"15 minutes further " does not sound like it's " a long way from everything".

Do you want to be on the water or not?
Once you decide that, the rest will be easy.

Well I mean 15 minutes to the elem instead of being able to walk my kids there. No park within walking distance, whereas the first place has multiple parks. The first place is a neighborhood all with 1-2 acre lots (so families), the second place is just a lot on a lake with random houses, no planning. First place has a local pool and beach and lake within walking distance, second place just has the lake.

I feel like it's choosing what's best for my kids or what I really want...

I would choose the established neighborhood. But that's me. The question is what do you want?

15 minutes further adds up. If you add 15 minutes each way to your commute, that's 2 1/2 hours a week.

I will be a solid 10 minutes from the grocery store in the home we're building, but it's because the features of our lot are more important to me than that inconvenience (and I know I can combine trips-- I don't have to make that drive every day).

To me, the established neighborhood sounds like a better place to be, but no one else can know how important a water view is.

Unless your anti-social or have solid reasons for choosing the second lot (like room for your own swimming pool or whatever), I believe your quality of life will be much greater in the established neighborhood.

But that's just my opinion.

If you're walking to an elementary school, then you're at an early phase of parenthood and I'd slide what I want to the side for a few years. The neighborhood you described doesn't sound like a sacrifice in any way, and seems to have a lot of really important elements in place for a high quality of life for a family. However...... if you 'give in' and say ok to that lot but hold onto some bitterness about not being on the water, it won't be a happy place for anyone. What does your gut tell you?

I'd go with the "perfect" neighborhood in which the kids can walk to school and to parks. If you have small kids, this is the right fit for your phase of life. This location will save you time and effort, which adds up to a better quality of life for your family.

Although so many people on this board say they're building "forever" while their kids are young, I wonder how many people actually end up staying in those "forever houses". My youngest is almost out of high school, and the vast majority of my friends -- even those who declared early that they were never moving again -- have moved at least once since their kids were small.

My advice: Take the house that's good for the kids now, and in another 10, 15, 20 years you'll be ready for the waterfront lot.

What other folks mentioned....what's in your gut & heart? Is your long tern goal(10+ yrs) to live on waterfront? If so, you might want to do it now. You don't say where you are in the country. Now that the economy is some what improving, lake front lots are going to start going up in prices. They go up ALLOT faster than regular neighborhood inside lots for obvious reasons. Personally, if I were a kid....I would LOVE to live lake front!

We live with a waterview now just in another state so I'm a bit spoiled I guess... But no this wont be "forever" but rather 15-20 years. Id like to retire somewhere near the beach and have a much smaller place then. This will be to get the kids through school... The family house. Thanks for all the input!

the established neighborhood is my vote too

My parents moved near Lake Lanier, a popular spot north of Atlanta last year and due to a drought, it was nothing more than a mud puddle and had been for a few years. Properties weren't selling. Water levels are normal now, but whether or not the 'lake' is manmade or natural is a consideration.

Could you afford to buy both lots? Build a little "less" now in the established neighborhood, and then, when the kids have flown the coop and you're ready for the retirement home on the water, you'd have purchased it at a really low price. Of course, no telling about the future, and that can be risky with more restrictions about building near wetlands being created all the time. But, if things in the newer subdivision go well, you'd be at a great advantage for the second build. If the developing neighborhood on the lake allows temporary camping visits to it in the meantime, you'd have bought the "vacation" home as well! And you could do DIY improvement projects on it as part of your family vacations as well. Like building a dock and boat house. Which could serve as that vacation home until the rest of it was built.

I don't know why the lakefront lot would be a bad place to raise the kids. I grew up in small-town rural America and had a blast growing up. Just make sure the kiddos know how to swim before moving next to a lake.

Where are you in the country? Is this a big pond or a major reservoir? Since this is not your 'final' house and you plan on moving to the coast to retire, IMO, the waterfront would be allot better investment. It will appreciate much more than a house inside a development. Again....kids(and parents) LOVE waterfront but as someone else mentioned, make sure they know how to swim!

bettinagh - the listing says "Lake remains at constant level since it is spring fed. " that is crazy about your parents lake house. I just googled and saw the pictures. That reminds me of a drought we had one summer on Lake Travis a few years back.

hollysprings - ha, no we cant afford both lots, but I wish! Our lot budget is $100K or so. We are paying cash for it. The lake lot is $89, the neighborhood lot is $60K. They are both about 1.5 acres zoned to same school district... but one is right next to the school, the other is a 15 min drive.

How far are both from middle schools and high schools? That's the age where a lot of driving to and from activities takes place. Basically I'd vote for the established lot for this point in your life. My mother in law warned me to look to stay in a neighborhood type place when the kids were young. She live in a fairly rural community and was very lonely. Had to drive the kids everywhere for activities and to meet up with their friends.We've lived in neighborhoods and frankly my friends there saved my sanity on many occasions-play dates and car pools were huge helps(getting together for coffee or dinner was great too). We are now in the process of building our retirement home on the coast with an ocean view.

I think you have to know yourself well to decide which lot is right for you, and also figure out what are your priorities.

I am so glad we have always lived very close to my children's schools. Varsity sports, band practice, after school study sessions and on and on and on... There were times I had my own little stash of supplies in the car just to keep me occupied while waiting for them.

It's just harder for kids to be involved in after school activities when you live farther from school, and especially if someone is not available to taxi the children to and fro.

On the other hand, if you know yourself and your lifestyle and know you would have no problem accommodating your kids, move as far out as you wish. Living on the water or out in the country has its own set of pleasures. ::)

In my later elementary through high school years, our family lived in a rural area with few neighbors around, so no local playmates. It was my father's dream and he stayed in that house for the rest of his life. However, every evening we kids plagued our parents to drive us friends' houses, school events, or shopping at the mall. There were six of us so it was an unending burden. Mum and Dad were good sports about it, but I could see even then that it cut in heavily to things they would rather do with their time. When the driving was bad due to weather everyone was confined to the house. Be aware of this as a factor in your decision. If you want to do it anyway, go for it. Just don't be surprised after the fact.

Rosefolly

This post was edited by rosefolly on Sun, Sep 1, 13 at 16:52