Your Relationship With Your House

[Rain Man]

Is your house a pile of sticks and bricks where you keep your stuff, or is it part of the family that hugs you with its four walls every night?

I was wondering because my wife and I have talked about retirement and whether we would downsize. We like the neighborhood, but I cringe at the thought of moving into a condo in our neighborhood and walking by our house every day. We've been here for almost 20 years and it's home. I can walk the place in complete darkness without stubbing a toe, and every nook and cranny has a story.

Is your house a place that's woven into the fabric of your life? Or is it pretty much just a place to crash at night?

[DaFace]

Just a convenient holding place for my stuff. But your house has a lot more character than mine does.

[Shogun]

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[Rain Man]

Just a convenient holding place for my stuff. But your house has a lot more character than mine does.

Your place seems quite nice. I wonder if perhaps the relationship grows with time, too.

I think I could move if it was a different city where it was a clean break. But I wouldn't want to move somewhere else in the neighborhood. It would break my heart if the new owners didn't maintain my house well and didn't appreciate it.

Of course, this is actually my third home in Denver. I had an apartment for a year and then owned a condo for a year. I always wave when I go by them. We knew the apartment was a temporary deal, and for the most part recognized that the condo was, too. We figured we'd be in the condo for five years or so, though, and only had it for a year or so, so we didn't develop the strong history that we now have after 18 years in our house.

[Hammock Parties]

i could never live in a condo

they don't have basements

[DaneMcCloud]

Eleven years, massive renovations, great neighborhood, too many stairs.

I likely won't sell until my children have graduated college, at the earliest. It would probably be best to keep it in the family as long as possible but I can foresee selling in 25 years or so.

It means more to me than any other material item on the planet. So much blood, sweat and tears.

[Hoover]

I love it.

Built it three years ago. Designed it for the long haul. We should be able to live here until we die. It's not a palace, but it's pretty nice. Plenty of space and bedrooms.

[2bikemike]

I don't have an emotional tie to the house I am in. It is not the house where our kids grew up. We moved from that house a couple years ago and rented out the family home.

My wife is in love with the house we are in now. It is larger with a much better floor plan and we have a pretty awsome view in a much nicer neighborhood that is more rural.

The main reason we moved was to be closer to my work. I was commuting about an hour each way. Now I am10 minutes from work.

My plan is to sell both houses and settle somewhere else, possibly around Asheville NC when I retire.

[Phobia]

I am fond of my house and I've put a lot of sweat equity into it. If I moved, it would be to an acreage with a similar design.

[Fairplay]

i could never live in a condo

they don't have basements



Plus you go up and down stairs a lot.

[lcarus]

i could never live in a condo

they don't have basements

Try living in Tulsa where people rarely have basements. Oh well, it isn't like Oklahoma gets a lot of tornadoes so I guess it's not a big deal. :thumb:

[TimBone]

I like our place. Pretty nice. My relationship has grown with it over the years. When we moved in, I knew jack shit about home repair and construction, despite having worked for my dad's construction business as a teenager. He really only kept me around to keep me out of trouble.
Anyways, like I said, knew jack and shit about that stuff before becoming a homeowner. Since then, I've learned it all. Completely redesigned the fireplace, built a whole more room onto the back of the house, tore down and rebuilt a whole wall from termite damage, and am in the final stages of a complete bathroom remodel. I'm talking breaking into the concrete and completely redoing the underground plumbing type remodeling. I know that's easy for a lot of folks, but not too bad for a guy that knew nothing 4 years ago. Done tooting my own horn now.

[HemiEd]

The one here in Illinois, for 15 years, has always just been a temporary place.

We are retiring next year, and not downsizing, in fact just the opposite. Our place down in Missouri has an acre and a half to mow and is about double the square footage of anything we have ever owned.

[salame]

http://www.thecatcarpenter.com/images/Cookies%20Shelves%203%20425.jpg

[HemiEd]

:LOL:

[Rausch]

I hate moving so much my place would have to be condemned before I left...

[007]

I have regretted buying our house from almost day one. Cannot wait to get out of it. Unfortunately, nobody is looking for a 5 BR 3400 sq ft home.

[Silock]

I have put too much blood, sweat and tears into my house to want to move any time soon.

On the plus side, my house is fucking badass, so there's that.

[J Diddy]

I make sweet loving to my house everyday. It's going to be awkward when the lease is up.

