the starter home

One year ago today my husband and I opened a bottle of savignon blanc and sat at our dining room table with our realtor as we put our first home on the market. I still remember the giddy feeling I had while signing the papers, which was oddly reminiscent of the way I felt when we sat in the lawyer's office four years previous to claim the house as our own. Although we understood the state of the market as we listed our house, I never imagined that a year--and only a handful of showings--later we'd find ourselves in relatively the same position as we were in that moment.

The comments from those who've looked at our house include "cute little house," "shows nicely but is a little small," "great location but wish it had a third bedroom."  All in all, the consensus seems to be that our 900 square-foot house is simply too small for today's home buyers.  So I ask myself: whatever happened to the starter home? Relocating from New York City, our single-family home was palatial compared to the 350 square-foot, one-bedroom apartment we left behind. The house even had two closets--a luxury to those accustomed to city living. With one bedroom to spare, we eventually had a baby and managed to fit him comfortably into the space as well.

I've spent my five years as a homeowner eschewing the McMansions and cookie-cutter homes that clutter the suburbs, but there comes a time when you realize that two bedrooms and one bath for four individuals may end up a bit too cozy for your liking (especially when the in-laws are in town). As we begin the search for our next house, I am determined to stay true to my minimalistic approach to living. I don't need a sunroom and a breakfast room and a sitting room and a library and "bonus" room (but it would be nice to indulge in a master bathroom). In the meantime, I hope someone else finds our house to be his or her perfect starter home.