Buying a Starter Home

How Much Space Do You Need In Your Next Home?

29 March 2017

Capucine Leroux

When you are looking at homes for sale in your price range, a big mistake to make is to assume that homes with a larger square footage are better. Here are some things to consider about how large a house needs to be.

Quality Matters

The size of a home isn't the only thing that matters. You could have plenty of space, but if you're left with little money to improve the quality of building materials or fixtures, it might not feel like that much of a luxury. On the other side, if you can create a beautifully finished space that's smaller, but has all of the luxury features you want, it might be a better choice. Things like adding spa features to the bathroom or enlarging the size of windows could make more of a difference than a few extra square feet.

The Beauty of Downsizing

Some homeowners find that they are actually happier in a smaller space. For one, it means less mess to clean up; each additional square foot means more walls to scrub and more floors to vacuum. Having a small but adequate home will also discourage you from amassing a lot of clutter, which can take away from the comfort of a home quickly.

Trade-Offs on Location

Location is perhaps one of the biggest trade-offs that you'll face when you're deciding how big your property should be. If you want to be in a prime location, you'll naturally start looking at homes that are a little bit smaller in the same price range. But when you prioritize having a lot of space for family members to spread out in, your eye may be drawn more to properties that are in neighborhoods with less population density. Those further out locations may not have the same amenities or connectedness as the prime location, but if you tend to spend a great deal of time at home, you might prefer to have that extra space.

In the end, there are great things about having a lot of space, and there are great things about putting other qualities of the home first. When you aren't sure how big you need your next home to be, it's smart to consult a real estate agent who can show you some homes for sale at different sizes, but keeping the same price point. That's a good way to determine how much of an effect home size has on what types of properties you can afford.

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