If You Had to Choose: Perfect Home or Perfect Yard/Neighborhood?

[Surewhitey]

We just did just this. Moved 2 streets over and got a smaller home, single level 1951 cottage. Needs updating, but very well taken care of. We went for neighborhood (been here for 3 years and DD lives one street over). We were patient and it worked out perfectly. We ended up with 3 awesome trees and manicured yard and a 2 car detached garage.

Sold and paid cash to be more competitive on our offer. Neighborhood is the best we've been a part of in our short lives.

 

[Midpack]

Neighborhood > house every time. Nothing replaces good neighbors.

You can have good and bad neighbors anywhere. No difference in established neighborhoods vs new developments? And even if you like the neighbors when you move in, when they leave you could get a bad neighbor - that's exactly what happened to us where we live now. A great neighbor was replaced by a family of lazy idiots in our established neighborhood. OTOH, you might have a bad neighbor move away to be replaced by a good one.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we're not giving who the actual neighbors are much if any weight in our decision. Only neighborhoods (roads, landscaping, proximity to amenities) vs homes (layout, finishes, potential of neighborhood).

 

[WhoDaresWins]

Definitely neighborhood for me. I don't care so very much anymore at my age (64) about style of house or finishes but a good neighborhood convenient to things I frequent is paramount. I live in a newer home (purchased 14 years ago) in an older established neighborhood surrounded by very nice neighbors. There are half a dozen women in my neighborhood that I walk with almost every day, and 2 or 3 that I socialize with on a regular basis. I am going to dinner tonight followed by an outdoor concert with my next door neighbor and a couple who live up the street. I was out of town for a week recently and this neighbor put out my trash and recycling, collected my mail and watered my potted plants.

 

[Cobra9777]

We've lived in the same quirky little Texas town since 1979. I doubt we'll ever leave unless the SHTF and we emigrate to Costa Rica. At some point around the mid 1990s, we discovered the best and most desirable neighborhood in town... large lots (2-3 acres), heavily treed with old-growth post oaks, natural creeks and ponds with ducks and geese, developed in the late 1960s, very large and interesting custom homes with a wide variety of architectural styles, very quiet with mostly older homeowners and few kids. From that point on, we looked at every single house that went up for sale in that neighborhood. There are only about 80-90 houses so it took us almost 10 years but we finally found our dream house. That was 2004.

We have definitely sunk some cash into this place. But we got a good deal upfront as the house needed lots of work. Still, the market value is only now approaching our cost. And we do some type of major remodel every year. This year it's the master bath. Next year, we'll redo the kitchen, which we initially remodeled in 2005. But still, these changes are mostly cosmetic. It's still a 1960s house... low ceilings, small-ish kitchen, formal dining and living, rusty old cast iron drain pipes, etc. Fixing or changing all that is not in the offing.

In the end, I think the neighborhood is why we stay. The house is a labor of love... bordering on money pit. We have four HVAC units, the newest of which is 22 years old, and they all leak freon. Don't get me started on drippy cast iron drain pipes. But I am a devout DIYer and enjoy the learning process. So for now, it's manageable and usually enjoyable.

We toy around with the idea of downsizing... smaller, modern, energy-efficient home. But we've been spoiled by this place and can never go back to a typical suburban setting. Our requirements are very specific and we've had zero luck finding anything remotely close to what we want and need. I'm a firm believer in neighborhood first, house second. So, we'll keep looking, but I would not be surprised if 10 years from now, I'm still posting about possible downsizing.

 

[W2R]

We've been looking for 7 years. We're not going to get the house we want, in an established neighborhood, at a price we're willing to afford. Just "settling" for the house we want will cost us double (purchase & ongoing expenses) what we've lived in for 25 years. We're not willing to pony up triple or quadruple to have it all...and that's what it would cost reno or not.

Wow, I had no idea. If I was in your position, I wouldn't want to pay triple or quadruple what your present house is worth, either. Even paying double would be awfully tough to handle, for anyone.

And not getting exactly what you want despite paying all that? That would be so distressing. You definitely have some tough decisions to make.

The community that you are moving to sounds like quite an upgrade. Whether you choose house or neighborhood, I hope everything goes smoothly and that you are happy there.

 

[aja8888]

Not to change the direction of this thread, but yesterday I met an old neighbor who still lives in the old neighborhood and we spent a few minutes taking about what's going on. He said that the old house (his), built in the early 1980's here in The Woodlands, is having plumbing issues. His house (probably like our old one) has galvanized plumbing and leaks were starting to appear in the ceilings. Now $25,000 later, it's all Pex plumbing and the house has a new coat of paint inside.

Oh, another thing he mentioned is his power panel had to be replaced as it shorted when the main breaker melted from the aluminum cable that fed it on the incoming side became heavily corroded from age. He said his house could have burned down if they weren't there when the panel about blew off the back of the house.

