I gave up a dishwasher. At least I'm in a building that will allow us to install them (I rejected a building that would not let you install them), but I can't afford to do it on my own at the moment.

I gave up a second bathroom, a separate laundry room, and a third bedroom/craft room for the right location and right amount of move-in ready vs needs improvement.

A second bathroom. It's been nine months, and I'm only now starting to regret it.

I really wanted a bungalow, but on my first-timer's budget, it just wasn't going to happen. I ended up with a two story town-house, with almost all my other must-haves. I still want a bungalow at some point, but it was a good compromise for my first home.

We also compromised on not having a second bathroom (we really wanted a master with an en suite). The master bedroom has two closets, one is large enough to install a bathroom, but at the end of the day, I can't sacrifice the storage!

First condo...didn't have in-unit washer/dryer. The laundry was in the basement. It was okay...but I love having it in my house now!

Well, "must" haves are an elusive thing. For our FIRST home, the main "must" have was affordability, including hoping for a low-maintenance place not needing lots of attention. We also wanted a room where my partner could set up his big-screen TV without a window or doorway blocking it. We also passed on some houses that were decorated in ways we couldn't live with (kid-themed wallpaper, for instance) since we knew we wouldn't have enough money (or time) at first for DIY projects. (So appropriately staged did make a difference to us.)

After that, we were smart enough to not focus on dreams. Later on we installed central air conditioning, upgraded the kitchen, finished the basement, enclosed the carport as a garage, did a lot of landscaping, and generally maintained and improved the place.

Realistically, we never thought of our first place as our "forever" home, and even our recently built house isn't our "dream" house. So "musts" that were left out this time around were my craft studio and a few other minor things. Life is full of compromise.

My first home I gave up the dream of having a porch and a garage (but I had 2 1/2 baths!) My second home, I got that porch and garage but gave up 1 1/2 of those baths I had previously. I can't decide if it was a good tradeoff.

a bedroom! I ended up buying a small studio condo so I could be closer to downtown

Updates! We ended up with a spacious, charming 1920s colonial in a great neighborhood, which needs A LOT of work. Kitchen from the 60s, bathrooms dating from the 50s, cracked plaster, no over head lighting etc. We preferred a house that we could "grow into" and afford to remodel with our own touches through "sweat equity". I'm sure in 2 years I'll feel better about that decision, but right now the work and mess of renovations are taking a toll!

garage. :( But we have a car port!

Gave up second bathroom, storage and parking to live in a red-brick Victorian row with original stained glass. Still don't regret it!

I also gave up on a bungalow - I wanted an old house with character, but in the frenzied early 2000s market the ones in my neighborhood that were updated were super sought after, and either sold like hotcakes at the very tip-top of my budget, or needed more work than this non-DIYer first time buyer could put in. I settled for a 5-year old townhouse in an HOA. It was a good first house, but I finally got my dream bungalow 7 years later.

We sacrificed size, although in the opposite direction most people do. When we found our house, it was perfect in just about every way, with the exception of it being larger than the upper limit of size we were looking for. We really wanted a small cozy house, but it was hard finding a house smaller than 1000 sq ft with 1.5-2 baths. The house we chose is almost 1400 sq ft, and is pretty painful for me to keep clean, but I truly do appreciate having the second full bathroom!

Of course, the "perfect" house has other issues that weren't clear when we chose it - like the house on one side of us turning into a drug house, and the house on the other side getting renters who illegally breed chihuahuas....

The first time I tried to purchase my first home, the townhouse gave up on me and I gave up on the process. 4 years later I tried again and I got everything I wanted (single family, big backyard, 3 bed, 2 bath, open concept) for the price I wanted...I am still wondering when I am going to wake up or if someone is going to pinch me at some point and say "Just kidding". I guess it was just meant to be.

I think we let almost everything go off our list, except location. It was a cute little house, but with a weird sloping floor, too little heat, one bathroom, no curb appeal. But we did fix it up over time (not the weird floor, we just lived with that). But I was never sorry because the location was worth it and that's the one thing you can't ever change.

I traded having a deck/yard/balcony for proximity to transit. I do occasionally wish that I could sit outside, but there is a park a 5 minute walk down the road so I'm not doing too badly. I still have a stoop where I can plant flower pots in lieu of a proper garden. And being a one minute walk to the subway station has really made more of a difference in my life in terms of being mobile and cutting down on time spent on transit.

My "must have" was a yard, and it turns out that it wasn't such a big deal not to have one.

We let go of wood-burning fire place,

We gave up on getting an end unit townhouse instead of being in the middle like we are now. It was worth it. The end units in our price range were about 1800 sq ft and didn't have a garage. Our home is 3800 sq ft, has a 1 car garage (we don't use it for cars, just storage, so it wasn't a big deal to only have a 1 car), and because we're in a larger style townhouse (technically more of a garden villa or cluster home), our backyard is twice the width of a normal townhouse yard. So, the end unit must have really wasn't important compared to all the things we gained by buying a middle unit instead.

