Which home would you choose?

[NewJeffCT]

We may be moving in the near future, so both my wife and I can have 15-20 minute commutes to work, instead of our current hour drives. All 3 are in same town in Connecticut.

House one:
Brand new home, almost finished with a lot of really nice details you'd likely see in a more expensive house - like granite countertops in the kitchen, crown molding throughout the home, huge master bath suite. The street is a long road, but not too busy. Both ends of the street are rather steep hills, so there is some concern with winter driving. A lot of hardwood flooring. Same price as home two, but not negotiable in price due to it being new. Extra bedroom suite on 2nd floor, and 3rd/4th bedroom share a "jack 'n' jill' bathroom. Flat lot, about 0.75 acres.

House two:
9 year old home, bigger than new home, but the details are not quite as nice (less hardwood, linoleum/formica countertops). On a busy road, but set back on a large (2.3 acre) lot and separated from the busy road by a few rows of trees. has more storage space and a huge walk-out basement that the previous owners already started to finish (walls are framed, plumbing for bathroom is hooked up). Same price as home one, but probably more negotiable on price due to it being older and the owners already having moved out for job relocation. Has same amount of bedrooms as House 1, but also a bonus room over garage.

House three.
Part of a large subdivision, so only one of the three that is part of a 'neighborhood' - large home with a finished 3rd floor bonus room and also a large master bedroom suite. Smallest lot of the 3 homes, a bit less than 0.50 acres. Former model home in development, so has all the "upgrades" but is also the most expensive of the three homes by about 7.5% more than the others... 5 year old home.

[LeftyMom]

1. #2

You can always upgrade the countertops and flooring but that huge lot will always be worth something even if the house fell down tomorrow. Also, with a family the added storage space is always a good thing.

[LostinVA]

2. #1 or #3 -- probably #1

[Droopy]

3. I'd go for a 2 bedroom 1 bath bungelow

before I went with any of those. But if those were my only choices I'd go with the second one.

Seriously, man, I know property ain't cheap up that way and if I were looking there I'd go with a small place. But I'm also thinking about my meager income as a truck driver. I really have no idea how working class folks manage to get by in New England.

[NewJeffCT]

6. the Hartford area is a lot cheaper than SW Connecticut

Home #2 is similar to a home some friends of ours bought in Danbury, CT a few years back in regards to square footage. Only their lot is 0.25 acres and Danbury has worse schools than the town we're looking in, and their home was about 20% more price-wise than home #2. And, the school difference is pretty significant.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. If you have or will have small children, #3

It's the only one with a built-in community. The difference in lot size is significant but with a half acre there's still a good size buffer zone for a deck, a swing set or other play area for kids. A completed subdivision defines a local area for bike riding and developing friends within walk distance of the house.

Without kids, I'd pick #2.


on edit: whichever one you choose, congrats on finding a way to cut the commute time down to something more reasonable.

[auntAgonist]

5. #2 is my choice.

This sounds more appealing to me. More land, trees, a country feel to it. More privacy too I'm thinking. You can finish out the basement, change the countertops. We just put in a brand new kitchen (still working on it). We went with granite counters, beautiful. The walk out basement is a bonus if you intend to entertain. BBQ outside, basement could be a rec room, sitting room, games room etc. The possibilities are endless.

good luck in what ever home you choose.

aA

[S n o w b a l l]

7. #1

The busy street would be my prime reason against #2. Upgrading features sounds easy until you're actually in the house, then other things always seem to take priority.

[Arugula Latte]

40. I agree. I've lived on a busy street.

Haaated it. x(

[Midlodemocrat]

8. #2,

You can always add upgrades like granite countertops, but you can't add acreage.

I would, however, fence in the backyard for the little one and little ones to be. It's a lifesaver.

[Briarius]

9. #2

but I like to have my space. And the over-the-garage workspace would be awesome!

[NewJeffCT]

10. we'd probably make it into a playroom for our daughter

while my playroom would be the finished basement (if we ever do that)

but, if my in-laws ever come from overseas, the basement would be perfect for them because it would have its own bathroom.

[XemaSab]

11. 1 or 2

:bounce:

[LeftyMom]

12. another thing about #2

f you ever want to start a business at home or if you wind up with a few more kids than you were planning on, that basement and bonus room will be lifesavers.

Also, as soon as you put fixtures in the bath and finish the basement, it will add value to the house. The previous owners already did the expensive, difficult and inconvenient part when they plumbed it, the rest could be done mostly DIY if you're so inclined or pretty cheaply with a handyman.

I do agree with midlo that a fenced back yard would be a priority in that house if it doesn't have one already (no homes here that aren't super-rural don't, so I didn't think of that.)

[NewJeffCT]

16. the area behind the home

and behind the lot is wooded and designated as "open space" by the town.

I'll have to look into fencing, though I'm sure it won't be cheap with a good acre+ of backyard to fence in...

[LeftyMom]

24. Maybe you could do a smaller play area near the back door?

Fencing is crazy expensive anymore.

[NewJeffCT]

26. probably a good idea

there is plenty of room if we wanted to put in a swing set or a pool, too.

[LeftyMom]

27. That's what I was thinking

Fence in a swingset, maybe a little picnic table...

[GardeningGal]

13. I'd pick #2 also.

I would love to have the acreage.

[texanwitch]

14. No question about it , #2

Take the 2.3 acres and run.

[lizziegrace]

15. I don't like the busy street

I live on a rural road that is heavily traveled. I realize you're set back, but even with some distance, you'll hear the traffic. My windows are always dirty and if the township decides to widen the road, I'm in trouble.

