Next house must haves? Deal breakers?

[luckystar112]

I thought as a follow-up to TGals "things you won''t live near" thread and Beau''s redecorating thread, it would be fun to list the things that we consider deal breakers when looking for a house. When we bought the current house we live in it was all the manufacturer''s original stuff from the tile to the countertops. So, needless to say I started making a list about a year ago of things that I''m not willing to deal with again when we "upgrade" our house. lol.

Here''s my list so far....

No popcorn ceilings. We''re leaving it, cause it''s just not worth the hassle to get rid of it. Next house won''t have it though!

No tile countertops: Huge PITA! We recently replaced them, finally.

Washer/Dryer on the same floor as the master bedroom: I hate carrying laundry up and down the stairs.

No carpeted stairs: I''d give anything for wooden stairs that I can just sweep!

Carpet that is less than 5 years old, if we have carpet at all: We''ve since replaced all the carpet downstairs, but I don''t want to do it again.

Window overlooking the kitchen sink. I don''t know....I just want one!

Vents in all the bathrooms. Our master bath doesn''t have a vent, and all the paint is peeling in there. No idea whose bright idea that was.

No textured walls: We have "popcorn" walls. Not as bumpy as the ceilings, but still bumpy. It''s really easy to chip the paint and it''s really hard to make it blend when you''re remodeling...the canned stuff just doesn''t work. It''s also hard to make a clean line when painting (a nightmare where the wall and ceiling meet), and it''s even harder to simply hang a picture evenly!

But besides that, I love our house. It''s been an adventure.

 

[purrfectpear]

Those "popcorn" walls you have...that''s called a "knockdown" finish

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 4/22/2009 8:20:46 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Those ''popcorn'' walls you have...that''s called a ''knockdown'' finish

Interesting. I didn''t know that! I''m off to google it.
When my FIL was here he told me that it was a popular way of hiding bad drywall. Kind of the lazy way of doing things so you don''t have to tape/plaster/sand/etc. Any truth to that?

 

[OUpearlgirl]

No oak trim.. I have it everywhere in my house. It''s not that I find it ugly, but I love the look of white crown molding so much more. It also has really limited me on the colors that I think look good.

I need a much wider bathroom. The house I live in now was built in the 50''s. I have seen far too many bathrooms like ours that are SO narrow only one person can squeeze by at a time! It''s maddening.

Lots of windows. I love natural light!

Must have tile counter tops in the kitchen! I have these yucky vinyl or SOMETHING counter tops. Not only is the pattern ugly, they are no fun to clean.

I know all of my complaints are bratty for a college kid, but I''m a decorator at heart and there are SO many things I can''t stand about this house!

 

[musey]

Well, I can think of a million must-haves and dealbreakers... but that would all be thrown out the window if we found something we could afford that was over 800 square feet

Except location and safety of the neighborhood. Those are non-negotiable, and I wouldn't buy a sprawling mansion in an unsafe neighborhood.

It's really hard to be picky where the cost of living is so high.

 

[missrachelk]

Date: 4/22/2009 8:28:46 PM
Author: luckystar112

Date: 4/22/2009 8:20:46 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Those 'popcorn' walls you have...that's called a 'knockdown' finish

Interesting. I didn't know that! I'm off to google it.
When my FIL was here he told me that it was a popular way of hiding bad drywall. Kind of the lazy way of doing things so you don't have to tape/plaster/sand/etc. Any truth to that?

Definitely! Knockdown finish is a way to make the work go much faster, they still tape the joints, but no multiple coats to blend the lines of the tape or sanding. Nothing wrong with it though, except that it's evidently not fun to have!


My Want: I will try my hardest to one day have a house where I can reach all the kitchen cabnets. I'm average height but still I hate needing a stool - our current house is like a loft and the cabinets are so high I can only reach the bottom shelf!

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 4/22/2009 8:57:37 PM
Author: missrachelk

Definitely! Knockdown finish is a way to make the work go much faster, they still tape the joints, but no multiple coats to blend the lines of the tape or sanding. Nothing wrong with it though, except that it''s evidently not fun to have!


