Downsizing the family home

[ronandannette]

Wow what does your son do that he can’t afford a mansion? A house that big here would be a few million dollars

I think these are what was referred to as “McMansions” during the US housing frenzy of the early 2000’s that contributed to the sub-prime mortgage crash. I’ve honestly never heard a fully-understandable explanation on how they got produced so cheaply; their industry is very different than ours.

In your city and mine, zoning for new residential is very dense; around 70 single-family units per hectare; a half-acre urban or suburban lot is a fantasy. Most new builds are on 50ft. frontages, which limits the size of most to a max. of 2,000 ft.sq. The median new home price here topped $700,000 for the month of June, and that’s for the type of home you’re describing. You absolutely have to go condo if you want a new build under 1/2 million.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I think these are what was referred to as “McMansions” during the US housing frenzy of the early 2000’s that contributed to the sub-prime mortgage crash. I’ve honestly never heard a fully-understandable explanation on how they got produced so cheaply; their industry is very different than ours.

In your city and mine, zoning for new residential is very dense; around 70 single-family units per hectare; a half-acre urban or suburban lot is a fantasy. Most new builds are on 50ft. frontages, which limits the size of most to a max. of 2,000 ft.sq. The median new home price here topped $700,000 for the month of June, and that’s for the type of home you’re describing. You absolutely have to go condo if you want a new build under 1/2 million.

Totally agree. And the zoning laws makes sense why we don't 'have these huge McMansions in our city. Most new builds are two stories and cab overs. And yes lots of multi generational families from Asia.

 

[china mom]

I think these are what was referred to as “McMansions” during the US housing frenzy of the early 2000’s that contributed to the sub-prime mortgage crash. I’ve honestly never heard a fully-understandable explanation on how they got produced so cheaply; their industry is very different than ours.

In your city and mine, zoning for new residential is very dense; around 70 single-family units per hectare; a half-acre urban or suburban lot is a fantasy. Most new builds are on 50ft. frontages, which limits the size of most to a max. of 2,000 ft.sq. The median new home price here topped $700,000 for the month of June, and that’s for the type of home you’re describing. You absolutely have to go condo if you want a new build under 1/2 million.

Definitely a difference in building costs and the cost of land, not only between the US and Canada but between areas here in the States and even within states. Our current house/land would probably sell for $1.5M a mere 30 miles from where we are (if you could even find a comp).

We don't think of our house as a McMansion, just our normal house but that is probably because of the area we are in. I might have called it a McMansion if I found it in one of the more densely populated areas of my state.

Our starter home as newlyweds was 2000 sq ft on .25 acre.

Current: 5200 sq ft 1.2 acre lot.

 

[Kitty 34]

We have always lived in our ranch. It was a bit small when raising three sons but just perfect now for when the grands come to visit or the occasional son and DIL and dogs.

 

[kdonnel]

what are the average lot sizes those houses are on?

Depends.

New construction in a new neighborhood, 1/4 acre to 1/3 acre. I have 5300+ sq feet counting the 1200 in the finished basement on a 1/4 acre lot built in 2005.

New infill construction, 1/2 to 1 acre but the home is likely 6000+ not counting any unfinished basement.

Basically if the home is in a neighborhood constructed in 2000 or later expect it to be 1/4 to 1/3. If the home is in a neighborhood constructed prior to 2000 the lots get bigger the older the home.

 

[bluezy]

Definitely a difference in building costs and the cost of land, not only between the US and Canada but between areas here in the States and even within states. Our current house/land would probably sell for $1.5M a mere 30 miles from where we are (if you could even find a comp).

We don't think of our house as a McMansion, just our normal house but that is probably because of the area we are in. I might have called it a McMansion if I found it in one of the more densely populated areas of my state.

Our starter home as newlyweds was 2000 sq ft on .25 acre.

Current: 5200 sq ft 1.2 acre lot.

Yes! Location, location, location. We have a 4,000+ sq. ft. house on 4 acres of land. A similar size house 30 miles away would cost more than twice what ours would list for in this area *and* it would only be on a 1/4 acre of land. Head the opposite direction and we could have several acres of land and a 5,000+ sq. ft. house for less than what our current house would list for.

