https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:25:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822450 Mon, 14 May 2018 20:31:06 +0000 lamariniere 2822450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I though of another would be nice, bathrooms with windows that open. Our current baths have windows, but they don't open. It would be so nice to be able to open them to air them out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822447 Mon, 14 May 2018 20:19:27 +0000 periwinklebee 2822447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aprild: Love your list - great point on privacy...</p> <p>@2littlepumpkins: It sounds like an awesome house, repairs and all!</p> <p>@Alba4: I like the idea of "charm" :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822444 Mon, 14 May 2018 19:42:11 +0000 cat620 2822444@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We bought a house about a little over a year ago. Here are my lists:</p> <p>Must have:<br /> 4 bedrooms with master up<br /> Open floor plan downstairs<br /> Hardwoods on the first floor<br /> Over 3,000 sq ft of living space<br /> Nice backyard with area for playset</p> <p>Nice to have:<br /> About half an acre of property<br /> Dedicated office for husband<br /> Upstairs bonus room<br /> Mature trees for privacy from neighbors<br /> Neighborhood with amenities<br /> Fenced in backyard </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822203 Sun, 13 May 2018 16:31:34 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2822203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: that kind of summer bill to keep the house still pretty warm is why we are getting solar. It's cheaper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822202 Sun, 13 May 2018 16:28:06 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2822202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We bought last year and our "wants" were pretty flexible as we live in a HCOL area. The only needs we're at least 3bd2ba in a safe neighborhood with good schools. (Had to be all levels because our kids will not always be at the same school.) That alone caused us to move like 1.5 hours away from our old place. Other priorities were some type of yard space (no pool!), enough space to stay long term with three kids, and a semi open layout with kitchen facing the yard. We didn't want an HOA. We didn't get a house that was pretty and updated and all that but we did a lot to the house before and as we moved in. That allowed us to get more house in a certain neighborhood where homes were just slightly out of our reach. Some perks that we got were upstairs laundry, 3 car garage that can be converted to an extra bedroom plus 2 car garage, large yard, cul-de-sac and flat streets with lots of families, large master suite, guest room, large downstairs closet, two options for dining areas (our rental didn't actually have any!), tall ceilings. Would have liked it to be in better overall condition!</p> <p>ETA: I guess central air was a must but every home has it near us due to the hot weather! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822164 Sun, 13 May 2018 05:44:16 +0000 Alba4 2822164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Must haves:<br /> 3+ bedrooms<br /> 2+ baths<br /> “Charm”<br /> Wood floors<br /> Large yard<br /> Good light<br /> Newer roof, furnace, good pipes (we’ve had to replace all of these and now after 6 years of home ownership the fun updates begin!)</p> <p>Extras:<br /> Updated baths and kitchen<br /> Open floor plan<br /> Master bath<br /> Laundry not in basement<br /> Mudroom<br /> Central air </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822101 Sat, 12 May 2018 09:16:57 +0000 periwinklebee 2822101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: The ironic thing is that our place now - which DH bought before we met - is pretty awesome from an aesthetic standpoint, but only because a relative who is an artist helped him house hunt. He thinks I'm nuts for caring about this stuff and that you just get used to however it looks and stop noticing after awhile....So I put on my list of nice to haves: "not ugly." And I probably have a high bar for what is ugly... :silly: and yeah, there will never be a perfect time to buy, at some point we just really need something that better meets our needs... and huge bonus points if I get more sleep... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822093 Sat, 12 May 2018 07:56:37 +0000 LCTBQE 2822093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: @bhbee: yeah, can't build basements on coastal plains like 2' above sea level. in most of the rest of heavily habited areas of Texas, not far under the soil is a gigantic limestone plateau that is *seriously* heavy lifting to drill through--so installing a pool even tends to be a lot of work, let alone a full basement for every house. </p> <p>@bhbee: my mother is from Sherman and they used to get tornado sirens constantly there--she always said it was the tail end of tornado alley. do they happen in Dallas too? your house sounds adorable :) </p> <p>@mrsjd: DREAMMMMYY, I want to see a picture! I always had 10-12' ceilings living in brownstones in Brooklyn-- I was afraid I'd miss the extra height, but finding that the house feels spacious and I don't mind only 9'. 