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Post Info TOPIC: Poll: what are your must haves for a house?
halleybird


Hermes

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Poll: what are your must haves for a house?
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If you were buying a house that you planned to keep for the next 20 years or so, what are your absolute requirements -- what you can't live without?


My husband & I are starting this process right now. It's a lot harder than it sounds! I think these are mine:


-square footage: I want over 2,400 but less than 3,000. We have 2200 now, which is good for just 2 of us, but we need bigger if we plan to have a family. I grew up in a 3,200 sf house (5 people) and it always felt too big.


-school district: a good one. And one I am teaching in


-location: at least 3 miles from a freeway. (The only way to get anywhere in this city.)


-3 car garage: The husband wants a "project car." I don't want to have to look at a project car...thus we will need a 3cg)


-homeowners' association. Needs to be effective. The one we have now is worthless at keeping people from junking up their houses.


Obviously, different areas have different requirements. But what would you need?



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nyc_shopgirl


Dooney & Bourke

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Each house has to meet our lifestyle at the time. For our first house or condo or coop K and I need to be close to the train or train station, 2 bedrooms, i want a newer or renovated kitchen, and walking distance to stores and shop, and parking. I would love hardwood floors, lots of windows.


The cost of this in westchester or fairfield counties will be at least 250k so its a lot for a first home  but i think in a year or two wee will have no problem finding something!



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Elle


Hermes

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Here are mine:



  • Property - somewhere around 1/2 an acre

  • At least 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths, preferably w/ an extra 1/2 bath

  • New/renovated kitchen w/ pantry and island

  • Formal dining room and living room

  • Fireplace

  • Hardwood floors

  • At least a 2 car garage

  • No more than 5 miles from 'the city'

  • Quick access to shopping


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kenzie


Chanel

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The bf and I are going thru this right now since we are planning on getting a new house in about a year. Here are what we've come up with so far:

*Location: close proximity to a city (at least 20 minutes) and a good school district; also within five minutes from basic necessities (grocery store/drug store, ect)
*At least 3000 square feet
*Two car garage
*Two fireplaces (one in the master bedroom and one in the family room)
*a separate family room and formal living room
*separate formal dining room
*An in ground pool
*A master bedroom suite with a jacuzzi and his and hers walk-in-closets
*Either four bedrooms or three bedrooms and study/office (for my design studio)
*An open floorplan
*A large kitchen with a breakfast nook

That's all I can remember right now.

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e_doli


Dooney & Bourke

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-open floor plan (like kitchen with bar-type penninsula counter that's open to the living room)


-kitchen with at least 5 gas burners, double oven, pantry, lots of cabinet space


-neighbors i cannot see from my yard and that don't have dogs that bark (or children that bother run into my yard everytime i go outside)


-main room that opens to a deck/backyard


-big garage


-at least 2 full bathrooms


-plenty of closets and storage space


-driveway that's easy to turn around in and has plenty of parking space


i cannot stress enough how impt. it is to check out your neighbors before you buy a house.  i guess there's no guarantee that they won't move and someone better/worse will move in, but chaces are if they suck they won't move.  our neighbors suck ass and have lived in their house for 20 yrs and are never going to leave.  their dogs bark everytime we're outside, and their yard is ghetto central.  my friend has horrible neighbors too -- another dog that barks incessantly and a 6yr old that is in her yard as soon as she goes outside wanting to play.  then the kid's parents come over.  the dad will ask her bf for a drink, stay way too long, then ask him for "one for the road" when he leaves! the little girl will just go into the house and start getting into things -- it's so bad that my friend ended up hiding in her house most of the summer.  she would get home and try to run in as fast as she could so they didn't see that she was home.  it's true neighbor hell. 



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Ally S


Kate Spade

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Besides the cosmetic needs covered... (and I agree with them all)


Tax Base: Does amount paid equal service? Do you need to pay for recycling and trash collection? This can really add up!


Explore your potenial Mayor, City Council Person/Alderman/person and make sure they have the same vision as you do! You need to move into a place where someone shares your vision, some are not necessarily elected out.


Investigate if any developers or big business is looking into your area, you could benefit or suffer.



