Size House You Grew Up In

[Jerry1]

It's interesting how many here grew up in houses under 1000 sq/ft with bigger families, but now have 2000+ sq/ft homes with smaller families.

The first house I bought was about 1100sf and the person/family before me had 7 kids - so 9 people. It was a 3BR house but it did have two full bathrooms. The finished the basement but still, that’s a lot of people in that size house. Me and DW now live in about 1700sf (no basement) and want bigger, at least a basement.

 

[aja8888]

My 1,459 sq, ft. house is too big for me and the dog. Next, I believe, will be an apartment.

 

[finnski1]

My 1,459 sq, ft. house is too big for me and the dog. Next, I believe, will be an apartment.

just need a few more dogs!

 

[Koolau]

As my niece looks at FIRE, I anticipate that I will lose access to the old homestead within a couple or three years. I'm very nostalgic about the place and hate to lose it. BUT, I felt blessed to sell it (and the family business to her). No way I want to buy it back!

Maybe I'll get lucky and she won't be able to FIRE. (Wait, what am I saying)?!

 

[aja8888]

just need a few more dogs!

One is enough, believe me!

 

[FlaGator]

Had to look it up. 1900 sq ft, 4/2, 9600 ft lot, one of the largest in the neighborhood. It was enough for the 7 of us. It was a "John F. Long" development, the west Phoenix version of Levittown. Parents put in a pool in 1972, aerial view shows that pool is now drained and that large-ish lot is used for storage. Boomer kids like me and our sibs always running around the street. Went by there several years ago, there were bars on nearly every window.

As a sign of progress, or parental indulgence , my 2 kids finished growing up in 2800 ft. Glad I could.

 

[Koolau]

Parents put in a pool in 1972, aerial view shows that pool is now drained and that large-ish lot is used for storage.

My dad went to the junk yard and purchased a hot-water-heater tank AND an old bathtub. He put these items in the back yard. When we kids wanted to "swim" dad would connect the garden hose to the tank (which he had painted black), fill the tank and let the sun heat the water. When the water was warm(ish) he would fill the bath tub with the water from the water tank.

It was wonderful. My dad wasn't well educated but he was creative (heh, heh and cheap).

 

[rodi]

First house I lived in was 1300 SF, 3br, 2ba. When I was 4 my dad bought a foreclosure (1966) on great terms: assumed the payments in the mortgage, down payment waived. The house was a 2 story 2000sf 4br/2.5 bath. At the time it was in the far reaches of the city with only one road to get to it and a 20 minute drive to get to the freeway.

I bought the house from my father in 2003. We are now centrally located with 3 freeways nearby. The city grew up around us.