Poll: What's your retirement house size?

[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]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingfooted 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]

[QUOTE=OrcasIslandBound;1677078]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]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrcasIslandBound 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...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...ar/pikes-peak/

2) Santa Barbara -1900 sq.ft (can be reduced to 1800sq) - $181K (has garage, 1 storey)
http://www.schumacherhomes.com/house...nta-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...'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...ar/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.

[cyber888]

Thanks W2R, the builder claims that Santa Barbara is their most popular floor plan. I would not need the 11 x 11 flexi-room, so could cut that room out. They said they could customize everything. That would save me about $11K.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

[karen1972]

I also love the Santa Barbara, but wish the owners suite was configured more like Pikes Peak..better closet and bathroom layout... then it would be perfect and I require a large shower as a must. I prefer my master on the opposite side of the house to the other bedrooms, I also like the way the kitchen is open to everything and if your getting rid of your flex room you can expand the kitchen and add cabinets.. win/win I also like dining area right next to the windows as I love to sit and soak up the sun in the morning, sipping coffee, overlooking my beautiful garden and the little critters enjoying it.

[Moemg]

I also vote for Santa Barbara . I would keep the flex room . It could be a small den or an exercise room.

[Fishingmn]

I like the Santa Barbara too.

My biggest problem is that I'm not sure that there's enough kitchen storage for what I would want. I cook a lot so have lots of food basics and cooking accessories. If you don't want the flex room maybe make a pantry behind where the fridge is on the plan and extend the front porch all the way across where the rest of the flex room is.

My other issue is the garage size. 21 x 20 would be fine for 1 car but that's really tight if you have 2. I have all my tools out there plus there's not really other storage space in this plan. Add in things like bikes and all the xmas stuff and there's no place to put it all (unless you just park in the driveway).

[Gone4Good]

Immediately after I left work we moved into a 35' motor home that may have had something like 275 sqf of living space. We've since downsized again and live in hotel rooms as small as 100 sqf but also rent apartments sometimes that might be as large as 1,000 sqf.

All of our stuff, though, has to fit in a couple of bags that we carry everywhere; each of which has the storage capacity of a 13 inch square box.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gone4Good All of our stuff, though, has to fit in a couple of bags that we carry everywhere; each of which has the storage capacity of a 13 inch square box.

Wow! Impressive. I don't even think that 13" square box would be big enough to hold my winter coat, much less the rest of my clothes, bedding, and other possessions.

[ABQ2015]

I agree with the Santa Barbara with no flex room (to reduce price) because it has a garage and the master bedroom is in the back of the house for more privacy. Fishingmn, there is a pantry next to the flex room. I assume removing the flex room would not remove the pantry.

Given that you are on a budget, I don't see the need for 3 bedrooms and an office or flex room. The Blueridge has a garage but too many extra rooms and that huge laundry room that drive up the price. Also I don't like that funky long rectangular hallway in the middle of the house. Eagles Nest is just too small and no garage. Cedar Spring has no garage either and I can't tell which is the front and the back of the home. There is a foyer on one side and a porch on the other. I like the kitchen and master bedroom toward the back of the house and cannot tell where it is located on that model.

[LitGal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gone4Good Immediately after I left work we moved into a 35' motor home that may have had something like 275 sqf of living space. We've since downsized again and live in hotel rooms as small as 100 sqf but also rent apartments sometimes that might be as large as 1,000 sqf. All of our stuff, though, has to fit in a couple of bags that we carry everywhere; each of which has the storage capacity of a 13 inch square box.

Wow! You are certainly an inspiration to those of us who are in the throes of downsizing. While I am priding myself in purging 3,000 sq. ft., to move into 1,700 sq. ft, you make it clear that one can still "get by" with far less.

So far, it has felt so good to get rid of stuff. Might it feel better to get rid of even more? Time for another trip to Salvation Army......... We'll see.

[Bamaman]

We currently live in 3,300 square feet backing up to a wooded ravine, 100 acre wilderness. We downsized 13 years ago after having two 4,000 square foot houses in major southern cities.

My wife was getting bored after being here 13 years, and started looking at foreclosed houses. We low balled Suntrust on a very large estate house 1/2 mile from us, but they wouldn't deal. Last week, a local credit union took our cash offer on 5,000 square feet--5 bedrooms and 5 full baths with 2 double car garages in a very exclusive neighborhood. The man cave downstairs is truly impressive--25' by 40' with a 10' ceiling.

If we choose to sell the house within 2 years, $100K profits would be expected. Now I've got to put my current home on the retail market to replace the cash I paid out on the new house.

We also have a 1800 square foot lake house that's worth far more than our new big house cost. It's the waterfront property that's so expensive in this retail market. And it's not bad having 2 Robert Trent Jones 18 hole golf courses on our street.

[Gone4Good]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Wow! Impressive. I don't even think that 13" square box would be big enough to hold my winter coat, much less the rest of my clothes, bedding, and other possessions.

Winter coats are tough . . . that's why I'm spending this winter in Mexico, last winter in South East Asia, and next winter in Australia, New Zealand, & Hawaii.

I do carry a down jacket that compresses to the size of a melon, though. That and a fleece constitutes my winter wardrobe.