house with just one-car garage

[ksr]

My last house had a one-car garage and it did make it tougher to sell. My realtor told me that when the house was on the market one couple pulled up, took one look, and decided not to even go inside due to the one-car garage.

The house did sell eventually, of course.

 

[street]

Homes that sell best are 3 stall garage homes. Garages in my area are a huge selling factor, when homes go on market.

 

[Music Lover]

We have always stored our cars in our garages unless we were doing a project of some sort...and every house we have ever owned has had garage. I've noticed that not parking a car in the garage is much more prevalent in the south and southwest than in the north.

All it takes is spending one winter scraping ice off the windshield for most people to start parking in the garage.

 

[Amethyst]

At first, I felt like we were really Blowing Dough when we had the mini-split installed in our garage. Then I learned how common it is around here. You step into your car at 76 degrees or whatever, instead of a combination bake-oven/sauna, which is what a car turns into in the parking lot (or driveway) 7 months out of the year.

I would think that in the south and southwest one would want to avoid that sun and strong UVr ays, They do a number on car seals, plastics,paint etc

 

[momoftwo]

Very area/neighborhood specific.

Northern NJ, 30+ years in a small city with beautuful eclectic older homes.
We had a detached one car garage that stored our bikes, mowers, tools, kids toys.
We also had a full basement.

Most neighbors had similar. A very few had one car attached. Some had shared driveways, NO garages.
Homes in this neighborhood are selling for $500-700T today.

We retired to a nearby lake community. Many older small homes, even lakefront, rare garages.
Some new McMansions that squeezed in one/two car garages.

We bought our 100yr old cottage with no garage and a single width gravel driveway. First thing we did was widen and pave the driveway. It easily accomodates 4 cars. We have two.
Low crime area, we have no concern for vandalism. Admit clearing snow off cars is a pain.
Our large basement with walkout works well for hobbies/storage/workshop.

I think its really needs dependent.
We love watching sunset over the lake from our back deck. We enjoy that more than we would a garage.

 

[RobbieB]

Here in CA you can leave the cars in the driveway. They're not going to freeze in winter and you won't have to dig them out of the snowdrift and they're waterproof when it rains.

I've got the motorcycles in the garage. They don't like the rain. Seats get wet and soak through your pants when you ride.

 

[MichaelB]

Interesting. It never occurred to me that people put their cars in a garage. Garages are for storage and workshops. I thought "1 car, 2 car", etc was just a strange measurement unit like an Amp or a cubit or something. The things I learn on this site.

Also, 2.5 cars, the “0.5” referring to a golf cart.

We have always stored our cars in our garages unless we were doing a project of some sort...and every house we have ever owned has had garage. I've noticed that not parking a car in the garage is much more prevalent in the south and southwest than in the north.

Yeah, in the northern parts of the country many homes have basements, which offer lots of storage space. In Florida basements are not common, and people need a place to store all their stuff. So, car in the driveway, stuff in the garage.

 

[Aerides]

It really depends on the location/neighborhood, and the target market.

A SFH 3-4/2 home with a 1 car garage is not the norm and would be a harder sell in an area where most homes were built after say 1975. But in the older neighborhoods, built in the 60's, a lot have just a 1 car, or a carport, and the 1 cars are often converted carports.

Townhomes? A 1 car garage is the nice, many have none, and a 2-car would be a major upgrade and a higher end townhome community, the kind that outprice SFHs next door.

We have a 2-car, but only ever have one car in it, and the other half is my gym. And it's barely a 2 car. You couldn't put two dodge ram quad cabs in it.

3 car garages for SFH's only come with majorly upgraded square footage or luxury homes down in S. Fla. You aren't going to find those in your typical 2000 sf home.

But a lot of people convert their garages to extra living spaces as well. A den or extra bedroom, since we can't do basements here. People like options and flexibility over most anything else.

I'd rather an extra bedroom than a bigger garage personally.

 

[NW-Bound]

At first, I felt like we were really Blowing Dough when we had the mini-split installed in our garage. Then I learned how common it is around here. You step into your car at 76 degrees or whatever, instead of a combination bake-oven/sauna, which is what a car turns into in the parking lot (or driveway) 7 months out of the year.

Start driving the car at 76F? That's downright luxurious.

By parking my car in the uncooled garage, I can start driving with the car at 110F which is way, way better than 150F if it were outside on the driveway baking under the sun all day.

Where I am, if you have black leather seats and don't cover them up, they will get so hot if hit by the sun ray that the seat burns your bum and thighs. And that's not an exaggeration.

