Anonymous
05/14/2013 12:54
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
2 adults, 2 kids, and I think our house counts as 1500 sq ft (not sure if that counts the basement or not). We don't need more room, I like actually seeing my family and hanging out together when we're home. Now when the kids are teens, I'm sure they would love it if we bought a bigger house so they could sneak out more easily... 
Anonymous
05/14/2013 12:24
Subject: Re:Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 3 with 2 dogs. We absolutely need every square inch of our 4000 square foot house! What would DH do without his bar? I NEED my sewing room. How could any family live with less? I pity you.
Sarcasm, I hope.
Same boat, 2 adults, 1 kid, 2 dogs. 1000 square foot home. Great Neighborhood and no plans to move. Maybe we will finish the basement someday.
Anonymous
05/14/2013 12:08
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
I have lived in a mansion. So has my husband. Mansions are not the key to feeling "settled and satisfied." Our #1 favorite home was our two bedroom apartment in a great location with a nice view (before kids). Why? Because it suited us at the time, and location, location, location.
Now we have two children AND we both work from home. We could go for a big home out in the outer burbs, but we know we're mostly urban people at heart. And we have kids, so we need access to good schools. Oh, and grandparents who live far way, and come for extended multi-week stays, so someplace for them to feel comfortable, too. Balancing everything out (needs, preferences, finances), we got a smaller place. The office situation puts a kink into everything... it means we need two or three bedrooms (us and the kids) AND two office spaces that are separated from the bustle of the house by doors (so a landing will not do). PLUS a room that can be converted into a mostly private sleep/live space for visitors. We could probably squeeze all this into a 2000 sf home, too. Layout is the key, not size. Layout layout layout.
Now we have two children AND we both work from home. We could go for a big home out in the outer burbs, but we know we're mostly urban people at heart. And we have kids, so we need access to good schools. Oh, and grandparents who live far way, and come for extended multi-week stays, so someplace for them to feel comfortable, too. Balancing everything out (needs, preferences, finances), we got a smaller place. The office situation puts a kink into everything... it means we need two or three bedrooms (us and the kids) AND two office spaces that are separated from the bustle of the house by doors (so a landing will not do). PLUS a room that can be converted into a mostly private sleep/live space for visitors. We could probably squeeze all this into a 2000 sf home, too. Layout is the key, not size. Layout layout layout.
Anonymous
05/14/2013 12:05
Subject: Re:Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
We are a family of 3 with 2 dogs. We absolutely need every square inch of our 4000 square foot house! What would DH do without his bar? I NEED my sewing room. How could any family live with less? I pity you.
Anonymous
05/14/2013 12:01
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
Anonymous wrote:Because some of us have more than 1 kid....
LOL. Guess what? Lots and lots and lots of people (like, millions) live in this world with more than 1 kid in homes that are less than 2000 sf!
Anonymous
05/14/2013 12:01
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
Anonymous wrote:Because some of us have more than 1 kid....
But as the OP clearly stated, they don't, and will not.
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:56
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
Because some of us have more than 1 kid....
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:56
Subject: Re:Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
It depends on your lifestyle and how comfortable you are bumping into someone.
MY SIL always mentions how small our kitchen is and how we should consider bumping it out. It is small because of the layout but only when there is another person trying to "help". This only happens maybe 3 times a year when we have visitors who try to help. Every other day its fine.
We do have a huge master bathroom. I do like it because DH is very tall and annoyingly is always in the bathroom when I am in there. When we go on vacation, he will step right on me, in front of me and is always bumping into me. This would drive me nuts on a daily basis.
MY SIL always mentions how small our kitchen is and how we should consider bumping it out. It is small because of the layout but only when there is another person trying to "help". This only happens maybe 3 times a year when we have visitors who try to help. Every other day its fine.
We do have a huge master bathroom. I do like it because DH is very tall and annoyingly is always in the bathroom when I am in there. When we go on vacation, he will step right on me, in front of me and is always bumping into me. This would drive me nuts on a daily basis.
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:53
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
You are perfectly fine, and will be able to sell to other families like you.
It is just that many families on this board, and many Americans in general, live
l a r g e .
We come from a cramped Parisian apartment, and love our 1000+ sq ft space with out 2 kids right now!
It is just that many families on this board, and many Americans in general, live
l a r g e .
We come from a cramped Parisian apartment, and love our 1000+ sq ft space with out 2 kids right now!
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:51
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
Do you have a craft room? A gift wrapping room? No? What!! I'm kidding. It sounds like you have plenty of space for your needs
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:51
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
Anonymous wrote:We have a great house in a great school cluster with a great commute. It is in a very nice neighborhood. It is under 2000 square feet. We have an only child and are not having more. I hear all of this talk about size and wonder what I am missing. We have a den and a guest bedroom in addition to our bedrooms. We have 2 bathrooms. Why would we need more space? Is this only if we had more kids? Serious question.
If I could find a 2000 sf house along with those other criteria I'd snatch it up. We're more concerned about outgrowing the ones in the 1000-1500 range.
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:51
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
I don't think you are missing anything. You just don't need more. We are a family of 3 in a similar situation and space is not an issue. Now, if we decided to adopt children, invite my parents to live with us and get 3 great danes, it might become an issue. :p
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:51
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
You don't. You're fine.
Often, people have a different perspective from yours about what you need. They don't know you - so don't listen to them.
If they do know you, and they still are telling you that you need more space, then they just have different priorities from you.
Often, people have a different perspective from yours about what you need. They don't know you - so don't listen to them.
If they do know you, and they still are telling you that you need more space, then they just have different priorities from you.
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:50
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
you probably don't, unless there's a possibility you might work from home at some point, in which case a home office is nice. (I work from home 100%, DH is a professor and works from home more than 50% of the time.)
Anonymous
05/14/2013 11:47
Subject: Family of three...why on earth would we need more space?
We have a great house in a great school cluster with a great commute. It is in a very nice neighborhood. It is under 2000 square feet. We have an only child and are not having more. I hear all of this talk about size and wonder what I am missing. We have a den and a guest bedroom in addition to our bedrooms. We have 2 bathrooms. Why would we need more space? Is this only if we had more kids? Serious question.