How much house do you need?

[6oclockshadow]

I'm in a 1500 sq ft bi level loft in a converted late 1800's factory, and it is just right for just me. It's extreme low maintenance with an essentialist style (more minimal than minimalist!) No outdoor private space aside from a 120 sq ft roof deck, and no garage. A garage would be really nice, though.
My retirement home (in t-minus 20 years) will be a tiny home or a container home--maybe 750 sq ft or less.
Less is more these days.

[ToddBlack88]

It REALLY depends on how it’s all layed out, but my ideal is around 1800 sp/ft with lots of outdoor eating space, and a high ceiling two bay garage with lifts, and a third space for my motorcycles. And a pool!

Presently in about 2600 sq/ft, 1200 sq/ft of deck, 300sq/ft patio, no garage.

[ASAP]

Here is the thing... i'd be perfectly happy w 1300-1400 sq ft since it's just me.

However and here is the big however... in my part of FL, for the most part... if you are not in a neighborhood that has 2400+ sq ft homes, you are probably living somewhere ratchet or quite old. In other words, if you don't have a house that fits a certain size minimum, you get a very subpar neighborhood... i.e one where people probably park on the grass lol... oh and lack of neighborhood HOA... never living in a neighborhood without an HOA again... people do some ratchet stuff.

[Littlebear]

A hoarder can fill most any house!

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by ASAP

Here is the thing... i'd be perfectly happy w 1300-1400 sq ft since it's just me.

However and here is the big however... in my part of FL, for the most part... if you are not in a neighborhood that has 2400+ sq ft homes, you are probably living somewhere ratchet or quite old. In other words, if you don't have a house that fits a certain size minimum, you get a very subpar neighborhood... i.e one where people probably park on the grass lol... oh and lack of neighborhood HOA... never living in a neighborhood without an HOA again... people do some ratchet stuff.

I find it quite annoying. They do the same with RVs. If you want nicer stuff you have to get a big ol 42' monstrosity. They seem to not understand that bigger != better. It's like if you wanted a nice car and had no choice but to buy a mini van.

HOAs on the other hand are pure evil. At least in south FL.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

I find it quite annoying. They do the same with RVs. If you want nicer stuff you have to get a big ol 42' monstrosity. They seem to not understand that bigger != better. It's like if you wanted a nice car and had no choice but to buy a mini van.

HOAs on the other hand are pure evil. At least in south FL.

Condo HOAs are evil... house neighborhood HOAs are ok and are very cheap like $40 a month... wo them you risk cars parked on the grass, grass growing out of driveways, shit on people's driveways, rotting fences and no gates to your neighborhood... yea freedom is great until you pay 300k for a home and have a rotten catamaran sitting next to you for a year w punctured tires...

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by ASAP

Condo HOAs are evil... house neighborhood HOAs are ok and are very cheap like $40 a month... wo them you risk cars parked on the grass, grass growing out of driveways, shit on people's driveways, rotting fences and no gates to your neighborhood... yea freedom is great until you pay 300k for a home and have a rotten catamaran sitting next to you for a year w punctured tires...

Dunno where in FL you are but around me you ain't gonna find no $40/mo HOAs. My HOA which was one of the cheapest we found when we bought our house and includes cable TV and internet (plus standard crap like pool, tennis courts and other shit I've never used in 10 years living there) is around $200/mo. My sister in law who bought a house recently in a fancy community in Miami is like $400-$500/mo. Most homes in HOA communities around me are in the $300+ per month range.

Honestly I would probably be fine with a $40 HOA to keep my neighbor from starting a used toilet collection in his front yard, especially when living in zero lot line homes. That's the kind of HOA we encountered in NC. Typically under $50/mo and usually just included road maintenance.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Dunno where in FL you are but around me you ain't gonna find no $40/mo HOAs. My HOA which was one of the cheapest we found when we bought our house and includes cable TV and internet (plus standard crap like pool, tennis courts and other shit I've never used in 10 years living there) is around $200/mo. My sister in law who bought a house recently in a fancy community in Miami is like $400-$500/mo. Most homes in HOA communities around me are in the $300+ per month range.

Honestly I would probably be fine with a $40 HOA to keep my neighbor from starting a used toilet collection in his front yard, especially when living in zero lot line homes. That's the kind of HOA we encountered in NC. Typically under $50/mo and usually just included road maintenance.

THat is a phenomenal deal and I would pay that in a heartbeat... cable and internet can be $150 alone. $500 is too much... up to $300 for all that is very reasonable. The $40-50 per month is in North Fl w none of that other stuff than just getting on people's asses to take care of stuff and cleaning the streets etc.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by ASAP

THat is a phenomenal deal and I would pay that in a heartbeat... cable and internet can be $150 alone. $500 is too much... up to $300 for all that is very reasonable. The $40-50 per month is in North Fl w none of that other stuff than just getting on people's asses to take care of stuff and cleaning the streets etc.

We pay $180/quarter so $60/mo. We have a gate but no guard and no community center, community pool, tennis courts, gym, etc. Extravagant amenities (we wouldn’t use) and services can really add to the monthly cost. We just need common areas including streets and sidewalks maintained and a property mgmt company. They have pissed me off a couple of times but overall I’m ok with the HOA.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

We pay $180/quarter so $60/mo. We have a gate but no guard and no community center, community pool, tennis courts, gym, etc. Extravagant amenities (we wouldn’t use) and services can really add to the monthly cost. We just need common areas including streets and sidewalks maintained and a property mgmt company. They have pissed me off a couple of times but overall I’m ok with the HOA.

