I've lived in my very modest split level house for 35 years now. When the girls were growing up, it was a bit tight because there was only one full bath and the bedrooms were small. Somehow we survived. DDs have grown up and moved away and my DH has also passed on so I now feel like I am rattling around in here. I've remodeled the kitchen and am slowly getting the place just the way I want it, but the large piece of land is a getting harder to take care of. I love the neighborhood and the convenient location, however, so I am going to try to stick it out as long as possible.

We moved here 22 years ago. Our house is a raised bungalow, and a few years ago we added a master suite over the garage and I'm very glad we did it. It's a nice, middle of the road home, it was new when we bought it. It's fine, but it was never my dream home. When we bought it we were planning to stay here five years and then move to something bigger. We are careful with money though, and did not want to get into a situation where we wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage if one of us lost our job. So we paid the house off in 10 years, and have enjoyed being able to save for our retirement. Over the years, we've also added on, renovated, added a pool, removed the pool and added a greenhouse. I think if we could do things over, we would probably make all the same decisions.

We built our home about 3 years ago and are still working on it. We haven't even done any landscaping as yet. We are waiting for the tower to be finished...It's not a big house but not small either....I have hated the kitchen sink from the day we moved in so this week I am getting a new one. We have a brick single level that sits on 5 acres. It has a big 6 foot fence around the back yard so that I can have a garden....otherwise the deer would it everything. I was just sitting in my chair looking out the window and noticed how dirty the windows are. That was always one big thing for me...I liked my windows shiny clean but one thing I have learned is when you have health issues, you learn to change the way you always lived and accept a new "normal"...so dirty windows will just have to wait. We love our house and the area we chose to build...I love my garden too.

We rent. But we are loyal renters. We have been in our current house for over 5 years now and have no plans to move. We would like to buy but we just can not afford to right now. Our savings was chewed up with medical debt when we lost our health insurance for a couple of years. So until we can save back up we will stay here. We like our house though. It fits us. Not a big house, 3 small bedrooms, 2 tiny bathrooms. A lovely family room, huge kitchen and living room. Plus we are on 2 acres with a great landlord that does not mind our 8 cats and 5 dogs. I have a laundry room big enough for the dogs to stay during the day when we are gone and a one car garage for everything but a car!

Trish

We have lived in our home for 2.5 years. We have a larger lot than most in Las Vegas, at almost 1/2 acre. We have about 2300 square feet, 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Our house is 17 years old. When we moved in, we took some trees that were right up against the house out. From the street, you couldn't see the house. And all I could think of was spiders! We have a 3 car garage, but don't park cars in them. In our back yard we have an apple, peach, apricot and cherry tree. Another unusual thing for Las Vegas. We also took out about 1/2 of our grass, as the water bill was atrocious. Not to mention, since we are in a water shortage, I felt a little guilty using that much water. That brings me to the pool. We have a pool, but I don't swim in it. I don't care for it.

It sounds like you have a very nice place trishaw. Home is where the heart is.

Sue

We bought this place in '96 and in '99, when our daughter went away to college, we moved here. We moved into a building that was built to be a storage building for my husband's tools, etc. But, with the down turn of shrimping and other events, and daughter in college, we couldn't afford to build a house.

We recently bought an early 1900's farm house and it will be moved here. It needs everything done to it, but it is sturdy and well built and will fit all my old junk, so I am very happy. It is 3 bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, dining room, living room, a room that I guess was a pantry and another room that I haven't figured out what it was supposed to be...it was partitioned off for the 2nd bathroom and the other part of it is a hall.

I live on the back side and middle of 50 acres. A bayou is on one side, and trees on the other sides and an open area in the middle. It is very private...no neighbors and I love it here.

We've been in our house for 20 years. It's a modest, spec type house from the early 70's but we knew we were "hooked" when we had to come out here and see what the house and yard looked like with the snow on the ground! LOL

We're about 7 miles from a town of about 9,000. We have about an acre and a half so have some neighbors around but not right up against us.

