Old people in big houses

Looking around my neighborhood, it is not hard to notice that most of these 1960s splits and ranchers are owned by people over 65 who have pad their mortgages in full. Perhaps they were purchased years ago to raise families but now there are few options for downsizing except for 55+ HOA communities. Those are beyond the budget of many and if like me, I have little desire to live in a place like that. Other options are small condos or trailers but those come with issues too-rising HOA and lot fees, no yard (for those of us who garden). Seems like a real conundrum since there are so many younger people who would like to own homes. And probably a lot of seniors feeling "stuck" in too big houses.

How much square footage are we talking about in these 1960’s houses? In my experience with them they are not big at all.


I regularly see new build houses in the 1200 to 1400 square-foot range. And there are plenty of older houses in the 700 to 800 square-foot range. What are you suggesting? What do you want to see?

okay----here's Tom ":Forrest Gump" Hankses' house out there in Cally-forniya. Pretty big. I know he's over 65. Whaddya thinka that? (see photo) But yeah--pretty stupid ta build on the side of a cliff.

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My MIL tried to get out of her house for years before we actually snagged for her the 70s ranch next door in a foreclosure. I think there must be a lot of inertia for older people to move due to memories keeping you attached, and dread of all the cleaning out that needs to be done. Maybe they don't have family to help.

I was motivated to move by the fact that I still had a pretty big mortgage on the NJ house. Plus we had just purchased the Vermont "second" house. I quickly realized by the end of the first year that something had to give and the bigger mortgage was the one. Plus, I knew I would be happy in Vermont--I had had my trial run.

To your point, if people are sitting in a paid-for home with no HOA fees, and moving cost them a lot of time, money, and energy, and they are comfortable there, it's hard to find a good reason to do it.

By my realm of experience here in the burbs, new construction of single story ranches in middle class neighborhoods are very rare unless it's patio homes. A person almost has to get into older neighborhoods for moderate or smaller sized single story homes. I have neighbors in their 80's and 90's living independently in the smaller 50's ranches around my house and hire out yard chores plus maybe a little help from family or neighbors. I've actually watched for smaller ranches in new developments but have thought there must be some economic benefits about building multistoried larger homes. It seems like a missed market.

I’ve been reading articles lately that seniors may want to downsize, but it’s hard to find affordable small homes, plus interest rates are an issue.

I believe my home is ~4500 square feet. A boring Pacific Northwest "rambler". 3 stories. 3-4 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, yada yada yada. Sometimes I go weeks without visiting the top floor, which contains a few bedrooms, a bathroom, and some storage space. Main level, second story, and a daylight basement level. The daylight basement level can be configured as a separate apartment if desired. Most of the main floor is two stories tall, with lots of windows and exposed beams and such, it's like living in a large boat.

I share it with a 140 lb. Bloodhound.

It is way too big for my needs.

I'd love to downsize to something < 1200 sq. feet, but transaction costs in time and $$$ and bother have kept me from doing so, so far.

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Originally Posted by Rogar

By my realm of experience here in the burbs, new construction of single story ranches in middle class neighborhoods are very rare unless it's patio homes. A person almost has to get into older neighborhoods for moderate or smaller sized single story homes. I have neighbors in their 80's and 90's living independently in the smaller 50's ranches around my house and hire out yard chores plus maybe a little help from family or neighbors. I've actually watched for smaller ranches in new developments but have thought there must be some economic benefits about building multistoried larger homes. It seems like a missed market.

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I think 1200 to 1500 ft.² is fairly “small “given today’s standards for big everything. These houses are all over and they are mostly single story houses with walkout basements, so there’s a useful lower level if the homeowner wants to finish it. But then they’re all over $300,000 and up so that’s not cheap.

Most of these homes are 2000sf + but that includes a full finished basement - mostly unused. On my street, there are a number of widows/widowers living alone. I would love to find a 2-1 with a yard but if they are in OK hoods then they have been turned into over-priced rentals or torn down and replaced with much bigger.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

I think 1200 to 1500 ft.² is fairly “small “given today’s and everything. These houses are all over and they are mostly branch houses with walkout basements, so there’s a useful lower level if the homeowner wants to finish it. But then they’re all over $300,000 and up so that’s not cheap.