My Want: I will try my hardest to one day have a house where I can reach all the kitchen cabnets. I''m average height but still I hate needing a stool - our current house is like a loft and the cabinets are so high I can only reach the bottom shelf!

Ooh, GOOD ONE! I need a stool to reach some of my cabinets too. Except, I don''t have a stool...so for the last four years I''ve had to stand on a chair or prop myself up so I can kneel on the countertops. lol.

I guess they call it "knockdown" finish because people want to knock it down!!

 

[indecisive]

The only things I can think of right now is a wrap around porch (I

queen anne victorians) and fireplace(s). I think they make things more "homey". Also, I love gingerbread on houses, thick crown molding, chair rails, and beadboard. It seems like I have become quite the country girl

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 4/22/2009 8:55:32 PM
Author: musey
Well, I can think of a million must-haves and dealbreakers... but that would all be thrown out the window if we found something we could afford that was over 800 square feet

Except location and safety of the neighborhood. Those are non-negotiable, and I wouldn''t buy a sprawling mansion in an unsafe neighborhood.

It''s really hard to be picky where the cost of living is so high.

Yeah, I agree about location. Most and nearly everything can be remodled/upgraded on a house, however, neighborhood cannot.

The one thing I wouldn''t want is a house w/out good insulation. My first home was built in the 30s, without proper insulation and cost a ton to heat.

 

[April20]

Date: 4/22/2009 8:15:38 PM
Author:luckystar112
I thought as a follow-up to TGals ''things you won''t live near'' thread and Beau''s redecorating thread, it would be fun to list the things that we consider deal breakers when looking for a house. When we bought the current house we live in it was all the manufacturer''s original stuff from the tile to the countertops. So, needless to say I started making a list about a year ago of things that I''m not willing to deal with again when we ''upgrade'' our house. lol.

Here''s my list so far....

No popcorn ceilings. We''re leaving it, cause it''s just not worth the hassle to get rid of it. Next house won''t have it though!

No tile countertops: Huge PITA! We recently replaced them, finally.

Washer/Dryer on the same floor as the master bedroom: I hate carrying laundry up and down the stairs.

No carpeted stairs: I''d give anything for wooden stairs that I can just sweep!

Carpet that is less than 5 years old, if we have carpet at all: We''ve since replaced all the carpet downstairs, but I don''t want to do it again.

Window overlooking the kitchen sink. I don''t know....I just want one!

Vents in all the bathrooms. Our master bath doesn''t have a vent, and all the paint is peeling in there. No idea whose bright idea that was.

No textured walls: We have ''popcorn'' walls. Not as bumpy as the ceilings, but still bumpy. It''s really easy to chip the paint and it''s really hard to make it blend when you''re remodeling...the canned stuff just doesn''t work. It''s also hard to make a clean line when painting (a nightmare where the wall and ceiling meet), and it''s even harder to simply hang a picture evenly!

But besides that, I love our house. It''s been an adventure.

That''s a refuse to have for me too. The house we just bought last December didn''t have popcorn, but had stippled in about half the rooms. I had them all scraped and re-mudded. In the living room, the stippling was hiding the fact that the ceiling was really wavy. We ended up completely replacing the entire drywall ceiling. It''s night and day as far as how these rooms look with smooth ceilings!

My other deal breakers are :

*Kitchens that aren''t big enough for everyone to hang out in
*Kitchen storage that is lacking
*W/D hook ups that are in the kitchen (literally walked out of six perfectly fine houses without looking at the rest of it when I saw the w/d hook ups were in the kitchen)
*No driveway or off street parking

A lot of things are fixable, but the lack of a driveway or parking isn''t really fixable and is a huge deal breaker for us. We didn''t even look at a number of houses I loved because of this.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

What I love about our current house and could never do without:

No textured ceilings or walls. Builders do this b/c it is CHEAPER than a smooth finish.

