AimeeM Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 I agree with everyone else. I would finish the attic. Is there anyway to add a sunroom, or something like that? There is. We could renovate the office now (it's a small room off the living room). I believe it was originally a sunroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I'd move. Our current situation is making me nuts (a 3 bdrm mobile, no basement, half our stuff is in storage) as it is, and it was the only thing available at the time. No way could I handle living like this forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I'm also going to agree with outpricing the neighborhood if you will be there long term and can afford to do so. If we do the addition we've talked about our house would go from 1100sqft to 1500sqft, which would make us nearly the largest house on the block (yes, old neighborhood, small houses). But when we talk about it we discuss how it would give us space for a downstairs master when we're old and room for grandchildren to stay when they come visit - I'm willing to risk "losing" some of the renovation money in order to have the house I want for many, many years, kwim? If you "overimprove" by say 20,000, then live there for 20+ years...it's not hard to imagine it being worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 I live in Upstate South Carolina. We've had very few problems here. Once, we had a short lived problem with a resident teenager (he started setting fires!)... but instead of it creating a larger issue, everyone worked to their strengths for a solution; one neighbor is a prosecuting attorney for the city and was able to have a patrol car make rounds a couple times a day, another neighbor knew the Dad (who worked all the time, leaving the teenager to his own devices) and talked to him. Between the two, we haven't had an issue again. I love it here. :iagree: Aimee, Would you mind telling us where you live? Even generally--northeast, southwest? I really didn't know that neighborhoods like that still existed. If you move, you will never get this again. Refinished attics can look really lovely. I'd also consider having a decorator come out and give you ideas on how to use space more efficiently. Maybe smaller scale furniture in your living areas, coffee tables and end tables that double as storage--that kind of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 If I had a house in a neighborhood I loved, that I could essentially see myself in forever, I'd say forget about resale, and simply do what needs to be done to make it comfortable to stay. Who knows, you could start a trend! Just keep the finished home style in keeping with the neighborhood :D So yes, finish the attic space (at minimum), and see where that leads. Remember, re-sale is only important if you are going to sell it. If you're going to pay it off and live in it, add-on anyway (just do a nice job!) The only thing that could make us leave would be if my husband's position were transferred (and that isn't impossible). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I haven't read all the posts, but I just want to say STAY!!!!! Your neighborhood sounds like exactly what you want. STAY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 You just described Mayberry. I'd stay! No large space is worth giving up that neighborhood. :iagree: There is no way you can put a price on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 in our previous home (we moved due to work), we had an amazing neighborhood, and a small home. what we did was refinish the attic and change it into an old style british nursery. the kids beds were up there, and all their toys. they loved it. we took out the seating area in the kitchen and turned it into a "cooking only" space, added a small bathroom, and ate meals in the dining room. we used the basement for storage. and we sold a lot of stuff, including furniture to make it "feel" bigger. for us, having an 800 sq. foot master bedroom wouldn't have made as much sense, just because we're not in it much except to sleep, and what we longed for was more "living space", not more "sleeping space".... fwiw, ann British style nursery? Sound intriguing! I love that idea. We could put the boys up there (and their toys! God, their toys. Lol) and keep our room as is, still leaving an extra room on the main level. Or, we could move the boys and their toys upstairs to the attic, knock down the living room wall (extra living space), somehow extend our bedroom into the extra room. We could still put an extra bath upstairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Your home and neighborhood sound lovely. I'd stay. Stop by the Small Homes Forum at http://www.gardenweb.com Those folks have a passion for living in cozy homes with well thought out layouts. They might have some good suggestions for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 If your house has everything going for it except space- id find new ways to make it work for you. Find some storage ideas or different furniture or layout options to maximize your space. Can you add a deck or patio so you can have an outdoor living space as well? Could you convert the garage or instead of using the basement for storage use it in a different way (school room/play room/office/etc)- you can do it without it being finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 what we did was refinish the attic and change it into an old style british nursery. the kids beds were up there, and all their toys. they loved it. We knew a family that did something similar. They bought an old cottage that had one small bedroom upstairs, a bathroom, and some attic space. They converted the attic to a large bedroom for their 3 girls; the boy (oldest child) got the small room. The downstairs bedroom became the parlor/office; school was in the basement. There was