How much space do you need? (square foot, price, kitchen, bedrooms)
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Right now we are 5 people (DH, myself and our daughters who are 7, 5 and 2) living in a 1000 sq ft, 3bd 1 ba apt. It is a little crowded, but not too bad. I have gotten really good at organization lol.
In a few years we will have enough money to put a down payment on a house, but the homes in our price range aren't too much bigger than our apt now. Do you think we'll do ok in a 1200 sq ft home? I'm just thinking that the house will feel like it's shrinking once the kids start getting bigger.
How many ppl in your house? How many sq ft? Comfortable, crowded or wasted space?
You can look at two houses that have the same sq ft and think one has more living space than the other. So I don't think you can just go on a blanket number.
Right now we are in 1,900 sq ft with two adults and two small children. No basement. And things are feeling a bit tight. Just not a lot of room for all the toys.
2 adults, 1 child. 3600 sq ft. Mostly wasted space, but the rooms I spend the most time in feel just right - family room, kitchen, bedroom, office. I'd chop off the dining room, living room, and two bedrooms if I could.
If I were to buy again, I'd have to build and make the rooms just as big as they are now, but just have fewer of them.
When I finish the basement, it'll be pushing 5K sq ft.
Two people and two cats here in 1700 square feet and a no wasted space floor plan. Works well for us now, and there's room if kids come along.
If it's not going to break the budget, I'd try for a four bedroom with at least a bath and a half because there comes a point when that second toilet is just very, very nice to have when you've got five people. 1500-1800sf with a good layout seems like it's not excessive, but there's room for everyone to have a little privacy, which becomes critical when you're talking three teen/preteen girls.
My house is 1250 square feet, with a good floor plan with no wasted space. It feels more like around 1400 square feet. It is just me and my husband and 2 cats, and we have more than enough space.
I agree that the number of bedrooms and bathrooms are more important the number of square feet. But I also agree that with 3 teenage girls, 1200 square feet is going to be tough, because that isn't quite enough room for everyone to have their own space, and teenage girls do have a thing about private space.
On the other hand, I'm out in Mormon territory, and many people I know have large families. If 9 or 10 people in an 1800 square foot house is doable, than 5 people in 1200 square feet should be too.
3k sq ft, 5 people. 4 bedrooms, but one is used as a guestroom, since our families visit frequently. 2.5 baths, wouldn't go lower than that. Finished basement, but that is mainly used for my wife's business, so i don't really count that as living space.
We could cut off some 1st floor space, but then we would have kid toys in the family room, but if I organized better it would easily work. We do have too much stuff.
I grew up in a 2k sq ft house with 3 siblings and 2 parents and a dog. it was fine back then and could work again, just tight. I frequently played in the unfinished basement as a kid.
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