How to Know What Size House is Best for You

One of the top reasons families sell their homes is because they’re too small.

If you’re one of these families, it might be time to think about moving. But if you don’t know what size house you need, you might move into a house that’s too big.

That’s why we’ve put together this quick guide to help you figure out the best size home for your family.

So let’s dive in!

Think About Your Family Situation

Before you can pick the right size house for you and your family, you have to spend some time thinking about your circumstances.

To start, think about how many people will be living in the house. Is your family growing? Shrinking? Staying the same?

Parents getting ready to have kids might want to buy a home more space than they need right now so they can grow into it. Parents with kids moving off to college might be ready to downsize.

But you also have to consider other personal needs. If you work from home, you might want a house with an office. You might need extra storage space for Christmas decorations or keepsakes.

How long do you plan to live in the house? Just because you want kids in the future doesn’t mean you should move into a large house right away. It might be worth buying a smaller house first and upgrading when you’re ready.

Don’t start shopping around until you’ve thought about these things.

How To Choose The House Size That’s Right For You

Once you have a better idea of what you’ll be using your house for (kids, pets, workspace, guests, etc.), you can start figuring out the right size for your needs.

Here’s a quick list of the main things you should think about.

Number Of Bedrooms

Obviously, you’ll need enough rooms to fit everyone living in your home, but that doesn’t mean everyone needs their own rooms.

Just because you have four kids doesn’t mean you need to look for a five-bedroom house. Instead, you can have your kids double up and buy a three-bedroom home.

Once everyone has a bedroom, you should think about other rooms you might need. Do you want a guest room? A playroom for the kids? An office? A craft room?

For example, a work-from-home family with four kids might need a house with five rooms: three bedrooms, an office, and a playroom. Families that homeschool their children might need an extra room for a schoolroom.

Square Footage

No matter how many bedrooms you get, a house might still be too small for your family if those rooms are tiny. Because of this, you also have to consider the square footage.

Let’s go back to our example family of two parents and four kids.

A four bedroom house might seem like it has enough space for sleeping situations and an office, but if those bedrooms are small, two kids might not fit in one room. So even in a four bedroom house, this family would still be short one bedroom and missing an office.

You’ll also want to make sure the home has a balanced bedroom to living space ratio.

Even if a home has enough bedrooms, it won’t do much good if the living space is too tight to fit in comfortably. As a general rule, dining rooms, living rooms, and family rooms should have enough sitting space for two people per bedroom.

Number Of Bathrooms

Any home you buy should have at least two bathrooms—or at the very least one and a half. This way, there’s still a toilet available when someone’s taking a bath or a shower.

But large houses should have more than that.

For every two bedrooms in the house, there should be one bathroom. So if you plan to move into a five-bedroom house, it should have two and a half bathrooms.

Don’t settle for fewer bathrooms. A family of six trying to live with one bathroom can be a bad scene.

Amount Of Storage Space

If you have a lot of items you need to store, you might need a house with an attic or basement (or both). For other families, a garage might be all they need.

Outdoor Space

Families with young children might want plenty of backyard space for swingsets, sandboxes, or scooters. Even if you don’t have children, pets might need an outside area to exercise.

Other families may want a home with a front porch, back deck, or another area to entertain guests.

So don’t just look at the size of them home when you’re buying. Consider the size of the property as a whole.

Other Rooms/Features

You should also think about any additional features your home needs. Do you want a separate room for a gym? A media room?

If you’re having trouble finding a home that has all the features you want, you might want to turn your attention to building a custom made home instead. While this might be a bigger investment, it’ll ensure you get everything you need to live comfortably.

Spend some time doing some research an getting more info.

What Can You Afford?

Your budget is another main factor that’ll help choose the size home you end up with. You might have to squeeze into something smaller if you can’t afford the size home you want.

But you don’t have to live that way forever.

If you want to buy a bigger house, get your finances in order and come up with a plan. Living in a smaller home for a few years might help you save up enough money to move into the home of your dreams.

How To Know What Size House Is Right For Your Family

Understanding what size house is right for your family can be a challenge, especially if your family is still growing. So spend some time thinking about how many bedrooms and bathrooms you’ll need to feel comfortable in your home. And don’t forget about the square footage!

Are you getting ready to move and trying to find a new home?

Make sure you click here to take a look at some of our available properties.

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