Garage but at least there is a carport. Off-street parking of any kind is awesome in LA. Also, washer and dryer. That's something that you put up with as a renter maybe but as a homeowner, I really did not want to continue going to the laundromat but looks like this year I'll finally get around to getting the w/d hookups put in and purchase a stackable unit. It's going to be sooo luxurious.

A big yard. I have 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms and a garage and lots of light.

We traded being in town for a private backyard- although we still have it a lot better than most people in town that are in town homes. Still, being on show to the neighbors when we're cooking out has us longing for a sprawling backyard with no one in sight!

i gave up on move-in condition. Basically it's a gut job in most of the rooms, but at least it's a decent size for the price and has a fantastic roofdeck, and 2 WICs. It's also only 2 blocks away from most trains is in a pretty exclusive neighborhood close to shops and restauarants.

I gave up on a house with no electrical issues and a porch. The electrical issues I had were fixable and my backyard more than makes up for my lack of a porch.

I'm glad to see many other gave up a second bathroom. We have an extra toilet in the basement, but the one bath is pretty small upstairs. We also gave up a larger yard. We got many many things with this trade off which I'm very happy with - an already updated kitchen, garage, 4 bedrooms. and the town we really wanted to live in.

Well, I was looking for a smallish (1000 sq ft) outdated, structurally sound home in a good neighborhood with good schools close to work with two bedrooms, a decent yard, and a good size kitchen. On my dream list was a full basement, a garage, and two bathrooms.

I ended up with a good size (2000 sq ft) outdated structurally sound house in a good neighborhood with great schools five minutes away from my job, two bedrooms, one bathroom, a huge kitchen, a garage with a full workshop, a basement, and space to add two additional bedrooms and one other bathroom. I also ended up with a gorgeous fireplace, which I didn't even put on my wish list!

The only things I compromised on were the size of the yard, the second bathroom, and the distance from public transit (three blocks away instead of one). We also bought a corner lot, which helped our money stretch a bit further.

The major problem is most people don't look realistically at what their budget will buy them. I researched our area for over a year before we went house hunting, and knew that I couldn't afford the fully renovated house in the neighborhood I wanted. So I bought a house with great bones that needed a facelift (the kitchen and the bathroom were both done in 1949, plus the entire house was covered in gross green carpet covering up gorgeous heart of pine floors) in the neighborhood I wanted. The house was livable with no major flaws, and we have been renovating to our tastes slowly.

If you can read instructions, swing a hammer, and use a level, I would recommend finding a neighborhood you love, selecting a house with good bones, and turning it into your dream house. My in-laws told us we were crazy when they first saw our house, and now they constantly tell us how jealous they are of our home!

Not a one. I bought a house in need of a full gut and built exactly what I wanted.

I was determined to buy a 3/2 Craftsman bungalow. No way was I going to have less than three bedrooms and two full baths. We ended up with a 2/1.5 Austin stone cottage.

We did end up selling it and getting a 3/2 (this time, a cute, mid-century brick house that is full of light), but we loved our cottage and lived in it for over four years.

Maybe someday I'll get my Craftsman.

Wow, I didn't give up ANY of my "must-haves" - but I thought long and hard about what things were "must-haves" vs "would be nice" items. My must-have list included in-unit laundry, a gas stove and some type of outdoor space big enough to sit and have a glass of wine and a few plants. I got it all, but it took me 10 months to find it in my price range and not get outbid by investors. As my search got longer, my neighborhood preferences got more lax and I didn't end up in my favorite neighborhood, but thanks to my patience and my awesome realtor, I ended up with a lot of things on my bonus "want" list too - a fireplace, already-installed awesome wood floors and a 2 bed/2 bath with vaulted ceilings in a pet-friendly complex. I'm glad I didn't settle.

On the first house we gave up the style we wanted. We hoped for a 1920s or older vintage; ended up with a very basic 1940s Cape Cod -- a larger house with a nice layout and a bit more space between it and the neighbors than the older houses in our price range. We were also able this way to buy at the bottom of our range instead of the top and end up with more income to devote to fixing the house up for our needs.

On the second house we gave up a beautiful, functional kitchen and a well-maintained house for more space, high ceilings and charming period details. We are enjoying the new place very much, but I still miss that perfect little kitchen. Right now I have a much larger one with pricier cabinetry ... but it was designed poorly, doesn't function that well, and is finished in colors and materials I don't like. I have to store some of my kitchen items in the basement, and as for color, pinky-beige "granite" formica, anyone? After 8 months in the house we have cleared the most urgent backlog of maintenance issues and can begin some redecorating.

My biggest must-have for both houses was lots of natural light, and I didn't have to compromise that for either of them.

I gave up "move-in" ready condition for the original 1959 kitchen and bathrooms. I also got metallic wallpaper. But the price was right and I've already gutted one Pepto-Bismol pink bathroom. The other BR and kitchen will be redone when we can afford it. The price, location, yard, and house itself made up for the kitchen & bathrooms.

I always thought my house "must" be a quirky-cool-modern-architectural-gem, but that comes with a hefty price tag. I settled for a builder grade center front colonial (yes, some of my friends still find this hilarious), but one that had excellent energy efficiency and sound construction. I've spend my pennies slowly upgrading the rather boring interior to my taste.

