Preferred dwelling type

[BayView]

In another thread the whole population expansion/dwelling issue has been discussed lately, and most will know my view on all that.

It gave me the thought about what do we here on SS live in, and why?

Some folk will only ever choose houses with a bit of yard etc. Some will only choose apartments, or maybe a townhouse as a compromise of the two.

To me, it seems that most folk start off in the basic dwellings because that's all they can afford and it's also often a work proximity thing, but they eventually move on to bigger and better places as their income/wealth level changes...

Otherwise; the whole mansion with pool, tennis court, 5 car garage and acres of laws etc type dwellings would never exist....like progressing from a Corolla to a Beemer.

People just do it.

I've lived in all the above (except mobile homes and caravans), and my choice is a home with a little bit of yard, and preferably bugger-all lawn and drought resistent/low maintenance garden areas.

The whole acreage thing is too hard with maintenance we found, and I don't have horses etc to need the space (we lived on a 5 acre property when we had our B&B, but I forgot to tick it in the poll).

We now live in a 32sq approx house on a 870sq/m block, with a pool, a modest 10x12 area of lawn in the backyard for the kids, and the rest is drought-proof gardens.

What do you live in, and why, and will it always be that choice?

 

[joanmc]

I am on 5ac and love it. We plan to be here for a little while more and then possibly move up the coast- it's all under discussion at the moment. I like to be able to grow my own fruit and veges and hubby likes the space. I could live part-time in a unit if it was on the ocean front but I really couldn't see me ever living full time in a unit. ever.

 

[BayView]

I am on 5ac and love it. We plan to be here for a little while more and then possibly move up the coast- it's all under discussion at the moment. I like to be able to grow my own fruit and veges and hubby likes the space. I could live part-time in a unit if it was on the ocean front but I really couldn't see me ever living full time in a unit. ever.

Yep; my brother and his wife now live on 2 acres in a Vic country town.

Bought an old dump, did the reno etc.

They grow their own stuff, have really cool fire pit in the yard for night time...

They used to be personal trainers in the city, renting units close to their studio, very hectic and full life - lots of hours..

Gave it all up, but he does the odd select client sessions in the gym at the next town over..

 

[TMNT]

for me I hate half halfs.

id rather live in an apartment or a town house with a courtyard or a acre block, not a 600-700sqm mcmansion with a lame backyard

my parents live in a nice area with a 650sqm block, house is worth 2m, and the garden in terms of size is unencouraging, too small in my eyes to want to go out, but a pain in the butt to have to maintain

 

[lizzie]

I have lived in almost all the above at different times of my life - and each style suits different times of life.

At the moment we're on 27 acres and loving it - complete with 3 horses, dog, cat, vineyard and garlic paddock.

However, when the time comes and junior leaves home, we'll probably buy a nice apartment, or courtyard garden townhouse, near the beach and travel.

Personally I'm not a fan of houses on the 6-800m2 ... too much lawn and, surprisingly, more maintenance time than our 27 acres. Found the kids never really used much of the yard other than the pool or a small patch of lawn with play equipment.

We have had a large house on a small block where the entire backyard was decked or paved with pool (and views) and the front yard was a patch of enclosed lawn I intended to completely garden but never got around to it.

As a single I rented a small unit - not dissimilar to those I have as IP's now.

 

[travelbug]

We have a house with a yard. Have lived in houses with a yard for the last 28 years. Before that we lived in units and townhouses.

I wouldn't mind a townhouse but sometimes noise is an issue. We need a big garage which is why we downgraded to a smaller house and not a villa etc.

We plan to stay here forever (you never know though). Mostly paved yard, nice vege garden, big garage, no steps. It suits us.

 

[kathryn d]

BC (before children) I lived in an apt, then bought a small mobile home.
Built our first house in the country on approx 1-2 acres...then came the babies.
Bought a larger house on 1 acre.Kids all grown now. House is now an IP.

We bought a 5 unit apt house, and the 'kids' each took a unit and we all share the expenses.

We travel a lot, so just locking the door in an apt is much easier, because if he we did this in a house, we would need to keep heat on, to keep water pipes from freezing. (expensive)

I love this little 1960's style apt... and being close to our kids.
Will I always live there...who knows.
For now it works.

 

[Nemo30]

I guess I live in a townhouse, I had always thought of it as a house, however others call it a townhouse.

Its a large 4//2/2 split level (2 storey and another mid level), however attached on both sides to our neighbours. It's separate title, with its own front and back yards. It's well designed so you dont feel like you are connected to the houses next door - never hear noise (although they may hear us )

It's right on the edge of the city, literally the last house - so we are surrounded by farmland and sheep/cows which I love.

I love gardening - if I was to move it would be to somewhere with a large garden - something like this is my dream www.tilba.com.au/foxglovegardens.html

 

[Singo]

We prefer free standing houses, but still living in duplex. (And selling former PPOR because it is a duplex) I like the houses for the privacy, less noise etc. You can add a shed or extend the house or do whatever you want. No point waiting for strata meetings or matching neighbour's wall colour!

 

[Ideo]

For me either an apartment with a large balcony, a terrace or a small freestanding or semi detched house on a small parcel of land.

I grew up on acres. I'd prefer to spend my weekends out and about doing stuff than having to deal with lawn, fencing, gardens etc.

