House hunting. Would I regret a one-car garage? (Denver: buyers, income)

[Parnassia]

Another aspect to consider. How long would you plan to stay in this house you buy? If its primarily to get a toehold in CO real estate but not something you plan on growing old in, chances are you might end up buying a different home if/when you meet that gal and start a family. The two car garage would be necessary and desirable then if it isn't right now. If this first house has enough space for storage and projects, you could stay very disciplined about using that single car garage as intended...to protect your car.

As for hail, yes, it happens but a garage won't prevent all of it. Many times cars are damaged by late afternoon hailstorms while they sit in employer's parking lots or during M-F commutes, not parked at home.

I lived in Bailey for several years. My house didn't have a garage, but the lot had enough space for a concrete-based Tuff Shed large enough to serve as a single garage. When I put the house on the market a few years later that shed was one of the reasons the buyer wanted it. Another advantage of living in Bailey...I could park my car and take a bus down into the city. Bailey was high enough in elevation to miss most of the hail. While Denver was being hammered Bailey would be getting something softer like graupel. My car didn't get a single hailstone dent during the years I lived there.

[vunderbar]

Originally Posted by Tallish

Would I regret having a one-car garage here in the Denver

It sounds like you would. Many of us living in central Denver, where the houses tend to be older, have a one car garage which is detached... even those advertised as being a two-car garage really only fit one bigger car. Your options would be to expand the existing detached garage, limit yourself only to houses that have a true two-car garage (remember, the housing market here is very tight, with little inventory to begin with) or look outside of Denver, in the newer suburbs which tend to have at least a two-car garage. Kind of up to you, only you can decide if the size of your garage should be A or THE deciding factor in how and where you live.

[himain]

2 for sure.

[Mikala43]

Two, minimum.

[superk]

I regret not holding out for a three or more car garage. Two isn't cutting it for me.

[2bindenver]

Less house = more garage. More house = less garage.

All depends on what you can afford, and if there is room to expand.

[Wheatridger]

I've only owned Victorian-era homes with no garage at all. It would be nice to have one, but my house has plenty of other amenities to make up for it. My cars park in direct sunlight, under a tree. I hand-wax them twice a year and the finish has held up fine. I did have a car totaled by hail in 2017 (Colorado's costliest natural disaster, which took out roofs and cars all over one quadrant of the suburbs). That time, the problem wasn't having no garage. The car was parked at the dealers after a repair, while I was away on vacation. Geico gave me a generous offer for it, and I was ready for something new. But there was so much hail that it too five months to get the car inspected, adjusted and paid for!

Having no garage has probably saved me from costly crafts and hobbies. Right now there's an extremely rare European car for sale, like the one I drive in my Twenties. Fortunately, I have no place to park it and restore it.

[daprara]

a 3 car garage only leads to something bigger.
stay with the single car situation.

[Seguinite]

Originally Posted by Wheatridger

... Having no garage has probably saved me from costly crafts and hobbies. Right now there's an extremely rare European car for sale, like the one I drive in my Twenties. Fortunately, I have no place to park it and restore it.

Lol. Costly crafts and hobbies are why I had to build a two car garage. A bit oversized so I can actually put two vehicles in there with the crafts and hobby gear when I have to. No room on the tiny lot to go any bigger (or I would have!).

[daprara]

energy costs & availability are un predictable. Maybe costing is on the way up. NOT a smart time today to buy that land boat vehicle or bump up that single story bungalow.