The steering wheel could be so hot that you start driving with gingerly holding it with two fingers. Thank goodness for power steering.

 

[Amethyst]

I lived in south Florida when I was a teen and young adult. Learned to put a white towel on the steering wheel when leaving the car, then switch the towel quickly to the car seat before sitting down, or face unpleasant consequences to my thighs in shorts. No matter what the interior car color was.

Another practice is to open the car windows immediately on starting the car, and drive a short distance to blow the hot air out of the cabin, before turning on the car a/c. I can watch the car's interior temp gauge drop 10 degrees in just a few seconds by doing this.

Cars sold here, typically have lighter-colored interiors. But they still get darned hot.

Oh, and always always have a filled bottle of water in the car, and put it under the seat to keep it from getting too hot to drink. That probably wouldn't work in your area, though. What do you do to keep dehydration at bay when you are out and about?

Where I am, if you have black leather seats and don't cover them up, they will get so hot if hit by the sun ray that the seat burns your bum and thighs. And that's not an exaggeration.

The steering wheel could be so hot that you start driving with gingerly holding it with two fingers. Thank goodness for power steering.

 

[Yipper]

Umm, for some people, "experiences" require "stuff".

Some people like the experience of camping, some like the experience of making things from wood (and the experience of giving them as gifts). These experiences require the "stuff" to do them. DW likes to decorate for the holidays, it's part of the "experience" for her. So we need to store her stuff too.

When we were house shopping, we did a lot of "process of elimination" on-line, we later looked a very similar model to what we bought, and it had a two car garage. I am so happy we lost the bid, and ended up with a three car garage. I like what we do with our stuff.

Can you see how others might think about this?


To the OP: This is a kind of a "how long is a string?" question. Do you have a car? Or are you asking about resale value? Well, to the extent a one car garage hurts value, then you should get it cheap. Could be a wash. What do you want?

-ERD50

Listen, I respect your point of view but have to disagree... stuff != experiences. I've been all over the world - no other culture I've visited has this need for 2 and 3 car garages PLUS a public storage unit, basement and/or attic crammed with boxes...

I have several friends/family who had the "woodworking phase" with a garage full of top-end tools... then they did the "Harley" phase with twin bikes and all the gear... then the "boating" phase with, yes - MULTIPLE boats and all the electronic gizmos... none if it seems to last more than a year or so then it's on the next thing.

It's a consumption-driven society that's fundamentally unsustainable. How that's not clear to most of my fellow USA citizens is sad. I shed so much of my 'stuff' in the last three years and it's amazing - such a great feeling of freedom. I think many are simply afraid and have lived in the world of accumulation so long they know no other way.

 

[Amethyst]

Many, no doubt. And, in the end, with dementia the fate of those who insist on extending our lives beyond what Nature probably intended, people forget what they used to do and why they even have all that stuff.

But before that sad fate....gimme my stuff and experiences. I want it all! P.S. I have had the same hobbies and interests for decades. Some of them, since childhood! Not everyone is fickle, or goes through "phases."

I think many are simply afraid and have lived in the world of accumulation so long they know no other way.

 

[Aerides]

^ But generally, I don't think the crowd here at er.org is the whole "stuff the garage, stuff the basement, stuff a storage unit" gang. You don't get to LBYM by doing all that.

Do some of us have some stuff? Sure. But wanting a decent sized garage isn't driven primarily by a need for storage - not for many. Largely, we're a pragmatic bunch and are considering resale value.

Other practicalities: I live in FL with no basement, so yeah there's some stuff in storage in my garage:

Christmas Tree/ornaments, which you can pry out of my cold dead hands, and lend themselves to a very enjoying annual experience
Yard equipment for gardening, also a hobby on which I spend a lot of time
Some household tools for minor projects/repairs
Gym equipment, which I use frequently as I've sworn off public gyms for now
And I need space for hurricanes, when the patio furniture, which I enjoy with great regularity, needs to be brought inside lest it become a projectile.

So, for some, a need for space might be driven by a need for storage, but sometimes, it's just for the space and potential for eventual buyers.

 

[ERD50]

Listen, I respect your point of view but have to disagree... stuff != experiences. ....

I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with, or what your point is. If someone enjoys the experience of woodworking, or playing a grand piano, they need the space for that "stuff" to have that experience. How is it possible to disagree with that? Pantomime wood working just isn't the same. Telling your friends "Here's a cabinet I made for you, of course, I don't have a workshop, you'll just need to imagine what a nice job I did.", just isn't the same, is it?