 

[Spades]

We prefer free standing houses, but still living in duplex. (And selling former PPOR because it is a duplex) I like the houses for the privacy, less noise etc. You can add a shed or extend the house or do whatever you want. No point waiting for strata meetings or matching neighbour's wall colour!

+ 1...I'm over living in a unit complex,tenant issues and looking forward to moving into a house.

Cheers Spades.

 

[The Fence]

I grew up on acres. I'd prefer to spend my weekends out and about doing stuff than having to deal with lawn, fencing, gardens etc.

We're on 6.5ac, 5 mins to town.

I prefer to spend my weekends mowing, fencing and tending the gardens.

Mind you, it's not every weekend of the year, not even half really as most gardening has been done with natives (hardy, self reliant), the fencing is a one off and it's all completed now, and the lawns are about to be scaled back with more gardens so that it will take about 1.5hr to trim edges and mow the house yard of aprox 1ac.

Installed popup water system, so turn on tap, sit back and relax or go out and do whatever for 9/10th of any given weekend.

However, we prefer to spend a bit of time in the garden as it's theraputic and the exercise is good.

 

[fernfurn]

Just realised I have lived in a bungalow in MIL backyard, a large mobile home on a mine in Qld, 2 large rambling homes on huge blocks in suburbia, 3 new townhouses, a massive 100 yo heritage listed rambling home on 70 acres, a tiny unit, a lovely new 4br 3br 3 car double storey home on tiny block I absolutely love and just about to shift to another large rambling house on huge block. Variety is the spice of life!

 

[nhg]

Good question, I feel like my preferred lifestyle will change over time as my circumstances change.

Ideally I would like to live an older style apartment (none of that open plan nonsense, and in a small block), close to all amenities, as long as there was access for a quick getaway out of Sydney and it was a very close walking distance to a park. eg. Somewhere like Hornsby.

(If and) when kids grow a little older, then a well sized home in Forrestville with good land content overlooking the river and forest. I've gone to a few open inspections there and love the look and feel. Traffic isn't an issue if you work from home and the price vs what you get is pretty good IMO.

And much later in life, a heritage style house, somewhere out of town, away from the big smoke. Tamworth perhaps or somewhere in QLD closer to a big city.

To date, I've lived in small apartments and large mini-mansions by the beach (to over-compensate for the small apartment ). I hated living in the city, and the country lifestyle has grown on me.

I couldn't live in a place like my parents, it was great growing up, as we all had our own privacy as the home is designed in a way where we had our own living areas, however after my sis and I moved away, it wasn't until recently that an entire floor was locked up as nobody went there. Mum always complains about how hard it is to clean, yet they won't downsize. Fortunately I recently moved back, and sis just had her first of many kids and stays over often with the B-I-L, so rooms are being opened up and turned back into bedrooms, office and a nursery etc.

 

[Ideo]

We're on 6.5ac, 5 mins to town.

I prefer to spend my weekends mowing, fencing and tending the gardens.

Mind you, it's not every weekend of the year, not even half really as most gardening has been done with natives (hardy, self reliant), the fencing is a one off and it's all completed now, and the lawns are about to be scaled back with more gardens so that it will take about 1.5hr to trim edges and mow the house yard of aprox 1ac.

Installed popup water system, so turn on tap, sit back and relax or go out and do whatever for 9/10th of any given weekend.

However, we prefer to spend a bit of time in the garden as it's theraputic and the exercise is good.

When you grow up fully, you will appreciate what Im saying.

Good for you. It's a personal preference. I grew up on that. I don't want to go back to it at this point. It doesn't appeal to me. Housing choice is just that. A choice. Not an indictment on a personality type.

Hopefully when I grew up I won't be condescending.

 

[cimbom]

I think the location of the dwelling is kind of important as well? I would hate living in a unit in the outer suburbs as it's quite pointless but I would be perfectly happy living in one in a mixed use area with good infrastructure.

 

[The Fence]

Hopefully when I grew up I won't be condescending.

I can see a growing person about to bloom...!

Good on you Ideo !


.

 

[lizzie]

so that it will take about 1.5hr to trim edges and mow the house yard of aprox 1ac.

You trim your edges? I just put on the backpack sprayer, filled will roundup, once every few months ... then leap on the ride on zero turn for some chill out time

 

[The Fence]

You trim your edges? I just put on the backpack sprayer, filled will roundup, once every few months ... then leap on the ride on zero turn for some chill out time

I do spray a fair amount of roundup too, all the boundary of the house paddock for starters, otherwise I have much brick edge around areas of lawn dividing from gardens. Neat freak....

Check it out, this shot is before we have decided to increase gardens in order to decrease lawn areas.

Mind full that I am a Landscape Contractor so it's easy for me to do.

 

[BayView]

Personally I'm not a fan of houses on the 6-800m2 ... too much lawn and, surprisingly, more maintenance time than our 27 acres. Found the kids never really used much of the yard other than the pool or a small patch of lawn with play equipment.

Same.

Our place is long and narrow, and the house is very close to the front of the block to maximise heigh for views (which are at the rear), and increase back yard size.

So, the front yard is no lawn at all, and the house and pool area take all but the back 12 metres or so.

The end result is going to be a smallish area of grass (10x12m) behind the pool for trampoline and play equipment...about 10 mins of mowing with the Flymo electric.