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Anyone else “Down Size”
- Thread starter Ken Ford
- Start date
I really, really wanted to build out of ICF. And then concrete prices shot up. And concrete prices don't really come back down, they just settle into a new normal. Talk about being able to run your house on a dime. But, I really can't justify the extra front end cost for our house to do so now. I am disappointed. Having to incorporate some other energy efficient concepts into the build. Including solar like we put on other parts of the property and an efficient woodstove in living room and master.
My wife has health issues that make stairs difficult. So, we are building a larger ranch on a basement. Putting everything on one floor and not being able to downsize the spaces required (by my wife) allows the square footage to get out of hand quickly. But, if heaven forbid, the worst happens, I will know my wife and son can live comfortably as long as they wish in a home that will work for them.
After all my kids grew up and left the house we sold our house of 20 years in a very large, and stupidly overbuilt today, subdivision in North Gwinnett. Moved up to the mountains into an old fishing cabin on the river.
I can go days and not see anyone....and love every single minute of it. Have only 1 grocery store and it is a 15 minute drive. Biggest closest city is Gainesville, and that is about an hour drive.
We certainly downsized as far as house but gained exponentially in everything else, especially quality of life.
No regrets other than should have done it earlier.
I can go days and not see anyone....and love every single minute of it. Have only 1 grocery store and it is a 15 minute drive. Biggest closest city is Gainesville, and that is about an hour drive.
We certainly downsized as far as house but gained exponentially in everything else, especially quality of life.
No regrets other than should have done it earlier.
I live in a very small cottage now. It's just enough room for 1-2 people and I mean that's it. I love it. I only have to do a little a day of straightening, dusting or whatever and it stays spotless year round. I never have to climb steps again to do laundry or get something not on the level I am on and I love it. Not to mention keeping up the exterior. I had no idea how nice it was not to have three levels to clean or climb two sets of steps to climb to retrieve something. Since I live alone my shop inside the house is splendid. Just capital!
I forgot to add in a mountain town in the Virginia. I can relate to spistols and it's heavenly. I wish mine was a little more remote like his but considering coming from Atlanta it is still heaven on earth.
I sold my house and land of 28 yrs to a home builder Don't regret selling it .I do wish I had got rid of more stuff then I did
You really don't realize how much just exiting all the hectic movement around you is such a stress reliei in itself. Also going out and enjoying nature in its raw form is so therapeutic. We use to go rent a cabin in a trout stream every year when I lived there and always dreamed of doing that one day. When me and my ex-wife decided we had enough of each other I packed up and headed to my birth state of Virginia smiling like a Cheshire cat. I had my head out the window of my truck towing a U-Haul trailer, mouth open and tongue hanging out just like a dog. LET FREEDOM RING BABY!
We downsized in 2020 from a 3500 sf (plus a full unfinished basement, 3 car garage and a shop in the basement with a garage door) to about 1350sf. Went debt free. It was the main factor in being able to retire. The kids are gone so the space isn't an issue. But I do miss the four garage spaces (only two now). The upkeep is much easier. We were planning on building on our land at the time, but lumber and concrete costs and the imminent inflation prevented it.
