Don't Build Big Homes

"Susanka wrote The Not So Big House as a prescription for all of the miserable people she'd counseled over the years, homeowners who were profoundly dissatisfied with what were supposed to be their so-called "dream houses." Her diagnosis? Susanka believes that many successful people are afflicted with starter-castle complex, and they build or buy houses to impress other people instead of satisfying their own particular needs. Susanka's remedy suggests the following: Build or buy a house that's a third smaller than your original goal, but spend just as much on it as you had originally planned."