of money to bring it to the place we want it to be (and keep the option to stay in it because we feel like that's an important option to us - we're roots people) or do we go for a house that already has it all (and accept that we will have no choice but to move at some point)?

 

[rosetta]

I vote the larger house, people need more room as their kids grow up, not less.

And when they fly the nest, you may need a bungalow with a walk in bath as far as you know!

I'm saying, you can't predict what's going to happen decades down the line.

 

[Enerchi]

I'm split on which way to vote. We had a lovely 2500 sf house in a subdivision, mortgage paid, 3 small kids and a dog and decided to build a custom house on 2 acres. Rationale was to get out of subdivision living and have an inground pool. That was 13 years ago. The kids were little, they swam, had friends over, explored the woods around us, played in the finished basement, had great sized bedrooms and we have always had a fantastic kitchen for my husband. We did not put all the bells and whistles into it but we could see some upgrades happening in the future, when the kids were older. Now, we have a 3100+ sf house that is almost paid off (again - woohoo!) but are down to 1.5 kids here. The oldest is gone, the middle is 'here for now' and the youngest will be with us until college is over. I want to be buried in the back yard!! I never want to leave here - its perfect! I love the location and the space (inside and out) and I'm just simply happy here! DH flips all over - we are selling/we are staying/we are renovating/we are downsizing - but recently, he's come to stick with "staying" until we can no longer physically manage the yard/gardens/stairs, etc. and this makes me VERY HAPPY!!

So as much as we both hated the idea of another mortgage, taxes and bills - sometimes the pay off is worth it once you get over that hump. The kids, and you, both need space (sometimes a LOT more!) for a fairly fixed period of time... then they go and its your house again. And, as others have said, you have no idea what the future holds. If we had to do it all over again, I'd still go this route! We wanted the living space and larger lot size and it was the right thing for our family at the time. We made choices and you never know in life, which choice is going to be the right one - we were lucky and it was right for all of us!

The mortgage won't always be huge (but taxes and utilities are always increasing!) so there comes a tipping point where what you sacrificed at the start of the home ownership, will pay off over a long term investment.

 

[soocool]

We have lived in our house for nearly 20 years. We built it how we wanted it in an area we love (not a development) in a private neighborhood. The house is around 3000 sq ft and we have over an acre of land. Beautiful area and quiet neighborhood.

We have only one daughter who will be 20 later this year and she still comes home for the summer and bewteen semesters. She has 3 years left. After that who knows where she will go. Now DH and I are in our mid to late 50s and thinking about retiring in about 10 years. House is definitely too much to take care of, both inside and out, but we are still able to handle it. We are making some changes to make it easier. Changing the landscaping this fall to make it all low maintenance. Also have gotten rid of a lot of clutter in the house that makes cleaning and maintenance easier as well. The only downfall to the house is that it is 2 stories and don't know if we can handle that once we are in our 70s and older.

My thinking (not necessarily DH's) is that once I am in my 70s I don't want to deal with maintaining a house. I want to enjoy whatever time I have left with my DD and grandkids, if we get them. I want to travel, paint, do stuff other than cut grass, weed, clean rooms, etc. and be a slave to the house.

My neighborhood has a mixture of generations. Many young people (20s-30s) are moving into the homes previously occupied by seniors 75+ - 90 who could no longer maintain their homes or got sick or passed away. Then there are us, the ones in our 40s, 50,s and 60s who are beginning to become the empty nesters and still enjoy our homes. Finally, there are those 70+ who you can see that it is getting harder maintaining their homes , grass not cut as often, more weeds, homes need repairs/upgrading. There are some people who have lived here over 60 years in the same home. But their homes are smaller than mine, but with the same outside acreage as me.

The difficulty for me is that right now I love my neighborhood and can't see myself living elsewhere. Don't know if I can say that in another 10 years. DH and I have a plot of land (believe it or not 10 acres) that we are saving for building a retirement home for ourselves that will be senior friendly. But the more I think about it the more I feel that I do not want a house when I am past my 70s. I want to be around people all the time, not secluded on 10 acres away from everyone. I truly think I want to live in a senior community where I will have a social life constantly and not be lonely as I see many of the older people in my neighborhood becoming.

