After living in a small apartment or crowded house, you might dream of having more space, a bigger closet or just one more bathroom to ease the clutter and closeness. When is a larger home the answer? Before making the leap to more square footage, consider all the factors that fill the bill.
Household size
If you intend to grow your household by adding children, inviting more housemates into your home, having lots of guests or bringing in aging relatives, you may need a larger home. Depending on the scenario, square footage and the number of rooms aren’t the only considerations.
Some areas to consider are:
Stairs: with small children, elderly adults or residents with mobility limitations, a home with stairs may not be as useful as a single-story home. Because of property-size constraints, larger homes with additional bedrooms and bathrooms tend to be multi-storied structures. While offering more space, the challenge of maneuvering stairs might not be the right choice. Work with your agent to determine what configuration meets the needs of your unique household.
Bathroom arrangements: Homes designed for multiple inhabitants often have joint bathroom arrangements such as a Jack and Jill configuration with a shared bathroom between two bedrooms or a shared hallway bathroom. If en suite baths better serve your household, offering more privacy to housemates, let your agent know that’s what you need.
Social spaces: Do you need a family room separate from a more formal entertainment area? Does your household require more quiet spaces? Are you likely to entertain large groups? Before buying based on size alone, consider how the shared spaces will be used.
Entertaining: For some households, the number and size of bedrooms is less important than the space available for you to host dinner parties, game nights or large gatherings. Let your agent know if entertainment space is your priority so that the homes you view include open-concept areas conducive to sizable gatherings.
Workspace: With more folks working from home now, your need for more space might include the need for single or multiple office options. Some people work well within hearing of the household noise and bustle while others need a quiet retreat. Discussing these differing work styles ahead of making your purchase ensures that everyone’s needs are addressed.
