Originally Posted by JimFreeh

The first Home my wife and I bought in 1979 in Tucson, AZ. was a 750 sq ft 1 bedroom, 3/4 bath single family home.

While it was quite comfortable for the two of us, it would have been impossible with our three daughters.

Now that the last daughter at home is graduating college this spring, I'm longing for a smaller home. I just do not need, nor care to maintain, 5 acres and 3k sq ft any more. I like having enough room to have privacy, which I think is important for our marriage, and enough land to have a nice shop, so some land and a 3 bedroom home in the mid 1000's sq ft seems like an ideal size.

My wife is screaming like a leprachaun with a hotfoot at the very notion of downsizing. She doesn't want to address getting rid of anything or losing the shrines (er, unoccupied bedrooms) to our kids.

Our 2nd house was 1500 sq ft, and our third was 1800 sq ft, both very comfortable, especially if there are only two. Plenty of room for visitors.

This is going to get interesting as I'm planning on retiring soon.

Jim