Have Sippy Will Travel

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When you first plunged into the world of home ownership it was just you and your husband, and you ran
from corner to corner of your house, rejoicing in all the open space. But what happens as the years go by,
and kids, dogs, cats, in-laws and visitors come into the picture? Suddenly that dream house may start
feeling cramped. It’s entirely understandable, especially if you have small children, with playpens and
toys strewn everywhere. As tight as your house may feel, keep in mind that we have it way better than our
grandparents’ generation. Back in 1950, the average size of a single-family home was 983 square feet. As
of 2004, that average house size had skyrocketed to over 2,300 square feet. Clearly we’ve got more room
to play than past generations. But that’s no consolation when you feel like your family is bursting at the
seams in your current house. So is the house truly too small for your growing family?

First off, you have to keep in mind that there are several benefits to staying in a small home, even if it
takes some careful maneuvering and impressive organizational skills. Smaller houses cost less, and not
just when it comes to your monthly mortgage. Taxes are lower, utility bills are lower, and any renovations
you want to make are much less expensive. You’ll also save a ton of time living in a smaller space. It’s
less square footage to clean and maintain, and less outdoor space to prune and mow. Since you have less
space, you’ll also collect less stuff. There’s simply nowhere to put it all, so you’ll effortlessly embrace a
simpler lifestyle. And if you do want to upgrade or renovate part of the space, it will be much cheaper
than the same job in a larger home. So before you rush to put your small house up for sale, consider all
the saved time and money, and talk seriously with your partner about whether the luxury of more space is
really worth it.

In some instances, it may simply be the case that you need more space. Putting your son and daughter in
the same room is fine and dandy when they’re babies, but once they get around school age they really will
need their own space. Not only do you have the whole male-female thing to contend with, but this is the
time when they’re really forming their identities, and a major aspect of that process is allowing them to
express their personalities in how they decorate their rooms. Brother and sister won’t get along for very
long if one of them is all about Disney princesses and the other wants all dinosaurs all the time.

So what’s the plan when your house is truly too small for your growing family? You basically have two
choices: either pay to have an addition put on the house, or move. So how do you choose between them?
That’s going to come down to a wide range of factors. If you absolutely love your neighborhood, see it’s
potential for growth, and really feel strongly about the school system there, it’s probably smart to add on
a room or two. If you notice you’ve had nitpicky issues about the house, the neighborhood, and even the
climate, and you’re not particularly invested in the community, it might be best to move. Smaller houses
are selling quickly, because they’re cheaper to buy and maintain. Talk to a real estate agent and find out
what kind of money you could get for your house, making sure it will at least cover what you owe on your
mortgage. Just keep in mind that the larger house will be more expensive all around, and tacking moving
costs on top could make it a prohibitively expensive option.

Evan Fischer is a contributing writer for www.myonlineestateagent.com, where you can buy or sell your
home with trusted professionals.