... I've been all over the world - no other culture I've visited has this need for 2 and 3 car garages PLUS a public storage unit, basement and/or attic crammed with boxes...

So? Just as many of us got to early retirement by not being "keep up with the Jones's" types, most of us don't decide what we want based on what others may or may not do.

About 29% of the world doesn't have access to clean water. Should we reject our sanitary water systems because of that? Of course not.

... I have several friends/family who had the "woodworking phase" with a garage full of top-end tools... then they did the "Harley" phase with twin bikes and all the gear... then the "boating" phase with, yes - MULTIPLE boats and all the electronic gizmos... none if it seems to last more than a year or so then it's on the next thing. ...

So? Maybe they get enjoyment from the experience of doing a deep dive into something, and after learning what that's about, decide they want to move on to something else.

Why are you so judgemental?

Now I will admit, in some cases I think this is because these people are "lost", and seeking something from outside themselves when maybe they should be looking within. And/or, maybe just trying to impress people with all their "stuff". Fine, who cares?

... It's a consumption-driven society that's fundamentally unsustainable. How that's not clear to most of my fellow USA citizens is sad. I shed so much of my 'stuff' in the last three years and it's amazing - such a great feeling of freedom. I think many are simply afraid and have lived in the world of accumulation so long they know no other way.

And I think you are painting with a broad brush, and making a lot of bad assumptions and judgements, and it all comes across as oh-so sanctimonious. And I see that as far sadder than someone using some garage space to enjoy a hobby that they share with others.

Where do you store that high horse of yours?

-ERD50

 

[Yipper]

Where do you store that high horse of yours?

-ERD50

Such a friendly community here. Listen, my opinion isn't invalid - the OP was worried about the consequences of a 1 car garage... which just seems less important to me and I'm trying to share a different point of view. Having a house with a 1-car garage is a luxury but something I don't need... many don't need it. The majority of responses seemed to indicate the OP needed 2-3 car garage to function.

Evaluate the simpler life... it's amazing.

Sorry for preaching my opinion. I guess we're all just so attached to accumulating we need hundreds of square feet of storage. YMMV.

 

[Music Lover]

Listen, I respect your point of view but have to disagree... stuff != experiences. I've been all over the world - no other culture I've visited has this need for 2 and 3 car garages PLUS a public storage unit, basement and/or attic crammed with boxes...

I have several friends/family who had the "woodworking phase" with a garage full of top-end tools... then they did the "Harley" phase with twin bikes and all the gear... then the "boating" phase with, yes - MULTIPLE boats and all the electronic gizmos... none if it seems to last more than a year or so then it's on the next thing.

It's a consumption-driven society that's fundamentally unsustainable. How that's not clear to most of my fellow USA citizens is sad. I shed so much of my 'stuff' in the last three years and it's amazing - such a great feeling of freedom. I think many are simply afraid and have lived in the world of accumulation so long they know no other way.

Maybe the people you know have garages full of stuff they don't use, but don't paint all of us with the same brush. In the last 3 years alone I have saved an estimated $50,000 (not an exaggeration) in labour costs by doing my own renovations. But that requires tools that are stored in the garage because they take up space...air compressor, miter saw, table saw, drills, reciprocating saw, etc. And then there is the lumber, fasteners, screws, etc.

I also play music (currently in 3 bands) but that also requires stuff. I have guitars, basses, keyboards, amplifiers, a PA, etc. All of it gets used but it also takes up space. Parties around the firepit become singalongs when the acoustic guitars and other instruments come out. Great experiences that wouldn't exist without having "stuff".

 

[RunningBum]

Such a friendly community here. Listen, my opinion isn't invalid - the OP was worried about the consequences of a 1 car garage... which just seems less important to me and I'm trying to share a different point of view. Having a house with a 1-car garage is a luxury but something I don't need... many don't need it. The majority of responses seemed to indicate the OP needed 2-3 car garage to function.

Evaluate the simpler life... it's amazing.

Sorry for preaching my opinion. I guess we're all just so attached to accumulating we need hundreds of square feet of storage. YMMV.

OP seems mostly concerned with resale value of a house with single car garage. Railing on him about "stuff" doesn't help if the majority of potential buyers down the line won't even look at it.

 

[ERD50]

Such a friendly community here. Listen, my opinion isn't invalid - the OP was worried about the consequences of a 1 car garage... which just seems less important to me and I'm trying to share a different point of view. Having a house with a 1-car garage is a luxury but something I don't need... many don't need it. The majority of responses seemed to indicate the OP needed 2-3 car garage to function.

