house with a view vs. house in a cozy neighborhood

11 years ago

we are trying to decide between two homes, a large home in a nice neighborhood or a smaller (1750 ft) home with a terrific view with virtually no close neighbors

we are 60 our health isn't the greatest (or the worst)

the home with the view has virtually no lawn but is on 6 acres, neighborhood home has a big yard-over 1/2 acre.

closest town of consequence is 8 miles away from the smaller

home, and the other home is in a large metropolitan area.

siblings live fairly close to smaller home and our children live within 90 miles of the city home.

Comments (5)

melody-s
11 years ago
Given your ages it is likely that one of you will spend several years alone in the house. Sadly, none of us lives forever. I recommend choosing the house that would work best for one of you alone in potentially declining health. Nothing is worse than losing a spouse then also losing your home because you are unable to take care of it or it is to far away from family to be truly safe and comfortable.
jimandanne_mi
11 years ago
The questions below are for you AND your spouse:

What are the ages/health of your siblings, kids, & grandkids?
How good is your relationship with your sibs, kids?
Who is most willing/likely to be able to help care for you if your health takes a turn for the worse?
Would anyone be willing/able to move in with you if you need care, and which house would better accommodate them?
How far away are the closest, best medical facilities to the smaller/larger house?
Can you afford to pay someone to help with the upkeep of the larger house/lawn if you become unable to do it?
Which would be easier to sell & would you get a better price for if you had to move into independent/assisted living?
Which is closest to the types of activities you will be doing?

Can you tell that I'm in your age range? ;o)

Anne
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Any time you move, everyone in the house has to adjust to the new normal-- humans, dogs, cats, guinea pigs etc. I am really confused that all this emphasis is put on what a dog is "used to" when looking to make a major purchase. I love my dog more than life, but he doesn't pay my bills. Therefore he doesn't get a vote about where we live or what sort of features its has. Sure I have thought "oh the dog would love that yard" but I have never put cash on the table for a house because of that. My dog will not outlive me, nor my mortgage commitment. Thus, he is a treasured family member but not one whose habits drive decisions, nor one who can't adapt to whatever new situation we are all in. OP, it sounds like you just aren't ready to give up what you used to have, mentally or emotionally. You seem to be looking for the exact thing you used to have in a different spot only bigger (but not too big.) This is not a thread about the choice between two properties. This is a thread about you trying to accept the parameters of your move and the new area. I see this with clients who buy a new house but maybe didn't truly want to leave the last one. There is difficulty making decisions, wistfulness, and even an effort to re-create with decor or remodeling what they used to have. There is often projecting ("the kids want it this way" or "my husband can't get used to this kitchen being different from the last one.") and comparing everything to the old place. These are all red flags because I can't recreate with precision what they left. If I attempt that, the end result will fall short and they will be disappointed. That is when I encourage them to embrace the new, try what's new, remember the past house fondly but let it go. Take some time-- you have the luxury. Say goodbye to the old house and your old lifestyle. Stop blaming everything on what the dog wants and is used to! Start recognizing that this is what YOU want and were used to. Open yourself to the newness of your situation. Don't shop for something as important as a house (and as expensive) until you are 100% ready to move forward. Good luck!
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brickeyee
11 years ago
Who owns the view?
kats_meow
11 years ago
We are around your age range (I'm a little younger, DH a little older). We recently bought a house on 1 acre (3000 SF) about 9 miles from closest shopping. In our case, we have pets and needed to be in an area without pet restrictions so this worked the best. Some of the things we thought about:

1. How do we want to use our space? We still have teenagers at home so needed more space than those without would need. But even looking ahead, DH and I each want our own office (for our computer use) and so something below about 2500 SF wouldn't work for us. Can you do everything you want with the smaller space?

2. Which house is easier for upkeep? We sold a 4500 SF 2 story house. Now we have a 3000 SF on one story. That is a lot less upkeep. Not having stairs is so, so, so nice. You don't mention on the houses you are looking at if they have stairs or not.

3. How far away is a hospital. I absolutely wanted to have a hospital within 30 minutes. While I hope to not need it that urgently you never know.

4. How far away are other amenities? I hate that I am 20 minutes away from a grocery store I don't like and 25 minutes away from the one I do like. So we have to drive more than I would like. Overall, I'm OK with it.

5. I decided not to worry about what would happen in really old age if DH and I couldn't drive. At our age that is probably 20 years ago (sure it could happen sooner but I'm just basing on what I've seen with other relatives). At that point, I probably want to be closer in with better non-car transportation options or at least close to a taxi. However, that time isn't now and probably won't be for many years. So we decided not to buy based upon that. We can always sell and move later on

6. Based upon 5 - resale value is important.
lafdr
11 years ago
I am having a similar dilemma. Though I am trying to downsize from my one acre. More land, that is lower maintenance would be great and private. My current acre is high maintenace with lawns, fruit trees, and many deciduous trees that dump literally a ton of leaves in the fall. I am ready for less yard and a view. Who do you want to be closest to? If you need conveniences of town daily, metro area is good. If not, privacy is a plus. Is it safer to drive in the more rural area? traffic in town may make a shorter drive as long. I agree resale is a factor, as well as if you can imagine it being a forever home versus a now home. I would visit both several times at different times of day if possible to get a better feel. Good luck!

house with a view vs. house in a cozy neighborhood

Comments (5)

melody-s

jimandanne_mi

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brickeyee

kats_meow

lafdr

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