Growing up I lived in a very comfortably sized house. 5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths….just nice. At the time it never felt big, because all my friends had similar sized houses, and it’s just how the homes were in my town in PA. Now, I am house hunting on Long Island and I am well aware that I need SHRINK my ideas of what my next house will be. I will NOT be getting a house like I grew up in this time around, and that’s OK. I think I just need to change what I expect my next home to be and know that a home is where the heart is. Isn’t that what a dream home truly is?
I have to remind myself that I did not move into our bigger home until I was 8 years old. The home before that was much more like the homes I am seeing these days. Why do I think we are going to move into a massive home? Who do I think I am? I guess it’s just hard to accept paying ALOT of money for something so small and old. I don’t think we’ve seen a house built past 1970, and that’s being generous.
But I have to get over it and fast. The bottom line? I do live on Long Island, the houses DO cost that much, and it is what it is. It is NOT going to change. But what do I have to give up? The Captain and I have decided not to move far from where we are now. That meant giving up ALOT of size we can afford. But do I have to give up everything I want to get a house I can afford?
What I think I can get….
But we’ve seen seeing this…
Go ahead…click on the links and see what’s inside…
Things I won’t budge on? The amount of bedrooms I want….4 (you’d be surprised how tricky this is here). The amount of bathrooms I want…2 1/2 (I want a master bathroom…again, very difficult). Central Air…you’d be AMAZED at how many homes don’t have it. In my opinion, if I am paying a half a million dollars on a home in 2011 it better have central Air! I also want at LEAST a 1 car garage. Do you think I am asking too much? Sometimes I am forced to believe yes! Especially if I expect the home to be updated beyond the 1950’s.
So I am trying to change my expectations. There is so much more that goes into a home then the home itself. I get to raise my children in this home, I get to build my marriage in this home, and I get to build the most FANTASTIC memories in this home. THAT my friends is what makes a dream home. NOT the walls, NOT the bathrooms, and NOT the kitchen.
Now, I just need to remind myself of all this as I continue our house hunt. Wish me luck!
I would consider buying a home with the right amount of bedrooms and, if you can getting it for the right price, doing some renovations. Look past the decor to the bones of the house and remember, you can usually expand the size of a master bath, cover a carport and make it a garage, update a kitchen. Try looking at older, dated houses in great areas and that are a decent size and, since you will have a place during renovations to live, get everything done before you move in.
That definitely is a possibility. But I am finding where we live there is a VERY fine line between getting a steal in a good neighborhood and finding out that “steal” is in a bad area. Being in a so called good neighborhood brings us to the top of our price range even on the older homes, so we don’t have much room for renovations. But we definitely are going to keep that in mind! Such a process!