Living in a smaller house

[JanH]

Re: Living in a smaller house

I lived in a teeny, tiny little house while in college. It belonged to my grandparents and I paid them rent. I wish I knew the square footage. I had living room smaller than my little bathroom now--only enough room for a tiny tv and a portion of a sectional couch, a little kitchen, a larger bedroom, a small "dressing" room (picture large closet) and a tiny bathroom. Oh, and a glassed in little, bitty, cute porch. It was perfect for a college kid and inexpensive. I loved the tin roof. The squirrels used to play acorn hockey for hours on it. I guess it wasn't too much bigger than a larger travel trailer is now.

[fairy74]

Re: Living in a smaller house

DH, I and two puppies live in an 800 square foot condo (1 bed/1 bath) with a medium sized semi-enclosed patio/garden, it is plenty of room. Cozy but not confining. Really it is all about layout and how decluttered you can make things. Also multi-functional furniture makes a big difference. I agree that a lot of housing here is "ego housing".

[Ima saver]

Re: Living in a smaller house

If I was young and starting all over again, I would not have collected so many "things" Now I feel like we have to live in a big house to I can have room for all the "things" I have.

[Ima saver]

Re: Living in a smaller house

I just went back and read this whole thread. There is a lot of talk about people that live in a big house.
I live in 3200 sq. ft. plus 2 car garage. I have another detached 2 card garage with bath and eff. apt.
My husband built the house and it is of very good quality. we have 22 foot ceilings in the living room, dining room, foyer and master bath. we have treyed ceilings. My husband worked night and day on this house for over a year and a half(while building other houses.
I have beautiful, huge anderson windows overlooking the 450 feet of creek we live on. The house is on 2 acres, so no one is close. I have the prettiest bath room I have ever seen, with jetted tub, 22 foot double trey ceiling and chandlier! Burgandy and white are my colors. I am very proud of my house.

What I am proudest of, is that my husband did all the work in this house completely by himself, including, plumbing, electrical, all paint and trim, all cabinets , hardwood floor and he layed all the tile.

Best of all, we built it with cash out of our pocket for about $200,000. There is nothing wrong with owning a big house you can afford!

[PRICEPLUS]

Re: Living in a smaller house

Julie, there is nothing worng with owning a large house if you so desire. It is just personal choices we make for whatever reasons we make them! It is all personal choices. Your choices are as good and valid as anyone elses!

[fairy74]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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

[tinapbeana]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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]

Re: Living in a smaller house

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!