Solid surface countertops. I also HATE tile countertops. We had them in our old house and it was hard to clean.

Carpeted stairs bug me too b/c I hate vacuuming them BUT they are *safer* for the little one. Maybe once she is older. I would love to have all wooden.

Love having a laundry ROOM on the second floor. Old house just had a laundry closet off the kitchen. Annoying.

Huge kitchen island is a dream and must have for me.

Lots of huge closets.

What I don''t have in my current house and would want in my next one:

Larger master bath

Larger garage

More bedrooms

Basement

Pet Peeves

Lots of mismatched flooring (like different in every room).

Brass hardware and lighting (current changing ours).

mismatched appliances (like a white fridge with a stainless range).

Dead and unkept bushes/trees.

I know I have A LOT more but those are just off the top of my head.

What is truly important is LOT, LOCATION and LAY-OUT. The rest is easily changed.

 

[Burk]

Love this. We''re in the process of building a house right now so anything I am forgetting I may be reminded of by your lists!

Keep ''em coming!

 

[lyra]

The thing I hate most about this house is the main all wood staircase. Never again! Each one of us and all 3 dogs have fallen down those stupid stairs at one point or another!

Other than that, the only true dealbreakers are single car garage and less than 2 full baths. Assuming we''ve chosen the right location, *everything* else can be fixed if the house has a floor plan that is suitable to our lifestyle. We can hire pros, or do just about anything ourselves. I wouldn''t let cosmetics interfere with getting the right house.

 

[rainwood]

I feel really lucky that I don''t feel the need for a next house. I love our current house. We''re in a fabulous neighborhood with long-time neighbors/friends and we custom built this house so it suits us. We are going to remodel this summer, but we''ve been here 23 years so it''s time.

Things I love:
Location and view - both are killer
Laundry chute - It goes from the master bath to the laundry room. I like having the laundry room on the main floor so I can do the wash when I''m cooking, etc. And with the laundry chute, it''s only a one-way trip.
Hardwood floors - yes, they''re oak and we''re putting in more and they''ll be oak too!
The millwork in our house - it''s got a lot of character and detail
Big kitchen with a two-level island
Big dining room that ISN''T fully open to the kitchen. I don''t like staring at dirty dishes when we''re entertaining.
Carpeted stairs - pain to clean but wood is too slippery for people and dogs

Things we''re changing:
More non-bedroom closet space for things like Christmas decorations, vacuum, etc.
Bigger bedrooms
More speciality wiring and outlets for computers, printers, etc.
More maintenance free siding and windows - no more painting every 5 years
Kitchen having a "working" side and an "entertaining" side
A nice reading nook
Smaller roof deck
Adding A/C

 

[TravelingGal]

Deal breaker for me:

Oak.




Just kidding! As I said, I like oak!

OK, like everyone said, lot, location and layout are something I''m really trying to keep in mind. Other than that, let''s see...

- 1 bathroom. I live with TGuy. I need two bathrooms.
- No closet/storage space. Nothing makes a home crappy as no place to store your sh*t.
- A house that doesn''t get a lot of sunlight because of the direction it is facing
- Crazy giant large trees with scary roots
- Bad water pressure
- No yard space
- Electric stove/appliances
- Not enough electrical outlets
- Popcorn ceilings

Everything else, I think we''d manage/change. Interesting to see everyone''s list though!

I also dream of a ONE story house.

 

[Hera]

Next house wish list:

1. 4 bedrooms
2. Wood flooring I didn''t have to pay for
3. Bigger kitchen
4. Vaulted ceilings in formal living (I have them and I love them)
5. Vaulted ceilings in my bedroom so I can have a four poster bed
5. large master bath so I can have a big tub
6. larger backyard with a view preferably
7. No HOA''s
8. 3 car garage so my husband can have a workshop

 

[luckystar112]

Ooh, I thought of another one!

A pine tree in the yard....needles EVERYWHERE. Luckily we don''t have that now, but we turned down a lot of houses that did.

