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Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
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Which house would you pick?
We have 2 little ones and we are torn between 2 houses.
Both neighborhoods are very kid friendly with tons of kids.
A. Brand new 5,000 sf house with all the bells and whistles in an ok, slightly below average school district. DH and I would both have 10-15 minute commutes. The neighborhood is very economically diverse so most of the wealthier kids go to private school.
B. Older smaller house (3,000 sf and ~15 years old) in an excellent public school district. The house is fine structurally but I would want to redo the kitchen and all the bathrooms. The layout of the house is also awkward. Commute time is longer by 20 minutes, maybe up to an extra hour if traffic is bad.
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Posted 12/5/11 1:07 PM  |
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EricaAlt
LIF Adult
Member since 7/08 22665 total posts
Name:
Erica
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I guess it depends on a lot of factors...
House B - would you be able to afford a contractor to fix up a lot and even possibly change the layout?
Is this the home you plan on staying in forever or for the next 5 - 10 yrs
If you chose House A would you send the children to Private School?
Sounds like you'd love House A more as long as the kids go to a good school
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| Posted 12/5/11 1:11 PM |
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pnbplus1
Family
Member since 5/09 5751 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Re: Which house would you pick?
The 2 houses just don't seem comparable and both have negatives. I would keep looking.
If I HAD to choose one, I'd pick the new, larger house IF and ONLY IF you felt comfortable sending your kids to that school district, or were going to send them to private school, AND if you could be reasonable sure that you would be able to sell the house easily given the school district issue.
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| Posted 12/5/11 1:13 PM |
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Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by EricaAlt
I guess it depends on a lot of factors...
House B - would you be able to afford a contractor to fix up a lot and even possibly change the layout?
Is this the home you plan on staying in forever or for the next 5 - 10 yrs
If you chose House A would you send the children to Private School?
Sounds like you'd love House A more as long as the kids go to a good school
Yes, we would be able to afford to fix up the second house. The total cost would be around the same in terms of home cost. I don't think we can change the things like where the staircase is and where the dining room is located.
We should be able to pay for private school. We prefer public school though.
This house may not be the house we grow old in but it's the house our kids would spend most of their childhood.
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| Posted 12/5/11 1:16 PM |
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randella
Love my little man
Member since 8/05 16290 total posts
Name:
Randi
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I'd do house #2. Make it your own and you have the great school district.
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| Posted 12/5/11 1:24 PM |
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SuzyQ
Mama to 3!?!?!?
Member since 7/06 8069 total posts
Name:
Susan
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I'd keep looking for something better. Can you wait until the spring when inventory increases? If not, I'd agree with this:
Posted by randella
I'd do house #2. Make it your own and you have the great school district.
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| Posted 12/5/11 1:40 PM |
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Sparrow
LIF Adult
Member since 11/10 6826 total posts
Name:
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by SuzyQ
I'd keep looking for something better. Can you wait until the spring when inventory increases? If not, I'd agree with this:
Posted by randella
I'd do house #2. Make it your own and you have the great school district.
Ditto the above.
We had a similar situation when we were house hunting. I fell in love with a brand new house (huge, beautiful, everything you could want and more) in a decent town BUT it was at the top of the price range for sales in that town so DH convinced me to pass on it. We wound up buying an older house that we still loved in a different town that we love even more and are SO happy we did. It's fun to be able to make a house your own and a better school district will only help you when you go to sell down the road.
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| Posted 12/5/11 1:55 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Which house would you pick?
not sure I would pick either
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| Posted 12/5/11 2:01 PM |
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Karen
Just chillin'!!
Member since 1/06 9690 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Honestly, I would keep looking.
A 5,000SF home in a less-than-average school district is going to be an issue come resell time as the school district is a deterrent and the sheer size of the home is going to reduce your potential seller pool.
The commute AND layout issues with house B would turn me off.
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| Posted 12/5/11 2:10 PM |
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nycgirl
Angels!
Member since 3/09 7721 total posts
Name:
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Re: Which house would you pick?
To me, a school district was very important.
When faced with a similar decision... I chose the MUCH older, smaller house (but the price was much more), in a great school district.
You have to love your house though. Mine had a lot of hidden cost surprises (we have yet to do the bathrooms and kitchen over). I'd say... consider waiting until the Spring.
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| Posted 12/5/11 2:26 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by Karen
Honestly, I would keep looking.
A 5,000SF home in a less-than-average school district is going to be an issue come resell time as the school district is a deterrent and the sheer size of the home is going to reduce your potential seller pool.
The commute AND layout issues with house B would turn me off.
Well said
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| Posted 12/5/11 2:31 PM |
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schmora15
LIF Adult
Member since 9/08 2476 total posts
Name:
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I would go with #2. Will you be able to live there during the renovations though with 2 LOs? If you have to get temp housing any way I would get an apartment and continue looking since it doesn't seem you're in love with either.
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| Posted 12/5/11 2:38 PM |
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Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by schmora15
I would go with #2. Will you be able to live there during the renovations though with 2 LOs? If you have to get temp housing any way I would get an apartment and continue looking since it doesn't seem you're in love with either.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the first house. The house is beautiful on a nice cul de sac. We are close to trains, highways, parks, shopping, etc. I could not get over the subpar school district. However, we are close to a magnet high school that is probably deemed best in the area.
