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I was also under the impression that new construction was getting smaller.
Personally, I am so tired of seeing "Large Garage With Small Attached House". So ugly.
We rarely garage our cars. We park in the driveway and walk through the mudroom into the house. Given the choice, I'd prefer a nice, retro finished basement.
Its kind of true as condos and townhomes are getting more popular, land is getting more expensive in many areas with tighter buildout, and thus lot sizes offered are getting smaller. Consequentially it reversed a trend of buying big in the most recent years. Though it appears even in larger houses builders forego the larger garages that once was the trend.
Though I never recall seeing a large garage with small attached house. .
Garages are always much smaller than the main house even the three car garages in 2000sq ft homes.
My pet peeves are neighborhoods with larger 2700+ sq ft homes or McMansions and five or more bedrooms in addition to game or rec rooms that only have a relatively narrow 2 car garage or 2 car plus one tandem space, none of which are bigger than a standard supermarket parking stall. Especially with no other place to store unused items in the house.
Especially when often combined with an increasingly adopted HOA policy on parking outside the garage which would more often than not be buried deep in small prints when the new community is being sold. Or limited to no on street parking on the same street by the home. As well as issues with neighbors on parking.
To play car tetris every evening and/or walk 1/2 away towards somewhere potentially unsafe wouldn't it be the same as living in crowded multi family communities in urban centers where at least there are places to run errands within walking distance and public transportation.
Most homebuyers would have much more to worry about and consider than parking when buying a home, and when a neighborhood is still in the planning stage its difficult to picture how it would look like and work out after homes are really built.
The reality is that in the contemporary world both husband and wife would need vehicles that are big enough to handle the size of their family, kids would someday grow up and want or need vehicles of their own, these days in laws often move in to save on costs which means more vehicles. Not to mention overnight visitors and families from afar. They will definitely drive that's for sure. And would need a safe convenient place to park without inconveniencing others in the household.
Last edited by citizensadvocate; 07-12-2019 at 06:57 PM..
One would think by common sense a garage should at least be wide enough so the average larger sedan, SUV, or minivan can open its door most all the way to exit comfortably without hitting another car, the wall, or storage cabinets in a garage.
Usually, garages with separate doors for each car are best whether two car or three car, or four car garage
True builders are clueless, the biggest issue is builder's agents will normally not disclose anything about the HOA in the community including but not limited to any regulations on parking and required garage use to potential buyers or any other rule for that matter at least based on my experience unless asked directly. That's how causes HOA wars start as many buyers are caught by surprise.
Part of the purchasing process for a house in an HOA is getting a copy of the CCRs. If a buyer doesn't do their due diligence by reviewing those CCRs, then it's their fault if there is something they don't like down the road.
I realize that America has become universally urbanized and almost everyone lives in a housing development, but a rural lifestyle spreads out more. I have a humble 1700 sf. ranch style house, but over 4000 sf. of outbuildings including a shop with office and bathroom. Horse lovers often have a barn with a deluxe tack room and foaling cot, and perhaps even a riding arena. Machine sheds offer ample parking for tractors and other farm equipment. Depending on the farm or ranch operation, it's not uncommon for house and outbuildings to add up to 15,000 sf. under cover. A riding arena alone is typically 10,000 sf.
When you have access to that much space, you don't need a huge house. Storage is not a problem, and you don't live in the country if you want to spend your life indoors.
Part of the purchasing process for a house in an HOA is getting a copy of the CCRs. If a buyer doesn't do their due diligence by reviewing those CCRs, then it's their fault if there is something they don't like down the road.
True though for one thing there is a lot to worry about when purchasing a home that it becomes not a priority immediately but causes problems down the road.
Then there are those communities that only give a deceptive copy of the CCRs in which untrained homeowners may not know that its not the full copy and not include many rules that would be very hard to change down the road.
Though why don't builders makes things easier by building proper sized garages. Wouldn't it help them get repeat business? Even in the absence of HOA rules there are situations where the city or town does not allow parking on the street or driveways (because the driveway is too short to avoid making wheelchair users go onto the street. Streets planned too narrow, etc). As well as nosy neighbors who always complains and neighbors who collect too many unused cars and park in front of neighbors houses.
Citizensadvocate - you seem to base everything on your personal perception and local market.
We built/bought five houses in five US states and DC. Nothing gets parked in the driveway, shuffled around or whatever else. All vehicles have their assigned garage space.
A builder is not a home owner nanny but a business man. It sells - he will build it.
Part of the purchasing process for a house in an HOA is getting a copy of the CCRs. If a buyer doesn't do their due diligence by reviewing those CCRs, then it's their fault if there is something they don't like down the road.
Plus the filings are recorded on the title policy. Sometimes worth cross referencing.
Its kind of true as condos and townhomes are getting more popular, land is getting more expensive in many areas with tighter buildout, and thus lot sizes offered are getting smaller. Consequentially it reversed a trend of buying big in the most recent years. Though it appears even in larger houses builders forego the larger garages that once was the trend.
Though I never recall seeing a large garage with small attached house. .