It's a project, but I'm happy.

We gave up nothing. The key was to make a realistic list of things we absolutely needed to have, and then a second list of things we'd like to have that were not necessary. The first list was three things: a large yard, "good bones" for renovation, and two off-street parking spaces. Our real estate agent was invaluable in helping us define our list. She also was amazing at giving us houses to look at that met all our requirements. We looked for longer than we wanted but have been very happy ever since.

Urbanity and easy access to public transportation. We also ended up buying large. What the heck do you do with a great room?

I had to give up a 2nd bathroom, established landscaping, a larger kitchen and a house with more character in its bones.

The very first "must-have" that we had to shake was the single family home. We found a condo in Boston (1st and 2nd floor), that suited our needs, and the stairs are key to making it feel like a house despite still being a condo. We also let go of a 2nd bathroom AND driveway (street parking isn't TOO bad on this street, but now with a toddler and one on the way, I would love off-street parking). All 3 of these things are on our must-have list when we move again in a few years.

What we gave up: Closer to the city, hardwood floors, master suite, open concept. What we got: Farmer's porch, large 2-car garage, laundry on 1st floor. We took a wall out the day we signed papers and the master suite is still being finished 12 years later. Suburbia is coming closer to us -- but now I'm not sure that's good.

I haven't bought a home yet. My husband and I are lifetime renters at the moment since he's in the Coast Guard. If we were to buy a home today, I don't know of anything I'd "let go of" now that I've lived in so many places and layouts, etc. It's a blessing because now I know what my list of "must haves" would be. I know that you will never get the "perfect" home, but when it comes to the cosmetics of a home, I'm more than willing to get dirty and do a lot of updating. I'm not afraid of that. As long as the home had good bones, decent yard (doesn't have to be huge) and a good layout with lots of light and at least a one car driveway... I'd be happy. At the end of the day, however, you make your space your home, even if it's not perfect. And, that is half the fun when settling into a place!

I must admit... it scares me to death to buy a home! My husband and I have decided that we will live debt-free as much as humanly possible and are currently saving as much as we can. I don't know if we'll ever want to hand over all that cash!! Scary!

Walk-out kitchen (it was on the second floor, but had a lot of light)! Along with that, it had a very unconventional floorplan that made us move when baby 2 came along. No driveway (row home) but did have parking. Little storage, basement that flooded. Mice. So many mice... New home (100 years old and all of the problems that come with that...) but it had a sweet, small kitchen and a postage stamp backyard that we landscaped and it was in the city.

For our second house we gave up a little character (1989 cape) and an in law suite, but we got everything else with a little patience!

We gave up on the idea of having an attached 2-stall garage, and ended up with a single-stall detached which is only a big deal when it's raining, snowing, or below zero and you have to take out the garbage. We also ended up with a 1 1/2 story, of which the 2nd floor is a converted attic that is now a long skinny bedroom with a non-functional chimney through it. Wish I had about 2' more in celing height up there or at least some dormers.

I really did not give up a "must have". It was a "want". Two bathrooms or a bath and a half would have been ideal. I traded the "want" for an outdoor space, which gives me the New York City skyline (Empire State Building, Citi Corp Center, Crysler Building, Yankee Stadium, George Washington Bridge and the New Jersey Sky line and a different sun set everyday). So, I figured I would live without the seond bath. What do you think? Smile.

We gave up the garage and the guest bedroom (which is inconvenient, since a lot of people come and visit us for a few days, but we manage), but we were firmly set on the location (near a subway station, I don't have a car), the usable yard, and the fact that we wanted a house to renovate. It's been two years now, and we redid the kitchen according to our needs, and created a small home office and a tiny second bathroom on the kids' floor. THe only trouble is that we could only afford a row house here, and I hate living in a house that's stuck between two others. Makes me claustrophobic sometimes, but the renovation makes everything seem larger and it gets better over time.

Last year my boyfriend and I purchased our PERFECT house. It's both of ours second purchase but first together.

I gave up a gas stove and a garage. I'm not going to say I regret it because I do believe our house is perfect but I miss those two things.

The other thing that I'm shocked even matters to me... is high ceilings. My first home has unusually high ceilings for a semi-detached and this house has normal ceiling height. I can't even believe how much I miss the extra 3-4 feet of height. And I'm SO SHORT!

Must Haves:

Pre-war building
Hardwood floors
Fireplace
Off-street parking
Small outdoor space

Got:
Small outdoor space.

Oh well, 1 out of 5 ain't bad :)

(plus I added hardwood floors, fireplace, and an ongoing remodel to remove the nasty 1960's cheap apartment feel.)

