STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

JoceyBaby23 · Gucci

Need House help.. please!

Hermione · Kate Spade

I would get the first option; here is my reasoning:

1) you are young and that house is perfect for your needs now, and it sounds like you really want it. if price isn't a factor, why not live in a place that you are excited about? you're not planning on having kids soon so this is perfect for you now, and who knows if you'll have the opportunity to live in a place like that again?

2) you and DH aren't the only young couple that would like to live in a cool place! i don't think the 3 bedroom thing is that much of a big deal in the resale market - there will be other people in your situation or who don't plan on having kids at all - families aren't the only people buying houses!

if you're really concerned about it, talk to your realtor about which they think has better resale value, or the developer (whoever you're going through) but i would definitely go with the one you want and works for your current (and near future) lifestyle.

Hermes

go with the 2 bedroom. my condo is similar, and the loft is considered a bedroom even though it's completely open with a railing over looking the living room - it has a full bath too - we also keep our "office" up there.

In my condo complex people have chosen to drywall in the open wall to make a formal bedroom - so it's not like it can't ever be used for a bedroom.

so, my place has a master BR, guest BR and loft BR it is considered a 3 bedroom, not 2 bedroom with a loft... also with boomers aging, and so many people not having kids these days, I think the market for 2 BR/loft isn't as bad as it used to be.

Elle · Hermes

I don't think having only 2 'official' bedrooms will hurt your resale if you also have both a loft and finished basement as well and 5-10 years of appreciation ahead of you. IMO most people who are attracted to townhomes are young couples like yourself, singles, young families, and empty nesters because townhomes are generally seen as stepping stones (either before or after owning a larger hom). I think if I personally already had 2 children (or planned to in the near future), I'd probably be looking at similarly priced freestanding homes as opposed to townhomes.

And, I think a 2 bedroom town home might be better for rental purposes down the line if that might be a possibility for you.

Also, if I was buying a townhome, I'd be more attracted to the unique 2 bedroom than the 'average' 3 bedroom. As I'm sure you've probably seen, anyone can find more bedrooms but it takes more to find a house that is has an interesting/different/special style.

HTH!

shopgirl82 · Chanel

Elle wrote:

Also, if I was buying a townhome, I'd be more attracted to the unique 2 bedroom than the 'average' 3 bedroom. As I'm sure you've probably seen, anyone can find more bedrooms but it takes more to find a house that is has an interesting/different/special style. HTH!

i agree with this completely. my bf and i have a one bedrooom + loft. it has soooo much character. we definitely could have spent the same amount and gotten a 2 bedroom, but our loft bedroom is HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE has a ton of personality, we love being there.

you have to realize what going to make you happy on a day to day basis. yes there will be times when you might want an extra bedroom, but if 360 days a year a loft will make you happy, then get the one with the loft.

his relatives often mention how nice it would be to have an extra bedroom for visitors, but that's 5 days a year (and that's when we decide we'd rather compromise our comfort 5 days, than to have an extra room 360 days).

also, most of the time the people looking at townhouses are about our age and realize that this is going to be an in between place. most of the time if people have more than one children, they will be looking at houses not townhomes.

zeitgeist4 · Gucci

Although everyone seems to be pushing the 2 bedroom with loft option, I wanted to point out that in the winter your heating bill may be high. I've never lived in a high ceiling/loft-type place, but it seems that if warm air rises, all your heat might go to the top. Just something to consider if you're a cold-body.

blubirde · Chanel

I say go with the 2 bedroom. I love lofts and have always thought of them as a selling advantage, not disadvantage. A lot of people want the extra "room" but don't necessarily need it as a bedroom so a loft has a distinct advantage over a 3-bedroom, in that respect (at least imo).

Plus, high ceilings are really cool. They open up a space and generally make it more open, cheerful, etc. I'm a big fan of a high ceilings. I think you can't go wrong with option #1. Go for it and if all else fails, like detroit said, you can always drywall in a couple walls to make the loft a 3rd bedroom.

