Which house would you buy?

amother

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 9:54 am

Both are around the same price (one is alittle cheaper but we'd have to put in some money to fix it up so it would even out), the difference is the size and neighborhood (even if we would wait for another house, these are the typical prices for the size houses in the neighborhoods we are talking about)

- smaller house. (1,500 square feet) Has enough bedrooms for us - we have four kids now and technically using bunk beds we could probably fit 8 kids if we need to (at my age it's more likely that id only have maybe 2 more anyways), but the rooms are very small - so just beds and one tall dresser can fit in. The rest of the house is also small . We can put in some money to redo things to maximize the space (this house is the one slightly cheaper so we'd have the money for that), and it will be tight, but we should fit ok as long as we don't hold on to extra things (no room to store alot). Parking can be hard depending on the time of day. Advantages of this house is it's a good 10 minute drive closer to both mine and my husbands jobs and the kids schools (and 15 minutes closer with traffic - would prob be traffic at that time of day) Also we fit in great with the neighbors.They send to the same/similar schools. It would be amazing for us and our kids to have friends in the neighborhood.

- bigger house -(2,000 square feet) bigger bedrooms, bigger basement and etc... Parking is easier. But the neighbors are alittle more modern then us, send to different schools.... so we won't "fit in" like the other house. I'm on quiet side so not likely to drive over and get to know people from the other neighborhood if I don't live there. On the other hand - 500 square feet more is alot (for those with small houses to begin with). It would be really good for us and the kids to have more space to spread out and would really make a difference for us. But the neighbors allow their kids to watch tv, are more openminded, allow more access to internet then we do and etc... ( I totally respect that, it's just we are raising our kids alittle more sheltered) and while I have no prob with my kids playing with them now, when my kids become teenagers in 5-10yrs, there's a chance we may decided we'd be more comfortable with them playing with neighbors more similar to the first house so may move then (as opposed to the first house where we wouldn't have to move) although maybe by then though we would be able to afford a bigger house in that neighborhood....

Which would you buy?? Till now we've been renting in an apartment building so don't really know what it's like to live in a house. Will 500sq make as big of a diff as we think? Or once we live in a house and have a backyard and can just walk out (as opposed to the 5th floor of a building) space won't matter as much? Is a bigger house worth it for the trade of a neighborhood we'd fit into better?

happy chick

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 10:02 am

I would never trade a better neighborhood for more space. Your kids will be friends w the neighbors and friends are very influential . Space can come and go, and you'll figure it out. Maybe one day you can extend, it you need. But if your kids end up w the kind of friends who don't hold the same haskafos as you, it can impact them for life.
Good luck w your decision and remember, ultimately it's all in the hands of Hashem.

Rubber Ducky

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 10:05 am

To quote the real estate aphorism: Location Location Location! You are choosing your children's friends.

If you can add a family room later (check setbacks) or have a basement that can be converted into additional living space, I'd go for the smaller house.

rachel6543

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 10:07 am

My 2 cents. In your scenario I would probably get the smaller house with a shorter commute and neighborhood I fit in better with. Although the parking would have me concerned and could potentially be a deal breaker.

chocolatecake

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 10:14 am

the smaller house with better neighbors.

amother

Lilac

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 10:55 am

Choose neighborhood over house.

amother

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 11:31 am

Thanks so much for all your replies. We are learning towards the first one too, and its helping us become more confident in that decision. Just wondering for those with houses 1,500sq feet or know what that looks like, do you think we are being realistic about having between 4-6 (or not as likely but possibly 7) kids in there? I want it to be healthy for them.... thats the main reason we are hesitating now.

There is a finished basement (in the other house to, although that one is bigger) but both are set up so we can rent them out which we plan to do (we can probably afford the mortgage without it, but it will be very tight and stressful to live like that, plus I'm guessing expenses we are not thinking of will come up. So the plan is to rent it out). The basement is very small, and even if our salary goes up, if we have more kids expenses go up so I dont know if we would ever feel like we are in the position to stop renting out the basement, but I guess the option is still there if we could afford it.... (even though its small, we live where real estate prices are high, so can get a decent amount of money for it) So we'd like to go into this without counting on having the basement space one day.

amother

Aqua

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 11:41 am

We brought up 5 children in a 1200 sq foot apt in Brooklyn. 1500 sq ft and a backyard is not so small.

amother

Ecru

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 11:56 am

I grew up as one of over 10 kids in an 1100 sq ft home (3 beds, 2 bath). (We did add another bedroom in the basement, and I don't know if that counts towards the sq ft.)

We had 7 kids in a 1100 sq ft, 2.5 bedroom, 1 bath apartment before we moved. Tighter, but it also was fine.

The layout of the home matters more than the sq ft. The right furniture will also make a huge difference.

dankbar

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 12:53 pm

Ruchniyus vs gashmius

amother

Coral

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 3:07 pm

Smaller house. Location matters
I live in a 1500 sq foot bi level. I have more then 4 kids and Its not small in the moment. I have a down
Stairs bedroom which I use as guest room now. I can see it getting small at one point but as of now its perfect. I do have a 2 door garage and a nice size backyard and eventually I might turn the garage into a room. I do have great neighbors and my kids have company and lots of friends which is important. So I'd say location.

amother

Wine

Wed, Aug 05 2020, 3:10 pm

If it's 1500 on each floor you should be able to put in 2 bedrooms in the basement.