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.