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orpington
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2014 18:32
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So, what exactly IS the allure of a new house? I just cannot seem to figure this one out.
If I had it my way I would live more in the woods, a cabin would be really appealing, but the wife wants to hear none of that.
I lived in a Victorian home a few years back. The wife never lived there with me - she is afraid of old houses and ghosts.
We looked at a few places...or maybe I did so, but she wanted a new house. Well, a new house gets a pricetag that ought to get your head examined, a TINY lot, no trees, stipulations that disallow chickens, clotheslines, etc, etc. She wanted this new house so I threw my hands up in the air and gave in.
End result...I am unhappy here, I want at least 3 acres, hopefully closer to 10 (really, I want 100+ acres, but too costly in eastern Pennsylvania), and, despite me thinking that I will never get out of here at a profit, the place has increased about 30% in a year, the development is now closed, lots of folks want to move here. The kind of places I like (huge barn, farmhouse, acreage), you cannot give away. My Victorian house is rented out, and I would sell it, except I cannot even break even on that after 5 yrs.
WHY? Why ever would anyone 'desire' to pay a ridiculous sum of money to live on a quarter acre lot, have neighbours all over the place, screaming neighbour's kids, etc., when you could pay far less for lots of space, a well-built stone farmhouse with 200 yr old woodwork, a massive bank barn?
I don't get it? Can't even plant a vegetable garden over here. At least I own 20+ acres of forestland elsewhere.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2014 18:51
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You're preaching to the choir, pal. I doubt many new house advocates end up on a site like this.
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orpington
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2014 20:12
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I never in a million years thought I would ever live in a new house. My wife's doing. Folks drool over granite countertops and all that junk.
I would list this dump tomorrow, if the wife would let me.
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naturelover66
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2014 21:26
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Its all about your frame of mind.. I lived in a new house on a postage stamp size lot... Homeowners association.. Community pool..very high taxes and utility bills... I hated it. My husband insisted we have the "nice" neighborhood for our two boys.. Kids to play with... Schools around the corner. The neighbors were noisy and nosy... I avoided them like the plague. I think alot of people... Not just women feel that is the American dream or measure of success. Now the kids are grown and I view those years as alot if wasted money .. the kids would have been happy in an older smaller house too.
I will one day be happy as a clam living on my five acres...in my cabin.
With no debt. Cheap taxes and small electric bill. Happy happy happy.!!
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TheCabinCalls
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2014 23:08
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A new house is an empty promise that you get what you want and you have no worries (like a new car). But a new house needs maintenance like any house.
I disagree with comments about neighbors. This can be hit or miss with almost any location. We have had great neighbors that the kids play with and learn from. That social experience has been rewarding.
I do agree about HOAs. I think they are another form of authority gone wrong. They are open to a few ruling an entire neighborhood which defeats the purpose of a town.
I realize most on here feel the same, but I just wanted to weigh in on neighbors. Bad neighbors that are loved long enough will usually come around...
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jul 2014 00:38 - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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I cant stand HOA's with their CCR's. Its a police state. A bunch of controllers. My first home, which I'm still in, long paid for, 1/3 acre, no HOA's, great neighbors. It seems like all the new developments are being built with HOA and CCR's. The little postage stamp lots are a result of sewer. Move away from sewer, the septic system requires the bigger lots. If i move, it will be 2 more times, to my cabin, then gravesite. Or to the grave site from where I live now. That is it.
I do have all wonderful neighbors, but I've been here for 25 years now. We all are good friends and we all keep our places up real nice. They are all like family. I have seen their babies grow up and off to college etc.
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orpington
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jul 2014 04:58
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Amazingly enough, there is no HOA over here. Makes it somewhat more bearable. But, when I signed the contract, it was a laundry list of you can't do this, you can't do that...
Neighbours...no real problems, other than the fact they are there...and all over. One needs one's privacy.
I am just stunned to discover that there are lots of folks who want to move into this 'luxury' neighbourhood (luxury isn't even a word in my vocabulary) when one can have so much more for so much less!
Unfortunately, my wife's parent's lived in one brand new house after another growing up. Her parents used to spend Sunday afternoons going to open houses of the various developers in the area. They had a brief economic downturn and ended up moving into one old house...that had immediate problems, like needing a new septic system. So she equates anything other than brand new with bad. The old house was worse than previous living arrangements and had problems.
Meanwhile, I dream about my farmhouse with lots of space. I am hoping maybe the fact the house has increased so much might make her reconsider...but, then again, I don't think she will go for an old farmhouse anytime soon. <Sigh>
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