Poll: What's your retirement house size?

[Danmar]

I wonder how many people buy too big because of expected visitors and then find too few visitors to justify all that extra space?

I think this is pretty common. But hasn't been our experience in Arizona. Multiple visitors every winter. House has been full several times and it's a fairly big house. Has a charming "Casita" out by the pool that is perfect for guests. They have their own self contained little house so we don't have to see them first thing in the morning. Hard part is enforcing the "4 night maximum" rule.

 

[aja8888]

Wow.

Cleaning those windows isn't going to be an easy DIY job.

Ad cutting all that grass, unless they put in artificial turf like a neighbor did!

 

[HFWR]

I can't afford a second home, and I'm not sure I'd want the headache, so my 1650sf "ranch" is my retirement home.

I do plan to use something like VRBO to explore other areas, and may someday downsize to something more turnkey, but one home is it...

 

[REWahoo]

Ad cutting all that grass, unless they put in artificial turf like a neighbor did!

Yep, although in my area there is another "natural" alternative...

 

[LakeRat1]

Originally we had a custom built a home back in 1999 while we were still working raising our family 5.5 acres, 3800 sqft home, with a 40x80 Toy Shed/Man Cave.

2009 Kids are all moved out, we had purchased a 2 bedroom 2 bath condo 850 sqft at Lake of the Ozarks and used this during the summers on weekends.

2011 We decided it was time to make plans to downsize and retire within 3 to 5 years. Sold our large home and purchased a 1400 sqft home in town, thinking our son would purchase this house once we did finally retire.... (He changed his mind and did not want the house after 18 months)

2013 sold the 1500 sqft home in town, moved full time to the lake in the 850 sqft condo. DW retired in 11/13.

Quickly realized living at the lake in a 850 sqft condo was just to small. Purchased a 1550 sqft Condo in May of 2014, sold the smaller Condo in June of 2015, I retired in January of 2015

After spending one winter at the lake, we decided nothing was keeping us from SW Florida, so we purchased a retirement PM home in a 55+ community in Fort Myers

We had planned the down sizing and it took us 5 years to accomplish this, we found 1500 sqft to work well for our condo at the lake, 3 bedroom, 2 baths, garage..... room for the kids and friends when they visit ........

Our Fort Myers home is now our primary residence due to taxes, sun, and it is just so much nicer during the winter. We have 800 sqft, 1 bed, 1.5 baths......it is great for the two of us, we have a pull out bed and futon for the kids and guests

It was amazing how much "STUFF" we had accumulated over 40 years, it took a bit to down size, but we did it over 5 years and 5 moves ..... It has been an adventure the past couple of years ......

 

[NW-Bound]

At what point does maintain your toys become work?

About one's idea of a dream home, here's mine: a roundhouse for a 360-degree view on a suitable waterfront lot in the Puget Sound. Not too large. About 2000 sq.ft. of bliss.

My 2nd home in the high-country of AZ has only a 180-degree view from a high point, and of the forest while my preference is water. That had to do, because my pocket is not that deep, and I wanted to ER.

 

[W2R]

I can't afford a second home, and I'm not sure I'd want the headache, so my 1650sf "ranch" is my retirement home.

I do plan to use something like VRBO to explore other areas, and may someday downsize to something more turnkey, but one home is it...

Keeping up with one home is enough for me in retirement, too. I just don't want any extra chores or maintenance to deal with, and then there's the property tax.

Good idea to stay put for now. One nice thing about retirement that you have probably already discovered, is that there are no deadlines.

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

wingfooted, where's the garage? That was always my dream, to have a 10 car garage or something like that.

Our house is either 1700 sq ft or 1680 sq feet. One in WA, the other in CA. We'll move into the one in WA and then decide which is the right place for us and sell the other in a few years. The one in WA doesn't have a garage at all, so I'm trying to figure out how to afford to build one. It will likely only be a two car even though my dream is a 10 car.

 

[LakeRat1]

Really do love our lake view from our condo

 

[sugarcubesea]

We live in 2,300 space now and we will downsize to 1,000 to 1,300 in retirement.

 

[Amethyst]

Where do people find new small, quality-built houses in good neighborhoods and climates? Around here, all new houses are either enormous, or they are townhouses.

 

[NW-Bound]

In nice and desirable locations, I see plenty of nice small homes of 1,500-2,000 sq.ft. They are just not cheap, with asking price in the neighborhood of $1M. Waterfront lots on Bainbridge Island are an example. Or on Mercer Island.

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

There are houses in the PNW near the San Juan Islands that are less than $500k available.

 

[NW-Bound]

I forgot to add "waterfront with low banks" ...

 

[SJ1_]

2700 sq ft.
We pretty much use the downstairs of about 1800 sq ft
which would be perfect (along with a basement) .

 

[NW-Bound]

Same here.