I was living in what I thought was my "dream house" It had lots of room and was located in downtown Portland OR. Granite kitchen, marble bathroom, fireplace, built-ins, crown moldings, wood floors and a 450sf balcony. After spending 9 years there I hated how much time it took to clean, it's proximity to the freeway, pollution (freeway), noise(freeway), maintenance, upkeep, HOA's and special assessments for an older building. I was tired of being house-poor and too far from the grocery store and having to rent parking in the building. We put it on the market and sold it eight weeks later. We bought a foreclosure at 1/3 the price of our old home. It is 380sf smaller and has a tiny balcony - I can clean it in a little over an hour a week and I am a clean freak. I have large windows and high ceilings, central air, I am steps from the Max and three blocks from the grocery store. I can sleep at night without the roar of traffic. Ironically, we have two parking spaces but because of proximity to restaurants and services are selling our car. We are happier after downsizing and love our new place. I do sometimes miss the fireplace but not much else. I like the security of living in a home that we can afford on one income especially in this economy.

We gave up a great walkable neighborhood for affordability, a good school district, and proximity to work. I also swore I would never live in an ugly cookie-cutter ranch house, but our area is full of them (especially in our price range). We did find one that had a newly updated kitchen, 2 updated baths, and did not have most of the living area in the basement - for our area and price point, that was a huge win that made up for some of the other compromises.

I am trying to recall what I wanted and what I gave up...

WANTED:
3 bedrooms
finished/nice kitchen
bathroom with storage
outdoor space
woodwork/character
hardwood floors
recent roof, furnace, electrical, etc
good location for walking/biking

GAVE UP
finished/nice kitchen (it's good enough but something i will need to fix up soon)
bathroom storage (my bathroom is the oddest narrow room and also needs updating)
up to date electrical (tax refund paid for new wiring that year)
1 bedroom--no extra guest room but guests don't mind!

HAVE
amazing woodwork in pristine condition
hardwood floors
INCREDIBLY AFFORDABLE
great location, can walk to work
a porch and a side yard!
newish roof and furnace

a place i adore, and that could easily be even better if i spent the time and a bit of money on it. it has only been 3 years. :)

We ended up near a railroad track. 1 car garage and 1dining area (really are formal dining areas so necessary?) a few things we didnt budge on: 3 bedrooms, over 1000 sq ft, an extra (albeit tiny) half bath. We love our house so much we blog about it...and our kids love trains..(www.lifeonchurchill.com)

You know, I don't really remember. We're so happy with our house (bought last summer), it seems like it must have been exactly what we wanted. Even though I know it wasn't. Who wants a 70's split in the suburbs? Not us--but it's turned out to be perfect for our family.

Every time our realtor told us we'd end up with the house we're meant to have, I kinda wanted to hit him. But I think he was right.

I gave up hardwood floors and an updated kitchen. I didn't have to have a gourmet kitchen but I wanted something other than builder basic (in 1992 when the house was built). Instead, I got more square footage in a 3b/2ba single family home that was a foreclosure in great condition with most of my must haves. Despite not getting all of them, I know I got a really good deal. The kitchen is in really good condition and I've updated some of the appliances so getting that kitchen (and the floors!) I really wanted can wait as the money is available to play with in time.

I gave up on the perfect kitchen. Got a 1990's kitchen that needs work instead. Also gave up on a fashionable zip code. In the end I just couldn't see paying about 25% more per square foot to live on the Mainline (philly). But I ended up with an really unique townhouse with cathedral ceilings, skylights and arches. It needs paint and a lot of love but I'm having a ball doing it. Still might have to live with 20 year laminate countertops for a while though.

The one and only MUST HAVE was that none of my windows faced a neighbors window; that I could not see a neighbor walking across his or her home in their skivvies and I got that. I sit over my garage in a condo and except for the bedroom, I have no solid curtains on any of my windows....only sheers so the sun doesn't fade the furniture. I did give up a 2nd bathroom but it's only me but got a 2 car garage which is so very nice.

I had sort of wanted a yard, or at least I thought I did, but I don't miss the work that would have meant! There's a part of me that would like a garden, but realistically I have too many projects already and I belong to a CSA, anyway. This house had so many features I'd thought I'd never have, like a fireplace, and it just felt so right to us from the very first minute we saw it. We've been very happy with it and plan to stay a long time.

We got almost everything we wanted: 100-year-old bungalow, decent sized yard, up-and-coming neighborhood, garage, big kitchen, a fixer-upper we could make into the house we want to live in. A second bathroom was off the "must-have" list by the second month of looking, and a fireplace would have been nice but the absence of one was not a deal-breaker when it came down to it. The main compromise we made was deciding to spend about $20k more than we had originally planned in order to get a house we felt was actually worth the investment, and devoting a much longer time than we had imagined we would to finding our new home; we spent a year looking and another five months waiting for a short sale to go through, but it was 100% worth the wait to get exactly what we wanted.

We had wanted a 3/2 single family home, walking distance to a useful "downtown" (meaning a neighborhood center with grocery, coffee shop, post office, library). We ended up in a 1/1 single family home, 3 blocks to a nice little downtown. Our budget required us to prioritize, and I still feel we made the right decision. It's going to be tight quarters when we have a kid, but we're really happy to have a sense of community with our neighbors and be able to walk to the store.

Fireplace and dining room. We did get our dream neighborhood, so I think it was an okay trade.

