Older kids/do you need more space
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Anonymous
I completely agree with this. My sister's home was the 'hang out home'...mainly because she had 3 boys close in age so all of the boys hung out there through HS. She has a HUGE house way out 66--but so did all of the neighbors. They stayed primarily in the basement...where there was air hockey table, ping pong, fussball table, etc. Her oldest just graduated HS and the kids' party was at her house where she kept close watch with youngest child as the spy. I live close-in in about 2500 sq feet with two boys and I think we will be totally fine. We have a finished attic and a finished basement/rec room. I have found we USE A LOT LESS SPACE then when my kids were tiny. Their baby and toddler stuff was so large and their toys took up so much space. Also- my house was the 'playdate house'. I WAH and did have a nanny when kids were young so all the neighborhood kids hung out here. My boys are now 7 and 4.5 and we use so much less space. Their toys are small--primarily legos. They like to keep them on shelves in their rooms. They are in the backyard a lot or at the neighborhood park in all weather. I feel like once we purged all of the baby and toddler gear we have acquired an infinite amount of space. DH and I have always lived in smaller homes in central locations for a walkable lifestyle and you really accumulate a lot less junk and purge more frequently. This is the perfect size house also when kids leave and the finished basement with full bath and bedroom is perfect for visits when my kids come with spouses later in life  .
We also are a block from restaurants, bars, etc (so that will be my concern when they get much older). Seems our neighbors kids don't want to move away from the action and all came home after college because they can't afford apts walkable to the local watering holes/metro. I really think the more space you have the more junk and clutter you acquire. |
Anonymous
| only in our area is 2500 SQRFT considered big. 3000 SQRFT is ok for a family of 4. |
Anonymous
I wouldn't call 2500 "big" but it is average for a new single family home. http://www.census.gov/const/C25Ann/sftotalmedavgsqft.pdf We have about 1600 sf, which is what I grew up with in my family of 7. 3,000 sf is big. |
Anonymous
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Now that I have two middle schoolers, I definitely think having things within walking distance or other transportation is much more important than a lot of space.
To be able to walk to the pool, the library, some shopping, other kids' houses -- that's what is key. As long as you have a finished basement with a TV, video games or whatever, you will be fine. |
Anonymous
| I grew up in a 3000 sq home in the outer burbs in this area and hated it living so far out. All my friends had roughly the same size houses. No one wanted to hang out in anyone's home once we learned to drive. |
Anonymous
In any major urban center, 2500 sq ft for a close in SFH is considered large, not just DC. NYC, SF, LA.... |
Anonymous
| When I was a pre-teen and teen, my favorite place to hang out was my friend's family's 2 bedroom condo. The reason: It was always nice and clean and had a swimming pool. I never really liked hanging out in the cluttered basements of large homes, which seemed to be where we were relegated in most places. |
Anonymous
So glad to hear we aren't the only ones! We are moving from a 1800 sq ft house to a 2400 sq ft condo in the city with two kids ( toddler and newborn). Family keeps saying we'll be moving back to a house within three yrs... We are going to have a playroom (just not in a basement), they will each have their own rooms, a community pool, and be in walking distance of parks, restaurants and shops....I think we are just ahead of our times...it's a paradigm shift to realize you may not need a big house and yard but condo living close-in could be a great way to raise a family! |