DH and I took early retirement in Dec. 1993. At the time, we were living in a townhouse in the D.C. area, with absolutely no privacy. So we decided to move to the mountains and have no neighbors. Our house was a two-year-old custom-built house on 6 acres. The former owners went broke building it--champagne taste, beer bank account--so we got it as the bank was foreclosing on it, at less than half the appraised value.

We are in the middle of an oak forest, so there is complete privacy. The house is 5,000+ square feet; 3 bedrooms, 4-1/2 baths. It's too big for 2 people, but we each have two large hobby rooms, so we make use of the space. Unfortunately, it's a 3-level house, and as we get older, the stairs become less desirable. Maybe one day I can convince DH to move to a smaller, one-level house....

Only since July last year. We are still figuring out, where to put things, and need to paint and remove wall paper, not to mention the floors. Hate that carpet!

Moni

We bought our modest 3 bedroom home, two blocks from the lake shown in the link below, new 28 years ago.

We have a small yard on a zero lot line which means our home sits to the side of the lot. This makes one wall of our home the backyard boundary our next door neighbors. Thankfully they are like family to us.

We've taken good care of our home inside and out, which is required when you live a planned community like we do. But then our neighbors too have to keep up the high standards. This makes resale much higher if/when you want to sell. Our planned community/city is made up of 38 villages. We live in one called Woodbridge.

We too were smart with our money and paid our home off in 18 years. Same with a condo we own in a nearby city.

We did a partial home remodel last year including new kitchen (that was so much fun!) and new wood flooring (used to be all tile)...what a difference! Still have plenty more things on our "to do" list before I will be happy and can relax again.

Jodi-

Here is a link that might be useful: Woodbridge Village

We bought our house 3 months before we were married (had settlement on April 3, 1973; moved in on our wedding night--June 30). It's a nice, 3 br, 1 ba house in an excellant neighborhood--for the moment, the city is slowly creeping out toward us. House was built in 1926. Brick veneer over stucco downstairs; white aluminum siding up. We've kept the old wooden windows/storm sash/screens for an authentic look. DH had put stained glass in all 9 of the little casement windows--3 in the living room, 3 in the dining room, and the 3 in the upstairs closets. Floors are hardwood. Kitchen was modernized about 20 years ago, and still is in excellant and very functional condition. There are only a few cons to the house. Very small lot (40 X 100), we share a driveway with the house next door. When we moved here, we were, of course, the young kids in the neighborhood. Now? We're the 'old folks'--but it's such a great neighborhood, we're closer to a lot of our neighbors than we are to many of our family members.

Even though we love that house--we bought a new one last summer. We're currently fixing both--one to move into, one to sell (we're about ready to list that one in a few weeks).

Our "new" house is a brick rancher that was built in the 50's, by an immigrant who was an expert tile man. It's got beautiful imported Italian tile all over the place. Just gorgeous. We're looking ahead and figuring that at some point in time, one floor living might be more convenient--this house offers that. Even the laundry is on the main floor. But the basement is finished, and a nice extra area to use--or could be turned into a self-contained apt. for a care-giver if we ever find that necessary. Also has a much nicer property--1/3 of an acre, as opposed to our postage stamp at home. Just spent the morning planting some stuff I brought here from the 'old' house, and ripping down some of the dilapidated fence out there. Really looking forward to moving to our 'country' house full-time in the next month or so.

We built this house in 2002. We love it here, a nice subdivision in the middle of the city, close to everything, quiet, nice neighbours.

We live in a one family home purchased in July of 1974. It
really is to big for us now with my two sons living on there own. But I don't really want to go any place else.

We had our house built 16 years ago. It is 1400 sq. feet upstairs, but we are in the process of adding a room which will bring it up to 1600 sq. ft. We also have a finished basement but that doesn't add sq. footage where I live. We are in a subdivision that has lakes behind about 90% of the homes. Most of the homes are on 3 acres, ours is a one acre lot on a lake. I do wish we had bought one of the larger lots now as the neighbors don't always keep their yard maintained.