 

[E B]

Absolute must haves:

- Location, location, location. In the city, within walking/short drive distance to shops, restaurants, etc. Great school district. Quiet, safe neighborhood.
- Nice-sized backyard, fenced or able to be fenced
- Three bedrooms, two baths (at least)
- Ample storage
- Lots of windows

Bonuses:

- Character. I want an older house (Craftsman!) that's been updated. Husband wants something brand new, but I'll win.

- Laundry room on the same level as bedrooms
- Hardwood floors
- Master bath with double sinks
- Half/full bath for guests
- Large walk-in pantry
- Deck
- Within walking distance to park

That's all I can think of at the moment. Luckily, the house we're renting has most of what I've listed, only it's brand new and in the 'burbs, which I'm not thrilled with. It's important we find a great fit when we buy because we aren't planning on 'upgrading' houses (not counting what's inside the house!) for many years after taking the plunge.

 

[SparklyLibra]

Dang LuckyStar! You just about covered it for me!

Our next house will not have Popcorn ceilings, carpeted stairs, tiled counter-tops and walls.

I DEMANDED our Laundry room be on the same floor as the Master suite, and that I have a window over the kitchen sink.... I've always had one and am terribly used to it at this point.

It MUST have more 2 bathrooms other than the Master ensuite bathroom.... (I have 3 kids that will all be teenagers at the same time, and my next home, seeing that it will be my 3rd, had better be my last)

Spoiled brat must have? A pot and pan drawer. No more bending down and showing my arse to the whole family while rummaging in the back of a cupboard for the lid of a pot....

A spice drawer; hey, I'm of Jamaican decent: spices are Mandatory, and lots of 'em!

I think that's all I can think of for now after 2 glasses of Italain Pinot Grigio without sounding like a complete idiot... So I may come back tomorrow with some more?


ETA: DH is kinda messy so I MADE SURE he had his own sink in the Master ensuite. Also he's kinda a giant so we had to extend the ceilings in the basement to 9 feet... Our theater is in the basement of the new house and that's usually where we would have our date nights in the colder months.

 

[monarch64]

No stainless. Seriously. I don''t want to worry about keeping it clean, and also I think it''s already incredibly dated. (And I''m going to get strung up for this, I know, but it''s just my own little honest and humble opinion.)

 

[lliang_chi]

Some kind of outdoor space, either a roof deck, courtyard, patio, deck, yard, garden. SOMETHING! Granted it''s only nice in Chicago 2 months out of the year, but darnit! On those months, I wanna be outside!!!

Wood-burning fireplace. FI really wants this I had one before and it''s definitely cozy

Poured concrete building if we''re in a condo. I''ll suffer through less than stellar mobile reception if I don''t hear the person above or below me.

NOT ground level if we''re in a condo. I like sleeping with the windows open and also my sis got robbed this past Sept (ground level apt).

Not high rise. I''m just not a high rise type of person if I OWN the property.

Ditto on location, min # bathrooms, popcorn walls/ceilings.

 

[Hera]

Date: 4/22/2009 11:56:00 PM
Author: monarch64
No stainless. Seriously. I don''t want to worry about keeping it clean, and also I think it''s already incredibly dated. (And I''m going to get strung up for this, I know, but it''s just my own little honest and humble opinion.)

no need for hanging! What works for some won''t work for all (hello oak). I got a Maytag with their fake stainless because I didn''t want fingerprints and I love it. Sometimes I walk over and pet my refrigerator.

 

[indecisive]

Date: 4/22/2009 11:56:00 PM
Author: monarch64
No stainless. Seriously. I don''t want to worry about keeping it clean, and also I think it''s already incredibly dated. (And I''m going to get strung up for this, I know, but it''s just my own little honest and humble opinion.)

I don''t think it is dated yet but I think it will. So what do you think is the "new" stainless?

