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Original poster

does size always matter?

18 replies

skerriesmum · 08/12/2005 00:45

Ha ha! I mean the size of one's house!
If you were torn between these two properties, which would you choose?

Smallish house but enough room for us and eventually 2 more kids, good area, close to school, decor OK, just need to replace carpet, on cul de sac... minuses are no garage (this is Canada, cold winter, having the car outside takes a toll), small garden.
Huge house with massive garden and outdoor pool, great potential but a decorative disaster (this is why it's the same price as the smaller one), further from school but not ridiculously so, children would need to take a bus. Also a quiet street. House would be a lot of work to clean and expensive to heat. But it's a great price, and huge! Neither dh nor I are especially houseproud or avid gardeners, so I think we'd manage fine in the smaller house. But am I missing out on a great deal which eventually could be a fabulous property? Any thoughts welcome.

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WalkinginaRainbowWonderland · 08/12/2005 00:55

I would think it sounds as if youve already decided on the smaller house and if it will do you if you have more children go for it... Location is very important and becomes more important as time goes on - we live in a neighbourhood where my 4 children can all go out to play with their friends after school and as much as I'd like the so-called status of a house in the country, I feel the children would miss out now... glad we made our decision on the walk-to-school-ability factor of this place.

Neither me or dh are gardeners either and we have trouble finding the time to take care of what garden we've got with 4 children!

Chandra · 08/12/2005 00:56

Location, location, location, that's the issue.

besides if you don't have the money, time or the inclination to sort up House 2 fast, I would choose house 1, it's horrible to leave in a place full of little works to do when you don't have the time and inclination to do it...

Chandra · 08/12/2005 00:57

And you can always get a bigger one if your change your mind in the future.

skerriesmum · 08/12/2005 02:58

This reply has been deleted

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maZebraltov · 08/12/2005 04:57

mmmm... I know this will sound funny, but we have a big house & it's sometimes a pain. Couldn't locate the children for the first few days, more to clean, more rooms for their toys to get spread out in. The heating bills are high. A swimming pool is a hazard in itself (do you get to use it much in Canada?). Plus the extra garden work, as you acknowledge.

I'd go for walking distance to school, too, if possible; means they can have that much more independence sooner.

Original poster

skerriesmum · 08/12/2005 12:46

Thanks again all. Dh thinks we should get the biggest house we can, and "grow into" it... do it up gradually. He doesn't care as much about what it looks like anyway. I think he imagined we'd be living in a log cabin or something! He's promising to help me more around the house if we go for it, but I'm skeptical (right now I pretty much do everything, but it's easy enough as we're renting and have practically no furniture...)
I'm going for a second viewing this afternoon and maybe that will be the deciding factor.

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expatinscotland · 08/12/2005 12:50

Path of least resistance? Option no. 1.

Expensive to heat? Say no more! Lived 8 years in Colorado. Heating costs are only going to increase.

Not worth it, if you can avoid it.

expatinscotland · 08/12/2005 12:55

Also remember, it always takes twice as long, costs twice as much and is double the trouble to do a place up. Especially w/kids about. And you're wanting to have more? Imagine trying to do the place up when your pregnant and hubby finds a way to snake out of it . . .

Original poster

skerriesmum · 08/12/2005 12:58

I know! He's mad! We're actually sort of trying for number two at the moment and he says "well, we could leave the house stuff then for a couple years!" Years of living with hideous wallpaper and carpets! Maybe I'm just too picky but I think it would drive me nuts.

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expatinscotland · 08/12/2005 13:10

'We're actually sort of trying for number two at the moment and he says "well, we could leave the house stuff then for a couple years!" Years of living with hideous wallpaper and carpets! Maybe I'm just too picky but I think it would drive me nuts. '

Nah, sorry, but I just couldn't live like that.

You're moving to a new country, you want to have a house where you feel comfortable and happy about bringing home playmates for your children, inviting other parents over for a cuppa, maybe cocktails or what have you.

I grew up in a huge house, but it was all done up and constantly updated. Still, when it was being updated, it was a PITA.

Also, you want to be WARM in Canada. Believe me, it makes SUCH a difference.

Stand your ground. If you don't want to live like that, then don't. End of story.

Original poster

skerriesmum · 08/12/2005 13:13

Thanks expat. I think it comes down to different ways we grew up; his parents are wealthier and they always had cleaners etc. while I find that idea abhorrent, not being able to look after your own space?! Please! It goes a bit deeper than just the house.

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expatinscotland · 08/12/2005 13:18

We always had a cleaner growing up. I never have. Honestly, if you can't afford outside help to manage the place, it's going to cause friction in your relationship, and that's not worth any amount of money.

Also, who's going to take care of the front and back yard? Uh huh. He gonna stump up for a gardener as well? Yards need care in winter as well, particularly in a place where snow falls a lot.

My dad is a keen gardener, and always looked on his yards as a great hobby. He never minds working in them. But if neither of you is so inclined, have little kids, and can't afford a gardener, it's just another bone of contention.

crunchie · 08/12/2005 14:00

Skerriesmum, personally I would go for the No2, sorry. But I am not you. I hate gardens, but love a house 'with potential'. If you got No2 could you afford help to keep it clean? The other thing is will you ever have the money to move again? It is all well and good saying, go for No1 and move to No2 in a few years, but as more kids come along there is usually less money to move with. Hence DH and I bought a 4 bed family home beofre we even HAD kids as we felt we would never be able to afford it once kids arrived IYKWIM and we were right!! We have been able to afford a nice new kitchen but will never be able to move again

I think you want No1 though, so look at them again, then take your time. Could you build a garage on No1? As I wouldn't do Canada without one.

Original poster

skerriesmum · 08/12/2005 14:53

OK, good to have another opinion. The market is fairly slow here so we have time to make a good decision. After a couple more viewings it might be easier to see what's what. The first house isn't big enough to have a garage built on.
It comes down to: getting the small one and moving in 10 years or getting the big one and not moving at all.

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Mirage · 08/12/2005 22:37

If you had asked me 6 months ago,I'd have said to go for the bigger house.However,after moving to a house that needed almost total renovation,with a newborn & a toddler,I have changed my views.Although this is a smaller place,6 months down the line,we have only just started rewiring,never mind new kitchen,bathroom,redecorating throughout,new carpets & re landscaping the garden.

Renovation takes forever with small children about & is a real pain,the house is never tidy as there is no storage yet,there is dust & plaster all over the place.We can only work on the house when both the children are elsewhere,as it is too dangerous & noisy.Living in a dump with someone else's naff decor really gets to you after a while.

I'd go for the smaller place that needs less work.If you do need more space in the future,you could always look at a larger place then.

hana · 08/12/2005 22:51

are you in Halifax? mmm v jealous
I'd also go for the smaller house, bigger houses aren't all they are cracked up to be ( although I so so so miss closet space and a hall closet........

MrsSpoon · 08/12/2005 23:06

I would go for house number 2 but that is because DH and I are lunatics, DH also loves (but is now very sick of) DIY. With the info you have given however house number 1 seems to suit better.

All the best!

Original poster

skerriesmum · 10/12/2005 17:54

Yes, we're in Dartmouth actually, hana! We are so spoilt for choice, lots of good areas and the houses are great compared with Dublin and probably UK. I think I've been in Europe too long though because I fancy the "small" house more!
The latest plan I've come up with is to buy a summer cottage on a lake with the money left over, that way dh could do canoeing etc. and indulge his Davy Crockett fantasies...!
The second house is fine structurally, it's just the decor. No need for rewiring etc. But it didn't ring any bells for me IYKIM.

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