I don't like the second house at all. I absolutely love the elementary school in this area. People buy homes in this area just to attend the elemtary school.
DH originally wanted to go with House B. I just was not happy with the actual house.
Now DH is on board with House A but now I think maybe House B will be better.
We have spent a long time looking. Actual house aside, the choice is between location (convenience to work) with bad schools and inconvenience with good schools. There are plenty of not as nice houses that are close to work. DH and I have always had very short commutes. We are really struggling with giving up the short commute.
Message edited 12/5/2011 2:53:12 PM.
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| Posted 12/5/11 2:51 PM |
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Xelindrya
Mommy's little YouTube Star!
Member since 8/05 14470 total posts
Name:
Veronica
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by SuzyQ
I'd keep looking for something better. Can you wait until the spring when inventory increases? If not, I'd agree with this:
Posted by randella
I'd do house #2. Make it your own and you have the great school district.
Ditto this.
I got my house which is smaller than most and definately more pricing that I could have found elsewhere.
I choose smaller and comfy because of the schools. I could EASILY have gotten much larger for much cheaper but didn't 'love' the school districts.
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| Posted 12/5/11 3:02 PM |
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Budjeg11
LIF Adult
Member since 4/11 2644 total posts
Name:
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by Xelindrya
Posted by SuzyQ
I'd keep looking for something better. Can you wait until the spring when inventory increases? If not, I'd agree with this:
Posted by randella
I'd do house #2. Make it your own and you have the great school district.
Ditto this.
I got my house which is smaller than most and definately more pricing that I could have found elsewhere.
I choose smaller and comfy because of the schools. I could EASILY have gotten much larger for much cheaper but didn't 'love' the school districts.
This happens to be the route we chose as well. BUt if you can have the house you love with the great commute and afford to send your kids to private school then it sounds like a win win, assuming that you are ok with the neighborhood othrwoise.
Curious as to the neighborhoods you are choosing between....
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| Posted 12/5/11 3:12 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by Budjeg11
then it sounds like a win win, assuming that you are ok with the neighborhood othrwoise.
Curious as to the neighborhoods you are choosing between....
Not a win win when it comes to resale. Others may not want to pay that for a home in a so so district, where many people use private schools.
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| Posted 12/5/11 3:19 PM |
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Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Posted by Budjeg11
Posted by Xelindrya
Posted by SuzyQ
I'd keep looking for something better. Can you wait until the spring when inventory increases? If not, I'd agree with this:
Posted by randella
I'd do house #2. Make it your own and you have the great school district.
Ditto this.
I got my house which is smaller than most and definately more pricing that I could have found elsewhere.
I choose smaller and comfy because of the schools. I could EASILY have gotten much larger for much cheaper but didn't 'love' the school districts.
This happens to be the route we chose as well. BUt if you can have the house you love with the great commute and afford to send your kids to private school then it sounds like a win win, assuming that you are ok with the neighborhood othrwoise.
Curious as to the neighborhoods you are choosing between....
We no longer live in NY. We moved down to the DC area. We are exploring Alexandria (very short commute) and surrounding areas with longer commutes (Arlington). There are places with beautiful homes in excellent schools but they would even be longer commutes (1+ hour commute). We decided against that. I want to be able to take the boys to school in the morning and be home for dinner. That is important to me.
Message edited 12/5/2011 3:31:04 PM.
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| Posted 12/5/11 3:21 PM |
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CkGm
They get so big, so fast :(
Member since 5/05 13848 total posts
Name:
Christine
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I would always pick #2. First of all, heating a 5000 sq ft house is nuts, you really don't need all that space(we live in a 1800 sq ft house and although a bit tight, its fine and easy to clean ) and in terms of school district, a not so good one may get worse while a great one usually will stay around the same.
Location, location, location
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| Posted 12/5/11 4:46 PM |
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Diana1215
Living on a prayer!!!
Member since 10/05 29450 total posts
Name:
Diana
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I would keep looking.
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| Posted 12/5/11 4:58 PM |
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julz33
i run for bacon
Member since 5/05 20584 total posts
Name:
julz
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Keep looking!
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| Posted 12/5/11 7:14 PM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I can't really choose on the info provided - to me there is so much more to the decision where to live! What town do you like better? Which area do you like better? Where do you feel more comfortable/fit in better? But, I will say, I don't think I would buy a home in an area where the "wealthy" people all send their kids to private schools...When you spend $$$ you want to at least have the public school as an option. Plus, usually a less than desirable school might = less than desirable area. For us - loving the actual house was only half of the story...I needed to love the town, schools, people etc. as well.
Message edited 12/5/2011 8:39:10 PM.
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| Posted 12/5/11 8:38 PM |
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angrybird
LIF Zygote
Member since 10/11 15 total posts
Name:
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Re: Which house would you pick?
I was originally going to say house #2 but after learning it is in the dc area I think I would say house 1 (unless house 2 is in McLean as that neighborhood really sells itself. I lived and owned a home on the border of Alexandria and Arlington and I feel so many people in dc send their kids to private school that the whole public school issue isn't as big of a deal as it s in li.
Can you share what areas they are in?
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| Posted 12/6/11 12:15 AM |
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FirstMate
My lil cowboy
Member since 10/10 7790 total posts
Name:
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Re: Which house would you pick?
Are you getting a cleaning lady? If no, house B, if yes, house A.
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| Posted 12/6/11 12:57 AM |
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