 

[disykat]

Definitely a difference in building costs and the cost of land, not only between the US and Canada but between areas here in the States and even within states. Our current house/land would probably sell for $1.5M a mere 30 miles from where we are (if you could even find a comp).

We don't think of our house as a McMansion, just our normal house but that is probably because of the area we are in. I might have called it a McMansion if I found it in one of the more densely populated areas of my state.

Our starter home as newlyweds was 2000 sq ft on .25 acre.

Current: 5200 sq ft 1.2 acre lot

I would consider your house more actual mansion. (Or just very large!) In our area McMansions were new builds with over 2000 sq ft on less than a 1/4 acre. Since houses aren't generally built with basements here unless they are built on a steep hill, they require a slightly bigger footprint to get the sq footage. Big houses here can really take up a lot of a small lot.

 

[barkley]

Yes. Our house is 3 levels - including a finished basement. Son’s townhouse is also 3 levels.

The new builds going into my older son’s 1950’s neighborhood are also multi level.

I can't imagine living in 3 stories! during the 10 months between selling our prior home and buying our current we rented a 2 story and I decided that if I ever had any inclination to live in more than a single story it would have to have separate climate control zones as well as separate full laundry rooms.

not only between the US and Canada but between areas here in the States and even within states. Our current house/land would probably sell for $1.5M a mere 30 miles from where we are (if you could even find a comp).

you said it! the difference between where I am in washington state vs. the seattle region price wise is unbelievable. 30 minutes away from here and somebody would subdivide our 10 acres so they could reap the riches of building and selling 150 units (can't subdivide where I currently live).

 

[china mom]

I would consider your house more actual mansion. (Or just very large!) In our area McMansions were new builds with over 2000 sq ft on less than a 1/4 acre. Since houses aren't generally built with basements here unless they are built on a steep hill, they require a slightly bigger footprint to get the sq footage. Big houses here can really take up a lot of a small lot.

See, that is crazy to me. I would not call 2000 sq a "McMansion". even on a small lot. Where I grew up, our town had something like 50,000 houses all on 1/4 acre lots and all between 1700-2400 square feet, with 2,000 being the norm. It was build in the 60's and touted as "affordable housing". Not a single basement among them.

My house is the third largest in our community of about 300 houses with all on 1+ acre lots due to being on septic systems and most averaging 400 sq ft. They just look normal to me now.

Yes, my house is big but that is partially because there is an attached 1300 sq foot apartment that we used for my mother (and then later, an elderly friend).

There are houses in my neighborhood for sale for between $750-900K (I didn't pay that much) that would easily sell for $1.5M just 30 miles west of us and who knows what they would get for them in a more expensive state.

This is the house I grew up in (sorry for how run down it looks). It has a larger lot than most because it is on the corner.


And this is DH and my starter home (same town)
In my area, they are not considered McMansions or large.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

We downsized 6 years ago and it was the best decision ever. We went from a 120 year old 6700 square foot house with 7 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths, to a brand new 3100 sq foot 4 bedroom 3 bath bungalow with first floor master. We have an HOA now (hated on the Dis, but we love it) as we do basically nothing outside but water my ferns in the planters on the front porch.

We also only live here part time as we spend time in our weekend home 7-8 months out of the year on a lake an hour away, or our Florida home for a few months in the winter. Downsizing really simplified our life.

 

[CdnCarrie]

See, that is crazy to me. I would not call 2000 sq a "McMansion". even on a small lot. Where I grew up, our town had something like 50,000 houses all on 1/4 acre lots and all between 1700-2400 square feet, with 2,000 being the norm. It was build in the 60's and touted as "affordable housing". Not a single basement among them.

My house is the third largest in our community of about 300 houses with all on 1+ acre lots due to being on septic systems and most averaging 400 sq ft. They just look normal to me now.

Yes, my house is big but that is partially because there is an attached 1300 sq foot apartment that we used for my mother (and then later, an elderly friend).

There are houses in my neighborhood for sale for between $750-900K (I didn't pay that much) that would easily sell for $1.5M just 30 miles west of us and who knows what they would get for them in a more expensive state.

