I found a list I made 7/13/96 of my dream house.
2100-3200 sq ft- no more or less
white stone
min 3 max 5 bedrooms
big kitchen with iland, lots of cabinet space in light oak, cherry, or white
dining room (not breakfast room- or maybe both)
huge living room, maybe smaller second for TV
min 2 max 3. 5 bathrooms
1/2 acre – 3 acre lot (or 20 acres)
water near backyard (for R)
huge trees
lots of closet/storage space
built in bookshelves
big rooms so I can have dark carpet
hardwood floors in some rooms
not ostentations
side entry garage – 2 car
separate laundry room- preferably near bedrooms
no “bonus” room without wall and doors
preferably 1 story, no stairs
large driveway, parking area
prefer fenced backyard, prefer no pool
I found another list written near that time (within two years). But I just wanted to say that our house in Austin (bought in 1998) had little of what I said I wanted and my house in Houston (bought in 2000) has most.
2100-3200 sq ft- no more or less no A, yes H
white stone no A, no H
min 3 max 5 bedrooms yes A (just barely), yes H
big kitchen with island, lots of cabinet space in light oak, cherry, or white
no A, somewhat H
dining room (not breakfast room- or maybe both) no A, both H
huge living room, maybe smaller second for TV yes A, yes H
min 2 max 3. 5 bathrooms yes A, yes H
1/2 acre – 3 acre lot (or 20 acres) no A, no H
water near backyard (for R) no A, does a broken jacuzzi count? H
huge trees no A, yes H
lots of closet/storage space no A, yes H
built in bookshelves no, no
big rooms so I can have dark carpet yes, yes
hardwood floors in some rooms no, yes
not ostentations definitely not either place
side entry garage – 2 car no, yes
separate laundry room- preferably near bedrooms yes, yes
no “bonus” room without wall and doors yes, added wall and doors H
preferably 1 story, no stairs yes A, no H
large driveway, parking area no A, yes H
prefer fenced backyard, prefer no pool yes A, yes H
My second wish list, written a little later, but still before we bought in Austin, has some interesting additions, though many of the items are the same.
good, safe neighborhood yes, yes
not on a major thoroughfare yes, yes
minimal wallpaper yes, yes
covered deck in backyard or wraparound porch no, kind of
decent size sideyard so neighbors aren’t right there yes, yes
separated office would be okay no, yes
Most of my wish lists we got in this house in Houston. It’s interesting to see the list 8 years and 2 houses down the road.
BTW, the 2nd list had a price which our A house fit but not our H house.