Garages are always much smaller than the main house even the three car garages in 2000sq ft homes.
My pet peeves are neighborhoods with larger 2700+ sq ft homes or McMansions and five or more bedrooms in addition to game or rec rooms that only have a relatively narrow 2 car garage or 2 car plus one tandem space, none of which are bigger than a standard supermarket parking stall. Especially with no other place to store unused items in the house.
Especially when often combined with an increasingly adopted HOA policy on parking outside the garage which would more often than not be buried deep in small prints when the new community is being sold. Or limited to no on street parking on the same street by the home. As well as issues with neighbors on parking.
To play car tetris every evening and/or walk 1/2 away towards somewhere potentially unsafe wouldn't it be the same as living in crowded multi family communities in urban centers where at least there are places to run errands within walking distance and public transportation.
Most homebuyers would have much more to worry about and consider than parking when buying a home, and when a neighborhood is still in the planning stage its difficult to picture how it would look like and work out after homes are really built.
The reality is that in the contemporary world both husband and wife would need vehicles that are big enough to handle the size of their family, kids would someday grow up and want or need vehicles of their own, these days in laws often move in to save on costs which means more vehicles. Not to mention overnight visitors and families from afar. They will definitely drive that's for sure. And would need a safe convenient place to park without inconveniencing others in the household.
In my older neighborhood people live in small houses and build huge garages with lofts. It is funny when the garage is bigger and more luxurious than the house. But there are mostly men moving in when an older person sells, and they love their toys and guy spaces. No HOA, that is why.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell
I realize that America has become universally urbanized and almost everyone lives in a housing development, but a rural lifestyle spreads out more. I have a humble 1700 sf. ranch style house, but over 4000 sf. of outbuildings including a shop with office and bathroom. Horse lovers often have a barn with a deluxe tack room and foaling cot, and perhaps even a riding arena. Machine sheds offer ample parking for tractors and other farm equipment. Depending on the farm or ranch operation, it's not uncommon for house and outbuildings to add up to 15,000 sf. under cover. A riding arena alone is typically 10,000 sf.
When you have access to that much space, you don't need a huge house. Storage is not a problem, and you don't live in the country if you want to spend your life indoors.
Ah, my goal for our next home in a few years when we retire...smaller house, acreage and lots of outbuildings.
You have the ideal situation in my opinion, but I suspect that to be an uncommon ideal.
Citizensadvocate - you seem to base everything on your personal perception and local market.
We built/bought five houses in five US states and DC. Nothing gets parked in the driveway, shuffled around or whatever else. All vehicles have their assigned garage space.
A builder is not a home owner nanny but a business man. It sells - he will build it.
Just curious could you let me know which states you build in? Is any in California and the western States? I surprisingly learned these states are already somewhat more generous on garage space. Even then garages are still too narrow for people to comfortably enter and exit the car if parked to intended capacity. And the need for more vehicles in the household.
I interestingly noticed that in other parts of the country such as MA, DC, or even Charlotte NC there are even less garage space for a average newer larger house that is if there is a garage at all. And they get slot of pouring rain year round. Check out https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7...93845571_zpid/ This 4 bedroom 2911 square footer only has one tiny garage.
Not necessary personal perception it’s the truth of what i witnessed.
Interestingly why builders get away with selling houses with undersized garages? Is it because buyers always forget to consider parking when they buy a new home? And builders know it and skimp on it to pocket the profit?
Last edited by citizensadvocate; 07-13-2019 at 01:44 PM..
I don't understand is why do you make so much wasted space when making the housing stock take up more real estate but not much of it is practical?
There is no denying that people are getting bigger over the years and so has the average production car, SUV, van, or truck. Thus it makes perfect sense for homebuyers' demand that larger homes to be built. But despite builders making houses bigger and bigger over the years the size of a home garage or space allowed for each car has hardly grown at all. Many people frown upon parking in their garages as its hard to open the door to get in and out without banging into another car, bike, wall, or items in the garage and the hassle having to back the car out to let guests in so they don't have to squeeze in. So unless a community's HOA is super strict on enforcing garage parking residents more often than not, avoid parking in their tight garages despite the much higher risk of a car break in which happens even in the nicest of neighborhoods.
The best garages I see have three separate doors guaranteeing a descent amount of door space between cars. and have a separate storage area for your bikes and other excess. But these are very rare even in 3000+ sqft homes. Even if the house does have a 3 car garage its not practical sometimes to even to park two cars inside due to the way the inside space and doors are configured.
I be curious why? It appears floorplans are getting larger but not more practical in modern homes.
And these are big single family homes, don't even get me started on how tight the parking provisions are in most multi family communities such as apartments, townhomes, and Condos.
"The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away."
It is very much a bottom-line game for builders, that's the business they are in, and where the profit comes from. They'd much rather ensure the walk-in closets, the size of a single-car garage, are present. This will provide much more influence (for at least one partner, I guarantee) than a double door vs. two singles.
Homes that have "it all" aren't often found in neighborhoods that are house-house-house-house, and exist in a different part of the price spectrum as homes with one double-width garage door.
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