To think that some people live in too big houses?

[URSick]

Lots of people live in (in my opinion) already big houses yet they want to move into even bigger ones.
I see so many families where all the children have their own bedrooms, bathrooms, big bedroom for the parents, guest room, study, living room, and yet they never seem to be satisfied and want to move into a bigger house. They all want playroom for the children. What's the point, when they could easily play in their bedrooms or the living room? There are houses where everybody has their own level, plus bathrooms on the landings, more toilets than family members, and yet they want Buckingham palace. It's good to have enough space and not be in each other's pockets but am I the only one who thinks these people are greedy and unreasonable? You don't need to live in a mansion to be a happy family.
Not to mention those houses where entire rooms are never used, lots of space is taken up by massive stairs and there are parts of the house that are just walkways.
What's your take on it?

I definitely agree with you there peaceout. The rich just don't seem to get it do they?

I'm going to go against the grain here and say yanbu. I've just moved from a house with a giant garden we couldn't keep up with, 3 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms and a study - there's only 3of us and ones a baby! I bloody hated cleaning that damn house with it's unnecessary rooms and hate that we spent money on extra or bigger furniture to fill the space. I'm so much happier now that we've downsized to somewhere that suits us better.

Can anyone imagine what MN would be like without virtue-signalling? 90% of the threads would disappear overnight!

Yeah you're right Op. I have a little moan and a regret everytime I have to mow my lawn or hoover. It's not all smiles and sunshine owning a big house.
Bollocks

The rich just don't seem to get it do they?
Of course the haves think we live in a meritocracy

I own a six bedroom house, with just DS and I living here. I also have a gym, a theatre, library, bar/billiard room, jacuzzis, swimming pool, kennels, training arena, amongst other things, all set in 50 acres of land.

It's my house and my land. I've paid for it (outright, I have no mortgage). I can have a few extra rooms that don't get used all of the time if I want them, and I can have lots of paddocks around my home. It's my space, by law. It's my home.

Crikey you must right excellent books Midnite

Perhaps the OP would prefer this genius.com/Malvina-reynolds-little-boxes-lyrics

I agree totally SleepyHeadThisTime I'd hate to be floating around in a giant home. I love cosy little spaces. Hence my personally not being envious of those who dwell in giant homes.
I've never really been a very ambitious person (in the worldy sense) mind you; and couldn't care less about keeping up with the Joneses - the Joneses can carry on without me!

Oh God Midnite, I'd have to put trackers on my kids if I lived in your house

Agreed peaceout

I don't think YABU. There are a lot of older couples rattling around 4 bed houses. And no, they don't all need to space for when the grandchildren come to visit. A lot of the time they just live there and nobody has ever suggested they move (unless and until they get infirm).

There needs to be more incentives for people to downsize to free up larger accommodation for larger houses.

The other thing that is concerning is that more and more houses that might have been affordable at one time, have extensions built, which make them unaffordable. Some councils consider this when granting or refusing planning permission, but not all do.

I'm not sure what the answer is, as one person said at the beginning, you don't want everyone squashed into post-Soviet flats, but there must be ways of sharing out the housing stock in a more reasonable way.

I would not want a bigger house anyway. Too much cleaning and maintenance!

free up accommodation for larger families, not houses! Sometimes my hands type something quite independently from what my brain is thinking!

How dare you spend your money on what you want, MidniteScribbler. In future, post your potential purchases on here before you buy them, so mumsnet can approve them first. Unless it's Aldi, Lidl or Primark, in which case you may proceed.

Having never had a playroom i suspect my children would bring toys out of the playroom and dump them in my lounge. I would love one to test this theory however

When interest rates go up some of those big houses are going to become big liabilities

Only if you have a big mortgage. Big house doesn't have to mean big mortgage - people do actually work hard to buy what they have you know - which imo entitles them to the fruits of their labour.

I think I'd genuinely hate a mansion-sized house. The majority of the rooms being unused for much of the time would bother me and I think it would feel less homey.

Nothing wrong with a large house though. We'll be moving next year as a family of 5 (by then...currently cooking dc3)

In an ideal world we're looking for 4 beds plus a converted loft (or potential to convert), min of one ensuite, family bathroom, study, large kitchen, two separate receptions (NOT a living room/diner!) and would be made perfect by a conservatory as well.

It's a decent amount of space we're looking for but not excessive...downstairs you'd have one shared lounge, a dining room and conservatory as living space which is fairly standard really.

Isn't this a known aspect of the housing shortage?
Newly married couple with firm plans to have no children in next 5 yrs. Their first property purchase HAS to be a 3 bed house with garden. Or even 4 bed detached. A one bed flat is unthinkable. Then they moan about how expensive property is in general.

I think that ties A LOT to the 4 kid families I know crammed into 3 bed semis, the ones who really can't afford bigger.

I was never into consumerism and materialism but have watched/listened to a few shows about minimalism. I think it's great! I could never be that sparse but I can take a lot away and simplify my own life.

Playrooms aren't for kids they are for parents. It's so I don't have to look at all the kids crap or manically tidy up every evening after working/cooking/bedtime routines so I can relax by shutting a door.
Yes I get my kids to help tidy up but the one year old is more of a single handed tornado than a helper.
I like having space, yes it's not a life necessity but it is a luxury we like and it makes life more enjoyable. I work from home so being able to escape elsewhere or have a clear room to take a meeting is essential for my sanity although I could and have coped with less.

There are a lot of older couples rattling around 4 bed houses.... A lot of the time they just live there and nobody has ever suggested they move

Gosh, imagine, people staying in their own homes, which they bought and paid for, even when they've got old! Down with that sort of thing!

We should forcibly remove them and shove them into old peoples homes and give their house to.....you, I guess?

Upper

Our cellar was originally just underneath the kitchen, but it was all knocked through so its the full size of ground floor of the house IYSWIM, it was like this when we bought the house and it's how it was described in the EA's blurb.