Comments on: “Starter Home,” Schmarter Home http://blog.redfin.com/boston/2008/08/starter_home_schmarter_home.html Redfin Boston Sweet Digs Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:01:40 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: pamela.reynolds http://blog.redfin.com/boston/2008/08/starter_home_schmarter_home.html/comment-page-1#comment-2659 pamela.reynolds Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:38:06 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/boston/2008/08/starter_home_schmarter_home.html#comment-2659 Hi Newman, I understand your frustration about a two-bed condo being a starter home! But realistically, in Brookline, anything with more than two beds and more square footage quickly gets into the $700K-$800K, which is definitely NOT a "starter" price for most of us! So in Brookline, "starter" often does indeed mean a two bed condo. Eventually, people in these small condos may want to move up, but to my mind, it's all a matter of proportion. There's no need necessarily to opt for a huge house, either. Bikes2work: I always sympathize with the need for more space when it's a real need. But again, it's all a matter of proportion. Getting a little extra space doesn't have to mean opting for a huge behemoth in Suburbia. Having grown up in a 1500-square-foot bungalow (and sharing a room with my sister) I have pleasant memories --- not of cramped spaces but of a lot of togetherness! Hi Newman,

I understand your frustration about a two-bed condo being a starter home! But realistically, in Brookline, anything with more than two beds and more square footage quickly gets into the $700K-$800K, which is definitely NOT a “starter” price for most of us! So in Brookline, “starter” often does indeed mean a two bed condo. Eventually, people in these small condos may want to move up, but to my mind, it’s all a matter of proportion. There’s no need necessarily to opt for a huge house, either.

Bikes2work: I always sympathize with the need for more space when it’s a real need. But again, it’s all a matter of proportion. Getting a little extra space doesn’t have to mean opting for a huge behemoth in Suburbia. Having grown up in a 1500-square-foot bungalow (and sharing a room with my sister) I have pleasant memories — not of cramped spaces but of a lot of togetherness!

]]> By: Newman http://blog.redfin.com/boston/2008/08/starter_home_schmarter_home.html/comment-page-1#comment-2656 Newman Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:10:45 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/boston/2008/08/starter_home_schmarter_home.html#comment-2656 I enjoyed your post here and my wife and I have been having thoughts that we were falling into the mindset that we must have a McMansion. We've really started to rethink things and your post supports this. However, I find fault with you picks for these "starter" home. Do you really think that you could spend the rest of your life in a 2 bedroom home (condo) with more than 1 child? I was hoping for more creative examples. Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed. I enjoyed your post here and my wife and I have been having thoughts that we were falling into the mindset that we must have a McMansion. We’ve really started to rethink things and your post supports this.

However, I find fault with you picks for these “starter” home. Do you really think that you could spend the rest of your life in a 2 bedroom home (condo) with more than 1 child? I was hoping for more creative examples. Frankly, I’m a bit disappointed.

]]> By: bikes2work http://blog.redfin.com/boston/2008/08/starter_home_schmarter_home.html/comment-page-1#comment-2655 bikes2work Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:58:30 +0000 http://blog.redfin.com/boston/2008/08/starter_home_schmarter_home.html#comment-2655 I agree that our society is too materialistic. I agree that sacrificing financial health for a larger home is not worth it. And I certainly agree that the pursuit of ever larger homes for their own sake is foolish. *But* if you think many people would raise a family of four or more in 1,000 square feet if they had the financial ability to move to a larger residence...well I suspect you don't have kids yet. My brother and I were raised to ages 6 and 12 respectively in a 1,200 square feet home. We were constantly cramped and if my parents had had the money they would have bought a larger place much sooner. My wife and I live in a 1,000 square foot apartment that seemed spacious until our daughter arrived. Now that's she's starting to run around, we absolutely are on the lookout for a larger place. More bodies need more space. On one end of the spectrum is a materialistic desire for more goods for their own sake, to impress the neighbors and keep up with the Joneses. But on the other end of the spectrum is a neo-puritan desire to consume nothing, which I suspect has its roots in impressing a *different* set of neighbors. I agree that our society is too materialistic. I agree that sacrificing financial health for a larger home is not worth it. And I certainly agree that the pursuit of ever larger homes for their own sake is foolish.

*But* if you think many people would raise a family of four or more in 1,000 square feet if they had the financial ability to move to a larger residence…well I suspect you don’t have kids yet.

My brother and I were raised to ages 6 and 12 respectively in a 1,200 square feet home. We were constantly cramped and if my parents had had the money they would have bought a larger place much sooner.

My wife and I live in a 1,000 square foot apartment that seemed spacious until our daughter arrived. Now that’s she’s starting to run around, we absolutely are on the lookout for a larger place. More bodies need more space.

On one end of the spectrum is a materialistic desire for more goods for their own sake, to impress the neighbors and keep up with the Joneses. But on the other end of the spectrum is a neo-puritan desire to consume nothing, which I suspect has its roots in impressing a *different* set of neighbors.

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