23/02/2023
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If you want to go big, then invest in a home that you can later on lease at a low rate, have a corporation or company operate with 25% shared equity to you and transfer ownership back to you after 20 years. They will build it up for you and your kids but location is critical. A BOT will not happen everywhere. Location is king for investment property.
Putting up an affordable home for yourself is within your reach. Covid flipped the paradigm. Most people are meeting house guests outside on the porch or deck in airy and open spaces to avoid infections. . So spruce up your porch to have panels that slide close for the rains but can be open when it's hot and dry.
How many rooms do you need? How big is your family? The question to ask is can you maintain and clean your home yourself during retirement? If it is small, yes but a large house will need some help to maintain. Afforability is key.
Small and cosy is in. What you need to factor in is storage space for your linens, bedsheets, towels, suitcases, spare gadgets, utensils and other hardware. That can be a strong room closet sized space that is well secured.
Closet or wardrobe space matter a lot in keeping your bedroom Kitchen and home declutterred. So make sure the closet space is ample and well organized for you to easily find things when you are in a rush. A kitchen pantry which locks will save you a lot of headache.
If yiu plan to have a maid or domestic help then consider an outside kitchen space for everyday cooking, ironing and washing on your back porch. You may consider a spare room or outside quarters for domestic help.
Your back porch should still be decent and habitable enough for you to seat close friends and family while busy with chores. I recommend this because I like an open kitchen layout plan for indoors but getting domestics to preserve it can be problematic. Get the domestics a modern coalpot or wood cook stove. I have seen some funky modern ones in use outside.
If you are a professional then a mini office space is critical. Apart from that, three bedrooms if you have a boy and girl - two bedrooms if you have 2 girls or boys
To have a guest room or not is always a big question. Your sitting room should be large enough for an air mattress to be set up for a guest and you should rather have a guest shower and toilet near the sitting room plus a small closet for your guests staying over.
Finally, minimize your energy cost by having your windows layered with see-through solar panels. With soaringing energy costs, one cannot continue playing victim. Be proactive in managing your utility expenses.
