Living in a smaller house

[fairy74]

Some people love large houses and that is great, as long as they can afford it. Ima, your house sounds beautiful and your husband sounds like a very talented person! What irks me is when people have a huge house but are so strapped financially that they are constantly asking for loans for parents/friends/etc...because they are living so far beyond their means. I think the bottom line is if you can afford it do whatever makes you happy, if you can't afford don't do it!

[Ima saver]

Right, besides, we need the house to show to potential clients. They don't want to look at an old smaller house. They expect a nice house.
But, I would never build a house that I could not comfortably afford. I have no idea how people pay big mortgage payments. We couldn't! Not with what my husband charges an hour!

[ren]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

Right, besides, we need the house to show to potential clients. They don't want to look at an old smaller house. They expect a nice house.
But, I would never build a house that I could not comfortably afford. I have no idea how people pay big mortgage payments. We couldn't! Not with what my husband charges an hour!

See, that makes sense to me. It's an investment in your husband's business almost as much as it is the place you live. And, as you say, you enjoy it and can afford it.

And, since I said one of the negative comments on large houses, I want to show you what I was talking about. 6300 sq ft on half an acre, which translates to a big, big house surrounded by an itty bitty strip of grass. Then again, if someone's paying on a $2,000,000 house, they probably can't afford much gas for their lawn mower.

[PRICEPLUS]

I could not afford such a house around near me even if it were free! I could not pay the yearly taxes!

[tinapbeana]

personally, think the mcmansion that was posted is a little ugly, not to mention WAY to big to be on a half acre lot!!!

here, you can get something that would almost legitimately qualify as a
mansion for less money...

[syracusa]

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

personally, think the mcmansion that was posted is a little ugly, not to mention WAY to big to be on a half acre lot!!!

here, you can get something that would almost legitimately qualify as a
mansion for less money...

Yes, that looks like a real mansion.
Hey, even the previous one is not bad for a mansion (though yes, it is a bit "Mc").

But what I've seen in Georgia is much, much worse. The poor quality built, that slapped-together look screams at you and they are huge, huge, huge... And then you see them inside with "realtor.com", and you see all those empty walls, a floor lamp somewhere in a corner, a picture thrown randomly, chaotic, ugly... Bad stuff.

Like a previous poster said, maybe it is the suburban Atlanta syndrome.
I say the anxiety-ridden middle-class that fancies itself "middle-upper" when it is actually barely "middle", sometimes worse.

Coming from Europe, I probably have a different perception of "class" than many Americans. Something deep down keeps telling me that class has little to do with the amount and size of the stuff that you have and everything to do with the person that you are and were born to be. You can be a "self-made" person money-wise but you cannot be "self-made" class-wise. It's like with taste and style.
You may be able to hire some artist with your mony to "fix" you but if you were born "out of it", those cheesy ways you have in your DNA will resurface at one point or another. I know it doesn't sound very "democratic" - but my life experience so far (in different parts of the world) has left me with this belief.

And speaking of small houses (or condos!!), decorated beautifully and with class. I promise to look for some examples that I think qualify. I know someone here asked for this.

[Ima saver]

My gosh, that house had payments of $12,000 a month That is about 3 months pay for us. My first house payment was $96. Plus didn't that house cost over 2 million?

[Gruntina]

It was just announced in the newspaper today that Santa Clara county (where I live) median price home sold these past months was $773,000.00...

Ima, I took a peek at the free magazine for home buying at the supermarket... there are homes listed for 6 to 8 million dollars and they are high end but not made for celebrity!!! Talk about eye popping.

[ren]

Oh, there are worse examples of stucco boxes than the one I posted, I just wanted the biggest house on the littlest lot I could find. Generally, you can get ivory, beige or tan, with your choice of two rooflines. They're all big houses on tiny lots with no personality. You can't landscape too much, because the HOA will make you tear it up for not fitting the 'master plan', and heaven help you if you choose colored Christmas lights over the 'classy' white ones. And frankly, summers here have more than a few days over 100F, so the electric bills must be just plain hideous. Not for me, thanks.

[PRICEPLUS]

Big house on a tiny lot? I just don't see the attraction. The housing prices are getting way out of hand in many areas. They certainly are here where I live. There is no affordable housing being built here. The problem is there are no volunteer ambulance folks or firemmen who can afford to set up shop here. It will be a big problem as time goes on!

[vishenda]

That was cool priceplus, my friend is a super minimalist, will send the link to her.

[zakity]

We have 5 people (2 adults and three kids) in a 1024 sq ft house. The three boys share the big bedroom and we get the little bedroom.

[Crystallas]

Cool site. I actually like smaller homes. It forces me to live life, and not "stay at home" all the time. The energy and mortgage savings easily provide me with a better life.

[PRICEPLUS]

Crystallas, how big a home suare footage wise is it?