We have just looked at a beautiful home that the owners have underpriced. It is presently not advertised anywhere.

The potential problem I see is that the master suite is very far away from the other bedrooms. It is an 85 foot long one-story with the master suite on a wing off the left rear of the home. The other bedrooms are clear on the other side of the house. My children are presently two years old and six months old. We may have another in a couple of years. Presently we are in an older one-story that is 80 feet long but our bedrooms are all clustered together on one end. When our two year old yells out in the middle of the night one of us is in there in a second and I feel she knows we are just on the other side of the wall from her. Our six month old cries all through the night and one of us is always up with her trying to get her to go to sleep.

The home is truly a beautiful home, and again, they have it underpriced but I feel with our kids being so young we might regret moving there. I know we could use a baby monitor in their rooms but I am still hesitant. Our kids come first.

By Happynerdmom on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 09:49 am:

JMO, but the kids are going to be this young for a relatively short period of time. If you truly love the home, and plan on living there a long time, it would be a shame to pass it up for an issue that will only last a little while. I think baby monitors would work fine. Trust me, now that my kids are older,(11 and 14) I'm glad that we do not share a wall! ;) Ultimately, of course, it comes down to what you're comfortable with, but you're not betraying your children by moving a little further down the hall!

By Kate on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 09:51 am:

I would not buy it to actually live in unless you use the money you save on the low price to build a master bedroom at the same end as the other bedrooms. You could then use the original master suite as a very convenient guest room as it's so far from everyone else!

OR, if it's such a good deal, you could snatch it up and resell it for a higher price.

But bottom line, no I would not be so far from my kids. Think what would happen if a fire broke out in their area?? No way the six month old can escape and the two year old is too young, also.

By Emily7 on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 10:18 am:

I live in a mobile home that has the kids at the opposite end of the house. I really was concerned about it at first, but things have been just fine. I use a baby monitor in both my 2 year olds room as well as my 8 month olds room.
I just feel that you have to do what is going to best for your family in the long run & this was the best choice for us.

By Trina~moderator on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 10:20 am:

Our bedroom is far enough away from the DK's that we can't hear them at night unless we use baby monitors. We moved into this house 6 yrs. ago. Our kids are currently 6 & 8, and we still use monitors. DH tried to talk me out of using them recently, but I just can't go without them. Especially since DS has asthma, and I need to hear him at night. In fact, I was up with him last night because I heard him coughing on the monitor. It's not a big deal. We could get an intercom system installed, but it's easier and more economical to just use baby monitors.

I agree to not let this be a big issue if you REALLY like the house.

By Kaye on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 10:38 am:

I agree with the statement your kids are only young for so long. Also you don't really know the sound dynamics of the house, you might can hear better than you think. It really isn't a big deal to have them far away. In a fire you escape out your window and break into theirs. You just have to have a plan. Another option is you could NOT sleep in the master for a few years, make it a play room or something, put the kids in one room and you and your hubby in the next one. If you love this house and plan on living in the same area for many years I would buy it.

By Audreyj on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 10:38 am:

Baby Monitors.

One day the children will be older (sooner than you think!) LOL and you and Hubby will be glad you have a little distance! (especially on lovey-dovey nights). (wink)

By Mommyathome on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 10:54 am:

BTDT We've had it both ways.
I prefer the bedrooms together. I have a good friend that built a beautiful 9 bedroom home. She requires her kids, ages 14, 12, 8, 5 and 3 to all sleep in the upstairs bedrooms which are created in sort of a big circle with the Master Bedroom right there with them.

She did it for 2 reasons. One, so she can hear them if there is a problem (fire, sickness etc.) and two, so the older kids have a hard time sneaking out. They are all right there together.

When we build, I will do it the same way. I like to all be close together for safety reasons.