Sorry for writing a novel, but it is a lot to consider and I don't think you ever really know for sure. But whatever home you pick, I don't think it is the size of the house, but the neighborhood that makes you decide if you want to stay there or not. So if the smaller house is in the neighborhood you see yourself living in go for that because you will never regret your decision.

 

[lyra]

I voted make do because that was the ultimate choice we made for our family. We've been in our much smaller house for 10 years now and the kids have grown up just fine. They never needed more space, because as they grew older, they spent less and less time at home. I would hate to be paying for the utilities and taxes on a huge house right now. The smaller mortgage has come in handy during the recession too. It turns out we'll probably be moving for a job next year, and we will be keeping to the same size house then too, and will not be accumulating more debt. I would choose a one level house for retirement no matter what, so we don't plan to stay in the next house forever either. Oh, our current house is 1950 sq. ft. plus the finished dry basement. We have lived in 2 much larger houses along the way, and 2 much smaller ones too. This one is in the middle and the balance worked for us.

 

[distracts]

I guess it depends on how you and your family cope with closeness. Me and my parents, as well as me and my fiance, all need our space and become horrible, terrible, bad-tempered people when living in close quarters with others. We basically each need a room of our own, to do our own thing in, and our own bathroom. In the house my fiance and I currently live in, he basically takes over the great room and I retreat to my office. We just have one bedroom other than ours, so it will feel very crowded once we have a kid.

My parents bought a big house when we were children, but it has a guesthouse, which can be rented out, and due to the layout when they get older they can live on the first floor and either rent the second floor or have a live-in nurse if they need one.

 

[zoebartlett]

Rainydaze, you have three kids, right? Or 4? How old are they? I'm just wondering how long it will be until they're out of the house and off to college and/or working. How secure are your jobs? These are things I thought of as I was thinking of what to write below.

As tempting as it would be to move to a bigger house now, I'd try to stay where you are. Here are the pros, as I see them:

-- it will be paid off sooner, which will allow you to save money in the long run
-- you'd save money by not moving (it's expensive and a PITA)
-- the sentimental aspect of having your kids visit their childhood home once they leave
-- you like the area (I'm assuming)
-- once you add the updates, your house will be a better fit than what it is now

Anything can happen, and it would be a shame to move into a more expensive house and then have one of you lose your jobs. You might not need to worry about this but it's something that I think about (it makes me nervous).

 

[Gypsy]

Under ten makes it harder. My feeling is-- go for the comfort now. You never know what will happen in the future. Even the cozy smaller house may be in the wrong location (what if your kids all move and you want to move to be closer to one or more of them), or too big (god forbid something happen to one of you and you need assisted care, or a one story home, or something). You can't know what will happen, what you know is the house is too small right now, and will continue to be for the next 10 years or so AT LEAST-- whic his what I would base my decision on.

Have you watched Love it or List it? It's exactly your dilemna. I always vote for them to list it. It just makes more sense to me and it's what I'd do.

 

[ForteKitty]

Are your kids into sports or any other activities outside of school? The reason I ask is because as kids, we were never home. We always had something going on, and the house was mostly empty. If your kids are into a lot of activities now, and you see them being busy all thru high school, I'd stay put. No point paying extra for taxes! I grew up in S. Cal where everything is pretty cramped, and 2700 sq ft seems like a LOT of space to me! Our house was 1800 sq ft (no basement) w/ 3 bed, 2.5 baths, and there were 3 of us kids @ 9 years apart. Even so, it never felt cramped.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Thanks MC! I am starting to see the teenage years coming, and I just can't picture not having them climb into my lap or looking up to my son!

The room over the garage actually serves as dedicated rec room and it *is* nice. I agree, we don't need 4400 sq. ft., I think 3000 - 3500 would be great. It just happens that this new house has everything and where we live, such homes are in very short supply.

You are spot on about layout - our current home has good square footage, and the rec room is awesome, but it lacks the fourth bedroom and a good kitchen. The kitchen is small and poorly laid out. So what this all comes down to, really, is do we stay in the house that we love and spend a bunch of money to bring it to the place we want it to be (and keep the option to stay in it because we feel like that's an important option to us - we're roots people) or do we go for a house that already has it all (and accept that we will have no choice but to move at some point)?