We gave up lots of wants, but the only thing I had on my 'must have' list that we didn't get was an in-unit washer and dryer. But it was worth it for our location. We ended up with a good sized two bedroom condo with plenty of storage and decent updating. What I would have 'liked' to have was a second bath, garden space and hardwood floors with fewer shared walls. Can't really complain for the first go though.

This is interesting to read. I bought my first house eight years ago and I had three categories - must have, nice to have, will not view. Even though I was looking at the very bottom of the market, I got all of the must-haves and most of the nice-to-haves. Patience (mine and the realtor's), remaining emotionally collected in multiple offer situations, and expanding my target area by three blocks got me what I wanted, in the condition I wanted, within my budget. Eight years on I don't regret a thing and I have no plans to move. I was lucky and I know it!

A second bathroom and being in the city. Instead we are walking distance to transit and a 5-10 minute drive into the city. In exchange we got a huge yard (for the Bay Area) and a mostly move-in ready 1940s home rather than a total gut job for the same price in San Francisco. For the most part we are happy but I do miss walking to fab brunch spots!

When we first bought our condo, the only "must-haves" that we gave up were in-unit laundry and covered parking. But now that we are still there (and stuck, due to the real estate market) and have 2 kids, we are giving up "must-haves" like a yard, storage, play areas, etc. But if I dwell on those things, it'll make me crazy! Besides, we're within a 1/2 mile walk to playgrounds, elementary school, library, public transit, grocery, post office, and a few restaurants. Not bad.

What I REALLY wanted and thankfully got in all 4 homes that I've purchased is "nice and non-nosy neighbors" (yep, I actually had that in my wish-list)

It makes the whole home-owning experience that much better!

My wishlist was 2Br+den 1.5 bath, laundry in unit with a balcony with BBQ's allowed

My absolute uncompromising list consisted of 1Br+den, full bath, laundry in the building and balcony with BBQ.. yup, i'd give up a half bath and a bedroom and a half before I would even consider giving up some outdoor space.

The place we ended up buying is listed as a 2br, but the second room is the square footage of a queen size bed, great as an office space though! we have 1 full bath, in unit laundry and a balcony with a great view. I couldn't love my place more!!

to add to that I also required a top floor corner unit, which I got :) couldn't even fathom buying a place and having to hear people walking above us.

Location. We're in the process of buying our first house now, and the Chosen One is going to add another 5-10 minutes to an already long commute. It has a few extras we don't really need (a hot tub, more space than we'd want), but it has things that we wanted as must-haves but never really expected to get, so it's worth the sacrifice. Because of the rates & whatnot, we wanted to try to skip buying the first house and move right to the second house, if that makes sense, so it's a lot bigger than our current needs, but will be just right when we start filling it with little'uns!

We gave up everything on our must-have list except three things: (1) location, (2) single family, and (3) price point. Glad we stuck with those three. :)

a separate room for my husband's 4000 comic books. They're in our bedroom!

I have my attached garage, two en-suite bedrooms, outdoor patio and two stories. What I don't have is an updated kitchen. I moved in with grand plans to renovate it on the cheap... but have since realized that until I get married and stop living with roommates, it's not worth the monetary investment. Even with that logical thought, it's hard to walk into my cramped kitchen without cringing a bit.

Six years ago my "must have" list started out fairly modest: 2-bedroom house, 1 bathroom, small yard and patio, located within walking distance to cool stuff (coffee shops, library, brunch spots, etc). After tons of house hunting, I happily threw out my "must have" list in order to buy a fabulous, teeny-tiny 1-bedroom condo in a great location.

It turns out location, for me, was my only real "must have."

A gas stovetop. I had high hopes that the hook-up for the clothes dryer was gas so I can later hire a plumber to create an "extension" to a gas stove. Sadly the home inspector said that everything in the condo is electric. After 3.5 years, I still HATE cooking on an electric stovetop.

My comment about being yet another person who gave up on the 2nd full bathroom seems rather lackluster in comparison to Geeann's situation.

I wanted to be able to walk to a coffee shop or a cafe. We got everything else we wanted for a steal, though.

I wanted a gas stove--but no regrets now--electric stoves have come a long way. I wanted and got a huge yard--now sort of 'meh' on that...a cute, little yard would be a treat as I really wish I spent more time lounging in my yard rather than tending it.

We gave gave up single family detached and embraced an attached home. Within our budget we wouldn't have been able to afford a detached house in such great condition with all of the features we wanted- garage, large fenced-in yard, two bedrooms, two baths.

None. What's the point of a must-have list if you drop things off of it? I made three lists:
Must have, Nice to have, and Gravy.

Having all three of these lists made it easy to discard a home that had "gravy" but lacked the essentials.

My must-have list for my second home purchase was definitely different than the one for my first home. And, because I didn't know what I didn't know..... there are things that I would have put on my last must-have-list which I now regret not having. For example, I didn't know that I could get this fabulous house AND a view in the same neighborhood because I didn't realize there were so many more homes like the one we chose for sale. Long story, but it pays to check around a little bit when you find your "must have" dream home and make sure that you don't have a few from which to choose.