I imagine we will stay here until we get too old to do the upkeep. We have LOTS of Oak trees, so there are lots of leaves to rake in the fall.

Got married and changed jobs in 1979, bought our house in 1981. It's a Frank Lloyd Wright designed three level split level house. Not bragging about FLW, it's a design he knocked off easily and was mass-produced. All the houses in my development are one of two models. Fun to look around the neighborhood and see what people have done to expand and personalize their homes. We have kept the outside the same but made changes to the inside layout-moved a wall to create a family room and built a loft bed in one of the bedrooms. We are on a pie-shaped lot, narrow in front and wide in back, lots of room for gardening. I expect to die in my house, but that won't be for many years!

We have lived here for 38 years. Raised our 3 kids here. We live in a small rural area. Our home is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath and lots of room for us to have our kids and grandkids in. We have 10 acres and over the years have had various animals. Hubby got a new barn 3 years ago and since he retired it has been wonderful for him to spend his free time. We have always had nice neighbors. We would hate to move..

Our kids school was just a short distance from our home so when they were doing all the school stuff it was quick and easy to get them there..

About 17 years ago we bought 34 acreas in the southern part of our state and it had an old schoolhouse on it. We took our truck camper down and stayed in it while we worked at redoing the inside and now enjoy it as a getaway with family and friends. It is one of the old tall wood structures and we added a bedroom upstairs. Our kids call it their own little apartment. One of the best things was it still had the orginial wood floors and my hubby redid them and they are so beautiful.. Some of our neighbors parents went to school there.. When my hubby took me down to look at it it was all boarded up and windows were busted out. I thought "Oh my." I knew my hubby had very good insights on the value of the place so I said " Make an offer". He did and here we are today. We have people stop and want to buy the place from time to time. My hubby says he would not put a price on it because some one would buy it. The agency that sold it to us has even called to see if we would sell. My hubby drove in one day and there were 3 older ladies up in the yard looking at the place. They had gone to school there. Kinda neat.. Being a guy, he didn't invite them in to see the place. Had I been there I would have invited them in..

Susie

Susie, we too bought an old school building. It is brick and was built in 1894. We worked a full year, several of us re doing the walls and electrical and stuff before we opened it up for an antique mall. I really loved that building. It had two stories and a basement. We are now selling it on contract. I still have dreams at times about being in that special building.

Sue

I bought this house 21 years ago. It's a "cozy" house, built in 1953, and just the right size for two. The previous owner had 6 people living here (husband, wife, husband's parents, and 2 children) - they must have been tripping over each other!

My house has 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, kitchen, LR,DR, and a downstairs family room. It is on a fairly large lot as it is in an older, more established part of town, lots of mature trees. We have a lovely garden and patio in the back.

The kitchen is the original kitchen and in desperate need of renovation but unless I win the lottery, it will have to stay as it is.

One bright light is that we are situated in a very "desirable location" and houses in this neighbourhood sell practically overnight and go for a very good price. So if we ever need to sell, it will be fairly easy to do.

We've been here 8 years. We were in our other home for 32 years and sold it to our son and DIL. They have divorced and she got it. I try not to think about that. This house is 2800 sq. ft on 1.5 acres inside the city limits. We have 3 BRs and 2.5 baths, plus a bathroom outside off the garage (it's never used). DH and I work in the yard a lot. Our oldest daughter re-did everything in this house after we bought it b/c our tastes and the previous owners did not match. I love the floor plan. We have a 3 car garage, but with DH's "stuff" we can only get 1 car in (mine). The house is wood and rock. We have lots of trees and have lost 5 since Ike--2 on the house.

We've lived in this house 32 years. It's nice to have it paid off and know we don't have to worry about a roof over our head. It's a 4 bedroom,2 bath with living/dining,eat in kitchen and separate family room. It is definitely ready for a face lift. We sit on just under a quarter acre, mostly back yard. Considered a huge lot by California tract home standards.LOL

Nice thread. I look forward to reading it when I'm home later.

I've lived in my house 34 years. People who knew me when I was growing up in NYC still can't believe I live in an old farmhouse way out in the country, on a dirt road.