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Ha. A person couldn't get a rundown hovel around here for $300,000. I think homes in that size were average 50 years ago, but now it's probably twice or more that size.

I am having this problem right now! Have started looking across state lines, as it's definitely cheaper, but finding something within an hour's drive of where we currently are and without lot fees or HOA's have been hard. Poor realtor I'm using is probably at his wits' end. Even affordable lots to build on end up being in HOA neighborhoods/communities!

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Originally Posted by Rogar

Ha. A person couldn't get a rundown hovel around here for $300,000. I think homes in that size were average 50 years ago, but now it's probably twice or more that size.

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I know. Things in the Midwest are reasonably priced. Here are a couple in my (hideous) home town, new builds of 1,000 sq ft for $303,000 and 1200 sq ft for $297,000. Both with attached double garages.

The problem is that you have to live in a boring suburb and your house is situated in the middle of a cornfield. but since everyone thinks it is a “nice place “maybe one can fool oneself into thinking it’s a good deal. And of course these are cheap cracker boxes that will fall apart in 20 years but…

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Here is the thing, in many areas there are great small houses. This is a small one about one block from where we used to live (in a similar home) in Indianapolis. Large yard front and back, garage, remodeled. Good older neighborhood, close to bus route, about 15 minutes downtown. Quiet with little through traffic. If the laundry was upstairs, I would love the house but they hardly ever put it upstairs due to lack of space.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5.../1260126_zpid/

You could pretty it up with a new front porch (it has new windows), landscaping, patio in back for very little money. The basement could be painted to make it more aesthetically pleasing. NO HOA.

If you dont want any remodeling or a really pretty house with a 2 car garage, here is one really close to the above one. Appears fully remodeled. No HOA and good location.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...1246315_zpid/?

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Originally Posted by sweetana3

Here is the thing, in many areas there are great small houses. This is a small one about one block from where we used to live (in a similar home) in Indianapolis. Large yard front and back, garage, remodeled. Good older neighborhood, close to bus route, about 15 minutes downtown. Quiet with little through traffic. If the laundry was upstairs, I would love the house but they hardly ever put it upstairs due to lack of space.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5.../1260126_zpid/

You could pretty it up with a new front porch (it has new windows), landscaping, patio in back for very little money. The basement could be painted to make it more aesthetically pleasing. NO HOA.

If you dont want any remodeling or a really pretty house with a 2 car garage, here is one really close to the above one. Appears fully remodeled. No HOA and good location.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...1246315_zpid/?

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these houses are beautiful and they’re all over the Midwest, there are millions of them.

that first one is so cute with arched doorways and built-in cabinets in the dining room and original yellow bathroom tile. I love it. The second one seems to have had a sensitive renovation with sophisticated but simple color choices, and good for that developer! He didn’t put down the typical gray flooring. I can’t believe that I am still seeing acres of that awful floor material years after it’s out of date.

I love houses of this era so yeah I take one in a heartbeat. For me, I don’t think I would mind laundry in the basement. Although I now live with laundry on the first floor and boy is it sweet. But I will also say that the trade-off with houses of this era is that you don’t get an attached garage. While I think an attached garage spoils the look of the house, I find our attached garage an absolute godsend. We keep our big freezer in it right around the corner from the kitchen and also I put all garden vegetables in the garage so that any flies they attract don’t come into the house.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

these houses are beautiful and they’re all over the Midwest, there are millions of them.

that first one is so cute with arched doorways and built-in cabinets in the dining room and original yellow bathroom tile. I love it. The second one seems to have had a sensitive renovation with sophisticated but simple color choices, and good for that developer! He didn’t put down the typical gray flooring. I can’t believe that I am still seeing acres of that awful floor material years after it’s out of date.

I love houses of this era so yeah I take one in a heartbeat. For me, I don’t think I would mind laundry in the basement. Although I now live with laundry on the first floor and boy is it sweet. But I will also say that the trade-off with houses of this era is that you don’t get an attached garage. Well, I think an attached garage spoils the look of the house, I find our attached garage and absolute godsend. we keep our big freezer in it right around the corner from the kitchen and also I put all garden vegetables in the garage so that any flies they attract don’t come into the house.

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I love that 1926 house. With my knees, I would need first floor laundry. But boy, do I love that house.