Um, i gave up small... we got a great deal on our "later" home right now, so, one baby gonna be here in a month, and 2 extra bedrooms for visitors until the rest of the babies are here ;) the poor economy has been good to us! I wanted 1800 sq ft, my husband convinced me our 2700 is good, after being here 4 months, I can't say we made a poor decision!

our only must haves were 4 bedrooms, walkable to town and train and room for expansion. we ended up with all that plus central air, charm, hardwood floors and a 2 car garage. i know a good (for me) house when i see one and we jumped on literally the first house we saw in the town. no regrets!

I gave up a second bathroom and half of a garage. I really wanted to live in a certain area of town and near but not on the freeway. Everything else in my price range was scary so we bought the 1080 sq foot 3/1, 1 car garage and we still live here THREE CHILDREN later. I wonder if it was a good idea sometimes but I sleep well living exactly where I wanted to live and my children go to a great school.
Living in close quarters really just makes us a close family. Although, I'll get back to you about how I feel when I have teenagers in my small house!

Dishwasher!

The lack of one + not much counter space = we've gotten good at washing dishes as soon as we're done with them while cooking.

None. Actually, I got one more bedroom than was on my must have list.

But it did take me two years to find the place.

We gave up a desire for a fireplace and a balcony and ended up with an open floor plan and a wall of windows in our city apartment. We never tire of the light, and we've learned to appreciate living small.

Five years ago we bought the first house we toured because it had everything on our list...especially location! We took a commi I college class that helped us define our priorities together. We also gave a marked up city map to our realtor highlighting the things that are important to us...public transit, grocery stores, parks, libraries. The one thing we gave up was defined entry space for wet clothing and shoes. The front door goes right into the living room...back door into the kitchen. Still working on the inevitable clutter with IKEA shoe cabinets and other solutions for limited space. Wanted and got an upstairs rental unit which has been invaluable when we both got laid-off and now when I am at home with our toddler. Don't plan on leaving anytime soon, but hope someday we'll have the same kind of luck and planning.

I gave up a garage in exchange for more bedrooms and bathrooms. When it snows, I feel like it was a mistake. But, when we have a warm winter, I don't even miss it.

I gave up the idea of every actually owning...I live in Hawaii. :o|

I joyfully rent in the San Francisco bay area. 2 bedroom, 2 full bath, fully equipped kitchen with granite, carport, clean and modernized without being new... VERY reasonable price. I know I could not touch something like this to buy (barring divine intervention)... And I love not paying for repairs, mortgage interest, or property tax...

I gave up a southern or western exposure. In rainy Vancouver this is important, but cost and location ruled out a bright space.

I live in my first home--never thought I'd own. I'm practical and realistic. We had preferences, but I was not willing to live in an undesirable part of town. Sweat equity was something I just figured was part of the deal. We looked for months and finally found a 1953 ranch style fixer-upper with good bones, gorgeous hardwood floors and lots of good light. We knew it had a lot of potential. It has 1200 sq ft., which some people consider TINY, with 3 bedrooms and only 1 bathroom. It also has a laundry/mud room off of the kitchen with a pantry, a dining room off of the kitchen with petite french doors that open to the covered backyard patio, plus a good-sized backyard with privacy fences. We've gutted and renovated and basically have slowly been remodeling and updating to suit our needs and budget. We've also done most of the landscaping ourselves. What we never fully realized was the great location with access to everything--shopping, coffee shops, restaurants, library, etc. and public transportation (a lightrail) that did not exist when we first moved in. The area is very walkable. I guess that is one of the reasons that we've stayed as I couldn't think of anywhere else in the city that I'd like to live. I've also learned to live with what I have and what I don't have (mainly a second bathroom) and a bit more storage. I'm basically happy here--still transforming the place and making it our own.

I gave up living on a quiet tree-lined street (my house is on a busy road) but in return I got everything else on my checklist: two beds, two baths; walkable to public transportation, shopping and the high street with its cafes, restaurants and banks; larger-than-average flat; small back garden; no one living above me.

We gave up a second bedroom and a quiet location/privacy. The apartment backs up to the parking lot :/ but the patio is bigger, and with effort I can conceal the view into my livingroom. But the bedroom window is also next to the parking lot, which blows.

But what we got was a dishwasher, and tons of space. The bedroom is large, way larger than I had dreamed of, and TONS of closet space, we could almost rent out the walk in closet lol. The kitchen is also fairly good sized compared to the others we saw, but in the end we ended up spending about 200-300 bucks more a month for these luxuries. But it was worth it.

I am currently in the process of buying a house. I put my offer in a month and a half ago, and I am waiting to hear back (it's a short sale). The real estate agent is hopeful that I will get the house since it's a good offer. So... *fingers crossed*

What I wanted was: DETACHED house, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, off-street parking, no big trees by the house (I live in a hurricane-prone area and Isabel left me hating trees by houses). I honestly don't care about an updated kitchen or bathroom or whether the house has carpet or hardwood or laminate. As long as the house is in good condition, and the flooring and all the rooms are in good condition, then I'm good.