JoceyBaby23 · Gucci

zeitgeist4 wrote:

Although everyone seems to be pushing the 2 bedroom with loft option, I wanted to point out that in the winter your heating bill may be high. I've never lived in a high ceiling/loft-type place, but it seems that if warm air rises, all your heat might go to the top. Just something to consider if you're a cold-body.

Very true.. But we were told that since we would be taking a middle unit.. that will already be saving us $50-60 a month in heating costs (compared to an end unit). So maybe that would balance out?

shopgirl82 · Chanel

zeitgeist4 wrote:

Although everyone seems to be pushing the 2 bedroom with loft option, I wanted to point out that in the winter your heating bill may be high. I've never lived in a high ceiling/loft-type place, but it seems that if warm air rises, all your heat might go to the top. Just something to consider if you're a cold-body.

this is very true. our bedroom is in the loft and there is a considerable temperature difference from the downstairs. the downstairs/kitchen/living room is much cooler than the upstairs. we use small space heaters and fans depending on the season so it's really not a problem.

Hermes

JoceyBaby23 wrote:

zeitgeist4 wrote: Although everyone seems to be pushing the 2 bedroom with loft option, I wanted to point out that in the winter your heating bill may be high. I've never lived in a high ceiling/loft-type place, but it seems that if warm air rises, all your heat might go to the top. Just something to consider if you're a cold-body. Very true.. But we were told that since we would be taking a middle unit.. that will already be saving us $50-60 a month in heating costs (compared to an end unit). So maybe that would balance out?

probably - also, although I am NOT a fan of them, I have considered *gasp* installing a ceiling fan in my cathedral ceiling to push the warm air down... so that's another option...

halleybird · Hermes

detroit wrote:

probably - also, although I am NOT a fan of them, I have considered *gasp* installing a ceiling fan in my cathedral ceiling to push the warm air down... so that's another option...

*collapses at the thought of not having ceiling fans* don't ever move out of the North!

I agree with the others, Jocey -- #1 sounds much nicer. And yes, the heating will be weird. We have 2-story ceilings in the living room and a sort of loft-hallway, and all the warm air collects in that center core. But it's not completely terrible.

Our last house had 3 bedrooms + a den, and the realtor said not having the fourth bedroom hurt our resale value by about $2-4k. But that was a house in the suburbs, and I think a townhouse attracts different sorts of buyers (younger, etc.).

relrel · Marc Jacobs

detroit wrote:

JoceyBaby23 wrote: zeitgeist4 wrote: Although everyone seems to be pushing the 2 bedroom with loft option, I wanted to point out that in the winter your heating bill may be high. I've never lived in a high ceiling/loft-type place, but it seems that if warm air rises, all your heat might go to the top. Just something to consider if you're a cold-body. Very true.. But we were told that since we would be taking a middle unit.. that will already be saving us $50-60 a month in heating costs (compared to an end unit). So maybe that would balance out? probably - also, although I am NOT a fan of them, I have considered *gasp* installing a ceiling fan in my cathedral ceiling to push the warm air down... so that's another option...

first..jocey, whew...congrats on getting out of a sticky situation so fast/easily. im glad that it worked out okay for you. i think the first townhome sounds really cool. id be willing to bet that deep down you have already made your mind up anyway. since you aren't planning on staying (right, right? get the hell out of lanc now!) you might as well enjoy where you are at. and pish tosh on the resale value, there will always be another cool couple like yourselves who want that townhome. especially if lanc continues to become just an exburb of philly with more and more commuters. there is definitly a very strong trendy population of twenty somethings in lanc who would very much rather have the cool loft and cathedral ceiling space than the extra bedroom for kids.

second, ceiling fans? seriously? what is the big deal about them? besides some nasty trading spaces hangup there are some decent looking ones out there. they really aren't that terrible, and in fact do wonders for circulation of air in both winter and summer seasons.