A box of one's own

[invisiblepiper]

[quote="Green Aura"]
Too much equity in property.
/quote]

Yep - I agree! But this is solving itself with the financial downturn as you say. Young folk from the Hebrides for example cannot afford to stay there - as property id sold for holiday homes. Only brave communities such as Gigha have taken the stand against this problem. However - it is the local people -also motivated by profit who sell to second home buyers in the first place - they too have the choice to save their communities or make a stonking profit.

[Bluemoon]

Our kids left home and hubby and I rattled around the house and really missed them. Then our daughter found out she was having her third baby. This meant an urgent move for them and they finally got the keys to the 'new' house in July. New is in inverted commas because it was pretty ramshackle and needed urgent modernising. Then baby arrived early, just as the work was about to start and we said 'Ooh, we've plenty of room, we'd love to have you here until the house is finished.' Wrong, wrong, wrong decision. Three grandkids, one daughter, one son-in-law and one cat - who was not used to dogs, moved in with me, hubby and our dog - who hates cats. There isn't a house in the world big enough for that. I love my grandchildren dearly, but after three weeks I was desperate for my life back.

[Annpan]

I wouldn't share a home with any of our family now (JohnM thinks we are going to stay with the inlaws when we are getting building work done - I am buying a tent...lol)
I stopped living with my mum when I was 15 having not been a family unit for several years. Having my own space is heaven (OK I share with my OH and toddler but it is different)

I guess if you are always a unit it would be better, but moving back in is a recipe for disaster.

[Helsbells]

I have to say that communal living is my worst nightmare, I really hated sharing a house at university, it was dreadful.
I love having my own house that I can decorate how I want and dig up the garden. My idea would be to have all my family living near me, I wouldnt even mind next door, but my family lives in Wales and the OH's family live in London, so I cant see this ever happening. I really want to be able to look after my parents when they are old thought, and would move to Wales so I could do this. (OH is not so sure)

Helen

[JulieSherris]

Hubby & I have lived in a 1 bed flat, an ex guest house with a separate 'granny flat' (16 rooms), the large 4bed 4bath (14 rooms).... and now have bought a 2 bed bungalow... a neat little 7 room affair.

It's plenty big enough for the 2 of us & we still have a spare room for the granddaughter/other guests, our nearest neighbour is a field away and privacy & solitude are now the order of the day.

I guess that we're all different, and I wouldn't have it any other way - it's nice to be together as a family - but it's lovely to have alone time too - I actually quite like 'me' & take immense pleasure at having time by myself each day - I love the family coming to stay - but I also love it when they go!

On a more cheesier note, I would live anywhere - in a tent if need be - as long as it was with hubby - he's my one little luxury I could never give up!!
Julie.