Just be aware of what you are buying if you go with older homes in nice neighborhoods. Some very expensive problems can happen later in the life of the home. Get a really good inspection done and look for issues beyond the obvious.

 

[Gumby]

Not to change the direction of this thread, but yesterday I met an old neighbor who still lives in the old neighborhood and we spent a few minutes taking about what's going on. He said that the old house (his), built in the early 1980's here in The Woodlands, is having plumbing issues. His house (probably like our old one) has galvanized plumbing and leaks were starting to appear in the ceilings. Now $25,000 later, it's all Pex plumbing and the house has a new coat of paint inside.

Oh, another thing he mentioned is his power panel had to be replaced as it shorted when the main breaker melted from the aluminum cable that fed it on the incoming side became heavily corroded from age. He said his house could have burned down if they weren't there when the panel about blew off the back of the house.

Just be aware of what you are buying if you go with older homes in nice neighborhoods. Some very expensive problems can happen later in the life of the home. Get a really good inspection done and look for issues beyond the obvious.

It's hard for me to think of a 30 year old house as old. Ours was built in 1857. It is certainly a money sink - in fact, we are dropping 25 grand this week to have the exterior painted and the hardwood floors refinished- but is a perfect neighborhood, downtown within easy walking distance of many restaurants and shops, the train station, the library, the hospital and my church, and, very important to us, on the water. So I guess we made our choice - definitely neighborhood.

 

[Helena]

Once the tract home contractors figured out what cheap was, a 30 year old home can easily get old fast.

In the 1980s there were a lot of sub-par tract homes being quickly built. The builder can make all the difference. My old 1960s home was custom built by a locally respected architect/builder.

As Cobra9777 mentioned, the stability of the neighborhood is also important. Some of the homeowners in my 1960s neighborhood are original owners who have lived here 50 years. Others have passed their homes to their heirs and their adult children are now the homeowners. I admired this specific neighborhood for decades before I was able to move into it.

.

 

[ER Eddie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we're not giving who the actual neighbors are much if any weight in our decision. Only neighborhoods (roads, landscaping, proximity to amenities) vs homes (layout, finishes, potential of neighborhood).

Oh, okay, I misunderstood the question.

 

[ncbill]

.

My house is roomy and I love my attached two car garage. But I moved here because this older quiet neighborhood looks like a park with lots of trees and NO HOA! It is an oasis in the middle of an urban area where everything else I need is within a five mile radius.

"5-miles to everything I need" is why I remain in my townhouse.

Plenty big (~2500 sqft.) now that the last of the kids are heading off to college.

No maintenance surprises...everything outside is handled by the monthly HOA fee, including the roof.

My dream home was the large (~6000 sqft.) old (WWI-era) home where I grew up as a kid

But for my parents it was an expensive maintenance nightmare (plaster/lath, galvanized plumbing, inadequate electric service, slate roof)

 

[target2019]

Perfect yard meant no grass. Neighborhood was much nicer 25 years ago. That was our choice 25 years ago. House was about 25 years old at the time.

 

[tb001]

"5-miles to everything I need" is why I remain in my urban townhouse.

Lol. Perspective really is everything... in our case, after living within a mile to restaurants and great grocery stores, 5 miles seems like a huge trek!

 

[Helena]

"5-miles to everything I need" is why I remain in my townhouse.

Plenty big (~2500 sqft.) now that the last of the kids are heading off to college.

No maintenance surprises...everything outside is handled by the monthly HOA fee, including the roof.

My dream home was the large (~6000 sqft.) old (WWI-era) home where I grew up as a kid

But for my parents it was an expensive maintenance nightmare (plaster/lath, galvanized plumbing, inadequate electric service, slate roof)

If you don't mind my asking. How much HOA do you pay a month ?

I recently had a new roof put on my 2200 sq ft ranch [lots of roof]
but Allstate paid everything except my deductible [hail damage.]

.

 

[swakyaby]

Early in my career, neighborhood > house, but it changed as my finances improved and I was able to afford the modern home I always pined for.

When I was still in student debt and had only a measly medical resident stipend, I bought a tiny starter home in a really attractive neighborhood. It was all I could afford, and there were no regrets.

New job, much better income: Bought a nice but older home on larger property with a great spacious yard and great views in a nice neighborhood with wildlife. Kitchen was small, but all the large windows with expansive views was a consolation.

New job, established savings and peak earning years: Still could not find that perfect home in the perfect neighborhood, so I picked what was most important to me. Found that beautiful modern home with the gourmet kitchen and decorator flourishes throughout. But the neighbors are painfully close, pleasant as they are, and the HOA rules won't allow me to park my Airstream travel trailer on the property or street for longer than 48 hours. All the amenities I want are very close and the neighborhood is otherwise very nice. So even with good financial circumstances, there are still compromises. I would find lack of a garage to be a deal-breaker, however.