I just came back down from upstairs. I am in the middle of ripping out carpet in 3 of the 5 rooms upstairs, the other two rooms already having a parquet floor. I meant to remodel the rooms ever since we became empty nesters, but only now get around to it.

We only really need the space downstairs where the master bedroom and the living space are, but have no intention of moving to another home. Changing home costs money, time, and labor. So we are trying to make better use of the upstairs, as I am going to die here anyway.

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

There was one house that I noticed today that is waterfront. However, when I used Google Earth, it looks like there is a 150 foot cliff between the house and the water. While I would be happy to be out of tsunami range, I would also be concerned about the possibility of soil subsidence that close to the house. Anyway it is $490K.

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[NW-Bound]

Yes, those houses are quite affordable and with the water view to boot, although a 150-ft ladder to the water would be too scary for me to climb. I did check to verify that 150-ft drop to the sea level. Port Angeles is a nice place to live (and I have been there too many times to recall).

As a guy with a beer budget but a champagne taste, I should give up the idea of a waterfront home on Bainbridge Island with a view of the Seattle skyline, and within a ferry ride to the Seattle downtown and the International District in case I want to get some Oriental food. Oh well, I should look into buying the lottery tickets again.

 

[Lucantes]

We have a different outlook on retirement housing. Due to overseas moves, we never really had the 'dream house' and were perpetually in a state of 'making do'. It doesnt make any financial sense, it is doubtful that we will even get the money back out when we decide that the time for rural living is over. But we can afford it and having the dream house at some point in your life is an aspiration held by many. So our dream is just coming at a later stage than most.

+1 We bought our "dream home" in 2013 because it had all the things we always wanted, and never had, and it is where we will retire to in 2017 after 20+ years overseas. It has 3 extra bedrooms for guests, water frontage with a great view, 1 block from the beach, a pool and we hope to get many years of enjoyment out of it. If at some point in time in the future it no longer works for us then we will just sell it and relocate somewhere else....no worries. To each their own.

 

[wingfooted]

wingfooted, where's the garage? That was always my dream, to have a 10 car garage or something like that.

The garage is one car over on the left side of the house. I dont like attached garages as they are energy inefficient but this was a must for DW so she can step directly from the kitchen into a semi-heated space housing her car.

For me, yes I too like a big work space too for cars, trucks, motorcycles, equipment and various projects. But this is rural farm country. There are no space or lot line constraints and we tend to talk about 'machine sheds' and not 'garages'. This is the 40' x 80' x 16' I inherited from PO. I've put in a tremendous amount of hours improvement time but it remains 'work in progress'. Wonderful place to spend the entire day with your toys.

 

[Bigdawg]

There are houses in the PNW near the San Juan Islands that are less than $500k available.

I still have a house is Poway. My sister and her BF lived in Coupeville WA. Beautiful area.

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

Wingfooted, Excellent toy shop!

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[OrcasIslandBound]

Bigdawg, Coupeville looks like just a short haul down from oakharbor. I bet your sister is a lifer there and never moves away.

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[cyber888]

I'm reviving the thread, because I found the builder in my area who can build my 1700 - 1800 sq.ft. retirement home. If you were to choose, which floorplan would you prefer ? Thanks in advance for any inputs you can provide. My budget is about $200K-$210K (house with no land). The prices below don't have any upgrades. Upgrades may cost me around $40K-$50K (to add granite to kitchen, better flooring, possibly a covered porch)

1) Cedar Spring -1900 sq.ft. (can be reduced to 1800sqft) - $164K (no garage, 1 storey)

http://www.schumacherhomes.com/house-plans/car/cedar-springs/

To visualize pictures of the inside of this floor plan, click link below ... this is a similar plan (also an A-frame house), but a bit bigger and more expensive.
http://www.schumacherhomes.com/house-plans/car/pikes-peak/

2) Santa Barbara -1900 sq.ft (can be reduced to 1800sq) - $181K (has garage, 1 storey)
http://www.schumacherhomes.com/house-plans/car/santa-barbara-a/

3) Eagle's Nest - 1610 sq.ft (can be expanded to 1700 sq.ft) - $142K (no garage, has loft)
http://www.schumacherhomes.com/house-plans/car/eagle's-nest-a/

4) Blueridge - This is a bit more than I would like to spend, and can cut about 250 sq.ft.

http://www.schumacherhomes.com/house-plans/car/blue-ridge/

Which of the 4 do you guys like

 

[W2R]

My vote is for the Santa Barbara, although I would ask them to put in a big shower instead of bathtub in the master bathroom. I love the fact that the laundry room is right next to the master suite. I don't love the fact that you wouldn't have enough left for the upgrades you might want.

The Cedar Spring and Eagles Nest don't have a garage, and I like having a garage.

The Blueridge is more than you wanted to spend, and the floor plan is not as appealing to me as the Santa Barbara's floor plan.