14 is amazing though. is it that kind of house with the full-length front porch and the tall creepy windows in front? love those. </p> <p>@periwinklebee: how are aesthetics not important to him *at all*?? it kind of sounds like he has some soul searching to do re new build vs close-in. maybe you guys can get something closer in and smaller--it's not impossible or prohibitively expensive to have central A/C installed, just ideal to do it before you've moved in because the duct work is a mess (or so I hear). I know what you mean about the market going nuts, it is here too--but what are you going to do, wait for the next housing crisis crash? when we got our mortgage I was super pissed off because I was counting on the low rate we were promised last fall, and we ended up with a .4% higher rate which was still really good for the time--point being I think you just can't wait around for perfect circumstances... eh. maybe getting into a true 2-bedroom would help you with the night wake ups, too. don't know if it applies to your boo but some babies do better settling down with their own dedicated space when they can't sense that you're rightthere. </p> <p>also thx for adding more fuel to my fire for hating popcorn ceilings and gross plaster work-- I didn't know they were a health hazard beside mental health :) we have one ceiling in the whole house with those gross swirly pattens on it, and I'm having it skim-coated this week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822019 Fri, 11 May 2018 14:09:19 +0000 Sams Mom 2822019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The things I wish our new house had to make it perfect:</p> <p>A bigger John Deere room in the basement, with a roll up door instead of double doors. </p> <p>More windows in the basement</p> <p>Bigger bathrooms all the way around, we have 3 but they're all small</p> <p>Better grating on the lot!</p> <p>A screened in porch</p> <p>More counter space</p> <p>Walk in pantry</p> <p>a 5th bedroom in the finished basement instead of all the open space. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822018 Fri, 11 May 2018 13:54:40 +0000 Ms. RV 2822018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: Yes to the coat closet too! I didn't think of that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house/page/2#post-2822014 Fri, 11 May 2018 13:27:25 +0000 avivoca 2822014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ms. RV: YES. Our house has a linen cabinet...in the upstairs bathroom. Our master is downstairs so I'm keeping our linens in our walk-in closet.</p> <p>I also wish we had a coat closet. There's a closet in our kitchen that the previous owners used for coats but it houses our litter boxes and the water heater, so I won't put coats there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2822013 Fri, 11 May 2018 13:25:13 +0000 Foodnerd81 2822013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: yeah, I figured it’s mostly how you grow up. For me I get so paranoid about ticks and we have poison ivy on the border of our yard so we won’t even let the kids step foot into the woods. As i put it, it’s too much nature. :silly: But we have protected land behind our yard so all you see is woods- we just only own a little ways in. Thanks for the insight! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2822007 Fri, 11 May 2018 12:42:46 +0000 periwinklebee 2822007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JJ2626: @Foodnerd81: Yeah, this is basically us. If we stay in the city, our list of must haves has to be much, much shorter due to cost and a very limited housing stock... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821994 Fri, 11 May 2018 12:18:55 +0000 alphagam84 2821994@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Having a master bath, 2 car garage so neither car is in the driveway, large kitchen, good backyard with plenty of space for our dog and kid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821987 Fri, 11 May 2018 12:03:32 +0000 Silva 2821987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: we're actually considering 21.5 right now!</p> <p>We're in a rural part of the state, so its not that uncommon. It offers protection from potential future developments. We want property where we can have trails throughout. We will keep chickens and goats. I grew up on 10 acres and my husband grew up on 50- my childhood was spent running through the woods. There aren't big parks up here like in a city or suburban area- just a playground at the school. We do have some nature preserves, but I want my kids to be able to go out the door into the wild. We live on 1.5 acres now, but it borders about 100 acres owned by a farm that lets us use their land in the winter (in the summer they grow hay so we can't walk the fields). Its lovely, we are just too close to the road.</p> <p>I think its just how I grew up, and the way I envision my family growing. Very private, no neighbors around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821983 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:55:37 +0000 Foodnerd81 2821983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ms. RV: good one! I never considered it really, but now we have TWO linen closets and it is luxurious. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821981 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:54:47 +0000 Foodnerd81 2821981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JJ2626: my list when we lived in the city was VERY different! Basically my list above was what it would take to get me out of the city to the suburbs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821980 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:54:08 +0000 Ms. RV 2821980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just adding because no one seemed to say it...