Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

well we are in that spot right now. we bought for locationa nd are now busting at the seems.

but we are not forever house people...so the answer was clear to us.


and yes - you can out 2 kids in one room...they don't use their rooms at all when they are young. i wish we moved DS#2 in with #1 right away. and I would have used the room for my own purpose.

Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

Yes, definitely. You'd be able to really make it your "own" through future renovations.

Look at old posts from Chatham-Chick. She's transformed her house over the years and it's still a work in progress - and it's beautiful!

Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

I wouldn't..we saw a house on the best block of a location we were looking in, and it wast the smallest house on the block, basically the same size of house we're in now..and there was honestly no point for us...

ETA: I do agree that location is the most important, but also to a point...I would be back at square one with the same problem I have in my house now but in a better location which doesn't really win me much at the present time, and the room we need NOW

Message edited 6/18/2010 11:23:55 AM.

Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

i would buy a house like that. location is really important. look into zoning laws though before you go forward. make sure you actually CAN add on to the home before you count on it

Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

Location, location, location!!!

Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

our house has 2 true bedrooms. they are both on the second floor.

I've been going back and forth about how to get another bedroom up there but it comes down to money and value.

right now, our house is one of the pricier homes in the area. if we add a second floor addition, we will most likely have the dreaded "most expensive house on the block". I am not sure in the end we would get the return on the investment when we tried to sell, though at the same time, it is much more difficult to try to sell a 2 br house...

you have looked and waiting a LONG TIME. don't make a rash decision b/c you are tired of looking. you are doing the equivalent of going to the supermarket hungry.

I would get an engineer and an architecht/contractor with REAL numbers.

maybe you should go on that show on HGTV...Hidden Potential. or at least, get a similar team together to help you out.

good luck.

Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

We are! My Father in law always tells us "Location is everything" You can renovate a house, but you can't change the location.
I love the area we bought in and found a house in our price range. It only has two bedrooms, so we will need to add on. My Dh and his family are very handy so we won't need a contractor when we add on. That is how we will be able to afford it. If you are not handy, then it will cost alot to hire people, so you should put that into consideration.

I know we could of got a much bigger house somewhere else, but this has always been one of Dh and I favorite areas.
I can totally understand wanting to buy a bigger home and not wanting to do renovations. It will be a big PIA when we add on. So you really have to decide what you can handle.

Message edited 6/20/2010 10:27:35 PM.

Re: Is it crazy to buy a house for the location, even if it would likely need additions in time?

we did but we don't have kids yet. We're ok with either moving or expanding if need be when/if the time comes for it.