Even when they're teens, they'll STILL be climbing all over you & hanging on you! It never ends.

I'll have to go back and read everyones responses in a bit here to see what others have said, but re: kitchen, that is really a room that a lot of family tends to gather in and it's also good to have some sort of decent layout so you can cook while the kids do homework, etc., so that is something to keep in mind for future planning (for remodeling or buying).

Also, just to quickly add before I go to make dinner...check with the larger home's HOA rules (if it has an HOA) to be sure the neighborhood you move to allows you to rent out your larger house. The neighborhood my husband is wanting to move into a couple years from now doesn't allow renting so if we move up to a large home, and then when the boys move out, we will have to stay there or sell...there is no inbetween.

But, if you're a roots person and love your home, you CAN make it work with a bit of remodeling!

 

[rainydaze]

Under ten makes it harder. My feeling is-- go for the comfort now. You never know what will happen in the future. Even the cozy smaller house may be in the wrong location (what if your kids all move and you want to move to be closer to one or more of them), or too big (god forbid something happen to one of you and you need assisted care, or a one story home, or something). You can't know what will happen, what you know is the house is too small right now, and will continue to be for the next 10 years or so AT LEAST-- whic his what I would base my decision on.

Have you watched Love it or List it? It's exactly your dilemna. I always vote for them to list it. It just makes more sense to me and it's what I'd do.

Oh my god, ok I'm watching it now b/c of your suggestion! I had heard of it, but not watched it, and half an hour ago when I went to search, it was the next show up. Too funny! The couple featured is US, too, three kids, same sq. footage, sentimental about having brought home three kids into this home, non-functional kitchen.... Thanks for mentioning it - even DH is into it!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I changed my vote

I did not know the sizes of homes you were talking about. I think 2700 sq feet is huge and that since it is more than enough space it is a real boon to be able to keep expenses for your home lower and have more money for other things in life.

We live in an area where home prices are astronomical and we had no choice but to take on a mortgage much larger than ideally we would like... if we wanted to own a home that is. Our home is 1800 square feet and we have two kids and we plan to stay in this house until our kids are grown. We would have a smaller home if it could accommodate my husband's office space (he works at home and needs dedicated space). I grew up in a 750 sq ft apartment, and in New York and many other places in the world families live in much smaller apartments. I suppose it is not everyones POV, but I am trying to adopt a lifestyle of wanting less when it comes to lifestyle, to live below our means if possible. I just don't believe we need as much... anything... as we often think we need. And home size falls into that category for me. If you have the luxury of living in an area where you can own a 2700 square foot home and still live below your means, jump on that and then enjoy other things in life with the overflow. Like financial freedom. Vacations. Peace of mind.

I have only grown to feel this way in the last three years. If there is a humanly possible way to keep expenses lower and increase cashflow, that is my vote. Always.

 

[swingirl]

I live in California in an expensive area where 2000 sq ft homes with no basement or attic are the norm. I do think having separate bedrooms is a requirement these days for teens. We have that and a small family room. 2 bathrooms that we share. We still managed to have sleepovers and 30 for Christmas dinner.

So my suggestion is keep your house, pay it off in 10 years, and save the money for college. While it would have been nice to have a larger house when the kids were growing up, I am very glad we did not take on more debt because college expenses have turned out to be way more than I could have planned for. For me the biggest factor would be how much I like the neighborhood and schools of the existing house. We really love our location so putting up with a smaller house was worth it.

 

[rainydaze]

Wow, thank you all so much for weighing in!!! So many of you touched upon exactly the points that have us going back and forth.

davi - are you my DH?? Not moving is a super-mega bonus for DH now too (yet he started this whole thing). However, I can't help but think that renovating a kitchen isn't going to be a walk in the park either! And I'm with you on not knowing the evils of the new home vs. knowing what's up with ours - we've got a solid home and there is a LOT to be said for that in my book!

