Housing preferences

[72MachOne99GT]

We only have ~4 acres, but the kids are always finding places to run around and leave their shit. It’s certainly more work maintaining this home compared to our first home in town on a single lot. More time, more money, more running over hot wheels monster trucks and baseballs with the lawn mower, but it’s worth it.

The issue may be what your budget allows. A nice home on land pulls premium price (and I am in a super low cost housing market - 4800 finished sq/ft 4 acres for <300k) no matter where you go. You may have to sacrifice footage for land, or age of home for more land.

Good luck. Definitely another vote for getting the hell out of an HOA.

 

[Crimson2v]

The only thing we would be sacrificing is convenience to work and some other activities. It would double the time to get to work, but we are looking that far out because that’s what we can afford.

 

[tistan]

The only thing we would be sacrificing is convenience to work and some other activities. It would double the time to get to work, but we are looking that far out because that’s what we can afford.

When looking at what you can afford, you need to account for your hourly time to drive to and from work. Also consider the wear and tear on your cars. I have always found in the long run it is cheaper to live closer to work when time and auto cost are factored in.

Lets just say you get paid $40 an hour for work. If your commute is an hour each way 5 days a week, you are looking at $400 a week or $1720 a month in your time. Now if your wife is also commuting double that. Add in gas, maintenance, and deprecation from racking up miles, you might be surprised at what kind of payment you can afford.

 

[RX1Cobra]

We only have ~4 acres, but the kids are always finding places to run around and leave their shit. It’s certainly more work maintaining this home compared to our first home in town on a single lot. More time, more money, more running over hot wheels monster trucks and baseballs with the lawn mower, but it’s worth it.

The issue may be what your budget allows. A nice home on land pulls premium price (and I am in a super low cost housing market - 4800 finished sq/ft 4 acres for <300k) no matter where you go. You may have to sacrifice footage for land, or age of home for more land.

Good luck. Definitely another vote for getting the hell out of an HOA.

Jesus that's cheap. I sold an 1800 sqft townhouse for more than that a few months ago.

The only thing we would be sacrificing is convenience to work and some other activities. It would double the time to get to work, but we are looking that far out because that’s what we can afford.

I went through this in June. We ended up on a smaller lot (1/4 acre) and a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath cape cod. It's just me and my wife so plenty big.

We decided a smaller lot but being close to the downtown of an old river town was more important. Have 15+ bars/restaurants under a mile walk. Has a great community to. So far we're happy.

 

[93Cobra#2771]

Our two are 8 and 10 years old. Our backyard is ridiculously small so when we have them go outside they can only do so much. The bedrooms are around 100 square foot for each kid so those are tiny too. We feel like where this is at the prices are only going to keep rising so it would be good to get in now while they are still young and want to go outside and play. Later on in life we can always downsize or get a condo on the beach.

Gotcha - definitely go land and get that back yard setup for friends to come over. Why? Because I'd rather be the host of friends than my kids going to other's houses that I don't really know the family life. Easier to keep bad influences from creeping into their life without you knowing it.

The more stuff you do with your kids, the more you will be glad you did it as they get older.

Regardless, more land gives more options. Our dog being on 1 acre of invisible fence is the best thing ever. We can also literally go 30' out our back door and target shoot.

 

[GOTSVT?]

Nothing beats seclusion.
Nothing beats pissing off your own porch with no neighbors watching.
Get the acreage, get the privacy.

 

[prs97]

Have you guys each made up a list of pros & cons, wants & needs for each property?

Might be good to make an analysis against each to see how they stack up.

I do this kind of thing for projects at work all the time. Break the thing down to components & see how they come out at the end.

Good luck.