Poll: What's your retirement house size?

[FIREd]

Ideally, our retirement home would be 1,500 sf with 3 bedrooms. We owned 2,000+ sf houses with 4 bedrooms, they were to big for us. And we rented 1,000 sf apartments with 2 bedrooms and those were a bit too small.

 

[kcowan]

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

 

[inmygardn]

Ours is 2600 sf. Use about 1/2 of it except when we have visitors but bought it for the property so we could garden.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[DrRoy]

Plan to RE in 1.5 yrs and will stay in current 2600 ft2. It is more room than we have to have but have remodeled a couple rooms, new roof and furnace, like the basement shop area, low cost to maintain, low utilities for size. If we relocated would probably build somewhat smaller just due to cost.

 

[Nodak]

I have been looking at a modfication to my house as I get older. Right now my laundry room is in the basement and I am thinking it should be moved to the main floor. My house is a two bedroom with one large master bedroom and a small 8X10 second bedroom. The small bedroom is next to the only bathroom and I am thinking about moving the laundry into that bedroom.

 

[aja8888]

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

BIL did just that when he retired from Shell Oil. Bought a 5,000 square foot palace for him and DW expecting the 4 kids and grand-kids to visit frequently. That worked for a couple of years then the kids did not want to travel 1,000's of miles to visit.

So now they sit in this monster of a house and won't sell because smaller places won't fit all their belongings. So to visit the children, they have to fly to their places, all of which are not close (Ca, KCMO,Hawaii,).

 

[Music Lover]

So now they sit in this monster of a house and won't sell because smaller places won't fit all their belongings. So to visit the children, they have to fly to their places, all of which are not close (Ca, KCMO,Hawaii,).

It always boggles my mind how much people will spend to store an excess of belongings...most of which they probably don't even need. A co-worker and her husband (kids all gone) moved from a 2000 sq. ft. house to a 3500 sq. ft. house because "we have too much stuff".

I thought to myself "Wow...you just spent $100k for a storage locker"

 

[W2R]

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 have seen this happen, and also I have seen people buy a house with a huge yard for their dogs or dogs they are thinking of buying - - and when the dogs die or don't get bought, they don't want any more dogs. They are then saddled with taking care of a huge yard that they really don't want or need, either for the rest of their lives or until they move once again.

 

[W2R]

It always boggles my mind how much people will spend to store an excess of belongings...most of which they probably don't even need. A co-worker and her husband (kids all gone) moved from a 2000 sq. ft. house to a 3500 sq. ft. house because "we have too much stuff".

I thought to myself "Wow...you just spent $100k for a storage locker"

I don't know if others have the same experience, but when I downsized to move I found that much of what I was getting rid of was either:

1) Stuff that I would never use but "might be good for something someday"
2) Stuff that I would never use but "is worth a lot"
3) Stuff that I would never use but could be useful if I ever got around to fixing it
4) Stuff that I would never use and is outright trash

Much of my storage space is filled with trash. I don't THINK of it as trash, but:

What do you call a really pretty and tasteful magazine rack in the house of someone who never buys or subscribes to magazines any more? Yeah, trash... (I had one and donated it to Good Will when downsizing.)

What do you call a police scanner that used to be fun but just isn't fun any more? Yeah, trash.... (I had one and sold it).

What do you call clothes that haven't fit you for 20 years? Yeah, trash... (more for Good Will)

What do you call five shelves of old college class notes that you are keeping for nostalgia? Yeah, trash... I hadn't looked at them in decades, so for nostalgia purposes I kept notes from two or three favorite classes and the rest went to the dump.

If I had a larger house, it would just fill up with trash of this type.

 

[Music Lover]

1) Stuff that I would never use but "might be good for something someday"
2) Stuff that I would never use but "is worth a lot"
3) Stuff that I would never use but could be useful if I ever got around to fixing it
4) Stuff that I would never use and is outright trash

A good tip I heard for de-cluttering is to imagine it's not yours, but an item at a garage sale...would you buy it? If not, get rid of it.

 

[Walt34]

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

An older half-sister and her DH did that. They moved to FL and bought (from the photos) a lovely house with plenty of room for visitors, expecting their kids to visit often. Trouble was, their kids were all in the middle of launching careers and/or marriages and didn't have either the time off work or money to travel to FL. After about five or seven years of that and surviving hurricane Andrew (little damage, but it was close) they moved back to VA.

 

[LitGal]

Voted for the second option, since I recently bought a condo that's about 1700 sq. ft. Am still fixing it up; will then move there gradually and finish fixing up the "family homestead" where we have been the past 20 years. (Will then put that on the market.) This house is about 3,000 sq., brought much joy to our family, and was great during our first 3 years of retirement. But after DH passed away in Jan. '15, I've continued our downsizing "purge" and enjoyed shopping for condos. The one I bought is in a perfect location, only 15 years old, has an excellent HOA track record and reserve fund, and has HOA fees of $213/mo. Plus, this move will cut my property taxes by over 60%. Once the move is done in '16, it will be fun to reallocate the former tax $ to travel $!

 

[kcowan]

An older half-sister and her DH did that. They moved to FL and bought (from the photos) a lovely house with plenty of room for visitors, expecting their kids to visit often...

