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When we moved here we knew it was a temporary move (4 years), so we chose to rent a brand new, 2400 sq ft house in a 'new' neighborhood. Prior to the move we owned a gorgeous, all brick 2200 sq ft colonial, built in 1924 on a treed street in an established neighborhood. The new house has nice upgrades, real wood floors, granite, stainless, open concept, 2 story foyer, etc. and it's a complete piece of junk. Craftsmanship is a joke on these shoddy, cookie cutter homes, and it has given me real insight into the lack of quality in new builds. The neighborhood is 5 years old and the homes are already starting to show their age, that's pretty bad for 225K-250K new builds. We are leaving here in a month and the next home 'purchase' (in a few years) will be an older home with trees on the property!
I lived briefly (11 months) in my family's 100+ year old folk Victorian and enjoyed it very much. There were some problems...like an unused cistern trying to collapse, and some odd wiring and plumbing issues. The furnace almost killed my daughter with carbon monoxide. It was cozy, all brick and uninsulated. Surprisingly, there were no fireplaces. The stairwell going upstairs to the two bedrooms was too narrow and steep for a box spring and we had to wrestle the mattresses to get them up the steps. Same way with furniture. The rock foundation and the brick floor in the basement was often damp. But the old place overflowed with character and charm and was in a historic district. I think that house will be there another 100 years.
Apart from that brief period, I'm on my fourth house...the only one I didn't have a role in building. It's twenty years old. I'm the fourth owner and spend much of my time repairing or replacing what the second owner (a "handyman") did ten years ago. I actually like the house very much and get some enjoyment out of working on it but wonder why certain decisions were made and "improvements" added. I'm almost afraid to start some projects for fear of what I'll find.
When I built my own house I knew how it was put together, trusted the craftsmanship, approved the design, and added what I wanted and avoided what I didn't want. After about six months I recognized that some things were design flaws or slight problems but they were my design flaws. Some were easy to fix (pantry door) and some weren't (reconfigure a deck). I think that it will take me longer to get my current (pre-owned) house corrected to my liking than if I built it myself.
I don't get it either. I didn't look at any houses built after 1980 when I was buying. Anything after that just looks plain ugly architecturally and cheap unless you are talking about million $ plus architect designed places. The other thing I couldn't stand about newer houses is the tiny lots. Who wants to spend $500,000 to live five feet from the neighbor and have almost no privacy? I'd rather just buy a condo and forget it if I wanted new construction.
I can't imagine what it would cost to re-build my house. Everything is custom built (except the kitchen cabinets) including at least 40 windows. It doesn't look like any other house in the neighborhood, that's for sure.
I don't get it either. I didn't look at any houses built after 1980 when I was buying. Anything after that just looks plain ugly architecturally and cheap unless you are talking about million $ plus architect designed places. The other thing I couldn't stand about newer houses is the tiny lots. Who wants to spend $500,000 to live five feet from the neighbor and have almost no privacy? I'd rather just buy a condo and forget it if I wanted new construction.
I can't imagine what it would cost to re-build my house. Everything is custom built (except the kitchen cabinets) including at least 40 windows. It doesn't look like any other house in the neighborhood, that's for sure.
Well, that is one of the reasons for the ranch.
I would look at all these housing developments with their homes on the 1/4 acre lots and wonder WHY?
As it is, the big reason for the ranch has always been room to do experiments and applications. Now maybe it will end up that I never get to the point of building what I have wondered about, but at least it won't be the lack of room that stops me. To me, buying, living in one of those places would be the crusher & destroyer of spirit. That is, instead of exploring the science and engineering I want to, I would just be someone who went to work each day until the day I died.
But, as said, the ranch didn't come with a house, so the only choice is build a house.
Some of us are very happy with our little patch of outdoor space. Big enough for a grill and a table and chairs buto not a lot of yard work and other outside maintenance. And lots of public green space all over for when we want more room out of doors
I would look at all these housing developments with their homes on the 1/4 acre lots and wonder WHY?
As it is, the big reason for the ranch has always been room to do experiments and applications. Now maybe it will end up that I never get to the point of building what I have wondered about, but at least it won't be the lack of room that stops me. To me, buying, living in one of those places would be the crusher & destroyer of spirit. That is, instead of exploring the science and engineering I want to, I would just be someone who went to work each day until the day I died.
But, as said, the ranch didn't come with a house, so the only choice is build a house.
I've already had the big yard and all the maintenance that went with it. Now we're retired and we have a ranch style house on a 1/4 acre in town in a gated community and I love it. We also have a winter house in Arizona on an even smaller lot. I'm to busy with all sorts of activities to worry about maintaining extra real estate I don't need and I certainly don't feel that my spirit is being crushed or destroyed.
I've already had the big yard and all the maintenance that went with it. Now we're retired and we have a ranch style house on a 1/4 acre in town in a gated community and I love it. We also have a winter house in Arizona on an even smaller lot. I'm to busy with all sorts of activities to worry about maintaining extra real estate I don't need and I certainly don't feel that my spirit is being crushed or destroyed.
Well, to each their own.
Ie, the activities I would like to be busy with are algae experiments. Such things do not come easy on 1/4 acre lots.
I currently have a 1/4 acre lot that is too much. It's mostly useless grass, and if I want to see some nature, I'll go to a park. .15- .20 of an acre is the right size for me.
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