My late DH and I raised our three children here, and I hope I never have to leave. I have 31 acres on both sides of the road, plus outbuildings that include a big barn. The barn and the house are c. 1850.

The house's lack of closets and built-ins is balanced (sort of) by a lot of charm: exposed beams, wood plank walls, big windows, etc. I love it. But I have to say I loved everything more when everyone was here with me, all healthy.

Susan

I've been in my starter home for 26 years.

I am really enjoying hearing about all your homes. Makes me think I know you even better:)

Sue

We built our home 22 yrs ago this summer, started as a 3 BR, 1.5 bath, LR, DR, Kitchen and main floors laundry. We have since added onto the 1/2 bath to a full bath, a family room and full bath and a basement bedroom/storage.

We love our neighborhood, off the beaten path. When we built, all the homes were younger families and all the kids grew up playing in the middle of the street!! We knew we could discipline each others kids...to a certain extent.

We have a beautiful yard and pond that Dean has done all the work on. But that too is getting to be more and more work.

Now with just the 2 of us, we feel there is alot of wasted space...but I am not ready to downsize...yet.

We lived in the last one 25 years and this one 3 years. It's a new Patio home, so no mowing or shoveling snow. We just had a blizzard pass through and the guys were out early cleaning our street and driveways.

Stargazzer, what's a patio home?

I've basically lived in this house for 33 years, and I'm 39. LOL It's the brand new build my parents bought as their first house in 1972. It wasn't even completely finished when they moved in. Got to pick the lovely avocado green interior it had..Your choices in this neighborhood were green or gold. LOL

It's had a few face lifts over the years..and needs the outside done again. It needs a new roof, new siding and new windows. We redid the kitchen 4 or 5 years ago, and the floors almost 10 to laminate.(Next stop will be bamboo.) We've wanted to convert the garage and add on to the back for a few years. But haven't gotten to that point financially. And if we add on, we'd put in atleast a 3/4 bath, and that would require a septic upgrade..and I don't want to loose my gravitational septic. (which are now almost impossible to get "passed")
It's a small 1000sqft 3 bedroom 1 bath on the 2nd largest lot for single story houses in our neighborhood.
Open floor plan with the living room windows facing into the back yard. It's an upside down L. Most of the houses in our neighborhood are staight rectangular ranches.

What strikes me most is how many of you live in rural or semi-rural areas, with acres of property! I grew up in an apartment in the center of Chicago and can only imagine the pleasure of having so much space.

We've been in our home since 1988. It's a 1933 California-style stucco with a tile roof, 1550 sq.ft. The property and the house are long and narrow. Although our floor plan is ridiculous, we've learned how to live in the house, and now really love it, even though at 76 years old, it's a money pit.

Elder DS was in college and younger DS was in high school when we moved here (for work), so they don't have an ultra-strong attachment to this place. But we always have fun when they visit. We took a terrific hit on retirement savings when the market collapsed, so DH has decided to work for several years longer than he'd planned. Luckily, he enjoys his work and is good at it, and it's secure. This has actually made us feel very settled here and anxious to finish any necessary remodeling. It would be just plain ungrateful of us not to count our blessings at being able to live in this beautiful area. But oh - acres in the country sounds like a dream!

We lived in a 1 BR 1 bath apartment, ground floor in a new building when we were married. Next was a 2-story townhome w/2 BRs, bath and a half. DS came along and we bought a 1950's ranch, 1800 sq ft, in a development of 60 homes 15 miles north of Chicago. That was 3+ BRs and 3 baths on 1/4 acre. This was our 'starter' home -- and very nearly our 'finisher' one! We were there 30+ years. Perfect place to raise a child -- three cul de sacs with neighbor kids on big wheels in and out of everyone's homes. Especially good for our 'only' child! Excellent schools; one of the top HS's in the nation.

