Why couldn't you use one of the extra bedrooms in a 3 br house as your 'storage' space? It's better than garage space since it's conditioned...... unless what you're storing is car stuff or something equally smelly. If you really think the only way to get what you want is to build, at least design it so that another bedroom or two and a bath could be added relatively easily. Yes, a 2 br, 1 ba house with a 3 car garage might have a limited audience.

" Yes, a 2 br, 1 ba house with a 3 car garage might have a limited audience."

Agreed!

I think in Iowa it might be, even in Iowa City. In the Northeast this could be considered a pied a terre if it was in the city. I looked at a house that was essentially an open mega-kitchen/ LR, a MBR and bath and two-car garage with a powder room and an all glass back wall/slider to a little yard and it got snapped up pretty quickly at about $600K.

There is also a big industrial style loft (essentially a no bedroom or 1 open bedroom for singles or couple only) over a garage that holds about 6 cars comfortably for sale right now.

I think it depends on the variation of housing type in the neighborhood. If it is a neighborhood that gets bachelors or empty nesters, you might be okay. If it is the typical every-house-must-have-exactly-the-same-amenities-as-its-neighbor-to-fit-in-and-compete-suburban-neighborhood...not so lucky.

This post was edited by ineffablespace on Sat, Nov 9, 13 at 13:36

Do you have to be inside city limits? Maybe a small country house and a larger quanset is what you should be looking for...maybe even gutting the house.
Otherwise is there any reason you can't find a small house and do a detached garage?

I think you need to thing more about what you are storing.
Some questions to ask yourself.

Its only you so why do you have so much stuff? Is it temporary or do you plan to always have this much stuff? Do you plan to get more stuff? Is the stuff long term storage or stuff you actually use occasionally? Is a garage the best place for the stuff?

bachelor pad..hehe

3 car garage is nice, but yeah just look for a 3-4 bdrm home with an upstairs loft

use an extra bdrm for storage/offc/gym/etc

do you have vehicles, boats, 4 wheelers...snow mobiles
that you need 3 garage size?

building inside city limits only, or would you
build outside city limits or in the country?

in my area it isn't uncommon to build a metal building
with an apartment inside of it.
different folks have different needs.

best of luck.

Yes, I suppose that would not fit the largest market segment.

On the other hand, sometimes not being just like everyone else is actually a good thing.