Struggling with buying a house

[Wahine]

OK, I want to start off by saying this is a ridiculous first world problem. Not just that, it's a middle class first world problem. But I'm bringing it up because I am struggling.

If you had to choose between .6 acres, 3 miles to work, amazingly cute small house, but on a very busy street (logging trucks going 50 mph) or 6 miles (including a very big hill) from work, 4 acres, secluded, world class riding right off of your property but a house that needed a ton of work before you could even move in...

What would you choose?

The price is essentially the same.

[SadieKate]

Think of the trials course you could build on 4 acres. Just sayin'.

[Wahine]

Think of the trials course you could build on 4 acres. Just sayin'.

You might be one of the few people that understands what I'm getting at here. Not only that, I could build trail that connects directly to the Post Canyon trail network. We've already talked about a pump track...

But in terms of an investment, the other house seems like it has better appeal to the general population and therefore, better rental or resale potential.

[Owlie]

How much work needs to be done on the house on 4 acres? When you say "the cost is about the same", are you including the work that needs to be done in your calculation?

But then, there's the awesome riding...

[trickycoolj]

Working on a house can take away from riding time. I bought new construction last spring and it derailed my plans for my first STP this year. I spend a lot more time in Home Depot and Ikea putting stepson my pedometer than riding my bike. It's calmed down now after the first few months, but a house needing work can be a real time-suck on the weekends. That is unless you're willing to live with the items needing work.

[jessmarimba]

I'd go for the second

Only reason I didn't do the exact same thing here is because my isolated fixer upper couldn't get internet or cell service, which I needed for work. I'd say if the house is structurally sound and you're up for the work - follow your heart.

[TrekDianna]

I would go for the second one, but that's just me. I do things like that. You can make your own technical trail to practice on and then access the one you mentioned in no time at all.

We just actually closed on a townhouse 2.5 hours away from us so we can ride the central Oregon trails and not have to drive back home over the pass. So, we essentially spent a ton of money so I could have access to more trails on the dry side of the state.

[SadieKate]

I wouldn't survive more than one day with the traffic and logging trucks.

[Wahine]

How much work needs to be done on the house on 4 acres? When you say "the cost is about the same", are you including the work that needs to be done in your calculation?

But then, there's the awesome riding...

The house pn the 4 acres is liveable right now. But not what I'd want long term. The big immediate need would be to build a shop for my partner's business. That would likely cost around $40 to 50k more. But the cost is low enough that I could pay for that without a loan. But then there wouldn't be anything to put toward the house for a while.

The other house is perfect for us. It is the right size, has a detached garage with studio that functions as work space and it is on a nice peice of land with a creek. The *only* downside is the road and the traffic. That's why it's such a tough decision.

[Wahine]

I'd go for the second

Only reason I didn't do the exact same thing here is because my isolated fixer upper couldn't get internet or cell service, which I needed for work. I'd say if the house is structurally sound and you're up for the work - follow your heart.

I totally understand what you're saying here. The funny thing is that as long as I'm not dealing with the road, for eg, if I'm lying on the couch in my living room looking around at the house we are in, I love it!! I think that I forgot to mention that the perfect house, smaller lot, busy street option is the house that we have been renting for the last 1.5 yrs. So we really know the ins and outs of this place.

[Kiwi Stoker]

We are living next to a railway line and crossing. However there's things that can be done to help with noise.

Laminate coatings put on windows OR changing to soundporrof glass windows.

Inserting spray-in sound insulation into walls facing the road (will require some holes punched into the walls but can be filled in).

Recladding the road side of the house with new sound-proof cladding.

Growing trees or replacing the fence with sound-proofed materials.

And also you do get used to it and in some ways becomes comforing as you know that people are around.

I like being able to walk to the shops and the library. In this day and age of high petrol/gas costs I think that this is becoming more and more important.

[Wahine]

Thanks to everyone for their input. It's time for me to sleep on things a bit.

[Tri Girl]

personally, I would jump at the 2nd house. You can change a house, you can't change it's location. You can customize it the way you want over time, and you will have that acerage to build trails, have a little breathing room, and get in a little extra mileage on the commute to work. Plus, it's only 6 miles from work (not 20), so the commute is still doable and you're still close. Go with your gut. What will make you the most happy in the long-term?


Good luck with your decision.

[OakLeaf]

Four acres isn't big enough to remain secluded for very long. If you're leaning toward that one for reasons of privacy and quiet, take a look at the plat maps and find out who your neighbors are, do a little bit of background checking to try and guess whether they're likely to sell or build in the foreseeable future, and consider budgeting to buy surrounding properties in the future. And as far a trails ... how long could they be? Half a mile max?

Other than that, my biggest hesitation about the house on the road would be whether you'll have to sleep in earplugs every night. My ear canals are permanently sensitized just from motorcycling, and even the softest earplugs on the market sometimes wake me up with pain if I've been wearing them several nights in a row. Custom earplugs would be an option if you sleep on your back, but not if you sleep on your side where they'd contact your pillow and conduct noise.

[Catrin]

Which house can you see yourself living in for the long term? As someone else said, you can do a LOT with 4 acres Also being able to ride from your front door is very hard to put a price on.

Personally, I would choose the second house and just take my time doing the work that might need to be done since it is currently livable. Fixer-uppers do take a lot of time and effort, but in the long run you will have the best of both worlds. Of course it is easy for me to say that as I won't be the one spending the money or doing the work...