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[blackhole99]

I grew up in a fairly large house, but we had a big family. After I married we lived in a 2 bedroom apartment and when we did build a house we built small. I prefer a small space, but I'm the type of person who could live in their bedroom. 

[Regal Bee]

I would find it difficult to live in a small home. I like lots of space and different areas. Our home is large and we also have several outdoor spaces (two screened porches, patio area and dock with a screened porch and open area) for entertaining in the spring and fall. 

[Mominohio]

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@BirkiLady wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

Our Pittsburgh home was a split entry, so the basement , which was unfinished, was not underground and was part of the available living space.Counting the basement it was about 1800 sq ft. We downsized to a 1500 sq ft villa when we moved to Florida and I think this is about as small as we could comfortably go. We used to stay in a 400 sq ft camper when we'd go to Pittsburgh for 5 months but we would be outside most of the time, and we didn't have all our worldly possessions to be stored in there. 

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@151949  Unfinished basements or garages are not counted as liveable square footage. You were living in a 900 sq. ft. house in PA (on the upper level of the split-foyer type). Ask any Realtor, banker or county assessor for verification!

ETA: You where probably wise to increase your living space for retirement when you moved to Florida.  

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I was told by Realtors in the past that if the level of the home had outside access (door to the outside on that level), the square footage is considered as part of the total for the home.

[Hooty]

Our home is a modest 3 bedroom 2 bath home, 1800 sq ft, we use one of the bedrooms for an office/computer room, no basement!  It is very comfortable for us, we just have a huge yard, would love a smaller yard!

I have lived in an efficiency apt., as a single girl moving out for the first time, and I loved my little apartments!

[Azcowgirl]

We just added on a family room, however I think I could be ok with a small house but it HAS TO have two bathrooms. 

Think Id go nuts if I had to share a bathroom with DH 😳

[Mom2Dogs]

We currently have 1800 sq ft + a 3 season room, unheated.....we never use the living room and only occasionally the formal dining room...wish those rooms did not exist and the family/kitchen was larger.

1600 sq. ft. is the smallest we would go and feel comfortable. 

[jannabelle1]

My ex and I had a 3,000 sq. foot home that I thought was ideal for the two of us. Silly me....because it was large, I accumulated more - and then had to get rid of during the divorce. My new hubby and I are in an 1800 sq. foot town house w/o a basement, and I could definitely downsize. A big, beautiful home is nice, but at some point it can become too much to deal with it and all the stuff. I could be happy in a well laid out one-level condo no bigger than 900 to 1000 sq feet. My wants, needs and priorities have definitely changed over the years.

[jeanlake]

Grew up in a 900 sq ft home with 5 people. In college lived in a small dorm with 2 people. Prefer more space. Raised children in  home with too many bathrooms to clean. Recently down-sized to 1500 sq ft, open-concept patio ranch with walk-out basement space and Goldilocks thinks this is 'just right.'