w/out basements, where do you store all your cra... uh... stuff? (Austin: real estate, HOA)

[three_fish]

We've been looking at houses in River Place and around Lake Travis. One thing I've noticed is there are NO BASEMENTS. While I finally figured out that this is due to the fact that the bedrock or whatever is so close to the surface, I'm now wondering where people store all their stuff (and where do you go if there's a tornado warning)?

Being originally from the mid-west, I'm used to having a basement where you can store the Christmas decorations, skis, random equipment, seasonal clothing, and other stuff you should probably have thrown away years ago but haven't. I would say perhaps the garage, but I feel like I'd have to get a 3-car garage (w/ only two cars in it) just to have the space to store all our "stuff". A storage shed is also an option, but I know (at least in River Place) you have to: 1) get HOA permission, and 2) it can only be 120 square feet (and only 8 feet high). (Plus... it would probably be filled with a lawn mower and yard equipment anyway)

So... what do y'all do? Do most of the houses have attics or other storage areas? Most of the real estate site pictures obviously don't "feature" the closets, so maybe I'm missing something.

I appreciate any resident's insight.

[jwb123]

There are tons and tons of storage facility places here. Seriously. TONS of them.

But also, yes, there are attics (though, I am sure you can imagine how hot it gets up there in the summer).

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by three_fish

So... what do y'all do? Do most of the houses have attics or other storage areas? Most of the real estate site pictures obviously don't "feature" the closets, so maybe I'm missing something.

I appreciate any resident's insight.

Dang good question, pardner! DW and I plan to be lean and mean(stuff-wise anyway) for our move later in the spring. We loaded a 10-yard dumpster with 'stuff' in order to get our house ready. In my defense, a lot of the junk was leftover building materials from various projects. We have limited our search to 3-car homes just so I can have some storage and a small workshop. We did find the odd storage room/workshop on some of the properties closer to town(usually older, as well) but absolutely nothing in new areas like Avery Ranch.

Guess I'll cut down to ONE lawn mower, one portable compressor, two bicycles instead of three...oh, the sacrifices we make!

[HappyTexan]

I use my 2 car garage..heck they're not for cars anyway

[love roses]

We use our attic, closets and have shelves up in the garage.

[TexasHorseLady]

We use our attic (living in a 1930 house, the attic has pretty much as many sq. ft. as the house).

[three_fish]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

I use my 2 car garage..heck they're not for cars anyway

I thought about using the garage as well, but many (all?) of the homes that are governed by HOAs seem to require that all cars be kept in the garage unless you apply for, and receive an exemption. Those exemptions seem to only be given if you happen to have THREE cars and only a 2-car garage though. Perhaps I could build some shelving in the garage, or get creative with some above-car (ceiling) type storage options.

interesting

[southdown]

We saw quite a few tandem 3-car garages (which give an extra space at the back of the garage, but 2 spaces in the front) on our lengthy searches around NW Austin (we looked at c.150 homes) and also some very high ceilings with racks on pulleys and all sorts of wild storage ideas.

Also some homes had huge 'boot rooms' and laundry areas with storage space, or even better - spare storage 'rooms' above garages accessed through the house.

I guess the thing to do is tell your realtor what you want and ask them to do the homework!

[another_hot-day]

Originally Posted by three_fish

I thought about using the garage as well, but many (all?) of the homes that are governed by HOAs seem to require that all cars be kept in the garage unless you apply for, and receive an exemption. Those exemptions seem to only be given if you happen to have THREE cars and only a 2-car garage though. Perhaps I could build some shelving in the garage, or get creative with some above-car (ceiling) type storage options.

interesting

I will never understand why people choose to live in a place where people tell you what you must do.
I'll park my car in my driveway if I so choose... a**holes. Oh yeah.. and I'll work on it to if the need arises.

[three_fish]

Originally Posted by another_hot-day

I will never understand why people choose to live in a place where people tell you what you must do.
I'll park my car in my driveway if I so choose... a**holes. Oh yeah.. and I'll work on it to if the need arises.

"you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and there you have..."

I can't say I disagree with your post entirely, but we've put everything on "the scale" and the down-side doesn't out-weigh the other ups we've been considering. HOAs can be a HUGE pain in the *****, but at least you know what you're in for. (assuming you've done a bit of research beforehand).