This is the house I grew up in (sorry for how run down it looks). It has a larger lot than most because it is on the corner.
View attachment 993219

And this is DH and my starter home (same town) View attachment 993220
In my area, they are not considered McMansions or large.

Very rare to not have a basement in our city.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We downsized about 5-10 years before we retired (22 years ago)-BEST decision ever. We went from a 2 story house, 3000+ sq ft 4 BR 3BA and a pool down to 1800 1 story 3 BR 2 BA no pool. Not only the size of the house decreased by about 1/3, so did all the associated costs-mortgage, taxes, house insurance, electricity and we put that money aside towards our retirement. Lucky we moved to one story, since I was diagnosed with a neuroligic condition a few years after we moved and can't walk any more. I'd recommend downsizing to almost anyone.

 

[china mom]

Very rare to not have a basement in our city.

Where I grew up, it was for the expediency of contraction and making the homes affordable. They could pour ten slabs on Monday and start framing ten on Wednesday

Where I am now, there are some basements but its is not super common. Part of it may be because of the water table being high and part is that a lot of our county is in areas that are at risk of flooding. Neither of my houses have ever been close but other parts of the county.

My spare house (that is what we are calling the rental that we are trying to sell. Is a split foyer and the tax records call the first level a "basement" but the entire structure is about two feet above grade. You literally have to walk up to get from the garage into the "basement".

 

[bluezy]

Where I grew up, it was for the expediency of contraction and making the homes affordable. They could pour ten slabs on Monday and start framing ten on Wednesday

Where I am now, there are some basements but its is not super common. Part of it may be because of the water table being high and part is that a lot of our county is in areas that are at risk of flooding. Neither of my houses have ever been close but other parts of the county.

My spare house (that is what we are calling the rental that we are trying to sell. Is a split foyer and the tax records call the first level a "basement" but the entire structure is about two feet above grade. You literally have to walk up to get from the garage into the "basement".
View attachment 993321

Interesting that this house is called a split-level where you are. In our area this would be called a bi-level. Typically the garage and the first floor (what you have labeled "basement" are on the same level -- possibly one step up from the garage if zoning requires that. I've never been in a bi-level home that didn't have completely finished living space on that first floor -- never a "basement" per se. Then there's the split staircase with a small landing in the middle of it for the front door. The upper level was always finished.

Below is what is referred to as a split level in our area:

The garage level of the house will have 2 or 3 finished rooms (depending on the size of the house) -- usually an office/bedroom and a half bath. This level is never basement area (at least in the split-level homes I've been in). Then there would be 4 or 5 steps up to the middle level where the front door, living room, kitchen, and dining room would be. Then another 4 or 5 steps up to the upper level with the bedrooms and a bathroom or two. Occasionally, there is true basement space under the living room/kitchen level.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Interesting that this house is called a split-level where you are. In our area this would be called a bi-level. Typically the garage and the first floor (what you have labeled "basement" are on the same level -- possibly one step up from the garage if zoning requires that. I've never been in a bi-level home that didn't have completely finished living space on that first floor -- never a "basement" per se. Then there's the split staircase with a small landing in the middle of it for the front door. The upper level was always finished.

Below is what is referred to as a split level in our area:

The garage level of the house will have 2 or 3 finished rooms (depending on the size of the house) -- usually an office/bedroom and a half bath. This level is never basement area (at least in the split-level homes I've been in). Then there would be 4 or 5 steps up to the middle level where the front door, living room, kitchen, and dining room would be. Then another 4 or 5 steps up to the upper level with the bedrooms and a bathroom or two. Occasionally, there is true basement space under the living room/kitchen level.View attachment 993345

It often depends on the construction inside which is why sometimes they don't look like what we think they should look like but I agree with you the PP most shows in their picture what a bi-level would be especially with the door where it is at which looks like it's "floating" so a landing would be there.

Split level=typically 3 levels, short stairs in certain parts
Bi-level=2 levels

A bi-level will often have a landing where the front door is and you go either up or down, a split level you often enter on an actual floor level.

For example this is my mom's house, a split level.



The front door opens to the living room, dining room and kitchen. Once inside there are like 3 or 4 short steps to the left that are where the bedrooms are at.