After DH retired and no longer had to commute into the city we wanted more peace and quiet. In late 1999 we bought a 1950's ranch on an acre+ 30 miles north of Chicago and did a 'partial teardown': everything but the fireplace and chimney! We built a one-floor 2900 sq ft home w/walk-up staircase and a full height attic that can be additional BRs and baths for another owner. (In our neighborhood most homes are 5-6000 sq ft.)

LOVE our new house: 9-foot ceilings, lots of windows and french doors. MBR w/bath, Guest BR w/bath, Library w/bath, LR, DR, Kitchen, Breakfast Rm., screened porch. The Back Hall has a powder room, laundry and huge closet (pantry and other storage). Our 2-car garage actually houses cars! Right now we only drive one.

We're on a 'country road' with arching trees 3 minutes from town -- grocery, train to the city, library, city hall, etc. DS and his family are 25 minutes away in NW Chicago. We have only one neighbor within 40 feet; conservancy to the rear and creek on the east side; 150 feet back from the 2-lane road.

We *almost* remodeled the old ranch. SO happy we didn't! It's wonderful having more open space (and large baths).

26 yrs. We live in a split level, have 31 acres, most of it forrest. We are the last on a dead end road.

21 years

A Patio Home is a home with a Home Owner's Association. They mow the lawn and take care of the sprinklers and trees. There are restrictions which I read before I bought and I loved them all. No boats, trailers, company trucks, parked on the driveway, no huge satellites, no basket ball hoops in the front and no changes to the exterior without it being approved. There is no permanent parking on the streets, etc.. I get to sit and watch those young hunks work. We had a blizzard a couple of days ago and when it quit they cleaned our streets and driveways. The best thing of all is that most are seniors and I realize I am not the only one who can't remember S___.

LOL... that's funny, Star. Most of it sounds good to me, except for the part about no basketball hoops. I can't comprehend that!

Over 40 years.

People with kids don't usually buy in a place this because of the covenants. There are no homes behind me, just an old row of trees left over from farming days. Lots of birds to watch. I love it here, one of the smarter decisions I have made. My old house was a bi-level and my knees were getting bad. Oh, forgot to tell you the laundry is on the main level, not in the basement. Some of the slab homes have wider doors for handicap owners.

Oh stargazzer, a few years back when we remodeled the bathroom here which is on the upper level, my husband moved my washer and dryer into the big closet in the bathroom. I really like having the laundry room in the bathroom. So handy. I have had one total knee replacement
and hope not to have to go through another.

Sue

I have lived in my home for 3 years and 3 months. It is just under 1,000 sq. ft. Big enough for me and the 3 furbabies. I have 2 bedrooms and one bath, living room, kitchen and family room/dining room. I have a detached 2 car garage that I can fit one vehicle in with all the junk in there. The laundry is in the basement and I plan to move it to the main floor.

Thirteen years. It's a huge multi-level, 4 bedrooms 4 baths, covered patio, 30 foot deck, inground pool all on 26 acres of ground. When we bought it we thought it was way too big for us....now we are looking for room! LOL!

This May it'll be four years. It's a small brown brick ranch on a 1/4 acre lot, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, sunroom, one car garage.

The front yard is pretty bare now, as two huge, overgrown juniper bushes, two Colorado Blue spruces, and a Bradford Pear are all gone now. After I took out the Spruces that were growing up into the eaves of the house, I planted a holly bush near one of the spots where the Spruces were and tried to plant another but couldn't find a spot to plant it so I put it in the backyard. It's only about 2 1/2 or 3 foot tall now. It'll look so much better when it get bigger.

I need to find something to put in the front where the junipers were. Tried to plant a Japanese maple, dwarf, but it nearly died on me. Had to transplant it to the backyard in partial shade.

This fall I'm either going to buy a maple to replace the Pear tree or two dwarf sweet cherries. I'm kinda leaning toward the cherries now.

The backyard used to have an above ground pool and deck but I took both out for more garden space. I plan to someday have a brick patio put out there and some raised garden beds. I kinda regret not buying something on an acre or two. I would love to have enough room for a bigger garden. The backyard has two big, getting bigger pin oak trees, a crabapple, two redbuds, some unknown smaller tree, the Japanese maple mentioned above and a weeping cherry. I may have to take out the bigger redbud since it's half gone from ice damage anyway.