Effe - We've looked at our house every way from Sunday and have even had two contractors look at our inside space to see if we can gain a fourth bedroom. There's not an easy fix aside from the loft, and I think DH would rather move than have an addition put in. Both houses are in the same town and schools would stay the same. I tend to agree with you too - that people are going to move away from the bigger houses. That was our thing when we first bought, that we preferred a smaller, well-built home with (our kind of) character over a McMansion.

rosetta - Does that bungalow come with Hawaiin beaches? Because now you're talkin'!

Enerchi - Thank you for sharing your experience! Your post goes to the heart of one of my big hesitations - DH keeps saying that if we move to this new house, it comes with the caveat that we have to move again when the kids are grown up and out. That would make the new house feel like a rental, not a home, and I am big on 'home'. I couldn't enjoy the house if every day I woke up *knowing* the day is coming when we *must* move again. It makes sense we would move, but what if I feel like you do (and I think I very well could) - that I become very attached and don't want to leave! I could see it breaking my heart!

soocool - You've gone to the heart of another of our big considerations. We don't want to be a slave to a house, and DH especially feels as you do, that he is looking forward to doing all kinds of fun things, maybe renting places in other locations for a month or so, activities, etc. Your 10 acre parcel parallels my parents' own quandry - all my life they talked about living in a secluded rural setting, having a dream farmhouse... now that retirement is around the corner they've changed their tune for exactly the reasons you talked about. Maybe being secluded isn't such a good idea as you get into the golden years.

lyra - I'm so glad to hear you stayed and were happy you did! Our current mortgage offers reassurance in a lot of situations - DH's job situation changing, the economy tanking (more), illness, etc. We don't have to worry about keeping this house through any such changes, and that comfort is, I think, winning us over at this moment. I think.

distracts - Lol, right now we have nicknamed one of our kids 'Velcro' ('nuf said!) and no matter where DH and I go in the house, the kids are all in the same room within five minutes! Of course, we fully expect that to change once the teenage years hit, but you've made me consider that more closely. Indeed, the two that share a room are the two that don't get along the best, and while some say that sharing a room builds character, with these two it might kill us all!

Zoe - Great questions! We have three kids, all under 10. I am a SAHM and would like to stay one (or feel like I have the option to) and DH's job is not secure - meaning that like many jobs, it could change. It's a has been a uniquely good situation, and a new job would likely be good, but not as great. We are in a very good place with retirement savings, college funds, mortgage (only debt we have) and staying would keep it that way - that's a huge factor that seems to be winning out right now. Your second point is one DH keeps mentioning now, there is a lot of money 'thrown away' at moving expenses - is it better spent on renovations or a no-hassle house? Right now we're leaning towards renos. Also, with renos if circumstances change, we can choose not to move forward with the next project and be fine; if we have the bigger-expenses house we can't just walk away from the payments so that would mean potentially adding unease to our lives. Oh, and yes we love the area we're in now, but also love the area of the new house (big drawing point actually, as there are very few spots within this town that we'd love as much or more than the spot we're in now, and the new house offers that).

Gypsy - We watched it last night and I have the show DVR'd - can't wait to watch more! DH and I were laughing our heads off - the episode we watched was us to a T!!! I always value your opinion, thanks for weighing in! ETA: we watched it per your recommendation; I responded to your post above but it occurred to me you might see this and not that.

ForteKitty - Great point! You've given us something more to talk about.

MC - Oh you've given me hope (that they will still hang on me - yay! ) Interesting thought about renting, I hadn't thought of that!

Dreamer - Heehee, I made sure to allow vote changes because I figured as info came out some people might change their mind! It's a PSer's best prerogative, right?! I hear you about needing - I was actually conscious of using that word while posting (not saying I didn't, just that I was aware of it) because you are absolutely right - it's not that we *need* the space/features, it's that we would like them and are in a position to have them. DH works from home too, and he would love a first floor office vs. his basement office (that does have a window, so while not ideal it's still ok). Right now we are living below our means and the new house would be living at our means - we agree with your last line which means ultimately, we should stay put. We have it good, why rock the boat?

swingirl - Wow! 30 for Christmas dinner - you're a champ! I can barely pull dinner off for five! The location of the new house wouldn't change anything in terms of town, schools, etc, and both offer us a spot we love. In fact, that's one of the reasons we're considering the move - we've looked at numerous houses that fit our needs/style but didn't have the location; this one has it all which finally warrants the move. You're point about college is a good one!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Rainy this is a good problem to have, after all. You could be agonizing over continuing to live above your means or downsizing to live within! We have made choices in the past that increased our monthly fixed expenses to get us something we "needed" and that we thought we could "afford". And every time we have regretted it a few years later when things changed and having extra cashflow would have been a real boon. Now we are in the situation of having to pare down our variable expenses to make it all work and that sucks.

