So I was starting a new game today and none of the starter houses really fit what I wanted for a long term family investment. I'm happy building big family houses when money isn't an issue but what about when you have a new couple just starting out? Do they really have to move into a little nook in the hopes of being able to afford to move at a later date?
I wanted to start the game with a 2 bedroom house and plenty of room to add furniture and whatever else my family desires when they have a bit of money behind them. I wanted a house that will grow with my Sims, one that they will never grow out of.
So I set myself a challenge - could I build a spacious, expandable and beautiful house that would last through the generations AND come in at under $18,500? Could I make it pretty and affordable using only the base game so any new player could pick it up? Well, I gave it a good shot and here's what I came up with.
Name: The Appetizer
Lot size: 30x40 (In my play testing I had this on a 30x30 but I prefer the larger garden as I'm likely to build a garage/ granny flat at some point in the future.)
Bedrooms: Two
Bathrooms: One
Price: $9,275
Content: Base Game Only
The front of the house showing the minimal landscaping
Layout consists of two large bedrooms, a small bathroom and an open plan kitchen/ study/ lounge/ dining area with a hall wide enough for stairs for future expansion.
The top down view to better show the size of the propertyWhat I love about this house is the possibilities it opens up for expansion. There's plenty of space for stairs if you want to add another floor, space for double doors and decking to the rear, space around the edges that could be utilised for a granny flat, garage, stable, park or pool. If you want a larger porch you could have it wrap around the front. There's enough space in front of the house for a driveway (or two) or you could park down the side of the property.
Price wise I think this is about right for a starter couple or a couple of house-mates. In play testing I was able to buy all the fittings, furniture and furnishings I needed for a start-up couple with my remaining $6825 and even had money leftover for a couple of classes. Admittedly, the furniture wasn't the most comfortable or the prettiest and the plumbing was a little sparse but how's a Sim going to learn handiness if everything works all the time?
