Our place is a little over 1300 sq ft and has 3 br and 1.5 bath. It is a nice size. The houses in our neighborhood sell really fast - multiple offers in a couple days, standard story around here.

Obviously most of the folks replying to this thread live in a much larger house than I do. It's about 1500 square feet, only 1 3/4 baths and three bedrooms. Built in the mid 60's, we bought in the mid 70's. We've added on, remodeled, and renovated. Because we are no where near wealthy and have stayed in our
'starter' home we're able to take a trip once a month all fall, winter, and spring. I don't care to travel in the summer. We could certainly afford a larger more expensive house but it would at the expense of travel.

Hello all, I have been involved in building several houses (thanks to my late DH being a Realtor, sigh). Here is my take on the situation.

It is not so much the sq.footage of the house but the floorplane of the house. I realized that after we purchased our 28foot by 12 foot boat. Every inch of the boat was utilized for storage etc. I went home to our very large house and realized that there were lots of large rooms but not really appropriate storage space.

After our daughters were married and we returned from Italy we decided the interior needed painting. My DH always thought that selling and building another house was easier then having the interior of a house painted, LOL.

Anyway we built a smaller house, a solar house. It was perfect! And we made changes to the original plans and consequently had tons of storage space.

Some time after I lost my DH I did not feel as the house was to big. In fact it was perfect. But we had a big lot and a large swimming pool. Just the cost of the gardner, the swimming pool service, the water bill etc. became a big pain in the neck to put it midly.

I sold the house, moved to Vacaville and leased an apartment for a year. I intended to buy a small 3 bedroom, 2 bath house (knowing that is a house that will sell the quickest) with a small yard. A house along this description is not real easy to find. Especially if you want to be close to businesses and services. I am not really a "suburb" person.

After five years of living in my apartment I have no desire to buy a house to live in. I love living in an apartment. It is so easy to take care of. If there is a maintenance problem I pick up the phone and the maintenance man is usually here within one hour. I can lock the door and take off on a trip without any worry about the pool, garden etc. etc.

I sure understand Scarlett and family being happy with their new apartment in Portland, OR. If I were going to move again I would get an apartment in Portland also (love that city!).

Most houses being built in my area are McMansions on lots that are to small for the size of the house. Oh yes, look out your window and look into your neighbors window. No thank you.

The strange thing is that usually it is couples in their 50's that are buying these houses. Their children are almost out of highschool or not living at home (university or on their own). The cost of property tax, homeowners insurance, electricity (absolutely need to use the a/c here), maintenance etc. is very high.

Almost all these houses are two stories which of course means stairways. I have had several conversation with family members and friends in the past few years as we all wonder what is going to happen ten or so years down the line when these people know longer want to deal with all the upkeep cost, the two levels and stairs etc. Many people feel there is going to be a glut of McMansions on the market. Maybe there will be a new generation of homebuyers wanting these houses but I wonder about that.

Mclaurie, IMO, and having a lot of experience with real estate I would consider a good sized but comfortable to keep up home for retirement would be a single story, not over 2000 sq.ft house with three bedrooms and two baths and perhaps a powder room. Most people here in CA seem to want three car garages now but that is because we do not have basements so a large garage allows the husband to have some space for a workbench etc.

I think as far as a house that quality versus quanity (meaning size wise) is what appeals to me.

There is a great series of books on this topic called THE NOT SO BIG HOUSE. It is all about how design should trump size (really a quality vs. quantity issue). Cost per square foot can really go up though.

I hate the McMansions. We almost had to move to Detroit awhile ago, and when I saw the houses there (either 1950's sad little bungalow or a huge nasty looking McMansion) it wasn't hard to pass on the job.

Paradoxically, it seems around here anyway, that the bigger the house, the less any real people are ever home. Lots of housekeepers, gardeners, the chem lawn guy, and an occasional nanny, but that's about it.

I agree that it's all about the floor plan and not the square footage--space that isn't usable just collects dust. I also second The Not So Big House, and its follow-up, Creating the Not So Big House, both by Susanka. She's an architect who champions usable spaces with quality workmanship and materials over big, bland McMansions.
But here's the thing about the term "McMansion"--does anybody ever think their own home is one??