[TOUCHDOWN!!! KC]

I voted.
I love it. It's home. It would take a lot for me to move out.

Only been here for two years, but it's comfortable.

[The Iron Chief]

I'm neutral.

The wife and I bought this house 20 yrs ago & only have 2 yrs left on our mortgage which is nice.
However when we first moved in this was a quiet older Italian neighborhood & now its turned over.
Many of the older people have passed on and either one of their kids moved in or new owners and its just not the same.

The only attachment here would be for my boys(10 & 14) since the wife and I obviously were not raised here.

All said and done if something better comes along at the right price & the same school district to keep my boys from running away..we will probably jump on it.

My wife is a Realtor & were able to walk through any house on the market so its only a matter of time.

We do enjoy the house it is home I do like being here but as I said the neighborhood has turned over its not the same place we moved into anymore.

[InChiefsHeaven]

When we bought the place, the realtor laughed when I said we intended to be there for at least 10 years. He said the average is 5 for first time buyers. We've been there now for 12 and the kids are gone, and the wife and I are talking about re-tooling. I have no intention at this time of leaving the house, and I'd like it to be the "family" house for my kids and grandkids. It's funny, when we bought it I didn't intend on that, but with all the work and money I've put into it...I just love it and I don't want to leave.

[Dayze]

renting my old man's house now that he's retired out of state.
I grew up in it my entire life so it's sort of cool. But, the location is not great; probably like 20yards from I-35 on-ramp; major street etc. Growing up it wasn't bad, but with JoCo expansion the last 10-15 years, traffic has become a nightmare.

[trndobrd]

Our house was perfect when my wife and I bought it. It still worked fine with one kid. Now that boy #2 has arrived we are really cramped for space. Even though we did a 'down-to-the-studs' remodel of the kitchen and two bathrooms we are ready to go.

We really need something with 5 bedrooms and 3400 or so sq ft.

[BlackHelicopters]

I am in between refrigerator boxes right now.

[Sorce]

I put neutral, this is my first house and is good for my wife and I now. However as we start having kids and are able to upgrade we will be moving. I don't have a strong emotional attachment to the house, it's home but it's also not where I plan to be forever.

[tooge]

mine is my castle. We took an older home on 23 acres and over the last 10 years have slowly remodeled and added on. It's basically a place I'd never leave, as long as I can maintain the property. It'd take alot for me to move.

[Frosty]

Our house is a 100 year old farm house that we stripped to the studs and completely rebuilt. It was a ton of work and money but we were able to set it up the way we wanted it.

We raised/are raising our boys here and it's the only house they remember (my wife was pregnant with out youngest when we moved in and our oldest was 2.5 years old).

That said, when they are out on their own, I would prefer a smaller house with a large shop and more land. However, the mortgage on this one is dwindling rapidly and I'm close enough to retirement age that having a paid off house would be really nice so we will probably be here for the long run (barring a job change).

[Dayze]

It's ok I guess. Needs work though. / Dane
http://www.wallpaper4me.com/images/wallpapers/mansion_and_ferrari_w1.jpeg

[notorious]

I have pretty much rebuilt mine from the ground up, so I have a little attachment to it.


When the chance comes to move into the country I want to jump all over it.

[crazycoffey]

i could never live in a condo

they don't have basements

Yeah, there's a lot of basements in Texas......

[OmahaChief]

Our house was perfect when my wife and I bought it. It still worked fine with one kid. Now that boy #2 has arrived we are really cramped for space. Even though we did a 'down-to-the-studs' remodel of the kitchen and two bathrooms we are ready to go.

We really need something with 5 bedrooms and 3400 or so sq ft.

This is pretty much where we are too. The second child took over the guest room so we need to move on to a bigger place. Have been looking but just not find the right one yet...I figure I will miss the market like I did the last time.

[Omaha]

We do love our house, but we've also become great friends with most of our neighbors. That would make it very hard for us to move to another neighborhood.

[El Jefe]

i could never live in a condo

they don't have basements

The one we had before we bought our house did.

[Dave Lane]

Been in my house since Jimmy Carter was president, so yeah might be hard to get me too move.