</p> <p>Linen closet! </p> <p>I am building a new house and there isn't a single one. Luckily, there is some space in the upstairs hall to build one in but it is not something I considered until after I put the deposit down! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821979 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:53:18 +0000 Foodnerd81 2821979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: I’m so curious, why ten acres? What would you do with it all? For reference I grew up in central NJ in a neighborhood of close together identical houses with small yards. Our current house has a decent size yard and some woods around but I cannot imagine 10 acres and always wonder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821977 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:45:21 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2821977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My next house must have is a bathroom for every bedroom and a separate hall/guest bathroom. I love that we have a first floor guest bedroom except when we have guests because they tie up the downstairs bathroom. The bed and bath adjoin. Like I see their used towels and toiletries and it just grosses me out like I’m using * their* bathroom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821975 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:43:36 +0000 JJ2626 2821975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It’s so interesting to read these because they obviously depend so much on where you live. We are in the middle of a crazy expensive city so our must haves are things that are just obvious in a suburb like parking and a washe/dryer. But here goes just bc I think it’s fun:</p> <p>Must have<br /> -parking<br /> -washer/dryer in unit<br /> -guest bedroom ( so at least 3 total)<br /> -2 bathrooms<br /> -outdoor space<br /> -prewar/Victorian aesthetic (High ceilings, molding)<br /> -near public transit<br /> -bright </p> <p>nice to have<br /> -central air<br /> -views<br /> -in-law unit<br /> -not too many stairs </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821971 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:24:24 +0000 periwinklebee 2821971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: This is a great point on the walkout basement, and in contrast to the above comments on it being the best of both worlds. Most single family homes around here have basements, but I've never lived anywhere with one and hadn't thought through the pros and cons of walk out vs. not.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821968 Fri, 11 May 2018 11:04:45 +0000 petitenoisette 2821968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We currently live in a small-ish house that we have (almost finished) completely renovating ourselves. We’re now going to be sitting on a lot of equity so buying a new house is sort of always on my radar screen but not something we are actively planning to do at least for a few years. So a new house would have to have the following:<br /> -at least 3 bedrooms on 2nd floor and bath (currently we have 2 bigger up and 1 smaller down and so we don’t ever plan to use the one downstairs other than as guest room and our kids will have to share.)<br /> -flat, decent sized backyard with deck or porch. (#1 thing I hate about our house is the walkout basement and hilly backyard, can’t easily get to backyard/mind kids from inside house)<br /> -doesn’t require full or major renovations<br /> -if kitchen is new then I have to like it asthetically. We just redid ours and I would hate to move to a house with a new kitchen that I didn’t actually like.<br /> -mud or entry room with room to store coats, etc.<br /> -garage or workshop. My DH has a lot of tools.<br /> -relatively open concept<br /> -in a neighborhood<br /> -hardwood floors. Carpeted bedrooms could live with.<br /> -in our budget! </p> <p>Want:<br /> -good landscaping<br /> -4 bedrooms<br /> -screened in porch + deck/patio<br /> -abutting conservation land/forest/trails,etc.<br /> -near our current location/not far from DC<br /> -finished basement or playroom<br /> -fenced in yard<br /> -friendly neighborhood with kids </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821946 Fri, 11 May 2018 10:02:21 +0000 periwinklebee 2821946@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bhbee: @LCTBQE: I really appreciate aesthetics too, but it is something my husband has made it clear that he doesn't care about, *at all*. So we will see how much we have to compromise on other dimensions, and whether I have any bargaining power left when it reaches that point... I love a lot of the 1920s stock from an aesthetic point of view - though I have noticed the lack of bathrooms thing as a potential downside. The only two things DH cares about (beyond AC) are new construction and short commute, but those two things are mutually exclusive around here, so I don't know where we will come down on that in the end. </p> <p>@LCTBQE: I would really love to be out of our completely open concept one bedroom before the baby becomes mobile - and will probably have the best chance of convincing DH over the next few months since it doesn't have AC, the one thing he hates about it. We will be making a decision about job stuff in the next few months and I'd like to move asap after that, but get a sense for what I want now... It is not such a good time since the market is going nuts, so there's that, but if I can convince my husband to spring for a bit more of a commute, prices are not so crazy a bit further from city center... 