 

[ncbill]

Lol. Perspective really is everything... in our case, after living within a mile to restaurants and great grocery stores, 5 miles seems like a huge trek!

Sorry, should have said suburban.

To get within a mile like in your situation, I'd have to move downtown.

But you really don't want to live downtown here...without private security.

 

[Helena]

Lol. Perspective really is everything... in our case, after living within a mile to restaurants and great grocery stores, 5 miles seems like a huge trek!

Not in Texas

There is an Aldi and Walmart neighborhood market less than a mile from me. But because there are numerous different supermarkets competing within a 5 miles radius, food is cheaper here than other places.

Also there is plenty of other shopping including a huge mall, more restaurants than I can count and state, county and city offices... all within 5 miles.

Unless I need the airport, everything I need is here within 5 miles.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

According to the hedonic treadmill theory (and i believe it)- your perfect house is sooner or later just going to be just your house. Your neighborhood is a continuing source of annoyance or pleasure. i'd go with the neighborhood.

 

[W2R]

According to the hedonic treadmill theory (and i believe it)- your perfect house is sooner or later just going to be just your house. Your neighborhood is a continuing source of annoyance or pleasure. i'd go with the neighborhood.

That's probably true, but I have lived in my house (a.k.a. my Dream Home) for three years and 7 days by now. I still marvel at how wonderful it is to live in this house. Eventually I probably won't feel that way, but so far, so good...

I do agree that neighborhood is more important, though. Location, location, location. Being right next door to one another, Frank and I had a gateway installed in the fence between our back yards. We love how easy it is to go back and forth. And, I love living in a slightly safer and much more convenient neighborhood too.

 

[Taxman59]

Neighborhood! We liked the neighborhood when we needed more space 25 years ago, and ended up about 1/2 mile away in the same subdivision. The neighborhood has changed, some good, some not so good, but I still like it. Stable, good people convenient. The house has had a new kitchen, a new roof, added a deck, new landscaping (a DIY job) and the inside (which was too small with 3 teenage boys) is just right for DW and I (and the rebound son for a while).

 

[meierlde]

Actually the need to expand garages as cars got longer (long before the SUV) dates back at least to the 1950s when my Grandfather went for the Imperial. He had to build a 2 foot extension in back to get the car in the Garage. This was a 1920s vintage garage, and cars were much shorter back then.

Also I bought a tract house in Houston in 1978 and while I never tried I don't think you could get an extended cab pickup in the garage (except by possibly using up space infront of the washer dryer.)

 

[calico1597]

You really are not going to know the neighborhood until you move in. We bought a small home in a retirement community last year, plans are see how we like it and possibly upgrade to a larger home in a few years when we start our IRA withdrawals.

A disabled man lives next door, he's nice but it seems we've become his handyman. I don't even go outside if I see he's outdoors. I'm ready to upgrade now and don't want to meet the new neighbors.

 

[Tree-dweller]

I agree with the distinction between “neighborhood” and location. Our location provides us with convenience, easy access to retail of various types, hospital nearby, and commuter rail to major metro area within walking distance. We also have next door neighbors who don’t necessarily share our views on what minimal house upkeep is. But neighbors change, while the train station isn’t likely to move, nor the hospital or the supermarket. Our house suits our needs.

 

[Doribe]

I want to stay in my 1908 house. I will always have work to either do or hire out. I guess I will have to move to an in-town condo if the work becomes too much. I just sold my lake house, so I guess I couldn't see myself living there full-time. As far as a newer house in the burbs, no way. I like access to public trans, walking to the grocery store, library, movie theater, etc. I'm not a fan of the open concept. I do have garages and off-street parking.

 

[MarieIG]

Neighborhood, within reason.

This is an extreme example, but I watch HGTV, and once in a while I'll see someone who wants an apartment on a certain street in Paris. They'll leap at a 400 sq ft. six floor walk-up with no windows. No, I don't like cramped spaces, and wouldn't go that far to live next door to the Queen of England.

So, it's a bit of a sliding scale. I would get an older house in a nice neighborhood, if it had enough space, the lot was good, nice views, and I was able to fix up the house to be safe and comfortable.

 

[rwdflynavy]

We just went through this, retiring and relocating to my DW's home town. DW limited our search to two high school areas for our youngest, who starts high school in the fall. Limited our options. We ended up with a great house, nothing like we would have pictured with a very pretty, but fairly unusable yard (we are on a steep incline with deep woods out the back of our house). Great neighborhood and we really like the house. One of the pluses of the yard is I gave away my mower, just not needed.