[Fat Elvis]

I hate moving, so yeah, I plan on staying in my house for a long time. We tell our kids that they will be dragging our dead bodies out of the house. That said, I'm not really emotionally attached to the house. If someone will pack everything up and move it for me and something better comes along, sure, I will move. I just don't get overly attached to things--like cars; as far as I'm concerned, they are a box on wheels that get me from point A to point B. A house is a big box to store my wife's crap, eat, sleep and participate in the kid's lives as they grow up.

[KCUnited]

I like the house, like the area, but ultimately bought it at the bottom of the housing market at a historically low rate with the intentions of improving its value through renos and selling it at retirement. It's a business relationship.

[LoneWolf]

My wife and I are currently building a new home on a 5 acre lot. I'm excited because I've wanted to get out of the city for years, but last week she mentioned that she would like to move to Overland Park in a few years to start her own therapy practice. So for her I guess it's just real estate. For me it means more to me than that because of the work you put in to make a house a home.

[Bearcat]

The first house I moved into was neutral, then slowly went to 'not a big fan'... not so much because of the house, but living in the suburbs with oblivious/inconsiderate neighbors who would leave their dogs out at all hours to bark nonstop, etc; and the house itself wasn't all that special.

Had the opportunity to move out to the boonies and love it... the house itself is a nice upgrade and is on .75 acres, I have one neighbor on one side, a couple houses about 3-4 houses down on the other, and nothing but land on the other side of the street.... yet, it's only a few miles from civilization, so it's the best of both worlds. I don't plan on moving unless one day I find myself in the suburbs again, then I'll move out further.



On that note, if anyone is looking for a nice home in the suburbs on a very quiet street....

[Molitoth]

Eleven years, massive renovations, great neighborhood, too many stairs.

I likely won't sell until my children have graduated college, at the earliest. It would probably be best to keep it in the family as long as possible but I can foresee selling in 25 years or so.

It means more to me than any other material item on the planet. So much blood, sweat and tears.

I bet man, I wanna see that studio someday.

[Molitoth]

I love my home, but once I can get both of my children out of the $1600 a month daycare bill, I'm upgrading homes.

[rageeumr]

We're still in our starter house, and it's fine.

It's a 4BR, so it's big enough for my family. I would love to have a dedicated playroom for the kids (my mancave has been completely enveloped. Coloring books cover my bar. The craft table sits in front of my Golden Tee machine. It's a shame.) I'd also like to have a workout room. Right now I have a treadmill in my guest room.

I'd love to move. But we're happy and comfortable, so I just don't see the need to start looking yet. Plus I know how much more house I'll be able to afford when the kids get to school age and I'm not spending $20,000+ per year on daycare.

[seclark]

lived in our about 10 years. wife designed it, so she's pretty satisfied w/it. I've got my own shitter, so i'm happy.

30 acres timber for great hunting = good
11 acres of yard for mowing = pain in the ass

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[Graystoke]

My problem is I am too emotionally attached to my house.
It was the cheapest house in town when I bought it. I needed a house quick and it was listed for one day. It fit me perfect. A lake for fishing, woods, park like setting and a comfy place where I could heal from my divorce.
My kids love it there. I worked my ass off and redid the whole thing.
In 2008 it was destroyed from the Midwest floods. So I started over. Elevated it put a garage under it. New everything, and all done by my hands. I have so much time invested, and it really is a special place. I will never sell, even if I move, which is bound to happen soon. It belongs to my children who also are pulled to this small cabin.

[TimeForWasp]

Purely Platonic.

[Canofbier]

I don't fool with no house, boy. It's like, I'm off at work, and a leak springs. Dang, house, I trusted you...

[blaise]

I like our house, but this is our 3rd one, so I don't really have any problem with going from one to another. You'll learn to love the place you go to as long as you take time to pick out a place you like.

[Bowser]

Hate my house. Because of that, I don't put the effort into it like I should.

The wife loves the place for some reason and has grown roots all the way to the center of the Earth for this place. Figures.

[A Salt Weapon]

I have regretted buying our house from almost day one. Cannot wait to get out of it. Unfortunately, nobody is looking for a 5 BR 3400 sq ft home.

We are, can you mail it?

[Bearcat]

Hate my house. Because of that, I don't put the effort into it like I should.

The wife loves the place for some reason and has grown roots all the way to the center of the Earth for this place. Figures.

That will really suck when they start growing into the sewer line.

[Iowanian]

I'm fond of the home I currently live in, however I'll be leaving it before long for the one I will live in when I die.

