Housing choices suck

[funeeman]

Well damn. Housing in my little town sucks. There isn't hardly ever a decent place for a family to live.

The wife and I bought our house 5 years ago. It was a small place good for small kids as 3 bedrooms were on the same floor, it had a small bathroom, pretty good kitchen, small living room on the main floor. In the basement is a second bathroom we never use, a family room and +1 bedroom. All in all its just under 2000 square feet. We put a kick ass 16 x 24 deck on the back and its very private as the place is surrounded by trees. (also very rare in my town).

We knew were would live there about 3-5 years, do a few projects and then sell it and move into something bigger. That time has come.

We've price out a new custom manufactured home (the ones stick built in 3 or 4 sections brought to your land and then put together on site) and we're ready to pull the trigger. The house is a ranch, 2000 square on the main level and the basement is equal to that. Three bedrooms two baths, good sized living, big kitchen and huge ass master bedroom. The basement will have an entertainment room, two bedrooms, a den, storage and a third bath. I don't have the land bought yet but have 57 acres picked out that more or less through a wild life habitat program will be paid for, but it will be enrolled life time into the program and be almost worthless on the resale except for the house and its 2-3 acres. I just have to dig the well and run the power 50 yards.

But then today I found out my childhood home we almost bought 5 years ago is probably coming back up for sale. Its a 2 1/2 story older home in the city with 5 acres and a newly added 30 x 40 shop on the back side of the place. It was perfect for us last time except the kids were babies and there was no bath tub only a jacuzzi tub and that bothered my wife. Ever since then we've kicked ourselves for passing on the chance to get it.

The kids are now 5 and 7 and shower most of the time so that issue is gone.

I think the prices of the two house will be about the same or with in 10 grand of each other. This will be our last place either way until I'm in my 60s.

Which way do I go?

[CrAnIuM]

This will be our last place

This for me says "get everything, or almost everything you want or do NOT move."

Our next place is our forever home .. and oh man does the list get longer each day...

[Absinthe]

Which way do I go?

You were not happy with passing on buying your childhood home the first time around.
Do you think you can pass it a second time?

Make a list of things you would like and what are absolute deal breakers.

Make another list of what you like and don't like about the two homes in question.

You and your wife should have separate lists. When you are done, sit down, compare and talk about it.

Can you do a walk-through of your childhood home? That could help to figure out if you can see yourself living there for a long time.

[Toao]

Its a 2 1/2 story older home in the city with 5 acres and a newly added 30 x 40 shop on the back side of the place.

How the hell is that "city?"

5 acres with a jumbo mancave sounds awsome.

[SittinGrumpy]

Which way do I go?

Have you guys decided?

[funeeman]

How the hell is that "city?"

5 acres with a jumbo mancave sounds awsome.

Its city to us rural people but not you urban folk. We've got a population of 3500 people just enough to get us out of village status. The county has about a 60 mile radius around our town and a population of maybe 10,000 if we really push it. The nearest town is 10 miles with 10 miles of cornfields and cattle pastures between us. The population of that town is around 600 people. I have to drive 75 miles to find a population greater than 30,000 people. And yes its all pasture and corn between those places too with small towns scattered in between the largest of which might hit 1500 people.

So. . in my town there are several places that have 2-5 acres around it.

[Toao]

So. . in my town there are several places that have 2-5 acres around it.

You'd be doing do to get .2 to .5 acres here. Here's an acre in Huntington beach

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/17552-Goldenwest_Huntington-Beach_CA_92647_M14297-53208

And when you go a bit south to a view lot, that can triple. I would love to get it, throw up a premanufactured home, have a few chickens running around. Maybe even an old car or truck up on milk crates.

You gotta figure an acre here is 5-10 houses, or 20 plus townhomes.

There are a few large patches scattered around, that were little strawberry feids and stuff, but they are a staggering amount. The one just s.e. of disneyland is a perfect example. Some japanese farmer's kids have been fighting over it for decades. I wouldn't be surprised if disney killed him.