In a weird twist of timing, the agent that's looking after the house that started all this, the run-down one down the street from us, contacted us yesterday to let us know they were >< that close to being ready to get it on the market, so we took a peek today. They may have prettied it up some, but man it needs some work!
So, while we were slightly spoiled by the size of the last one, we were reasonably impressed by the size of the rooms in this one (keeping in mind that it's a house built in the late 60's). There is some stuff you could do to open it up and bring more flow between the main floor rooms. The vestibule could be opened and extended, the living room opened to the family room etc. But more importantly, it needs a new roof, the windows will need to be done, and the hardwood is a disaster. One full bath and one powder room would need complete overhauls too. We couldn't move in to it in the condition it's in, but it is just down the street from us so it would be handy to work on and keep an eye on. The agent wasn't able to give us a number, so we've asked her to contact us when she's got a better idea from her clients.
...actually was just doing some quick sketching, and really, to get a similar main floor layout would take about 8ft on the back of the house *g*
So. Completely different scale of home, completely different condition. We'd still be in the near burbs, in a neighborhood we love, with a bunch of potential. For a lot less money. Lots to think about for a family that wasn't really looking to move.