Wow, under 3500 plus is cramped, IMHO. More like dorm space in college, not a home. The idea is to get more space but then hire people to come in and clean twice a week. It's the only way to live a halfway classy life with some freedom and space. Less than 3 bathrooms, at a minimum, and you have problems. But then it may be that people have what they can afford.

Certainly, we do. And we kid around about it, knowingly. McMansion or McSoccerMobile we're all keenly aware of what's going on.

Hey, so anyway, mclaurie -> your friend's home could be in a neighborhood of similar homes.

A good-sized home for retirement of two people or one?

Do I own a baby grand piano, or do I have five grandkids that would visit for the holidays?

More inputs are needed if you're aiming for a direct comparison w/your friend's home plan.

Hey, I have three of Sarah Susanka's books checked out of the library at this very moment. I <i>traveled</i> to the library to check them out . :-)

We're planning a kitchen remodel, and I love her philosophy/mentality re planning your environment. She definitely thinks &quot;less is more.&quot; Go Sarah!

I am lazy and don't want to clean. The perfect sized house for me is a two bedroom two bath condo at about 1500 square feet. An ocean view of course!

&quot;But here's the thing about the term &quot;McMansion&quot;--does anybody ever think their own home is one??&quot;

We used to live in a McMansion, in San Diego. Although it was close to the freeway, services, and it was for the most part, a close-knit neighborhood, after four years we moved to the country for some more space, and eventually, out of California. We still have a rather large home (but a large lot to go with it), and we love it. We're not retirement age; we have two young kids. I love having the space to stretch out, the kids can run around without feeling closed in, and it's great for entertaining, which we do a lot of. Family and friends can come visit and stay here with us instead of a hotel. Sure it's a pain in the behind to clean, but I love it anyway.

I don't know what we'll do when we retire. On one hand, it would be nice to keep this house so we can continue to host large family gatherings. On the other hand, sometimes I dream of a condo in Coronado or an apartment in the city somewhere...

I live in a large home on 1 and 1/2 acres (5200 sf, 5 bedrooms). I do all the yard work including the gardens and the pool. I also am the person responsible for the cleaning and maintenence of the inside. There are currently 7 people living in my home with one planning to move out within 6 months. At one time we had 8 people living in our home. My youngest child is a junior in high school. We always have had family visiting or parties or something going on so that our house never seemed large. But as I get older, I want these people to move out and so I can get a much smaller house on just a half acre (sure, I'd also love ocean view). I also only want them to visit, not live with me. While raising a large family has been interesting I confess to getting tired of it all and am ready to go smaller and quieter. Not to mention I'd rather be spending my hard earned dollars on travel.

I'd like a three bedroom open floorplan on water in a temperate climate with low taxes, please. No more then 2500 sf and near a town with great food, museums, an airport, and privacy. If you find a place like that let me know. Cause it isn't in New Jersey.

mclaurie,
I have been living in my newly constructed and nearly complete retirement home since &quot;closing&quot; on 2 August.
It is 4500 ft2 (under roof) with 2000 ft2 of decks, gardens. 4 BR, a maid's quarters which might be a 5th BR, 5 1/2BA, 2 outdoor salas, 2 car garage, 7 fireplaces, a cava (wine cellar) and 3 levels of spectacular views of SMdA.
M

lawsy mike! That is so big it would make my head swim!

It's interesting how things vary by regions. Mikemo, your new house would be unheard of here in Naples, Florida. No self-respecting four bedroom house would have anything less than a three car garage, for example. It would be very difficult to resell such a house as yours unless that matter could be taken care of.

Friends of mine have a 14 car garage. Don't ask!

I have to ask; 14 car garage? We just park our cars under our houses:-D

I've built three homes and lived in 3 others as well.

What you LIKE to do is one of the primaries. I love to garden, landscape and do all kinds of things that others think of as chores. I also love to cook. Not shop, but cook. I love to decorate and have done it for love and money.

