Comments on: To Move or Not to Move: That is the Question

By: ida

ida — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:32:56 +0000

no bussing……….omg.. i feel sorry for both of you all. i personally love the bus as trasportaion for the kids. good luck.

By: CindyK

CindyK — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:59:27 +0000

When we were surprised by a third pregnancy last summer, everyone else kept asking us if we were going to sell, feeling that our house (four bedrooms, although one we’ve converted, and two baths) couldn’t possibly accommodate a family of five. I grew up in a 1000-SF ranch with one bathroom and five family members, so I just can’t see the need — especially in this market — to upgrade right away. And the baby’s small. She can sleep in a drawer for a few months at least.

Vic made an incredibly interesting point about our escalating expectations, and how today’s “starter” homes would have been considered elite a few decades ago.

Best wishes, Hairy, in finding the right buyer. We’ve found here houses can sit forever, or be snatched up in a weekend. I’ve got my fingers crossed that yours will find the perfect buyer quickly.

By: hookedonhouses

hookedonhouses — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:36:47 +0000

Vic–you made some very good points. Too bad we weren’t all as smart as you about things. I think the allure of owning a bigger, nicer house has been too tempting for a lot of us. My husband and I moved out to the country to get the home of our dreams about 12 years ago but quickly tired of all the commuting. When you have to drive 15 minutes just to grab a gallon of milk, it gets a little ridiculous. I’m glad we moved back into “town,” but of course now we’ve got the school situation to deal with. If it’s not one thing, it’s another…

Hairy–ugh. I feel for you. I’ve got my fingers crossed that you’ll sell that house soon. It’s rough all over!

Jill–it does sound like we’re neighbors! If we don’t get the schoolbuses back soon, I don’t know what we’re going to do. Today, for instance, my little one has the flu, but I’ll have to drag her out in the rain to pick my son up from the Jr Hi. Well, don’t get me started….

By: Jill

Jill — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:08:01 +0000

We have been thinking about the same thing. We live in the same general area as you do (I think), and we also moved here for the “excellent” schools. Now, with the state taking over, no bussing, and all of the drama, I am kind of kicking myself. But, we bought a fixer upper, which still isn’t fixed up. Several houses on our block have went on the market in the last year, only to sit there for months, and then be taken off again.

The house next door to me has been on the market for over a year, and we haven’t seen one person look at it in at least six months. It is a nice neighborhood, but it is the smallest house here.

I think we will be here for a LONG time.

By: Hairy Weisenheimmer

Hairy Weisenheimmer — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:21:08 +0000

Due to a neccesary change in employment, my husband and I had to put our house in Texas on the market back in December. Its still on the market , along with 8 other homes on the same street within 4 blocks. In this market we’ll be happy if we break even when it does finally sell.
Scary stuff.

By: Vic

Vic — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:42:52 +0000

I live in my fourth house. I purchased it because I fell in love with its antiquated quaintness and half acre wood, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. That’s my criteria for choosing a home. Quality of life matters. Plus I live only 10 minutes from work. So many of my friends live in state of the art houses in the middle of nowhere. They spend their day commuting and driving their kids all over creation. Their cookie cutter houses all resemble each others’; their yards are so small they can hear their neighbors talk, and they live so far from the city that their lives are spent in ugly shopping malls or strip malls. In addition they paid through the nose for the privilege of living in a structure whose walls are so thin that the first tornado or major storm would blow the roof right off.

The real estate madness of a few years back has led to a depressed economy and a dire situation for those who purchased over-valued houses whose mortgages are ballooning. I’m glad I stayed put. No one is going to give me a medal for it, but I can comfortably afford fixing my house up without asking for a loan. Why would I “move up?” I would only be enriching the realtor, while putting myself in debt again. Besides, at the most, the three of us can only occupy three rooms at any given time. My modest 2,300 sq ft house is big enough for my family, though these days it is considered a starter home. Hah! Fifty years ago, only professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, lived on our street. Go figure.

Thanks for reading my rant.