One of the first questions you may have if you’re thinking about purchasing a new home is, “How big of a house do I need?” Estimating how much room you’ll need might be tricky, especially if you’re relocating from an apartment or shared living space.
In this post, we’ll explain what factors to consider when estimating how big the house you need, as well as the advantages and downsides of different home sizes.
How Big Of A House Do You Need?
There are various elements to consider when evaluating how big of a house your family needs, including the size of your family, any prospective life changes, and any specific rooms or other housing amenities you require.
Factors to Consider
Purchasing a house is a big commitment, so make sure you choose the proper one for you and your requirements. You’re probably not going to like it, but you’re going to have to to some math.
Number of People
You want to ensure that everyone in the house has adequate room to be happy and healthy. An acceptable general rule of thumb for determining the appropriate house size for your family is to multiply the number of people by 600 square feet.
Room Sizes
Another factor to consider when buying a property is room size. You could have a concept in the back of your mind that you want a spacious kitchen or a major bathroom connected to the principal bedroom. These figures can vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, including house size and homeowner preferences.
Additional Factors
There are several more considerations to consider when determining what size home to buy. This is about more than simply the amount of room you require for your family, furniture, and storage.
Financial Situation
The financial situation of your family should play a big part in your selection. To prevent becoming home-poor, make sure you can afford the monthly mortgage payment, utilities, and other unrelated bills/expenses.
It’s better to follow the 28% rule. The 28% rule is a common guideline that states that housing expenditures should not exceed 28% of your monthly gross income.
Specific Needs or Desires
Before selecting how big a house to buy, consider any specific rooms or places you may want or desire in your home:
- Do you desire a living room, a den, or a mix of these rooms?
- Do you prefer an open or closed floor plan?
- Do you want any unique areas, such as a home office, mud room, or gaming room?
- Do you have any unique accessibility or layout requirements?
Potential Life Changes
When deciding on the size of a home, consider any prospective life changes you or your family might encounter. Do you intend to stay in the residence for an extended period of time? Are you thinking about expanding your family? Is there anyone in your family who might have to move in with you?
Planting roots or ultimately moving away
How long do you intend to stay in the house? If the answer is a long time, or perhaps forever, you’ll want to choose a house that can handle a wide range of possibilities – and going bigger may be necessary.
New family members
If you intend to have a family in the near future, you might want to consider the school system and how family-friendly the neighborhood is. If you believe you might want to have children later in life or not at all, you might not need the extra room right now.
Should I Get a Bigger or Smaller Home?
You may be trying to determine whether to upsize or downsize while living in your current house. You’ll need to ask yourself a couple more questions before you can make a decision. How much of your current space do you occupy? Do you have any ideas on how you might utilize more or less space?
Upsizing
Upsizing may be a good idea if:
- Your family is growing and you feel the house is cramped.
- You frequently host family and friends.
- Decluttering doesn’t give you more space.
Downsizing
Downsizing may be a good idea if:
- Your monthly housing costs have risen above 30% of your income.
- You feel overwhelmed with cleaning and maintenance.
- You’re not using your whole house or property.
Large Vs. Small Homes
Now is the moment to decide what is most essential to you and what you are willing to compromise on. To help you decide, here’s a comparison between large and small homes and why should you choose one over the other.
Large homes provide more space for you and your family while you might end up outgrowing your small house. Meanwhile, maintenance will be more expensive and harder. Large homes can have extra amenities while small houses may have an issue with storage. Small houses on the other hand may be closer to main cities while large homes tend to be further away from urban centers.
At the end of the day, moving to a larger home or staying with your current one ultimately depends on your financial situation, requirements, and future plans.
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