[Predarat]

I wanna GTFO. But first I need to make more money. Which means I need to GTFO of my job as well.

[demonhero]

I've got an investment property in bama that holds no value besides the 18 acres of hunting land. Would care less if a tornado like the ones we get in Kansas destroyed it (modular home 1996).

Eventually, going to demolish the home, but that will probably be when the Chiefs win a Superbowl. :(

[Iowanian]

We do love our house, but we've also become great friends with most of our neighbors. That would make it very hard for us to move to another neighborhood.

When you move, I hope the new neighborhood welcoming committee could be mistaken for a Richard Simmons Video audition at a Lane Bryant grand opening.

[Bugeater]

I've been in my current house for 14 years. Loved it when we first moved in, we had a young son who was about to start school, and the elementary school was right across the street so that was perfect. Plus we had just left a mobile home, so having a double car garage, a big yard and a hell of lot more room was nice.

But now my son is an adult, I am tired of all the yard work and trying to maintain such a large older home, and would love to find something newer, smaller and more manageable. The problem is our current home is in a fantastic location in a great neighborhood so we'd definitely take a step back in that regards if we left. Plus I've done a lot of work to this place getting it the way I want it.

[seclark]

I've been in my current house for 14 years. Loved it when we first moved in, we had a young son who was about to start school, and the elementary school was right across the street so that was perfect. Plus we had just left a mobile home, so having a double car garage, a big yard and a hell of lot more room was nice.

But now my son is an adult, I am tired of all the yard work and trying to maintain such a large older home, and would love to find something newer, smaller and more manageable. The problem is our current home is in a fantastic location in a great neighborhood so we'd definitely take a step back in that regards if we left. Plus I've done a lot of work to this place getting it the way I want it.

wtf...does this mean you don't want to mow my yard anymore?
sec

[Bugeater]

wtf...does this mean you don't want to mow my yard anymore?
sec
As long as you have a tractor and all I have to do is sit and steer and drink beer I am still in.

[seclark]

As long as you have a tractor and all I have to do is sit and steer and drink beer I am still in.

as long as I have a tractor and all I have to do is steer and drink beer, it's still my fuckin job.
sec

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I think I've moved too many times to become attached to my house, but I need to try harder as I've finally found the opportunity to jack off livestock I actually OWN.

[mr. tegu]

I love our house but it is our first house so it isn't our dream home. It has plenty of space, its pretty nice, and isn't exactly old. But when finances allow it we will move into a brand new house that we absolutely love and we will get input on all the design features, colors, etc. and in our exact choice of location so that we won't feel compelled to move again.

[ChiTown]

Love my house. I just put an addition onto it in 2012 (added 400 square feet - which is our new kitchen), and remodeled my basement the same year. Not only that, all new windows and a brand new roof, re-stained the hardwoods on the main floor, and new fixtures throughout the house. I can't afford to leave. No one would be stupid enough to pay me what I have into my house:evil:

My basement is my man cave - full bar with small kitchenette & dishwasher, cubed ice machine, and a 40" flat screen behind the bar, 80" flat screen TV in the main room, shuffleboard table, pop-a-shot machine, poker table, new bathroom, shower and bedroom, full weight room. It's friggen awesome.......at least it is to me and my Family.

[Buehler445]

Neutral, but I have a particular aversion to moving. So the value has to be significant.

[BIG_DADDY]

At first glance I thought that said horse and thought rain man had completely lost it.

[Frazod]

Neutral, but I have a particular aversion to moving. So the value has to be significant.

I like my house, but GOD YES FUCK MOVING. I have moved so many times in my life I don't even want to think about having to do it again. Been in my current home over 12 years now and that's fine by me.

[Frosty]

At first glance I thought that said horse and thought rain man had completely lost it.

See Bronies thread

[Frosty]

I like my house, but GOD YES **** MOVING. I have moved so many times in my life I don't even want to think about having to do it again. Been in my current home over 12 years now and that's fine by me.

I moved a ton when I was a kid, too (went to three different schools in the 4th grade, for example), and hate it. Most the time, we wouldn't even unpack half the stuff and it would just sit in the garage until the next move. :rolleyes:

I won't even help others move if I can help it. :shake:

[Beef Supreme]

My house has seen me naked, but we haven't consummated the deed.

