Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Our Next Project - the Not So Cozy Cottage

And now for something completely different!

So here's the question.  Is it possible to take a bland, boring ranch and turn it into something special?  Because that's what we hope to do with this place.

It's small, only 750 square feet, with two bedrooms and one bath.  And while we don't plan to do an addition, we think there's a real market for a small house like this one in the neighborhood.  (As a side note, I don't really understand the craze for tiny houses - the ones that you see with 250-400 sq ft -  Richard and I would end up in divorce court if we tried to live in one of them!  But 750 sq ft is comfortable),  At this size, it seems perfect for a starter home, downsize home, or maybe a single parent.

It's on a huge lot (at least by SoPo standards) - almost half an acre!  Most of it is wooded now, but it could easily be cleared for a giant garden, garage or more.  And if the future owners want to stay and expand the house, there's lots of room for that.

And while it's seen better days, we think it has huge potential!  What do you think?  Is there a market for a modest sized home?

I can't wait to start sharing our thoughts and plans!

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22 comments:

  1. We recently downsized and I am loving the smaller, cozier house. That being said, 750sf seems a bit small for most buyers, especially in SoPo. If you added a second floor and doubled the square footage, you would still have a modestly sized home with a ton more buyer options.

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    1. I suppose....but I get a LOT of demand for 1st floor living. And I don't want to invest so much that it becomes too pricey! I'm really good at spending money (just ask my husband!), but I'd like to keep this affordable for future buyers.

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  2. I think it might appeal to retired (but hey, still pretty hip) Southerners like me who come up to Maine to escape the heat for the whole summer. I've been renting so far in the West End, but I'm intrigued. I'll watch this one with great interest. I've loved every single one of your renovations!

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    1. That should be a bumper sticker 'Retired, but still pretty hip'!!! Love it!!! Glad you'll be following along on the project!

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  3. This looks very similar to my house so I'm very excited to see what you do!

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  4. can't wait to see what you do! we just purchased a 800 sq. ft. 2 bedroom 1 bath and are selling of alot of our extra stuff so we can fit! we are looking forward to living more simply. :)

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  5. I bought a 900 sq. ft. cottage 7 years ago & wondered how I'd ever get used to living in 1/2 of my former house. I LOVE it!! So I'm looking forward to seeing what you will do with the new project but sincerely hope you don't tear the roof off and add another floor or 1000 sq. ft. addition. There are lots & lots of people looking for reasonably sized houses that are less to heat, clean, maintain etc.

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    1. That's what I keep hearing from people!!! We will test that theory :-)

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  6. I'm jazzed at the idea of doing a small house that will be lovely, safe and affordable!! We downsized several years ago and love not having all the maintenance of a big home - not to mention the costs. Life is good when you go small! And I'm pretty excited to get going on this one :-)

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  7. Can't wait to see what you do. Love your comment about adding on later - ie: a garage. That is one thing that I thought was missing. lol But then we have lots of cars and motorcycles. I wouldn't mind a smaller house - currently have a 4 bedroom, 2 bath. But with all the motorcycles - we wil always need a garage.

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  8. We love living small! The home we've been in for the past 4 years is our smallest ever at 1390 sq. ft. Our first home was over 3k, and we've steadily downsized ever since! This is, by far, everyone's favorite house. We are a family of five and love having a place for everything and yadda yadda. Full disclosure: we're planning a modest addition in the next year to add a second bathroom, but will still likely be under 1600 sq. ft. I can't wait to see what you do with small spaces!!

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  9. We are hoping to down size to two bedrooms, but I would always want that 2nd bath!

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  10. Whatever you do, I'm sure it will be lovely. But you purchased a home that a lower income person might have been able to buy as a starter home, and I sincerely hope it will remain affordable so as to give opportunity to this group. It would also be a shame for our neighborhood if whoever buys it just ends up renting it out as an airbnb.

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  11. I grew up in a 1000 sq. foot house with six people, three of the four kids all teenagers at the same time, with just one bathroom. It never felt cramped or small. Altho the closets left a good deal to be desired. My sister and I shared a three foot square closet. Good times.

    I now live in a house that is really way too big for just the two of us. With huge closets and two floors and a basement. We plan to sell at some point and move to something much smaller with no basement and all on one floor. But I'd still like to have large closets. Or, maybe, a closet with a house in it. That could be the answer.

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  12. Welcome to the neighborhood! I've been following the commotion over there with keen interest. I'm so delighted to see this bungalow get the TLC it deserves! Though, I'm at the stage in life where I'd like to gain square footage, there's a lot to be said for single-story living. And also, being able to walk your dog to Willard beach twice a day... I don't think you'll have any trouble selling this one!

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    1. Thanks Courtney! I look forward to meeting you. It is a great little house - just needs some beautification!

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  13. The size is going to be a winner! It's difficult to find small high-quality homes! Excited to see how you'll work your magic in this space. I'm curious, what size are you and your husband currently in after your downsize?

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  14. I've never been fond of the Ranch Style home (I'm the odd duck that loves stairs and the exercise they provide), but a small home for likely an older couple I completely understand one level living and really look forward to seeing what you do with it. I'm positive I will be a fan after you've worked your magic! I look forward to following along on another great work of art. :)

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  15. Love to see how this progresses, we have a condo on the peninsula currently as a wknd place but this would allow for greater expansion when we are ready to make ME our FT home! 750' is perfect for now and we love the SoPo community and area!

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    1. It's the best!!! That's why we live here :-)

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  16. Oh, I totally know this place! It's on one of my regular dog-walking routes. Walking distance to Willard Sq & the beach (& the new Scratch Bakery Toast Bar place). Nice location, far enough from the major roads to avoid too much traffic but still just a few minutes' drive to shopping and the Old Port.

    I bought my own little pocket-sized (<1000 Sq Ft) house in Ferry Village a few years back, on the same street as one of your other flips. Small-house living is great for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it's cheap to heat! Looking forward to seeing what you do with this place.

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  17. My husband and I sold our 1780 SF house a couple of years ago and are now renting a 580 SF house from his brother. I can't believe how much I love it. We are moving to Maine the spring of 2018 and I would love to find a house this size. For just two people, it's perfect. I'm so over having more than I need. I'm very excited to see what you do with this little ranch.

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