I like #1 mainly for this reason.

[LostinVA]

17. That was my main reason for going with #1, too

[fudge stripe cookays]

18. #2

The trees are worth their weight in gold, and you can always upgrade the inside a little at a time yourself, making it worth just as much as house 1. Plus the rate seems to be a bit more negotiable.

[mcscajun]

19. House #2 -- You can fix the details to your liking later. Get the open space

storage space, and bonus room, and likely better price.

:)

[Nikia]

20. Probably #2

A nine year old house isn't that old. You can do updates later if you like.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. I'd go with #2 as well!

The more I look at it, the better I like it!

Have fun, no matter which one you choose!

Otherwise, my second choice would be #1.......

:hi:

[wildhorses]

22. #2...cos of the land

but i am land greedy...also the negotiable part is sounding good

[rug]

23. #1

[Flaxbee]

25. that's a hard decision...

I'd go for #1 or #2. I don't really like subdivisions, having grown up in them my entire childhood/teen years. Makes me feel very stepford-y, BUT both of my sisters live in nice subdivisions and the homes have definitely increased in value. Do any of these houses feel more like "home" to you when you walk in?

I like the description of #1 because it sounds well-made, though make sure you check building materials (did they use plywood or compressed sawdust for the frame, etc.). It seems that new homes, and subdivision homes, have often been made with the cheapest materials possible - not necessarily the interior which you've described as having high-end features, but the frame which is very important. Check for that on all homes.

If house #2 has aged well over 9 Connecticut years (meaning lots of humid heat in summer and cold winters) then it probably has good "bones". I have two concerns about the home: being on a busy road, can you tell if it will someday age to being a more commercial area? Will neighbors sell to doctors' offices, etc., because of the location and would that bother you and screw up your taxes? Also, I have a bunch o' animals in my house and I'd be worried about one of them getting out and getting hit. Same thing goes if you have, or expect to have, children.

I guess I'm saying go with the home that is the best-built, most structurally sound, as you can upgrade interior features very easily. Add into the mix whatever one "feels" best.

[Digit]

28. House 3

#1 - Don't care for busy roads and large tracts of land require more upkeep (usually). Check out the taxes, too.

#2 - Steep hills and winter driving are not fun.

#3 - Not always, but most of the time homes which were the model homes were paid more attention by the builder and sometimes finished off nicer. I just wish the price was better...but DO negotiate.

[AlCzervik]

29. #1 although 2 sounds like you could make it your own but the location sounds

not so great. Location, location,location.

[NewJeffCT]

41. well, both #1 and #2 have been on the market for a while

I'm sure part of the reason is location - lack of a neighborhood for both, and busy road for #2.

[Rabrrrrrr]

30. Normally I'd say stay the hell away from #3 - but since it's a model home,

there's a good chance that it was only pisspoorly made instead of shittily made.

Having friends in the construction biz has taught me that developments, when homes are made on spec, are shit - they might look good on the outside, but the developers skimp on everything inside the walls, they buy shitty lights and ceiling fans and faucets and doorknobs and gas burning fireplaces and water heaters and furnaces and whatnot that will seem solid and good, but will only last a couple years before they break and need replacement.

No way in hell would I buy a spec home. But, being a model home, #3 just might actually have been built properly.

I'd go #1 only because I far prefer hardwood, I want granite countertops, and I would die to have a master bath suite.

[NewJeffCT]

37. well, all 3 homes have master bedroom suites

with adjoining master bathroom. The first two homes also have 2 walk-in closets in the master BR, though they are larger in house #1. However, house #2 also has a cedar closet in the upstairs hallway.

One thing I like about the basement in house #2 is that it has steel beams going across the ceiling (of the basement), so it has none of those posts that take up so much room in a normal basement.

[Richard Steele]

31. I'd pick #2, for sure.

[Nicole]

32. #2

The large lot would be the deciding factor for me. You can always change things inside the house like adding granite contertops, hardwood floors, etc.
You can't easily add more land later.

[momophile]

33. I'm thinking #2

you can do the upgrades yourself over time.

[NMDemDist2]

34. House 2

you can never have too much storage, 2 acres is a nice lot and you can always add hardwood

as for granite counters, I think they are a fad and totally overrated. give me formica any day cuz if I get bored or it gets damaged, it's half a day and $500 to change out. AND it is forgiving if you drop a glass or plate

also the materials and the laborers available even 10 years ago were better quality then the stuff they use today. 9 years ago journeymen carpenters and plumbers BUILT the houses, today you'll be lucky if there is one journeyman to run three crews of "construction" workers

[Mz Pip]

35. How much do you like yard work?

2.3 acres sounds lovely but how much maintainence would be involved? Also, the busy road would be an instant turn off for me as I'd be concerned about kids and pets.

.75 acres of flat land sounds doable as far as yard work goes. Brand new sounds good, too. You'd get to pick your own landscaping though that might be a bunch of work.

My choice would be whatever house had a usable yard on a quiet street.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[pitohui]

36. "almost finished" will never BE finished if you make the offer beforehand

in my experience any way, so #1 is out of the running until such time as it actually is finished

#2 sounds like a good pick

[NewJeffCT]

39. I think we'd write that into any sort of contract

and, the builder of that first home lives like less than 2 miles away from this house, anyhow, and has been building homes in town for 30+ years.

[YankeyMCC]

38. #1

[QMPMom]

42. #2. Sounds like a great home.