What I may be getting: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, carpet in the bedrooms, laminate flooring in the open-concept living area, big fenced in yard, garage, and 2 big trees (ah well -- that's what tree removal companies are for). It is in a GREAT neighborhood, too. I hope the bank accepts my offer or comes back with a counter-offer I can live with!

Funny, I had a list a mile long of what we "had" to have in our first house, but when I saw it, all that went out the window. I wanted a big kitchen with a large eating area; I got a small eating nook in a kitchen (that we modified to include a banquette and seat many more people). We wanted three bedrooms; we got two plus a "bonus room." We wanted two bathrooms and big closets; we got one (really ugly bathroom) and tiny closets but renovated to put in a second bathroom and a small walk-in closet. Attached garage? Nope. But the really important things—the location, the lot, the charming original details—made us fall in love with the place. We bought it 10 years ago and we hope to never leave.

Our original list of "wants" was: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, basement, outside space (deck, patio or yard - any would do), walkable to shops, restaurants and metro and laundry. When it came down to it, we went for our core list of "needs": 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, walkable to shops/restaurants (no metro), laundry, easy access to outside space (though none specifically "ours". And you know what? We love our home. Yes, it would be great to have the metro right at our door, but we settle for having the bus, which goes one stop to metro. And yes, it would be great to have a basement for storage, but we just pare down. We'd love to sit on the patio or have the dog play in the yard, but we go to the dog park and sip beers on the front stoop (or go to our neighbors!). And we only wish we had a second bathroom when guests visit. All in all, people don't actually "need" much.

I do kind of love the fact that we have laundry though, even if we don't really "need" it.

Wanted:
Single family home in established urban neighborhood

Got:
New condo in suburbs

Now: SFH in urban neighborhood. Happier.

So far we've given up the "must have" of home ownership in order to live in our favorite area of a city we love, in spite of unemployment/underemployment.

Food. And that's not a joke.

I gave up a separate laundry room. Currently, our washer & dryer is in the garage, and is taking up a parking space in our 2 car garage. We're looking to see how we could put a Washer/Dryer in the kitchen, and possibly one underneath the counter and hidden behind cabinets. Something like the ones pictured here.

We wanted to live in this really cool beach community. It was just a great neighborhood. I didnt care what we lived in as long as it was there. The schools for the area were terrible though. Even the surrounding private schools didnt preform. So we moved more inland. This neighborhood isnt as fun or as active or as much to do as the one we wanted, but the school is a top performer in the state. Also had to trade being able to live in a detached house, they were just too expensive in the area we live in now. And all the houses are new construction so no where to find a fixer upper. On the bright side the condo has an attached two car garage.

Hi Everyone!
I am 56; husband is 55.

All of our kids are grown and on their own. My husband has a decent job; though his hours have been cut. I am a nurse who has mutiple health probems so I no longer work. Because of the economy we were able to break even when we sold our 2000 sq ft. home and moved into a 900 Sg ft. apartment. The hardest thing for me to give up was the third bedroom and the basement and at least 100 books. Basically we have I bedroom; the second bedroom is the "man cave" (office) and guest room all in one. I feel lucky that after selling the oversize furniture; we had the money to buy 2 matching apartment size recliners; and an aparment size sofa/bed. I found an in expensive small diningroom table & chairs at Walmart. Obtained a queensize blow up bed . So be lieve it or not all four kids and spouses and grandchildren came home this last Christmas and we had a blast!! There is a park a block away so the kids had a ball. All of us did!! Because all of us are short on money, we did not have the usual feast; but life is not about what you own; but who you get to share your space; food;etc with.
We bought two basic bikes and rarely drive our cars. Not much in the budget for gas. My heart goes out to those in worse circimstances
Very grateful for what we were able to keep.

We gave up a garage, only hoping we could build one in the future. We've gotten by, but we sure do miss having one.

of street parking and a big front porch. but, it is a quiet street with easy parking, and there is a front porch, it is just small. What I was surprised about was that the "starter house" seems to be the "lifetime house". I can't imagine leaving this neighborhood. Even though we landed here randomly, it has been a remarkable force for good in our lives.

A dishwasher (we installed one a few years after we saved for a mini kitchen update) and a garage.

I recently purchased and moved into the cutest little 3 bedroom 1915 home. The home only had 2 owners on record and the 2nd owner (on record) passed away at the ripe old age of 98. Her children, now in their 70s, sold the house to me. In terms of updating, the house hasn't had any in a long long time. Currently I am living without a D/W, Garbage Disposal; Microwave and I only have 1 full bath. The last home I owned had 2 full baths, D/W, microwave, garbage disposal, fully updated/modern kitchen. I've been in this house since February, and so far so good. I really do not miss any of those things. When I first moved into the place, I wasn't 100% sure I could live in such a old (not updated) home. I was wrong. I love it and I am enjoying fixing it up. Although, I haven't remodeled the kitchen yet...Of course the best thing of all is now I can walk to the train versus driving my gas guzzling quad-cab truck.