We see it replayed in House Hunters International. Gotta have 3 BR and a big DR. We just shake our heads and say: "Just wait and see!"

Many of our retired friends are in houses that are now way too big. They always have lame excuses for not taking action. One the the most common excuses is "We have the extra space, why not use it?"

We say get rid of stuff that you have not looked at in a year, and then you will be in a position to downsize if you want to.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I only need a trailer and a shed. DW has other ideas.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[UpAnchor]

We see it replayed in House Hunters International. Gotta have 3 BR and a big DR. We just shake our heads and say: "Just wait and see!"

I've thought exactly the same when seeing this take place on HHI. It's tough enough to get family to visit once they've relocated to another part of the US. One can easily picture how this is likely to play out once international travel is involved.

 

[Ronnieboy]

What do you call five shelves of old college class notes that you are keeping for nostalgia? Yeah, trash... I hadn't looked at them in decades, so for nostalgia purposes I kept notes from two or three favorite classes and the rest went to the dump.

I have the same thing! Boxes of old notes and textbooks from the college days. I think that one day I might take a look at it again, but I believe I have moved with the same boxes twice and not looked at it. Second problem is that with the changes in my field the data/information is or would be out-dated by now....this year will mark 20 years from graduation

 

[Badger]

I have the same thing! Boxes of old notes and textbooks from the college days. I think that one day I might take a look at it again, but I believe I have moved with the same boxes twice and not looked at it. Second problem is that with the changes in my field the data/information is or would be out-dated by now....this year will mark 20 years from graduation

Sometimes I wonder if I am not keeping some of these things from the past because I am afraid there is not as much time left for any of the same experiences.

Cheers!

 

[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'. Downsizing for retirement would mean keeping about the same as what we currently have in Texas.

So the retirement plan is to build the dream house on 160 riverfront acres in Oregon.

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. My dream was always to have a timber frame house with a tower room and DW's was to have a trophy kitchen. So our dream is just coming at a later stage than most.

 

[kcowan]

I've thought exactly the same when seeing this take place on HHI. It's tough enough to get family to visit once they've relocated to another part of the US. One can easily picture how this is likely to play out once international travel is involved.

We have friends who have a huge home (childless couple) in Vancouver. We said "Why would you build such a large house?" They said that their parents from Charlottesville and their in-laws from Toronto would want to visit. (Big enough to be there at the same time!)

Well they did both visit once separately. So our friends turned it into a B&B. Now 45 years later, they are saddled with all kinds of baggage. For us it is sad because they have to limit their annual visit to PV to get home to manage the business. All B&Bs eventually get sold at a discount.

 

[REWahoo]

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'. Downsizing for retirement would mean keeping about the same as what we currently have in Texas.

So the retirement plan is to build the dream house on 160 riverfront acres in Oregon.

Wow.

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

 

[folivier]

We're enjoying our house size at 1780 sqft. with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and an office.
For a few years we thought about buying a cabin in the mountains and the kids could take their summer vacations there with us. Finally realized they won't want to drive/fly 1200 miles and spend their only vacations there with us each year. So we are currently thinking of either a lake house/condo or hunting property about 1 hour drive from each of us. It'll give me a get away place and them a weekend place easy to get to.

 

[wingfooted]

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

Why do you say that ? As with any task, its just a matter of having the proper tool.

One of the 'joys' of having a farm - you get to justify having more toys than you ever could of imagined when you were playing in the sandbox at age 5.

 

[Looking4Ward]

One of the 'joys' of having a farm - you get to justify having more toys than you ever could of imagined when you were playing in the sandbox at age 5.

LOL! I had lakefront acreage for 10+ years and that's exactly how I rationalized my purchases and rentals of such things as a front-end loader, concrete mixers, golf cart and Yahama mule, a wealth of power and specialty tools, etc.....

 

[athena53]

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

My parents did it right- they retired to Myrtle Beach but paid cash for a modest 3 BR house. My 4 siblings and I do visit, but rarely at the same time and DH and I prefer to have our own space in a nearby hotel.

A few months ago Mom and Dad managed to house my brother, SIL, my nephew and his wife, and their 3-year old twin girls for a few days. My brother and SIL are great guests, though; my brother fixes anything that's broken and SIL has been known to do the cooking and weed gardens for her hosts.

Last month, DH and I visited Mom and Dad, and and DS and DDIL and their 19-month old were flying in from their city. The plan had been for them to stay with my parents for 2 days before we arrived, then move to the hotel with us. They spent one night in the hotel (with a balcony on the ocean, mind you) and decided to go back to staying with Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad were thrilled. It warmed my heart even though DH and I had to eat the cost of the unused hotel room because it was too late to cancel.

Sometimes the big house isn't all that important.

 

[Danmar]

So we are currently thinking of either a lake house/condo or hunting property about 1 hour drive from each of us. It'll give me a get away place and them a weekend place easy to get to.

This is what we did. Lake house a couple hours from Toronto, where our daughter lives. Family time there is wonderful. Hopefully any grandkids will really enjoy it as well. Helps to be accessible or won't be used much, so no islands.