The house needs new shutters, the previous owner had painted the vinyl ones that are on there. It's really starting to look crappy. My sunroom doors need new locks on most of them, the whole house needs painting, new carpet or other flooring as this carpet is terrible right now. I may wait till the kids move out, though. Sometime in the next few years it's going to need a new roof.

The neighborhood is nice and quiet though. Except for the backyard neighbors who have about four boys. It's hard to enjoy gardening or my sunroom when they're out there harrassing the youngest one.

About three years - it was old step-uncle's 65? year-old farmhouse until his death, and I'd spent some time here with him, about 5 years ago, after his wife died. The buyer of the farm, a sod farmer, asked whether I might like to rent the house.

It's the most recent of 22 locations in my 80 years, and at about 17 years, I'd spent longer in the former 2 Br townhouse than any but the one were I was born. It was of a similar size to this, except smaller, but newer, basement.

This is a 2 Br. bungalow aboutf 25' x 40', with 10' addition later, with smallish kitchen up a few steps from back door, turn the other way to go to the mostly full basement, mainly unfinished except for a small room in the far corner. Oil tank and furnace, freezer, washer, utility tub and dryer all down there, plus clothes press and jam cupboad, wood for wood stove.

The water pump's down there, too - but the well is too close to the barnyard, so water bad for both e Coli and coliforms when the executors tested it ... and the water (especially hot) smells ... so I bring water in gallon jugs from taps in the city for cooking and drinking.

Dining room beyond kitchen, left into small hall with doors to med. sized bedrooms either side, straight ahead to bathroom, old style tub, closed in, no shower. Pull-down stair in hall into unfinished attic, I'm thinking of adding stringers, studs for storage space, but can stand in only about 4' wide space - about 40' long ... includes hole for stair.

Living room beyond D R, family room added later beyond living room, no basement under it, furnace doesn't serve it - woodstove is its sole heat source. Seldom-used front door (no sidewalk approaches it) just to the right of entrance from L R.

One-car garage near house, 2-car plus extra space larger than enough for third car in drive-shed near it. Another storage shed and two barns plus shed a short distance away, I can use parts of them. Also an old silo - but it has open top, not used for years, so a couple of feet of swamp in the bottom.

Substantial garden down near the barn - water pump there to provide water.

As I live about 20 miles from city, 8 miles from village, I figure that I can probably live here as long as I can drive (and I have my 80-year-old test on Friday).

Or the landlord wants the place for his nearly-grown sons (he's doubtful) ... but I think that they may want a place somewhat more upscale than this: time'll tell.

I hope that all of you are enjoying your places.

ole joyful

21 years, I think. Hand-built sometime in the '40's, we think, from green oak probably cut on the property. Just try to get a nail into or out of one of those old studs! Bought it mainly for the property (sloping .8 acre with pastures and meadowland across the country road) and have extensively redone the house. Two bedrooms, added a second bath and workroom and a two-story garage which has never had a vehicle in it. It's paid for, and we plan to stay until we can no longer care for it.

We bought this house 19 years ago when it was in the framing stage. I took photos of the progress once a week, every week, until it was done. So if we ever have a need to know where wiring or plumbing pipes are, all I have to do is pull out the photos.

This is a 2300 sq.ft. two-story home with a living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast nook, family room (with fireplace), separate laundry room, four bedrooms and three full bathrooms. The master is an "ensuite" and has a fireplace, too, which is great in the Winter. We have a 3-car garage. We are on an L-shaped cul-de-sac, on the outer side of the curve where one "leg" of the L becomes the other "leg." So, we have a very large pie-shaped lot. There is a creek that runs behind the property, so we have no neighbors directly behind us because you can't build within 60 feet of the creek. The backyard fence to the neighbors behind us is about 150 feet from our back fence.

We put in an in-ground gunite pool in 2004. It has a black Pebble Sheen interior, so the water color is a deep blue - sort of like a lagoon.