We sacrificed square footage and a decent sized yard in order to live in a great walkable neighborhood with awesome schools and parks.

One thing we wouldn't ever give up—2 bathrooms.

A walk-in shower. A very nice apartment with two south facing balconies with the view of the alps. I thought I would manage with the tub-shower. But we will be renovating the bathroom first because we have both discovered we want that walk-in shower. I never make use of the bath except to bath the dog, anyway.

Walls? Functional windows? Flooring? A decent bathroom?

Our first house had been built in 1930 -- on the cheap. It had been rented out for some 20 years, and for the last 10 years had been a well-known drug house.

Basically, it was a complete gut job. The only thing we didn't do was re-pour the foundation; we did everything else -- the roof; they exterior facade; all the terraces, paths , fences and landscaping; we repaired all the old double-hung windows and built new storm windows; installed old wood floors (salvaged from a school that was torn down); installed new bathrooms (pieced together a mosaic floor while listening to Dean Martin and the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band for weeks on end); and walls -- those were big!

So, I guess I'd have to say that we sacrificed livability for several years.

Never again.

I gave up adequate storage and a second bedroom for location on the bus line and a washer and dryer in my condo unit.

My number one want was a non-galley kitchen and close to downtown. I also really wanted a dining room. None of those things was possible in my price range but I am happy as can be to have my own house. I just don't buy any more appliances.

I live right on the Long Island Expressway. It kind of sucks, but I don't have (or want to have) kids so I don't have to worry about them getting squished on the highway. Because of the location, I was able to afford a much bigger house for my budget. I love the layout and once I plant a fast growing, large tree in my backyard to block my one nosy neighbor, I'll be happy. May 15 is my one year anniversary as a home owner :)

We didn't even have a check list and were interested in anything that we could actually afford in the area we wanted to live. Location was everything and we did give up on buying a house and land, but ended up with an apartment that takes up the whole top floor and has amazing views.

It's bigger than most of the houses we were looking at (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms) and the location is perfect. The apartment was an achievable first time renovation project, which we're still finishing over a year later. Very happy to not have a house and back yard for the time being.

The big compromise we made was settling for a home with no foyer, mudroom, or porch -- right now, our door opens right into the living room and stuff piles up really easily because we don't have a stellar landing strip solution. There's a small coat closet but it's awkward to get into, and we're a shoes-off household so we also took it over completely with footwear. We know the mess will only get worse once we have kids, so we'll always have to be very particular about choosing furniture that includes storage options.

Square footage. The Los Angeles real estate market is pretty grim for a first time home buyer, so our 900 sq ft condo was a lot smaller than the apartment we were previously renting.

I was renting a 950 square foot house and wanted to buy something larger: more bedrooms, and at least one and a half bathrooms. Prices for a single family home with the square footage I wanted in move in ready condition turned out to be far beyond my budget.

The house I bought is the same 950 square feet but I got most of the must haves on my list and the price was well under the limit I set. It needed only minor interior cosmetic changes. The only room that needed a complete overhaul was the bathroom.

Living in the city...we bought a house in the suburbs and it has really been wonderful! I love the suburbs now.

We settled for a house in need of extensive renovation (dated decor, dodgy wiring, narrow galley kitchen, etc). For us, the ocean view and proximity to beach and town (a short walk) was worth the compromise.

The only must-have for us is location, location, location (that's nyc for you)... the rest will take care of itself.

A bathtub in my master bedroom (teeny stall shower). Good sized closet (no closet and an attic door in the ceiling, had to design a custom oddly dimensioned closet at container store). BUT I got a great price, a great lot, and it was move-in ready. I think it's worth taking more showers and getting rid of some clothes!

I have wall to wall carpet, laminate counter tops, and black appliances, and a ratty pine slate fence.

I would have preferred wood, marble, stainless, and stone.

Alas, my budget did not cooperate.

Pine SLAT, a pine slat fence.

We gave up a lot for our first purchase, but that condo was just love at first sight: gorgeous building, gorgeous unit with tons of character, high ceilings, fabulous sunlight, gut renovation (and we were there in time to pick our finishes)...

But it was a 1 bedroom unit (we were looking for 2), there was no private outdoor space, the location was just a few blocks away from where we really wanted to be, and it cost more than we would have liked (but less than our cap).

We sold it four years later, still loving the unit but needing a better location. I still think fondly of that place.

Affordability was the primary screening criteria, so we gave up living in the area of Seattle where all our friends had moved to. We were the only ones in our crowd with kids at the time. We ended up in a neighorhood with 9 languages spoken, and have stayed for 11 years. The kids - my stepkids - are grown & gone, and we're still here.

I'd love to move to a cohousing community once we can sell our home, but in the meantime, we're Iiving like we'll be here forever... and we may!

In case cohousing is new to you... Www.cohousing.org

Parking. We're one of the only houses in the neighborhood without a driveway or garage. Thankfully there's plenty of street parking 200 feet away. However, we've found ourselves parking 400+ feet away on top of a hill, just to get a tiny bit of extra walking in. Turns out it wasn't as necessary as I thought it would be.