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Who says it has to be something you move into as a first home and transition out of?
Is a 3 BR 1500 sq. ft. bungalow (with a basement) too small to stay in? Really?
Never understood the implied expectation for an eventual "upgrade."
Just always wondered......
Who says it has to be something you move into as a first home and transition out of?
Is a 3 BR 1500 sq. ft. bungalow (with a basement) too small to stay in? Really?
Never understood the implied expectation for an eventual "upgrade."
Just always wondered......
Usually needs change. A young married couple may not need a large house and may not be at the financial stability that will allow a nicer home in a good area, with good schools. After 3 kids, and maybe an elderly parent moving in the may need more rm, or due to health may need a single story instead of a 2 story. Or may relicate due to job.
I agree with the generally view that I think is behind your question. So why do people move? Clearly it's often timed around future children plans or current children approaching school age. Often it's not just for a bigger house but a perceived better school system or perceived more child friendly neighborhood or perceived safer town. Also many parents may perceive that then have different needs - attached garage, maybe more open plan, very often want a bigger yard, etc. etc.
I think a lot of it is also about society conditioning around what a family home is supposed to be and a desire to have achieved what they see as a "real" house by the time kids come and/or around 30 or so.
I’ll tell you why. The starter neighborhood was just ok, too many rentals, and the schools were meh. But that’s what we could afford. Flash forward ten years we made quite a bit more money and leveled up the neighborhood. As for the house itself we came to want more things out of our home and land bigger lot, pool, and trees. House had to have character too. So we moved. No regrets, better all the way around.
Who says it has to be something you move into as a first home and transition out of?
Is a 3 BR 1500 sq. ft. bungalow (with a basement) too small to stay in? Really?
Never understood the implied expectation for an eventual "upgrade."
Just always wondered......
It can be a forever home, but using the term starter home implies that the person does not intend to, or if it's marketed as such it's an entry into home ownership.
Who says it has to be something you move into as a first home and transition out of?
Is a 3 BR 1500 sq. ft. bungalow (with a basement) too small to stay in? Really?
Never understood the implied expectation for an eventual "upgrade."
Just always wondered......
It is just a focus on size and affordability. That is all.
And, many people stay in their "starter" home for a very long time.
Some move into larger houses when they get a new job and need to relocate for commute, need space for more kids or elderly parents move in, home office, etc.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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It depends on your needs, priorities, and comfort, but staying forever in the first house is rare. We moved from our first home when our oldest was going to start kindergarten and we discovered that the local school was pitiful (after a visit). Then when the 3 BR 1 BA became too tight with a 3rd kid, we upgraded again to a larger house and have been in it 25 years. We plan to move again when we retire, no longer need this big house and should be able to pay cash from the equity when we go to a less expensive area. The whole idea is to use the equity and higher income over your career to be able to afford more house as your needs change. The starter house is what you can afford initially, just for 1-2 people. The only people I know that stayed in the same house close to forever was my grandparents. My grandfather built their house himself about 1905, but even he had to leave eventually at age 88 when a freeway was built and took his property.
Of course a "starter" home can be a "forever" home.
My grandparents bought a 3 bedroom, 1100 sq ft ranch house in the 1950s, raised 8 kids there, and stayed until my grandpa died in 2006 and my grandma moved into a retirement community. Granted that was more the "norm" back in the day than it is now...but still
My mom and stepdad are relative newbies to a neighborhood close to the downtown of suburban Apex, NC. They moved there in 2010, neighborhood built in the early/mid 90s, mostly in the 1500-2000 sq ft size range priced in the mid $200s....aka "starter homes". Most of the neighborhoods in Apex built in the past 10 years are minimum 3000 sq ft, $400k+ range. MANY of the folks in my mom's neighborhood (including them) could easily afford to "move up" to one of the bigger flashier new neighborhoods down the road....but believe it or not most everyone on their street are the original owners of their homes....been there 20+ years. It's a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone they have block parties, cookouts, walk to the town Christmas Parade together....the neighborhood kept them. There hasn't been a house go on the market there since 2017.
Obviously this is anecdotal and you're right.....the overall "narrative" for the upper-middle class you see in media and entertainment includes the couple buying the smaller starter house before kids or with small kids and then eventually moving up to the bigger, nicer, "forever" house. But that doesn't mean that many people do, based on necessity or choice, stay in the so-called "starter house" for the long-term.
Who says it has to be something you move into as a first home and transition out of?
Is a 3 BR 1500 sq. ft. bungalow (with a basement) too small to stay in? Really?
Never understood the implied expectation for an eventual "upgrade."
Just always wondered......
I think it's a marketing tool that suggests the home is not insanely expensive, but who cares? If you are happy there, stay, and to hell with others' "expectations."
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