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Size vs privacy? (smaller semi-detached vs larger row home)

I've never lived in either kind of home, so I'm looking to those with more experience.

I've found a neighborhood I like, where there are homes I like that I can afford.

However, I'm unclear which would work better, given my lack of experience in these circumstances.

It's essentially the trade-off between privacy and size.

  • I'm seeing a semi-detached I really like, but it's small-ish. C. 1900 sq ft. 3BR/3BA (we might change to 2.5BA to have room to open-plan the kitchen and move the washing machine out of the kitchen into the ground floor bathroom). Has its own driveway, but no garage or basement. Small yard (back and side, contiguous). Good build quality.
  • A corner row-home. Virtually the same 3BR/2.5BA layout and floor plans as the above, but tiny backyard patio that does not feel private at all. But it has a large basement and 2-vehicle underground garage with a shared driveway/ramp. 6% cheaper than the semi-detached. Slightly better location (10 vs 20 min walk to restaurants/bars etc).
  • A middle row-home. Similar surface area and location as the above but distributed as 4BR/4BA, with very different facade (it belongs to a neighboring set of row homes that are, to our tastes, much less pretty). One block further from free-roam green spaces (the other two are a stone's throw). 4% cheaper than the corner row-home.

We're a family of 3 with a small dog. The semi-detached is actually perfectly-sized for us now, and would be adequately sized if we have a second child. The row homes actually feel a little too big for us to manage now, but would feel super comfortable if our family size grew.

In short, I "like" the semi-detached the most, but wondering whether the others are better bang-for-buck and ultimately better for us?... first time I'm buying a home for my family.

submitted by /u/learnworkbuyrepeat
[link] [comments]

source https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/1kajs57/size_vs_privacy_smaller_semidetached_vs_larger/
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