Community Chat

[novamc1]

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/more-homeowners-find-their-starter-house-becoming-...

[nana59]

bought our starter home in 1976......still here...remodeled once.....just never felt the need to move....already willed it over to our children!

[SurferWife]

I’ve never cared for the term “starter home”. A home is a home, whether it’s you first or fifth.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Very interesting.

Housing is crazy where I live (near you, I think, @novamc1).  We bought a beautiful, level, home built by a local, on a nice lot that no one seemed to want because why?  A modest home on a generous lot. Now that is perfection!  With trees and native soil and a little creek!

DH and I joke about the people we see buying huge homes on no land, "but they have granite countertops"!!!

Reminds me of the Tubes 1980's song - "What Do You Want From Life?"

[Abrowneyegirl]

I think there is also a certain amount of "sticker shock" people experience after buying their first home.

Agent fee's

Inspections

Apprasial fee's

Title search

etc

etc 

is easily $15,000

Now start adding in moving expenses.

Start up utilities

Taxes

All the 'little things' you need after you move...

ANOTHER $$$$$$

Add in time and effort of gathering and submitting paper work, appointments and so on...

It is NO fun!

[saltysails]

I have told my children to never buy a house you do not love, as you may get stuck there. 

[SahmIam]

I get it. We went backwards as far as I'm concerned, house-wise. We downsized because of a life event and knowing we would only be living on DH's income. We don't really care for our area, however... the schools are good, the younger children made friends (friendships that are going on 10 years now), it's safe, etc. 

But we don't like the house. The area is changing and not for the better and we're stuck.

Putting money into this house angers us because we know it isn't worth it. There are many serious issues happening to our area/our county and we want out but....the cost is the issue. 

A week ago I had a meeting with Realtors and homeowners as well as some county people regarding these issues. We were going over long-term development reports for our county and what shocked many was the fact that OUR community is considered to be ENTRY-LEVEL housing for the county. $350,000 is entry level. The median price of a home (it includes condos and TH since you do buy them) is $450,000 now. Take OUT the condos and TH and the price jumps to $800,000 as the average price for a single family home in our county.  New TH's (mine is 31 years old) are starting at $550,000, $460,000 and $600,000 all around us. Recently, 5 of the TH's in my community sold for under $290,000; all were original homeowners from 30 years ago and all paid around $17,000-$25,000 for the TH when new. Trust me, these are NOT well made homes in any shape or form. The issues we are having are a nightmare and costly and yet....you're stuck if you want to be safe and not have your house condemned. We are cramped and well, they're great for 1-2 people and a child if you want a family but after that....you WOULD move up to another home. 

Can't do that now, So, I agree with the article in every way. It stinks; it really does.

*TH stands for Town House.

[tansy]

This happened to us in southern California in the 70s due to rising prices and the interest rates.  That was a major driver to our moving to the Seattle area where we were able to afford a nice home near good schools.  How times change.

[AuntG]

One challenge I'd be willing to take on is living in a 750 square foot home. I would however want a dry basement for storage and laundry.

[GAQShopr53]

@novamc1 wrote:

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/more-homeowners-find-their-starter-house-becoming-...

---

@novamc1 I can see where a person would feel stuck...as time goes by  neighborhoods change and sometimes for the worst.  The hubby and I purchased our first home on the west coast and it was labeled a "starter home" because of the lot size and square footage making it ideal for a small family of 2-3 people. I did not consider it a starter home as it was a great size and at the time we did not want the maintenance of a big yard.

However, over time you acquire a lot of stuff and I can see where one would want/need a bigger home to "house" those items. When we finally settled down and became empty nesters, I would have loved to go back and live in a house the size of first home.