We put a offer in on a 1150 square foot house. We have actually already signed a ratified contract and had a septic inspection done. To get out of it at this point we would for sure lose $$$. It’s on a acre of land, has a small above ground pool, and has a huge detached garage. The house also needs no work, and is updated, has a brand new roof, has a new HVAC and heating unit as of last year. This may be the snobby brat coming out in me but I feel like it’s too small but I’m also not used to making smaller spaces work. So give me all your opinions!
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Go vertical. Storage bins and baskets on the walls. Use hooks. Utilize under beds for storage as well. Get rid of useless things. Good luck!
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I have the opposite problem!! We bought a 3,000 sq.ft home so we could entertain because our 1,100 Sq. Ft home was too small for large gatherings…big mistake!! We only have a few gatherings now and then and all the work to maintain this large home is not worth it!! I miss my smaller home so much. We made the best of storage and it worked well for my husband and I and our 2 boys. Bigger is not always better!! Good luck!!
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Long time home owner here…we got a smaller home and currently there are 4 of us & used to be 5 before my oldest turned 18. Trust me, all there perks of having a new roof, new HVAC, no work needing to be done, large outbuilding, etc., will be worth its weight in gold. If there’s enough room for all family members, than storage can be tackled. There are SO many ways to get creative. My boys had really cool twin xl wood beds with large built-in drawers in the bottom, eliminating the need for a dresser. Look up some DIY storage ideas & there are all kinds of cool furniture options. Good luck 
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If you feel like it’s too small, which I agree, then you need to go ahead and take the loss and back out. If it feels small before moving in it will even more once in. Next time know what you want and tell your realtor so this doesn’t happen.
I remember this being posted in my mom group and everyone else kinda gave stupid answers on how they have that size but no real reasons why it works which is what you are asking. You can get really creative with Storage, but it’s still only goes so far.
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With an acre of property you have the room to add onto the existing house. The advantage of a smaller home is less areas to clean it also makes you be conscious about not keeping stuff you dont use or need. After living in a 300 square foot apartment for almost 6 years 1000 square feet would feel like a mansion to me. I used to live in a 1500 square foot house I miss the space but not tje extra work.
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As a former small home owner, I would move back to my little house in a heartbeat. Storage was the hardest part to deal with for me. We addressed that toward the end, but with the detached garage you should be fine. There are awesome pros to living in the small house, I never felt disconnected from my children in the home, but have enough room to get a mom break on occasion. The money you save not opting into a larger home may afford you the opportunity to travel, and make memories outside the home. When we first had the opportunity to upsize, we chose to stay in the small house and purchase a vacation home. I think once you see how much more options this will give you where your income goes, you’ll learn to love your cozy little home. Especially since most of the expense maintenance issues have already been addressed. I’m so used to little house living, that when we did purchase a big house, I still use only use the space as the old house, because that’s what I’m used to. Except for the closets of course, those are all full.
good luck to you.
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I definitely think it all depends on you and your families needs for the space. Some thoughts to consider would be; are you home a lot - some people are fine with smaller homes as their careers, out all the time with extra curriculars for the children, etc etc keeps them away from the home all day, a couple days, weeks, etc, as it is just a space for them to rest and meet their basic human needs. If you are more of a homebody or people are going to be around a lot more, a smaller house could be more difficult. I live with my partner, step-son on the weekends, my 2 cats and a big dog, and currently we share the main floor level of our house, until the basement is finished. It can definitely become a tight squeeze, and I find that sometimes we are all in each other’s spaces. If you live somewhere with a decent climate, maybe you can take advantage of that and add a nice deck area, maybe with a BBQ and eating area, etc. Creating spaces that will draw you out of the house but still be at home, will definitely work in your favour.
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I’ve never really understood people needing huge houses. We live in a 1000 sq feet with 5 people full time + an additional 2 on weekends. Storage is creative, we don’t buy more than what we need. Its really let us minimize our belongings. We work full time, kids are in school. I’d rather spend time with my family- rather than cleaning 
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If the land & the shop/ garage is right for your family, don’t back out of it because the size of the house. You can always add on, build a new house, get/ build a she shed or a kids space.
