People also don't entertain like in the old days...they don't need or want formal living rooms and dining rooms for the most part. What they want are usable spaces, built-in storage, big kitchens, and cozy. It is very hard to find that in the homes in my area, unless you want to renovate something from the 30's or 40's.
Good luck to you and let me know how it works out.
All I need is about 200 in the first try to make it work. I live in a city of about 200,000. I think I can find 200 willing out of that. I'll let you know. Thanks, Jason.
Happy New Year!
53 years ago my house was 970 SF 2 bedroom, 1 bath and 1 attached garage. Streets and houses were arranged to catch the Gulf of Mexico breeze and also had a huge attic fan (remember no central A/C here in Houston in 1950.)
Over the years about 25 years ago...an owner decided to convert the one car garage into a rather large additional room and made it a "rec room" and added A/C window units. They were LUCKIER than most and had enough space down the side of the house and NO HUGE trees and added a large oversized 2 car garage to the back yard with plenty of yard to spare.
6 years ago...another owner decided to subtract a bit from the rec room and make a laundry room (up to this point the laundry center was in the large oversized detached garage)and additional storage.
I bought the house 3 years ago...made minor improvements, (upgraded the electric to have 20 amp circuits) and other code details. I took the over sized "rec room" and split it into 2 smaller rooms, now have a 8ft x 11 ft dining room (yes cozy but fits 6 people comfortably around a drop leaf table) and the other 10 x 11 ft I have made as a den off the kitchen so that the kitchen blends into a cozy TV room via a large bar that separates both rooms (I am sure if a "larger" family were to buy this house they could easily convert this area into a kitchen extensions for table and computers and such).
The rest of the house is original...a very large (considering those days) master bedroom with plenty of space for a King bed (even though I have a double) and furniture...the bathroom is 8 x 6 ft single sink plenty of storage and a cast iron tub. BEST PART...it is only me living here...and 2 small dogs...my adult daughter visits and it is more than perfect for 2...my main squeeze is over "all the time" and even with three people very comfy...(oh should note I have a small mirror over the kitchen sink so some could say with 2 females...that the half bath in the kitchen works well).
I have decorated my house basically "cottage style"...I have lush gardens and beautiful huge trees...all landscaping is the product of the love in and around this home for over 50 years.
BEST benefits...I have my shop set up in the garage...table and miter saws...2 kilns (I do ceramic and glass slumping) and a small kitchen so that in the summer I can keep the heat OUTSIDE...my utilities...LARGEST bill ever...was for natural gas and was 84.00. Largest electricity has been 65.00. Water and sewer is 13.50 a month.
The "kicker"...I paid 125k for this house...empty lots all around me sell for 125k. So basically I bought land and got a low maintenance house for free.
It should also be noted my LAST home...was a 5 bedroom 2 story house...and one day after realizing I only lived in "one bathroom, one bedroom, the kitchen and den" I knew that competing with the Jones...was for the birds...I have more money, more time and no wasted space.