Submitted by Waltgrace83 t3_111gcn0 in personalfinance
We bought a 1940s house last year. It was originally a 2BR / 1BTH, that was converted into a 3BR / 2BTH with a fixed up basement in the 1990s. I think about the first family that lived in that house - probably a 4-person family with 2 kids sharing a bedroom. The basement would have been unusable, and closets were - at that point - small. If you look at most houses around the WWII era, people just simply wanted less.
Now, I look at what people live in: every kid has to have their own room, the master bedroom has to have a walk in closet, there needs to be a separate dining room, a 2-car garage is a must, two living rooms, etc.
We often talk about overspending on cars, but isn't overspending for a house more egregious? Why do people feel like they need so much space? More space means more repairs, more taxes, more utilities, etc.?