So I have built my homes around the kitchen, and that wouldn't be others cup of tea. At one time within a 4 year period I had three different married kids move back to live with me for varying times as they built or renovated homes. I went from 8 people to myself in one year once. 3 car garage with extra storage above and huge drive as well.

For last 5 years I've been in my self-contracted 2 step ranch of aprox. 3000 square ft not counting a full basement that I leave empty for fun. I have 3 full baths, 3 nice bedrooms- the master is cathedral. My separate dining room and front living room are used constantly, as is my great room that is open with the kitchen and has a two storied fire place. My foyer is bigger than the front room on my first house, as is the front den/computer room next to it that could be a related living bedroom if my Mom gets any sicker. I do not look in anybody's elses windows and have prairie behind me. My taxes are way too high. I have Chicago water which is a big plus. One of the best school districts in the state of IL.

My house in MI is small about 1150 sq feet and PERFECT for a summer house (its modular original with adaptations and is REALLY maintenance free). The deck isn't but the view it has requires it. It's three level and spectacular. I just finished renovating it myself. A realtor told me that I have improved the property by about $60,000 in two years. I'm going to keep it for now, so I don't know when I'll sell. It's a gem on a 600 acre lake in SW MI. Oh, 2 bathrooms and both have tubs- 3 small bedrooms and a great room/kitchen with all glass onto the lake. NO GRASS TO CUT BUT A STRIP BY THE SEA WALL. All stone or pavers or paved access.

I travel a lot and work more than any other woman my age that I know, but I don't consider home cleaning or most things like that work. I was raised with having to operate a store at the same time as living, or/and later also operating a truck tire service. I don't watch TV. I read a book a day, I travel every month. If you have your health, you end up doing what you want to do.

When my parents pass (my GM lived to 99)I will sell both houses and downsize to about 1500 one floor plan and do EVERYTHING the way I want to when I build it. Don't know exactly where yet.

I could live very small again and not suffer. I'm not attached that much to stuff. It's approaching. But I would miss the holidays as everyone comes to me and I am packed.

Swore I would never again have a huge house with peeling paint I couldn't reach. So ended up with 1500 sq. ft. one level brick with paint that requires only a single ladder when it peels.

Three bedrooms work perfectly for an office and extra bedroom for guests, who drop in on a regular basis.

One bathroom works well, but frankly, I am never moving again, so really don't care much what the resale value is. Good size lot would permit adding another bedroom, a third porch or deck, another bathroom, expand the kitchen etc. which may be appealing for heirs at that time.

The small size is virtually maintenance free, cheap to cool and heat, exceedingly low taxes and excellent low-cost municipal services. It's a perfect house with no room for kids to move back home but plenty for everyone to visit and stay for holidays etc.

B/

It's nice to read all these common-sense opinions by people who know (via experience). While I might have, in my extreme youth, thought a macmansion would be great, I have a dream post-teen/college student house in mind, including the perfect layout for me; maybe some day I'll be able to build it! (Guess I'll have to bring the better half on board...)

wow RnRforever, less than 3500 sf is like a college dorm room? That puts us in less than half a college dorm room. It would look a bit small on our 160 acres of lakes shore property! Get my point?

Just to underscore the relationship of this intriguing post to travel - it has given me things to consider as I ponder buying an apartment in Paris.
When I see something listed as a 300sf one bedroom that will sleep up to 6, I can't fathom how that would work. A gander at floor plans reveals design like an airplane - every inch is used for something (is that another travel connection??) and the notion of wide open space for the sake of wide open space just doesn't factor into the equation. Then I recall that I was raised in a 3BR/1 bath house with 9 or 10 people living there. I just learned that it was actually a Sears &quot;kit house&quot; with lots of additional woodwork done by my great grandfather and his brother, who were master woodcarvers from Switzerland.
Yes, ONE BATHROOM - and somehow we all lived through it and maintained a good standard of hygiene. Of course, as the eldest of the brood I was out of there before my younger sibs hit adolescence, but when we gather as a family today – each with larger, multiple bathroom abodes for far smaller tribes - we still wonder how we did it without killing each other or at least engendering enduring psychic trauma. I believe it was Margaret Mead who observed that the beginning of the end of western civilization was the introduction of multiple bathrooms…