Would any of the kids do well sharing a room together? Before puberty a boy and a girl can easily share. What about building an office for your husband in a small free standing building in the yard somewhere, and then in the teen years the oldest can move into a basement bedroom?

 

[MustangGal]

2700 square feet is huge to me, so 4400 sounds gigantic! I grew up with 4 siblings in 1500 sqft. I think you can make it work where you are, and update the things bothering you.

 

[FrekeChild]

My mom did something cool when she built our house. She bought the land back in 1995ish or so, built our house on it in 2000. It's 3 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 3,500 sqft. 5000 sqft including the very oversized 3 car garage. So she had a lot of time to plan exactly what she wanted.

Which is a "collapsible" house. It's divided in halves - one half is the main area - garage, master, 2 of the 4 bathrooms (both in the master), sunroom, kitchen, door to the backyard, breakfast nook, TV/living room. The other half has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, the formal living room, the formal dining. Each half is on a separate heating and cooling system.

So while the total square footage is 3,500, you can close off the guest room/formal room half (separated by french doors-they are decorative AND practical), turn the heating/cooling systems to low, and you're living in a 1 bedroom house with 1 bedroom house utilities (plus in the winter the sunroom helps heat the entire side of the house). When guests arrive, open it up, and you're in a 3 bedroom again.

I think it's a way cool idea, and it worked perfectly for them!

I'd go big. I'd rather have empty space than not enough space.

EDIT: I was 19 when the house was finished. I am 30 now. It is my house. I never lived in it as a child, as it didn't exist, but it will always be home to me, and I am fiercely protective over it. So it isn't my childhood home, we left that when I was 13, but it still is in a way. I think it has a lot to do with it being OURS. We spent years deciding on the layout, the size of the rooms, how many rooms, what the outside would look like, etc, and that was before deciding all of the interior finishes. I don't think another home could ever feel as much like home as that one does, since it was 100% custom.

 

[monarch64]

My parents bought a 6k square foot house in a small town back in 1978, the year after I was born, with the intent of putting 4 more children in it. Due to fertility issues, it happened that only my brother and I and my parents ever inhabited said house. On one hand, it was too much space and I could claim that there were issues stemming from that circumstance, but I choose not to think that way. On the other hand, we all had freedom to roam and lots of space and room to be ourselves and grow. I love that house, it's a part of me and always will be. My brother feels the same way. My parents still live there, amidst 60 wooded acres of gorgeous rolling southern IN hills. I wouldn't trade my childhood for the world. So many great memories, and every time I go there a small part of me wishes my parents would never grow old and sell the place like they've been talking about for years.

I vote for space. It's a very rare thing and you are lucky to be able to afford such a luxury (and it is a luxury if you have stepped outside of the PS bubble lately.)

 

[lknvrb4]

I would keep the current home and with the money you would be saving buy a second home somewhere to spend half your year at when you retire. Kids are adaptable and when they are teenagers they are hardly home as it is. I grew up in a tiny home and I would not change that for anything because that was home.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks for adding more details, Rainydaze. Unless I missed it it one of your posts, it doesn't sound like lack of space is really the issue. It sounds like the more pressing issue is getting the amenities and updates you want if you moved. While those things are tempting, I don't see that as being enough to warrant moving to a new house.

I know little kids (and perhaps big ones too!) come with lots of STUFF, but I think that's something you can control. I'd think your current house is a great space for a family of 5. You might have to get a little creative regarding storage space, but it sounds totally doable. If you felt that your family was truly outgrowing the space, that's one thing. That doesn't sound like the problem though.

My vote is staying the same. Stay where you are and update your house over time so it functions well and looks how you'd like it.