 

[April20]

Date: 4/23/2009 4:37:20 AM
Author: indecisive

Date: 4/22/2009 11:56:00 PM
Author: monarch64
No stainless. Seriously. I don''t want to worry about keeping it clean, and also I think it''s already incredibly dated. (And I''m going to get strung up for this, I know, but it''s just my own little honest and humble opinion.)

I don''t think it is dated yet but I think it will. So what do you think is the ''new'' stainless?

I''m predicting a return to color appliances. We''re already seeing this trend with colored washer/dryer sets.

 

[April20]

Date: 4/22/2009 11:28:06 PM
Author: luckystar112
Ooh, I thought of another one!

A pine tree in the yard....needles EVERYWHERE. Luckily we don''t have that now, but we turned down a lot of houses that did.

Oooh! Good one.

I have one in my front yard now and the pine straw is everywhere. We want to take it town, but to take down any tree, you have to get permission from the arborist. Pine trees are *slightly* easier to get permisssion for than deciduous, which are almost impossible to take down. They basically have to be dead. I don''t know that I hate it enough personally to disqualify a house, but they are a pain.

 

[Girlrocks]

Windows everywhere...at least 2 in each room. ALL bathrooms have to include a window. We turned down many houses when we were buying because we found a lot of houses that didn''t have windows on the sides (???).

2 sinks in the master bath and kids bath...we are about to remodel the kids bath to add another sink. With 4 kids sharing, it''s a MUST!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 4/23/2009 4:37:20 AM
Author: indecisive

Date: 4/22/2009 11:56:00 PM
Author: monarch64
No stainless. Seriously. I don''t want to worry about keeping it clean, and also I think it''s already incredibly dated. (And I''m going to get strung up for this, I know, but it''s just my own little honest and humble opinion.)

I don''t think it is dated yet but I think it will. So what do you think is the ''new'' stainless?

Oak. Oak appliances.

Muahahahaha!

 

[fieryred33143]

We''re looking into purchasing a house either next year or in 2011.

#1 must have: S P A C E

It''s amazing how quickly your space feels limited.

After that:
Family room

Big Patio

I don''t want a stitch of carpet anywhere near the house

I really want a bay window in the kitchen. I think that''s what you call it.

Ceiling fans in every bedroom

Garage (these are hard to come by in FL unless you live in a community)

NO ASSOCIATION FEES!!!

Hurricane windows or pre-installed shutters (putting up shutters is a PITA)

High Ceilings (we have high ceilings now and I lurve it)

At the very minimum 4 bedrooms

 

[KimberlyH]

Next house must-haves:

1. Walkability. I miss being able to walk to dinner, the grocery store, a place to go running (a park or a well lit neighborhood) etc. and will not live in a neighborhood where we can''t walk to things ever again. I didn''t realize how much it mattered until I didn''t have it anymore.

2. A guest house, or a garage that can be converted. My husband is not fond of the idea of people staying in his home, I am a "the more the merrier" girl, this will be our compromise.

3. A smaller house. DH plans on purchasing a condo as an investment that will be used as an office and so our need for space will be greatly reduced. I look forward to less cleaning! We just don''t need all of the space we have.

4. A yard that is or can easily be converted to local plants that don''t require a lot of water. We''re about to be put on major water restrictions in San Diego county and it''s going to be very important that yards can be maintained with a lot less water usage.

5. A great layout. Bedrooms towards the back, or all on the same floor if the house is two stories. A bathroom that is easily accessible to guests (meaning they don''t have to go into our bedroom to get to it).

The rest is negotiable for me. We plan on moving (it''s been in the works for quite a while but the economy/market really changed things for us timeline wise) and our new house will be much smaller, which I am looknig forward to. I can change things I don''t love and make the house ours.

Things I''d like to have but can live without:

1. A bright, funky kitchen.

2. 3 bathrooms.

3. A porch.

 

[CNOS128]

I DEFinitely need to be near an apartment building!

... I couldn''t help it. Sorry.


In all honesty, all I want out of life is my own washer/dryer.