I lived in a 2000sq² house with me, hubby & a 4yr old. I loved the sq ft, but the location & lack of acre didn’t work for us. We now have the right location & acreage. We had a house fire 11mn ago total loss of our 1900sq² house. We are now a family of 6 living 41ft toyhauler. Oh this tiny living SUCKS!. We know it’s only temporary. To give us more space we made 1/2 the garage it into living room/ game room/ hangout space. We also have the barn, the kids hung out in.
Once you’ve gone through as much as you can to toss, sell, or donate, I’d box everything up, just keep out the bare minimum of what you need for the week. Put everything you can’t bear to get rid of in storage.
See what you don’t need, what you really need after you’ve lived there a while. Take out one box per week, pull what you’ve determined is a “must,” and dispose of the rest. For family heirlooms you can’t bear to part with or don’t need every day, store them elsewhere: paid storage, a new shed or other outbuilding, with other family members.
You can also store stuff by season, rotating clothes, decor, or whatever, maybe on solstices and equinoxes or whatever works in your climate. Hang all your clothes backwards in the closet. Turn the hanger around when you wear something. If you haven’t worn something all year or all season, take those still-backwards hangers out & sell/donate the clothes.
Keep going through boxes until you’ve gone through them all.
Use all your wall & ceiling space. My pots hang from my ceiling over the sink. Put up a grid on a wall with hooks or shelves and containers that attach where you can store kitchen items or bathroom items. Store stuff under beds, put up shelves & cabinets, or just keep ridding yourself of stuff for a minimalist existence. Maybe you only need two pots & one pan, not the whole kitchen set. Get rid of single-purpose things you don’t use often, like a panini press, crepe pan or rotisserie oven when you can simply use a regular pot, pan or oven.
Family of four with 2500sq ft living space between main floor and the finished basement. We literally only use our bedroom to sleep in and store clothes, we do all of our living in the kitchen, living room, main bathroom, and my twins room. The basement doesnt get used unless we have guests staying down there. We could easily have a house half the size and be just fine.
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I’ve lived in a 3000 square foot home and one your size and much prefer the smaller size. Less to keep clean. You can always sell it at a later point if you don’t like the house or the area. It’s great that you won’t have to put much work into it. If this is your first house, you may be experiencing first time home owners jitters. It’s very common with new buyers. Just move forward for now.
I have an 800 square foot house 3bd, 1bath. I have 4 kids and me. I’ve lived here 21 years so I’m just used to it.
I built a 4 season bunkie house in the back yard for my oldest child.
Things I’ve learned over the last 2 decades…
If it’s clutter and you don’t use it, get rid of it. I have minimal “stuff”.
Also, shop at IKEA! They have amazing and trendy space saving furniture.
My small house is much easier to clean which I’m grateful for and in this economy, I’m grateful to be a homeowner.
Give it a try! In a few years, if you can’t stand it at least you can sell and move.
PLEASE. be SO grateful you have a roof over your head as there are many of us who. know what being homeless with 5 kids not my fault
The smaller.tje easier to clean
My house is 1175 sqft and I feel like it’s huge! My family of 3 just left a one bedroom apartment and my kids finally have their own rooms.
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Back out now before you’re stuck
you can always add on to it later on in life
If you think it’s too small then why did sign anything?
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I have ten people in a 1700 sq ft house and a st.bernard. you sound insane 
. Just kidding, maybe. How many people are in your home, I think for a family with two or three kids that’d be fine
You said we, so how does your S O feel. You can always add on with that much land.
Our first house was small, so we just had storage and kept the essentials. When we moved into a larger house, I notice that we really have a bunch of clutter. We are thinking of going smaller again if we ever move again.
You were the donut who signed off on it 
KARMA
If you’re having second thoughts, really check the appraisal and home inspection reports for defects. If anything is “off” that you don’t want to deal with to fix, alert seller to renegotiate. Seller could decline and withdraw. You’d still lose some money on inspections but maybe not as much as if you, buyer, withdraws.
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