Thoughts on 2bdrm home with 2 kids?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
We found a house we like in a neighborhood we love because of the school system. But it's very small -- only 2 bedrooms. Kids would have to share a room (they are same sex). House is in great condition but we would have to put some work into it -- basement is dry but not renovated and kitchen needs updating.
Is it nuts to move into a house with 2 kids that is probably not large enough but could one day be expanded (could definitely do an addition once we have the money). We can't afford anything more than what 2 bedrooms are going for... |
Anonymous
| No way. We have a small house with three bedrooms. I would not want to do it with two. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Can you tell me why? Not enough space or too cramped, etc.? |
Anonymous
| Most European families do it. I am sure you'll be fine (and remind yourself that that was all you could afford). |
Anonymous
| If you can make use of the basement I don't think it is so bad. We have a 3 bedroom cape - 2 bedrooms on main level and one bedroom in the attic. Our kids also share a room and the other bedroom is a guest room/den. But we use our basement all the time. We have a playroom, living area, and full bath down there. |
Anonymous
| Just downsize your "stuff". You probably don't need half of it anyways. |
Anonymous
| We bought a 2 bedroom. One toddler and want a second. Same plan as yours. They share and later we can expand if we need to and can afford to. Two years in we are happy with our tiny home. The keys are minimalism, no clutter, storage and small furniture. I really like our location and how quick it is to clean the whole house. |
Anonymous
| I would think about either moving further out or renting... looks like you're looking outside of the area you could really afford |
Anonymous
|
I am the no way poster. We got a 900 square foot house with no kids. Two kids later and its a tight fit. One bedroom is tiny and only a twin and a dresser and bookshelves fit. No room for having friends over as the living room is so snug. Our bedroom is basically a queen sized bed. We are very limited on material things but it sucks not to buy things due to space vs. money. We intended to redo the attic but it would easily be $200,000 and at that point, you might as well move further out (we no longer have the same jobs so for us this location is good but not a necessity). To redo the basement will easily be $40-60,000 which we plan to do but it will still be a small playroom, spare room and bathroom. At some point, it just feels small. I would not want a huge house, but at least 1500-1800 square feet. The positive is that it is easy to keep track of the kids.
We came into the house with very little and have been slowly buying furniture to fit. Its hard to find furniture to fit when there is no space. I like our house but we've spent a fortune renovating, still have a long way to go and its always going to be small and crammed. Fine for two, but four is hard, especially with one bathroom. |
Anonymous
| I guess it depends on specifics. I'm the previous toddler poster. Ours is 2 bedrooms above ground about 1100 square feet and a finished basement with second bath. We also have screened porch and large yard. The basement and second bath are definitely key for us, particularly as we often have visitors. |
Anonymous
| We have a three bedroom with three kids. I think the amount of square footage needed in a house is completely personal preference, but as for kids sharing a room, we've found it's no big deal. Our two oldest are boys (2.5 and 4) and we moved them in together once we moved here. IT took a bit of getting used to but now they do really well with it and love sharing. |
Anonymous
My mom's cousin raised 13 children (no more than nine were ever at home) in a three bedroom rambler. I think it is doable for two children in a two bedroom house. |
Anonymous
| It is the best thing you can do for your children. Allow them to share a room and learn the give and take of living with another person. |
Anonymous
| How big are the public spaces? If there are enough places for people to be, it's doable. If there's just one small living room and no family room, den, or basement playroom, the I'd pass. |
Anonymous
| No way would I have a 2br with 2 kids. Yes, the kids can share if they're little, but where will Grandma and Grandpa sleep when they visit? Or other guests. Don't you want a proper space for them? |