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katya


BCBG

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Hi! I don't know much about purchasing a house, but it seems the others have made good suggestions on what to look for. One thing that I definately want in the house I'll buy (someday...) is a decent size backyard. As a dog owner, I want a yard that is relatively flat and large enough for my dogs to run like crazy without running into a fence (or the house). I don't think it's that important for the house to come with a fence, but if it did, I would only keep it if it were a nicer privacy fence made of wood, or something special (like decorative iron). I don't know if you need to get special permits from the city or HOA to build fences, but you should look into that. Have fun searching, and don't settle for a house you don't love!!!

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halleybird


Hermes

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quote:
Originally posted by: katya
"Hi! I don't know much about purchasing a house, but it seems the others have made good suggestions on what to look for. One thing that I definately want in the house I'll buy (someday...) is a decent size backyard. As a dog owner, I want a yard that is relatively flat and large enough for my dogs to run like crazy without running into a fence (or the house). I don't think it's that important for the house to come with a fence, but if it did, I would only keep it if it were a nicer privacy fence made of wood, or something special (like decorative iron). I don't know if you need to get special permits from the city or HOA to build fences, but you should look into that. Have fun searching, and don't settle for a house you don't love!!!"

oh, I agree on the yard size for sure!


Also, it's funny you mentioned backyard fences...in Phoenix, everybody has backyard fences (most places require 8 foot cement block). I remember being shocked the first time I visited the East Coast. I was like, "how do they keep their dogs from running away?" LOL



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honey


Gucci

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right now i'd like (some are realistic, some aren't)


*2 bedrooms


*walking distance to work (or less than a 20 minute commute)


*walking distance to a "good" supermarket and a smaller grocer/farmer's market (better produce than a supermarket)


*a large bathroom with a real tub


*hardwood floors


*huge windows and a windowseat



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jen


Kate Spade

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-A room I can make into a huge walk-in closet


-A room (perhaps the basement) I can turn into a home gym


-A library


-A pool. Growing up, I never didn't have a pool, so now it's a must.


-I want our master suite, and 1 guest room.  No kids EVER so I don't really need anymore than that.



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Mia


Kate Spade

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The two most important things to me are foundations/fundamentals and property size. I wouldn't want anywhere smaller than a 1/2 acre if I was in the country.


As to the foundations, I only like houses with big, spacious rooms, high ceilings and very solidly built. In my area this means buying something built pre-1960 and generally pre-1940. I love old houses and would prefer one with the original mouldings and fixtures. It would also need to have a lot of large windows, hardwood floors (I can rip up ugly carpet, but the wood's got to be good underneath - old is fine, bad quality is not) and be more than one floor (no ranchers/bungalows!). I like front porches/verandas and love the idea of hanging out on my front porch, hopefully with lots of children! I have a thing for large bathrooms with clawfoot tubs so, that too.


Oh, also, I'd like the oven to be gas.



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greendiamond


Marc Jacobs

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It's important to me that a house have a proper foyer. I hate a front door that opens into a room without a foyer.


Laundry room on bedroom level. If it's a colonial, then a laundry room on the second floor, not just "first floor laundry" anymore


A sunroom and a patio/deck off of that for summer entertaining


A basement.


Energy efficency


The flow of the family room to the kitchen to the dining room must make sense. You don't want people bottlenecking in a small hallway for holiday parties due to a poor layout.


A guest bath-one that doesn't have a shower/tub. Just a plain 1/2 bath in a location I don't mind people entering (ie not too close to the bedrooms)


A space that is landscapable, and with neighbors who take care of the exterior of the home.


An attached garage


 


 



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halleybird


Hermes

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RE: RE: Poll: what are your must haves for a house
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quote:
Originally posted by: greendiamond
"It's important to me that a house have a proper foyer. I hate a front door that opens into a room without a foyer.
Laundry room on bedroom level. If it's a colonial, then a laundry room on the second floor, not just "first floor laundry" anymore

 
 "


I TOTALLY second these. It is very hard to find houses here with foyers, though...since the houses are mostly new, they have that living/dining/wasted space area that I can't stand. My current house has a foyer, though. I am hoping for at least a little one in my next house.

Also, I cannot stand when the laundry room isn't on bedroom level (unless there's a laundry chute). I undertsand it can be tough to do in an old house, but WHY would you design a new house like that? Drives me nuts!

I love everyone's responses, btw. It is so funny to see all the differing opinions based on where you're located!

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"We live in an age where unnecessary things are our only necessities." --Oscar Wilde
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