already a master suite on the main floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 If your house has everything going for it except space- id find new ways to make it work for you. Find some storage ideas or different furniture or layout options to maximize your space. Can you add a deck or patio so you can have an outdoor living space as well? Could you convert the garage or instead of using the basement for storage use it in a different way (school room/play room/office/etc)- you can do it without it being finished. The garage right now is housing DH's high school car. Lol. 1984 corvett of some sort that hasn't been driven in 20 years. He will NOT part with it (and I understand why). The basement, besides storage, is actually used pretty efficiently - we have a large standing freezer and shelving for dry goods, as well as normal storage space (okay, and a drum set - DH's dad is a music teacher and we LOVE music!). I'm not sure that we could do much with the basement. Attic is pretty much it for additional space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 The garage right now is housing DH's high school car. Lol. 1984 corvett of some sort that hasn't been driven in 20 years. He will NOT part with it (and I understand why). The basement, besides storage, is actually used pretty efficiently - we have a large standing freezer and shelving for dry goods, as well as normal storage space (okay, and a drum set - DH's dad is a music teacher and we LOVE music!). I'm not sure that we could do much with the basement. Attic is pretty much it for additional space. But still! 800sqft is nothing to sneeze at! That's 6 of my bedroom. Or like 10 of DD's bedroom. (Of course you need space for hallways and closets and bathrooms, I suppose, but you could comfortably get 4 bedrooms in that...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Have you said what square footage you are currently in? My answer could change based on that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 But still! 800sqft is nothing to sneeze at! That's 6 of my bedroom. Or like 10 of DD's bedroom. (Of course you need space for hallways and closets and bathrooms, I suppose, but you could comfortably get 4 bedrooms in that...) :iagree: That's larger than our whole house. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Stay! Plan on it being your forever home and make it what you want it to be. Resale wouldn't be even on the radar for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Given the neighbor stories on this board, I would finish the walk up and stay. It turns out that 12 years is a very short amount of time, and the kids will be grown and out before you know it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Would you sell and buy a bigger home, knowing that you will have more space but will never find a neighborhood like this again, or do you stay, finish your attic, and be happy in your super crowded home with your wonderful neighborhood? Don't move. My parents had the same option when I was 7. They moved to a nicer, bigger house a 3 minute drive away and always regretted it. That 3 minutes was enough to make it difficult to impossibly for us kids to still be a part of the neighborhood without lots of more planning / trouble. The neighborhood they left was everything you said and quite possibly more. :) If you have any questions about whether or not to move read some of the numerous threads people have posted here about neighbor problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I'd stay. Do some serious research on living in small spaces, look at places where people typically have small homes, maybe even find some sort of professional advice. And I'd see a good architect about your attic space, and maybe some other spaces - there may be possibilities that would make the home seem a lot more spacious without really a lot more square footage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 in our previous home (we moved due to work), we had an amazing neighborhood, and a small home. what we did was refinish the attic and change it into an old style british nursery. the kids beds were up there, and all their toys. they loved it. we took out the seating area in the kitchen and turned it into a "cooking only" space, added a small bathroom, and ate meals in the dining room. we used the basement for storage. and we sold a lot of stuff, including furniture to make it "feel" bigger. for us, having an 800 sq. foot master bedroom wouldn't have made as much sense, just because we're not in it much except to sleep, and what we longed for was more "living space", not more "sleeping space".... fwiw, ann THis is what I'd do - make it a big kids area with all the beds and a play area and a kid-friendly bathroom. You can also arrange a room like that with folding or retracting divider walls, so kids can have small bedrooms for privacy - which they like as they get older - but can open them up to the common area if they want to. As they get older, the play-room can be a hang-out area for teens. Make sure the bathroom has separate toilet, shower, and sink areas so more than one kid can use it at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I live in a neighborhood with 55 year old houses. There are 3 models of house, all repeating over and over. Nearly all of them have added some rooms onto the back or side of the house. (Not mine though; it's all original!) 800 square feet of additional space is like a dream to me. We have 1500 and feel cramped. But then we moved here from a 3000sf house so it's all relative. I think you mentioned that you could build up. Would that cause trouble with the neighbors? Cast a shadow on someone's veggie garden, or give you an unwelcome view into someone's back yard? Would local ordinances allow it? (You may have already mentioned so don't think you have to respond.