Would you drive 15-25 mins more for a much bigger house?

[Anonymous]

It is such a personal choice. For me, having a short commute is worth it. We have a nice house but if we went another 15-20 minutes away we could have a McMansion (not that we want that) for the same price we paid for our Cape Cod. But when we have already eaten dinner at by 7 and I go out and there is still rush hour traffic, I am grateful to have those extra 30-40 minutes per day each way. I get the pull of the nicer house though, but for me, I would rather be closer to work.

[Anonymous]

Nope. I travel during rush hour so I am looking at an hour more a day (I'm assuming 25 min each way and that will only grow). I'd rather spend that time at home with my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YES.

This is essentially what EVERYONE in Olney/Brookeville have opted to do. Totally worth it.

Wait - you mean people who left the "closer in" to move to Olney/Brookeville?

b/c we did that . . . but we're past Ashton

yes, totally worth it - But we're not in a McMansion

[Anonymous]

I work for a school system but am no longer anchored to the classroom. Instead I travel to different sites each day all over the county.

I don't understand why people freak out over commuting.

We live "out there" and love it. The schools are good, the 'hood is safe, and there's plenty of land as a buffer btw homes.

I just don't get the fretting over commuting.

[Anonymous]

Who says we all work FT? Some of us work PT, which can potentially mean we miss the commuter nightmare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people defending their tiny, close-in houses here.

Or defending a carbon-copy Putle home 35 miles from anything worthwhile

What is "worthwhile" to you is not necessarity "worthwhile" to me.

I find nature worthwhile - do you consider bars and Starbucks "worthwhile".

15 minutes is not going to get you into 'nature'; you moving to the endless sprawl outside DC, not the country.

On top of that, with longer commute, you'll have less time before sun goes down to enjoy whatever green you can scrap together between sprawl..

[Anonymous]

For us it was worth it, but it's a personal choice. We lived close in for years before moving out. For us it wasn't so much about a big house (it is nice to have a little more room to grow in though) but we really wanted a bigger yard. To grow a nice big vegetable garden trees, have room for the dog to run around, etc. I come home and it's like a little oasis. I can telework one day a week though, which helps (my spouse can't).

But then, I'm a wannabe farmer stuck with a DC job.

[Anonymous]

I did it from DC to Tysons but I would never do it from Tysons to Reston/Herndon/Chantilly or similar.

[Anonymous]

No I wouldn't, because I don't want a bigger house. For me it is like asking, "would you drive 15-25 mins more for a red house than a white house." Extra space is not something of value to us. We have a family of 4 in a close-in suburb with about 1700 sq feet.

[Anonymous]

Really depends on where you start and where going...bethesda to potomac makes perfect sense. silver spring to olney (although probably more than 20 minutes) doesn't IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Firstly, we are five people and don't need more than 1600 feet. Secondly, there's no guarantee you'll have your job forever. How will you feel if you move into the nicer house and the next month get fired?

This is [offensive word redacted, you're welcome] logic.

So then nobody should ever move into a more expensive house?

I don't think OP is talking about a more expensive house. I think this is about spending the same amount of money but getting a bigger house -- is more house worth more commute?

For us it's not. For OP, maybe. But I think bigger houses are often like raises -- you think "I just need X much more," and when you get it, there's still something else you'd like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the 15 min the difference between Arlington & Falls Church? Or Fairfax & Manassas? If the former - I'd do it. If the latter, no way.

Is the 15 min the difference between a house that doesn't really meet your family's needs and one that does? Or the smaller house has enough "zones" or space for your family, just the bigger house would be more comfortable? If the former, then yes. If the latter, than no.

Is your commute already 1 hr - then I wouldn't add on 15 min. If it’s going from ½ hr to 45 min, I’d do it.

If the closer in neighborhood means always fighting for parking, or parking far away vs. the no parking issues at the farther out neighborhood – I’d take no parking issues.

+1. You have to really think thru what it means in how you live your life. For example, we don't have family visiting all the time, we don't host a ton, our in-laws don't live with us etc, so there is a certain point where a bigger house is just more places to put stuff and so everyone can be in his/her zone and not interact. If we hosted our family more, loved to entertain, or had a situation where being able to offer room and board (like au pair) was part of being able to cost effectively get child care, a bigger house is worth the commute.

As other people mentioned, it depends on the current commute. Also, how likely is it that your commute could change, i.e. Burke commute-DC 10 years ago versus today or you get a new job (perhaps not by choice) or the hours to your job shift (not by choice)? I've changed jobs 4 times since living in this house and fortunately it was a good location for many job opportunities. My commute before wasn't bad (30minutes without traffic, up 45 with traffic and no accidents). Having a commute 15 minutes shorter makes a huge difference. It's ends up being more like a 45 minute difference a day when you factor in the buffer time. If I'm going 15 minutes more down the road, I have to buffer an extra 5-10 on top of that each way for hitting every light, minor accident etc, so I'm not late.

[Anonymous]

^^ agreed with lots of points, but if you got home within 20-30 mins, but the house is so small and you don't feel relaxing, so what's the point of going home? Instead, I spent another 20 mins on the road, then I know it will be relaxing when I get home. You are right, by living far out, there's a need of that 10 mins extra just in case something happens.