Home > Blogs > Nancy Conner > Nancy's Olympia area Blog

Musings About Bathrooms (Yes, Bathrooms)

By Nancy Conner

Industry Observer

February 21, 2011 02:24 PM

I've been musing about bathrooms - yes bathrooms. (And I don't know where you THINK I'm going with this, but probably not...) The reason I have been musing about bathrooms is because of a conversation I recently had with a woman from our local Habitat for Humanity. As we talked about the homes Habitat buiilds, she commented that sometimes families choose not to participate and become Habitat families because the homes come with just one bathroom. We talked about how both of us grew up in households of parents & siblings (5 people total in my family) and we only had one bathroom - and survived somehow.

We both were trying to remember just when it was that more than one bathroom became kind of a "must have" requirement for homes. I know that most buyers I work with really don't want to look at homes with less than 1.75 baths - and that includes buyers where it is one person or a couple. And yes, it is kind of nice to have a half bath/"powder room" for guests, a full or 3/4 bath for the kids, and a separate bathroom just for the adults in the house.

But is it truly no longer possible for families to share a bathroom and somehow take turns, work it out, figure it out and get by? Just asking...

Re-Blog

Comments(14)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Pat Tasker

Shorewest Realtors - Germantown, WI

Your Milwaukee Metro Area Agent (WI)

I never knew that 1 bath was the limit for a Habitat home...wonder whats the thought process on that?

I have found that buyers want what they are moving out of at the parents home...they don't realize that the parents worked 20 years to get to that point, and it probably isn't the parents first home. but they want it all in the first house! too much HGTV!

Feb 21, 2011 02:27 PM

Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089

Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI

Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

I also wonder when did it become normal for a home to have air conditioning? How did people survive before that?

No wonder there's no such thing as affordable housing, when families just expect to have 2+ bathrooms, a bedroom for each kid, A/C, cable TV and a garage. Anything less than that is cruel and unusual! lol

Feb 21, 2011 02:29 PM

Michael Kitsch

Coldwell Banker - Katy, TX

In answer to the quesation - no.

Feb 21, 2011 02:31 PM

Nancy Conner

Olympia, WA

Olympia/Thurston County WA

Pat, my understanding is that since a Habitat home is to be basic, decent housing, a one bathroom home fulfills that - & more is basically an upgrade type of extra, so not allowed. And I totally agree with you that young adults often believe they deserve to start with a house comparable to their parents' home - forgetting that their parents' "starter" house probably was a much more modest one.

Sp true Georgina - besides growing up with just 1 bathroom, we had no air conditioning (in Illinois where it gets HOT in the summer), no cable - & my sister & I shared a bedroom! Yikes I guess I was really deprived - LOL

Cheryl - I fear you are right - even though I am drawn toward downsizing to a simpler, smaller home, I'll admit I'm not entirely sure I would want a one bathroom home myself.

Feb 21, 2011 03:07 PM

Richard Weisser

Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA

Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Interesting question, but I believe that 2 baths is becoming the minimum acceptable for most buyers.

Feb 21, 2011 03:09 PM

Nancy Conner

Olympia, WA

Olympia/Thurston County WA

I think you are right Richard - it is just interesting to me to try to figure out how & when that became the norm - 'cause truly I somehow grew up with just one & don't even remember fighting with my sister over whose turn it was (likely revealing severe memory problems!!)

Feb 21, 2011 03:30 PM

Jim Patton

Aspire Home Real Estate 209-404-0816 - Modesto, CA

Realtor - Stanislaus ,Merced, San Joaquin Counties

Nancy the house I grew up in did have 2 baths but only one shower so that bath was the one used the most. I did share a bedroom with 2 bothers though.

Feb 21, 2011 06:03 PM

Tim Peterson

Wisconsin Realtor Safety and Concealed Carry Classes - Madison, WI

Realtor Safety Training Classes

I too grew up with 5 people and 1 bathroom and you are so right it was normal back then

Feb 21, 2011 10:29 PM

Kathryn Maguire

GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA

Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

I think it has something to do with all of the products that we use now...hair dryers, flat irons, night cream, day cream, hair shine, make-up, eye cream, facial masque, facial scrub, the list goes on and on. And as I get older, the more stuff I "need"!

Feb 22, 2011 03:11 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Our first home eventually had a second bath, but for many years the five of us shared just one. It wasn't until we became empty nesters and built our new home that we got 3.5 baths. Ironic, isn't it?

Feb 22, 2011 04:33 AM

Lee & Pamela St. Peter

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC

Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

❧ Nancy I've mused over this topic more than once in the past 10 years! Seems that not only are the bathrooms important (like ONE for every bedroom) but WHERE THEY ARE is just as important. Have had Moms say that the kids bathroom was too FAR FROM THEIR bedroom... oh my... how times have changed! I'm like Tim - 5 people in a two bedroom one bath home for me too growing up! We all thought we had struck the lottery when my Dad put in a 1/2 bath off the kitchen. Now that was really living!
Pamela

Feb 22, 2011 07:13 AM

Nancy Conner

Olympia, WA

Olympia/Thurston County WA

Jim - I have a feeling that sharing a bedroom with 2 brothers might have been some wilder times than me sharing with a sister!

Hi Tim! Isn't it funny that what we didn't even give a thought too as we were growing up is considered just not quite good enough now? I don't remember ever thinking we should have another bathroom - it just was what it was.

Hahaha Kathryn - you might be on to something there!! One bathroom probably just wouldn't hold all the "products" - especially for multiple females!!

That is pretty ironic Sharon - and not unusual that I find empty nester buyers wanting more room not less.

Hi Pamela - I guess it is just the way times change - but does make you think about how exactly they changed quite this way so that number of bathrooms (or location) is such a big deal to people.

Feb 22, 2011 10:41 AM

Lottie Kendall

Compass - San Francisco, CA

Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

I see the same thing, Nancy. Also with garages -- they now need to be finished, sheetrocked, painted, with good-looking storage shelves and cabinets to appeal to many buyers.

Feb 23, 2011 03:34 AM

Nancy Conner

Olympia, WA

Olympia/Thurston County WA

So true Lottie! Funny how these trends happen - and all of a sudden everyone is convinced certain things are NECESSARY.

Feb 23, 2011 04:53 AM