In the kitchen area there are a flight of steps down which are more normal amount of steps. That lead to the family room which is half underground (where the 4 windows are at grade level) and the garage is on this level as well (no steps from the garage to the family room).

Then once in the family room there are 3 or 4 steps into the basement. The county considers the family room part of the basement but labeled finished, whereas where those 3 or 4 steps are are unfinished basement where you'll find the utilities and the laundry area. Now for her in particular she would not legally be allowed to have living space in that unfinished part of the basement because there is only window wells and not an actual egress window.

When I worked for the insurance company for the purposes of insurance a bi-level was considered the same as a raised ranch.

 

[soccerdad72]

Very rare to not have a basement in our city.

It's truly something that's regional in the US:

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

On thing to consider with the basement talk is unfinished vs finished. For us our basement is just over 1,300 sq feet, it's unfinished and thus is not what we would say is part of our square footage. If we add that we have 4,100 sq ft house but spread across 3 levels. If I just told you I had a 4,100 sq foot house vs the 2,786 that we do have presently finished to some that would make a difference in what they think about size.

Now to others having an unfinished basement net affords storage space or other activities (like my husband has a golf simulator set up down there) so while it may not be living space it is still added areas.

 

[china mom]

Interesting that this house is called a split-level where you are. In our area this would be called a bi-level. Typically the garage and the first floor (what you have labeled "basement" are on the same level -- possibly one step up from the garage if zoning requires that. I've never been in a bi-level home that didn't have completely finished living space on that first floor -- never a "basement" per se. Then there's the split staircase with a small landing in the middle of it for the front door. The upper level was always finished.

Below is what is referred to as a split level in our area:

The garage level of the house will have 2 or 3 finished rooms (depending on the size of the house) -- usually an office/bedroom and a half bath. This level is never basement area (at least in the split-level homes I've been in). Then there would be 4 or 5 steps up to the middle level where the front door, living room, kitchen, and dining room would be. Then another 4 or 5 steps up to the upper level with the bedrooms and a bathroom or two. Occasionally, there is true basement space under the living room/kitchen level.View attachment 993345

What you show in your picture is called a split level here. When you walk i the front door, you are in the living room and do not go up or down steps. from the living room, you can go ether up to bedrooms or down to bedrums/garage.

Here is a typical split foyer with the entrance opening to a small "foyer" and you immediate have to go up or down to get to anything. Hence, the foyer is split. Usually there are bedrooms and/or rec rooms in the partially submerged basement and kitchen, living space and bedroom(s) are upstairs.



My house is this layout except that the entire thing is above grade rather than the lower level being half below grade.

 

[china mom]

It often depends on the construction inside which is why sometimes they don't look like what we think they should look like but I agree with you the PP most shows in their picture what a bi-level would be especially with the door where it is at which looks like it's "floating" so a landing would be there.

Split level=typically 3 levels, short stairs in certain parts
Bi-level=2 levels

A bi-level will often have a landing where the front door is and you go either up or down, a split level you often enter on an actual floor level.

For example this is my mom's house, a split level.
View attachment 993359


The front door opens to the living room, dining room and kitchen. Once inside there are like 3 or 4 short steps to the left that are where the bedrooms are at.

In the kitchen area there are a flight of steps down which are more normal amount of steps. That lead to the family room which is half underground (where the 4 windows are at grade level) and the garage is on this level as well (no steps from the garage to the family room).

Then once in the family room there are 3 or 4 steps into the basement. The county considers the family room part of the basement but labeled finished, whereas where those 3 or 4 steps are are unfinished basement where you'll find the utilities and the laundry area. Now for her in particular she would not legally be allowed to have living space in that unfinished part of the basement because there is only window wells and not an actual egress window.

When I worked for the insurance company for the purposes of insurance a bi-level was considered the same as a raised ranch.

Exactly except instead of:
Split level=typically 3 levels, short stairs in certain parts
Bi-level=2 levels

we say

Split level=typically 3 levels, short stairs in certain parts
Split Foyer=2 levels


edited to add: Split foyers are very hard to sell in my area...ask me how I know

 

[china mom]

It's truly something that's regional in the US:

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I am in one of the dark states and own 3 slabs and one crawl space.