See that's perfect... if someone can be a Karen and yell and or fine people that don't take care of their place, I am happy as a hog.

[JJ 911SC]

Just about right for the 2 of us...

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by ASAP

THat is a phenomenal deal and I would pay that in a heartbeat... cable and internet can be $150 alone. $500 is too much... up to $300 for all that is very reasonable. The $40-50 per month is in North Fl w none of that other stuff than just getting on people's asses to take care of stuff and cleaning the streets etc.

Actually I had to look it up because $200 seemed low on second thought. I think it may have been like $180 when we bought the place but it's $280 now. It's definitely better than everything we saw when we bought the place. However I don't watch cable TV and can get internet for like $40/mo. Never use the other amenities either. I would much rather pay $40-$60 for a gated community with nothing else.

No HOA at the NC house so we'll see. Although I can only see the neighbor on one side who is the son of the lady we purchased the house from. The other side neighbor I can't see and nothing but woods behind the house. In front across the street a bit away is what I thought was an abandoned house, but I think either someone purchased it or the owner is back and seems to be working on it. It got a new roof since the last time I had seen it. Someone has roosters... I can't see them but I can hear them!

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Actually I had to look it up because $200 seemed low on second thought. I think it may have been like $180 when we bought the place but it's $280 now. It's definitely better than everything we saw when we bought the place. However I don't watch cable TV and can get internet for like $40/mo. Never use the other amenities either. I would much rather pay $40-$60 for a gated community with nothing else.

No HOA at the NC house so we'll see. Although I can only see the neighbor on one side who is the son of the lady we purchased the house from. The other side neighbor I can't see and nothing but woods behind the house. In front across the street a bit away is what I thought was an abandoned house, but I think either someone purchased it or the owner is back and seems to be working on it. It got a new roof since the last time I had seen it. Someone has roosters... I can't seem them but I can hear them!

Where did you end up buying in NC?

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Where did you end up buying in NC?

Just outside Lenoir city limits. Basically about an hour north east of Asheville and an hour north west of Charlotte.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Just outside Lenoir city limits. Basically about an hour north east of Asheville and an hour north west of Charlotte.

Sounds like a good spot where you can be remote but only an hour away from a couple of cities. Columbia SC probably also not too far away. Enjoy!

[erickonphoenix]

Originally Posted by BMW F22

1,800 sq ft is good enough but ideally I’d like 2,100-2,200 sq ft.

Could sell that to the missus, her only stipulation is a patio with a view of something. Mountains, water, trees, city as long as it has a wine bar she doesn't care what's underneath it.

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Just about right for the 2 of us...

That's spectacular. We could do something like that up in the Woodlands or in Pearland but then I'd be looking at a 90 minute commute two days out of the week going to either the North campus or the southern facility depending on where we set up.

Trying to mitigate my commute time is probably sacrificing property, at least until I retire.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Sounds like a good spot where you can be remote but only an hour away from a couple of cities. Columbia SC probably also not too far away. Enjoy!

Yeah, plus I'm right next to Lenoir, Morganton, Hickory, Blowing Rock, Boone... and all the essentials like Walmart, Lowes etc are all in town in Lenoir just like 10 min away. Even have city water and garbage pickup!

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by erickonphoenix

The kids are gone so me and the misses are looking for a smaller place in the city so I'll be halfway between my two offices. Attempting to get both a rooftop patio AND a garage is putting us squarely in the 3,000 sq ft plus category which is way too much house for just the two of us.

We're thinking a 1,500 sq/ft two bd/two bath should be fine but that's a hard size to find outside of a high rise. But, I like to work on my car so I'd like a garage but then we're back in the sq/ft problem.

I suppose we'll just compromise on the patio but how much house do you really need?

That's exactly why my wife and I are having a house built. We want 1500 to 1800 sqft but I also want a garage and a shop. Anything with garage and shop space is 3,000 sqft and up, just like you found. It's just the 2 of us; no kids. We dont want or need a 5 bedroom McMansion. So, we finally just gave up the search and are building what we want.

[evil-G-nius]

My wife and I are looking to move and buy a place that is no less than 2000sqft. WE lived in a 1500sqft 3 & 2 we were renting but the landlord snaked us and we had to move in a hurry. The place we are in now is small AF and just irritating but its a roof for now. We (and our town) went through a LOT and are just happy to have a place to live. Hopefully we can find a place that is between 2000 - 2500 sqft with a garage & pool, thats the plan anyway

[FNR32]

Married with a 6 year old

We are currently moving from 1895 SQFT to a home that is 4000 SQFT

Important to us was having the master and 1 additional bedroom on the main with all other bedrooms upstairs
A dedicated office/study that didn't have to exist in a bedroom.
2 living spaces (one downstairs for guests and one upstairs for lounging and play space for the kiddo)

We didn't want a place quite this large but the more we walk through the model the more it feels like about the perfect size for us.

[e90335e36m3]

The 1st world problem thread. Let's see, I need one BR each for an office, a man cave, 2 kids, gym, parents, guests, then I need a 3 car garage with a 1/4 mile long driveway...these aren't needs, they're wants. LMFAO.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by FNR32

Married with a 6 year old

We are currently moving from 1895 SQFT to a home that is 4000 SQFT

Important to us was having the master and 1 additional bedroom on the main with all other bedrooms upstairs
A dedicated office/study that didn't have to exist in a bedroom.
2 living spaces (one downstairs for guests and one upstairs for lounging and play space for the kiddo)

We didn't want a place quite this large but the more we walk through the model the more it feels like about the perfect size for us.

4000 ft.² you can stuff a lot more kids in there. Get busy!