PhotoGal Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Agh! I need some advice. We are looking at two houses to buy right now. Both have the same number of beds/baths and are in the same school district (different elementary/middle schools, but both good - same high school). One house is up on a hill, has huge windows and a gorgeous view. It is breath-taking! However, it has smaller bedrooms (other than the master) and has two sets of stairs to tackle. It has no lawn, but has a basement for kids to play in. The weather here is not great most of the year for playing outside, but should be nice in the summer. The front lawn is a little Japanese garden. The land is very sloped - no room for a playstructure and no park nearby. The other house is in a regular neighborhood, has front and back lawns on a level lot. Also has stairs, but only one set (no basement). It is a much more standard house in a standard neighborhood. The elementary is rated higher, and although we probably won't use it, is in high demand and houses in this area sell fairly quickly - so if we need to sell down the road, it should be easy. The reason I mention stairs is that we are adopting a little guy who has spina bifida and will likely use a wheelchair. We will need to put in a lift or an elevator for him in either house. We will have 5 kids total, which doesn't seem practical in the first house, though we have room to make it work (the "basement" has access to outside, has a door to a deck and windows, so we could make another bedroom down there to make up for the small bedrooms upstairs). We were planning on putting girls together (3 kids) and boys together (2 kids) and I don't think it would work upstairs - maybe if we squeeze in bunk beds? Anyway, my brain is telling me to go with the second, more practical house. But my heart really wants the first house! Their prices are almost the same. Any help/advice you can give me would be wonderful! P.S. What we've been looking for since last fall is a one-story house, but haven't found any in the area that didn't have ridiculously small bathrooms that would not be able to be made accessible. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Is the one with the view in an established neighborhood? Or are the going to build some unsightly bulidingd down the road and ruin the view? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Are you still going to love the dream house when you can't send your kids outside to play? Food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Huge windows mean more window to clean. Won't you have better things to do with 5 kids? And a hill - when you say the weather isn't nice, does that mean snow? Because I'm guessing it's not going to be easy to clear a hilly driveway of snow. (Just picturing the homes on the hill near us. Every time I dream of owning one of those on the hill with the gorgeous view, winter slams down and I am happy to be on level ground.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 if you are installing a lift on the stairs - which staircases will more easily accommodate a lift? the "dream" houses here all have much wider staircases, and the older 'standard' homes don't. how long do you expect to stay in the house? how many kids will need to be in each room? how old are your kids? which will be easier to sell? which has better access to get where you're going? there are areas with gorgeous views here - but you drive through traffic - and don't even think about when we get serious snow. major - you have to have AWD and chains, and it's still not easy. those hill top residents have to drive just to get to a grocery store. I have one down the street - so if I need a quick ingredient, I can get one. I have a basement, and live in an area where it's not outside play weather most of the year. unfinished it was fabulous when the kids were younger. dh even made a glider swing and hung it from the joists. they built forts and had a great time - kids loved coming here to play. outside, kids find things to do even on hills. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I usually just wait and keep looking for exactly what I want. that really depends upon the market where you are looking. in our sellers market here, the selection is paltry, and if you snooze you lose. if you want to wait for 'exactly' what you want, it will be a long time - if ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Having lived the wheelchair and stairs lifestyle, I'm sorry but I would be looking for a different house all together. Something with all the living space accessible on the main floor. What is doable with a small child becomes much less so as they get bigger and are in a wheelchair. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Having lived the wheelchair and stairs lifestyle, I'm sorry but I would be looking for a different house all together. Something with all the living space accessible on the main floor. What is doable with a small child becomes much less so as they get bigger and are in a wheelchair. I agree with this - but there are some other options. My friend has built several houses specifically to meet the needs of her disabled son, the one she is currently in is three floors with a very large basement. it was designed so her severely disabled son could stay on the main level, even though the other kids bedrooms were upstairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I'd do the house with useable flat yard for kids and only one staircase. Larger bedrooms mean more room for a wheelchair. I'd pick whichever house works best for a wheelchair and limited mobility. If the other kids play in the basement in the "dream house", will the kid in the wheelchair be left out? Are there any ranch houses in the area? The two-story house I am in now, a couple families prior to us had to move when one of their son's required a wheelchair. After our car crash hubby and I both were in wheelchairs for many months, and it is no fun not being able to get up or down stairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoGal Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Thanks for your input so far! We will definitely not let our little guy be left out. Either house will need an elevator (possibly a lift would be enough in the second house). It would be more challenging with the first house because it has three stories for the elevator to open up to. We would have to get an estimate for that. (Usually an elevator is about $50K, but it may be more for three stories like that). In a way, he may actually be less left out if we have no yard - the other kids won't be running around in the grass without him. We have lots of plasma cars and other wheeled things for all the kids to roll around the garage or playroom in either house. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoGal Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 AK_Mom4, I totally agree! I actually prefer a one-level house. We are renting right now and I hate how often I am looking for something and realize it is on the other level than I am. So frustrating! Unfortunately, around here 95% of homes are two level. The small fraction that are one level are older homes with tiny bathrooms. We saw one that you had to squeeze through the door to get in, then close the door in order to have space to sit on the toilet. It was crazy! The bedrooms in these houses are usually small as well. We can keep looking, but if we buy a month or two from now it will either slowdown the adoption process (we have to update our homestudy) or we would have to carry both house payment and rent through October. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoGal Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 The first house was built in the 80s, the second in the 90s, both have been updated. I don't think the first house's view will be blocked, because it is a steep grade going down. It is actually closer to the freeway and closer to Shriner's, where we will be spending a lot of time. It is closer to the city as well. It is closer to the grocery store and Starbucks. ;) But not close to a park. I don't think it will snow hardly ever around here, but will get ice sometimes (Portland area). It is not on a long windy steep road as some other houses on hills are. I don't think we would be cleaning the windows ourselves, because they are so high. We would have to hire someone to do that. We did ask our real estate agent to ask what a typical energy bill is for that house. Our kids are 11, 9, and 3 (at home), 4 and 3 (in China). The 4 year old is the one who has spina bifida. We don't really know what his long term mobility will be, but it sounds like he will use a wheelchair. The second (more standard) house will be easier to sell because a lot of people want to go to that elementary school. That house will probably move quickly, which is why we want to make a decision soon! :) If we don't put a bid on the second house, we can probably keep looking for awhile before deciding on the first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickerplum Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 In really appreciate these comments even though they weren't directed at me. :-) We're considering a house that has great size and layout, but the backyard is small and it's on a small hill. There is an unfinished basement (which I'm learning can be fun) and the neighborhood pool and playground is less than a block away. This has been quite helpful and thought provoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.