9 feet seems like a good compromise with ceilings. We have 14', and they are gorgeous, but the heating bill is not pretty. Popcorn ceilings would be a complete deal breaker for me - we lived in a house with them when I was a kid and I had horrible asthma. Then as soon as we moved to a house without them, my asthma almost completely went away... </p> <p>@MrsSCB: @bhbee: My understanding is that the water table is pretty high there, which makes basement construction often infeasible. </p> <p>@bhbee: The screened patio sounds awesome. I hear you on being realistic. Even beyond the financial issues, we are not handy people and it is hard to imagine us prioritizing reno projects... </p> <p>@avivoca: Congrats on the new house, it sounds awesome!</p> <p>@Becky: I lived without a dishwasher until I was like 30. I would not want to go back to that :silly: </p> <p>@looch: We have a condo association and it is a pita in many ways. One of the main reasons I would ideally love a single family home is just to avoid that... </p> <p>@cnidaria: I feel the same way about no pool - fortunately they are rare where we live. And would *love* to be close to greenspace, but don't know if I'll convince my husband that the extra commute is worth it... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821930 Fri, 11 May 2018 08:50:35 +0000 mrsjd 2821930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: Love your list.</p> <p>Our house was built in the 1910s and has 14 ft ceilings. You would DIE! It needs to be updated in some areas but I love it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821929 Fri, 11 May 2018 08:47:40 +0000 Silva 2821929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are planning to move in 3-4 years. We've decided to build because our number one must have doesn't come around that often in the town we want to be in.<br /> So, with building our must haves/would be nice to have are all just budget dependent.</p> <p>Must:<br /> at least 10 acres, with space for a garden and yard (ok if the rest is wooded)<br /> private from any road or neighbors<br /> be in the town we live in currently<br /> 4 bedrooms<br /> extra room with space for a day bed (my husband takes call at least once a week)<br /> master bath, kids bath<br /> mudroom<br /> open floor plan</p> <p>want<br /> hardwood and stone tile flooring<br /> separate laundry room<br /> pantry<br /> garage<br /> wood pellet furnace<br /> wood burning wood stove in main living area<br /> nook/extra room for my desk and sewing stuff<br /> induction cook top </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821925 Fri, 11 May 2018 08:45:28 +0000 avivoca 2821925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just moved into our house! It ticked a lot of the must-have boxes for us.<br /> - two story (my daughter specifically wanted an upstairs house haha)<br /> - 4 bedrooms<br /> - 2 full baths (ended up with 2.5)<br /> - Office space<br /> - separate dining area (kitchen is technically "eat-in" but it's separate enough that I like it)<br /> - foyer (I hated the door opening right into my living room)<br /> - deck</p> <p>We're really happy but the house seems SO LARGE to us because it's double the size of our last home. I think we'll grow into it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821923 Fri, 11 May 2018 08:36:01 +0000 bhbee 2821923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: it’s funny I grew up in the Midwest where everyone had a basement and we used them for tornado siren warnings so it was super weird not to see them here! I would love it for seasonal storage and kid storage. And we loved the finished part of the basement as older kids and teenagers though I wouldn’t use it for that right now. Also nice in my mom’s area is many of the basements are walk-outs so it’s kind of best of both worlds. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821921 Fri, 11 May 2018 08:27:06 +0000 MrsSCB 2821921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: @bhbee: Def no basements anywhere in Houston! Makes sense because of flooding potential. I've also heard it's somehow related to the type of soil. But total opposite of where we are now, where it's unusual to NOT have a basement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-were-buying-a-house#post-2821912 Fri, 11 May 2018 07:45:40 +0000 Becky 2821912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our must haves were:<br /> 3 bedrooms<br /> At least 1.5 bathrooms<br /> Garage<br /> Closets (a lot of older homes here don’t have anywhere to put shoes and coats when you walk in and have very few closets other than in bedrooms)<br /> Not built in the 70s (most houses in our area are much older or newer than that anyway)<br /> Ability to easily add dishwasher if there wasn’t one<br /> No foundation issues<br /> Somewhere to put larger kids toys (play tent, ball pit, mini trampoline) and the treadmill<br /> Yard (didn’t have to be huge, 1/4 acre would be fine)<br /> Location! This was the most important factor. We wouldn’t have looked outside a specific area even if the house was better or cheaper—we would have waited.<br /> We also didn’t want to do a lot of work because we have no time </p> <p>Our house is great and we will stay there forever but the onething I wish we had known about was the plumbing. We have issues with our septic and if we bought in town would have had town sewer. </p>