Evaluate the simpler life... it's amazing.

Sorry for preaching my opinion. I guess we're all just so attached to accumulating we need hundreds of square feet of storage. YMMV.

Your opinion is just fine. But it isn't very helpful to the OP.

Most people are going to want a 2 or 3 car garage, so it is something to consider in terms of resale value.

I'm not telling you you should take up a hobby that requires space. If you are happy w/o stuff, that's fine by me. But you don't stop there, you go on to preach to us that your way is better and we must be blind/stupid to not see it.

It's different. You can enjoy your way, I'll enjoy mine. There's room for both.

-ERD50

 

[Yipper]

Maybe the people you know have garages full of stuff they don't use, but don't paint all of us with the same brush. In the last 3 years alone I have saved an estimated $50,000 (not an exaggeration) in labour costs by doing my own renovations. But that requires tools that are stored in the garage because they take up space...air compressor, miter saw, table saw, drills, reciprocating saw, etc. And then there is the lumber, fasteners, screws, etc.

I also play music (currently in 3 bands) but that also requires stuff. I have guitars, basses, keyboards, amplifiers, a PA, etc. All of it gets used but it also takes up space. Parties around the firepit become singalongs when the acoustic guitars and other instruments come out. Great experiences that wouldn't exist without having "stuff".

Clearly it works for you... sorry if the way I shared my opinion annoyed some of you. I tried to share a different opinion of "less is more" in this forum and I think this group understands the concept but my delivery was subpar.

Less "stuff" = more freedom to do other things.

Enjoy your choices... I will enjoy mine.

 

[Yipper]

Your opinion is just fine. But it isn't very helpful to the OP.

Most people are going to want a 2 or 3 car garage, so it is something to consider in terms of resale value.

I'm not telling you you should take up a hobby that requires space. If you are happy w/o stuff, that's fine by me. But you don't stop there, you go on to preach to us that your way is better and we must be blind/stupid to not see it.

It's different. You can enjoy your way, I'll enjoy mine. There's room for both.

-ERD50

I'm sorry but I think my opinion *IS* helpful to the OP. The message here is to think independently. If a 1-car garage works for the OP, why wouldn't it work for a future buyer? I went from a 2-car garage to a no-car garage... it's working and my house went up 52% in the 5 years I've owned it... clearly lots of variables there but if the OP was considering a 1-car garage, it must have met their 'space' needs.

I think another opinion is helpful here... even if it doesn't meet YOUR requirements of 2-3 car garage.

 

[Dtail]

OP seems mostly concerned with resale value of a house with single car garage. Railing on him about "stuff" doesn't help if the majority of potential buyers down the line won't even look at it.

Yup the resale value can't be ignored and many folks looking for a SFH typically want more than a 1 car garage, irrespective of what they use it for.

 

[yhoomajor]

Here in the Southwest, sun literally eats paint off of your car if its parked outside. This is quite common:

https://ronscompleteautobody.com/how-to-protect-your-vehicle-from-sun-damage/

I think 2-car garage is very convenient to many of us who like to work with tools and not worry about debris cleanup right away. I can always clean it up next week or week after.

 

[athena53]

Clearly it works for you... sorry if the way I shared my opinion annoyed some of you. I tried to share a different opinion of "less is more" in this forum and I think this group understands the concept but my delivery was subpar.

Less "stuff" = more freedom to do other things.

Enjoy your choices... I will enjoy mine.

I have a neighbor who makes his living renting out storage units he owns. He drives a BMW and owns a fancy motorcycle as well. Their daughter is an Olympic figure skater wannabe and they follow her all over the place to contests. Lucrative business.

 

[JP.mpls]

I've always had a two car garage at my 1925 era city house.
My recently purchased Florida townhome has a single car garage with additional outside community parking very close.
I park outside, and use the garage for storage and as a workshop. It will also allow me the option of leaving a car there, and flying down if I decide to do that in the future.
Seems to work out fine.
Take care,. JP

 

[Music Lover]

Clearly it works for you... sorry if the way I shared my opinion annoyed some of you. I tried to share a different opinion of "less is more" in this forum and I think this group understands the concept but my delivery was subpar.

Less "stuff" = more freedom to do other things.

Enjoy your choices... I will enjoy mine.

We all understand less is more. Your issue is that you refuse to believe that some hobbies or experiences require that you own some stuff.