[Frazod]

I moved a ton when I was a kid, too (went to three different schools in the 4th grade, for example), and hate it. Most the time, we wouldn't even unpack half the stuff and it would just sit in the garage until the next move. :rolleyes:

I won't even help others move if I can help it. :shake:

I lived in 14 different places in six different towns before I turned 18.

[BIG_DADDY]

I lived in 14 different places in six different towns before I turned 18.

I have lived in 5 different houses in 5 towns in the last 6 years.

[Frazod]

I have lived in 5 different houses in 5 towns in the last 6 years.

Yuck. I don't miss that shit one bit.

[Rain Man]

I have lived in 5 different houses in 5 towns in the last 6 years.

You just switching jobs a lot these days? Or are you a gypsy?

[ptlyon]

My house has seen me naked, but we haven't consummated the deed.

Your couch is calling you

[Frosty]

I lived in 14 different places in six different towns before I turned 18.

Same here - 14 places in 7 different towns that I can remember. I think there were a couple of others before I was five. I wasn't forced to help move much with those, though. LMAO

It sucks. I made sure that my boys stayed in the same place all through school. My youngest is a Junior in HS so, unless something drastic happens, he'll also finish HS as a 12 year Senior like his brother did.

[Frazod]

Same here - 14 places in 7 different towns that I can remember. I think there were a couple of others before I was five. I wasn't forced to help move much with those, though. LMAO

It sucks. I made sure that my boys stayed in the same place all through school. My youngest is a Junior in HS so, unless something drastic happens, he'll also finish HS as a 12 year Senior like his brother did.

Had even more moves after that, although many were attributable to being in the military.

Sure is nice to be stable now. Same job for 13 years, same house for 12. I used to take up pages in my friends' address books. :D

[tooge]

Had even more moves after that, although many were attributable to being in the military.

Sure is nice to be stable now. Same job for 13 years, same house for 12. I used to take up pages in my friends' address books. :D

Yeah, the military shaped my desire to really put down roots. I lived in 16 different apartments/houses over a 12 year period from the beginning of college, through dental school, and getting out of the military. Thats just plain jacked up.

[seclark]

13 different schools before graduating hs.
you have to be either a good fighter, or a good runner.
I was neither.:mad:
sec

[Frosty]

Had even more moves after that, although many were attributable to being in the military.

Sure is nice to be stable now. Same job for 13 years, same house for 12. I used to take up pages in my friends' address books. :D

I didn't get to blame the military. My dad just was constantly looking to upgrade houses and/or jobs. :shake:

I've been much more of a homebody since getting out on my own. One apartment on my own and then three places once I got married before the current house (one apartment and two houses, all rentals). That doesn't count the year and a half that we lived with my parents while getting our current house livable (where's a "shoot yourself in the head" emoticon when you need one?).

[Bugeater]

Hey, beer me! Welcome back!

[mlyonsd]

I handpicked the ground and was the general contractor for our dream house in 1996. I know every inch of the house and all of its structure. 10 acres with a pond, pasture, and pheasant ground. I have the best sunrises, sunsets, and night sky ever. Nearest neighbor is a mile.

Yeah I'm going to keep it for a while.

[Rausch]

Hey, beer me! Welcome back!

A much needed fan.

Mostly because he reminds me of me...

[Rain Man]

I am kinda getting tired of being called a mult . This is a pic from a number of years back when I gutted the downstairs in order to replace wiring and put in a furnace. The old furnace was a beast form 1914 and I still have it in the garage to paint and use as decor. Alot greyer now , and less hair . And a pic of my living room with my Stargate Hoop. The third is a piece of my artwork Corinthians 1 chapter 13

Cool stargate hoop. What's the story?

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

Not sure how this relates to your poll, so I'll pass on clicking and answer here.

I like this house. We've remodeled it into just what we want. However, the second the wife and I are in a position to retire/move---we're outta here.

Love the house, hate the state we live in. However, it's where the work is, so we'll put up with it until then.

[Fairplay]

That stargate is awesome, you are talented. Great conversation pice, does it work?

[BigBeauford]

We treasure our house since it is our first house we have ever purchased. But really just looking forward to moving back to Lenexa when my service contract is up, and renting this place out for a nice chunk of cash, and selling it when I finish my PharmD(hopefully).

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

I have regretted buying our house from almost day one. Cannot wait to get out of it. Unfortunately, nobody is looking for a 5 BR 3400 sq ft home.

How much basement space?