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Not really. It's an inch shy of meeting code and it attaches to the garage. We do *use* it - but for storage. A friend of mine dug her basement out so that it was high enough to finish. They jack-hammered the cement floor and then started digging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 I live in a neighborhood with 55 year old houses. There are 3 models of house, all repeating over and over. Nearly all of them have added some rooms onto the back or side of the house. (Not mine though; it's all original!) 800 square feet of additional space is like a dream to me. We have 1500 and feel cramped. But then we moved here from a 3000sf house so it's all relative. I think you mentioned that you could build up. Would that cause trouble with the neighbors? Cast a shadow on someone's veggie garden, or give you an unwelcome view into someone's back yard? Would local ordinances allow it? (You may have already mentioned so don't think you have to respond.) We *can* build up, but there is the very real reality that we may HAVE to sell at some point - if my husband is ever transferred, for example. We would lose our rears if we spent 40K building up (what the estimate was). None of the neighbors have any problem with it. (we have 1500 sq ft too - I think it's the layout that makes me feel so cramped) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 THis is what I'd do - make it a big kids area with all the beds and a play area and a kid-friendly bathroom. You can also arrange a room like that with folding or retracting divider walls, so kids can have small bedrooms for privacy - which they like as they get older - but can open them up to the common area if they want to. As they get older, the play-room can be a hang-out area for teens. Make sure the bathroom has separate toilet, shower, and sink areas so more than one kid can use it at the same time. I think would work beautifully (and plan to mention it to my husband) for the two boys; not so much our much older girl (11). She needs more privacy and her own space. I'm all for it with the boys though. Their "stuff" alone being up there, with them and their beds, would free up so much stuff, and if they had their own (larger) bathroom with tub, I could bathe them up there and the small downstairs bathroom wouldn't be an issue at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 We *can* build up, but there is the very real reality that we may HAVE to sell at some point - if my husband is ever transferred, for example. We would lose our rears if we spent 40K building up (what the estimate was).None of the neighbors have any problem with it. (we have 1500 sq ft too - I think it's the layout that makes me feel so cramped) LOL, people tell me I'm crazy for thinking 1500sf is too small for just 4 people and a dog, but we have a terrible layout too - split level, hardly any storage space. One-car garage that's packed to the brim... I get you on not wanting to pay out a huge amount to build up. I had a "forever" home once too, and... I'm not living in it anymore! ;) Things change, and you don't want to lock yourself in. I bet once you finish that attic you will love all your extra space! Be sure to add some storage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I'd stay. 1500 for four people isn't tiny. If you reconfigure space it could make a big difference. If you add 800 sq feet, you are firmly in a med-large home. You won't be happy in larger rooms if you hate your new neighborhood. In our neighborhood, someone put a room over their detached garage with this balcony-walkway-thingy to get to it. It's so pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakereese Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I'm another vote for STAY! There are ways to make it work and keep you sane. Like everyone else has mentioned...declutter a bit, combine spaces, add the attic space, etc. Your neighborhood sounds wonderful and that is more important to your life and your kids than a bigger house. It sounds like you can be truly happy there and somewhere else is a big unknown. As me how I know about the unknown. We went for the bigger house and all that and I am so unhappy with our location that it brings me to tears. We did have to move at the time, but I wish I would have chosen the area/location over the house. I chose the house because it was new construction and I was able to pick out everything in it and have everything be new, etc. I like our house, I just wish it were somewhere else. I would live in a place half the size if it was in a neighborhood like yours. I would move tomorrow if I could. FWIW, when I was growing up we lived in a ranch style house, about 900 sq ft (MAYBE, may have been a bit smaller) with one bathroom. I had 2 sisters. :tongue_smilie: But honestly, we didn't know any different and it worked just fine. 2 of us a shared a room for a bit, the rest of the house was small, but we were all close. We liked each other. We had to learn to get along and be together a lot. We spent time together as a family...yeh, maybe because we didn't have a choice :lol: , but it didn't feel that way. I have so many fond memories of this, and I didn't care that I didn't have a larger home. Now I have 4 bathrooms and all I think about is how much I hate cleaning them. :glare: Try to make it work where you are if you can. I do think it will be worth it. I have spent a lot of time in the car going other places because we aren't happy where we are. It isn't fun. I've had to make the best of it, and I do, but I really wish we would have made a different choice in the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 STAY! You are living my dream. I am green with envy! I'd love small cottage house in a fantastic neighbourhood!! I am on a downsizing mission right now. Simplify, simplify, simplify. While tinyhouse(dot)whatever isn't exactly my dream, I do use it as inspiration. As a matter of fact, we are waiting for the two hammocks we ordered as BEDS to be delivered sometime today. If they work out, the kids are getting rid of the their beds and sleeping in hammocks. DH would like for us to do the same, but we just got a new bed a couple months ago, so it'll be awhile before we make the switch. If you are not already on Pinterest, but want some AMAZING organizing ideas for smaller spaces - get on Pinterest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 I'd stay. 1500 for four people isn't tiny. If you reconfigure space it could make a big difference. If you add 800 sq feet, you are firmly in a med-large home. You won't be happy in larger rooms if you hate your new neighborhood. In our neighborhood, someone put a room over their detached garage with this balcony-walkway-thingy to get to it. It's so pretty. 5 people, 2 dogs..... But I understand what you mean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Stay. :) Redo the attic. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Are you over on Summit Aimee or across from BJU off Pleasantburg? I don't think you'd price out if you are in the Main St area, but across from BJ I could see that, but it is a CUTE area. I know what you mean about huge houses for $250-300, b/c I've looked recently. We have 6 beds, but I don't love our area. My kids can't roam at all and there are no kids. We lived in Dtown historic Greer and sold b/c we have 1800 sq ft and dh worked from home so he took one of the 3 beds for an office. Renovating would have cost us when we sold so we just sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 (edited) Are you over on Summit Aimee or across from BJU off Pleasantburg? I don't think you'd price out if you are in the Main St area, but across from BJ I could see that, but it is a CUTE area. I know what you mean about huge houses for $250-300, b/c I've looked recently. We have 6 beds, but I don't love our area. My kids can't roam at all and there are no kids. We lived in Dtown historic Greer and sold b/c we have 1800 sq ft and dh worked from home so he took one of the 3 beds for an office. Renovating would have cost us when we sold so we just sold. We are right off Summit and across from BJU off Pleasantburg (literally a mile from Summit Elem) - technically in downtown but it doesn't feel like it, lol. I need to unsubscribe to Cunningham Remax - I keep getting links to homes for sale in Simpsonville and Taylors... all withing our budget and all HUGE. (PS - Autumn is loving GBA!!! You weren't lying - they're wonderful) Edited September 21, 2012 by AimeeM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 (edited) Oh just get on ggar.com that's the whole ball of wax:)! I say if you love your location and you can make the house more comfortable, do it. 800 sq ft is an apartment, those boys might never leave:) Oh great! Olivia says Autumn is really nice. We love GB. Are you all going to the homeschool show of te Nutcracker in Dec? Edited September 21, 2012 by JenC3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Are there things you can change about the layout to make it work better? Because with the attic thing you would have 2300sqft. That should be more than enough space for 5 people. When I got pregnant for DD, DW and I lived in a 600sqft apt which we considered quite large. Before that we had lived in a 450sqft apartment. I agree that layout is key, but that is probably a LOT easier to change than size! Maybe you can move some walls to make it feel bigger. Definitely add a bathroom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcarolinamom Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 We are right off Summit and across from BJU off Pleasantburg (literally a mile from Summit Elem) - technically in downtown but it doesn't feel like it, lol. I need to unsubscribe to Cunningham Remax - I keep getting links to homes for sale in Simpsonville and Taylors... all withing our budget and all HUGE. (PS - Autumn is loving GBA!!! You weren't lying - they're wonderful) What a small world! Aimee, I live in Del Norte, on the Eastside of Greenville, a few blocks from the Pavilion sports complex! Our first home was a small Cape Cod, built on a concrete slab, so we had no basement space to renovate. When we needed to "up-size" we moved 2 blocks from our first home, just to stay close to the ice skating/soccer/playground areas. I love, love, love the Summit area of Greenville. Stay put! Renovate the attic space, girlfriend! :D Location is everything. Especially having awesome neighbors! And you are so close to all the cool downtown happenings of Greenville. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Your neighbors sound like a dream come true- something out of a book. I would definitely stay. I agree with those who say that 800 sq ft for a master bedroom suite seems excessive. I'd want to do a little more with the space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 What a small world! Aimee, I live in Del Norte, on the Eastside of Greenville, a few blocks from the Pavilion sports complex! Our first home was a small Cape Cod, built on a concrete slab, so we had no basement space to renovate. When we needed to "up-size" we moved 2 blocks from our first home, just to stay close to the ice skating/soccer/playground areas. I love, love, love the Summit area of Greenville. Stay put! Renovate the attic space, girlfriend! :D Location is everything. Especially having awesome neighbors! And you are so close to all the cool downtown happenings of Greenville. Love the Pavilion area. Autumn took tennis up there a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Stay! We gave that up and will likely never have it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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