• Seven years ago, we took our ranch from three bedrooms to two to make the primary bedroom bigger.
• My daughters' sharing a room has led to little space, lots of clutter, and constant arguments.
• Now, we're planning to renovate again to add a second floor and give them their own rooms.

Seven years ago, my husband and I took our 900-square-foot ranch from three bedrooms to two.

Much of our $60,000 renovation budget went to a new kitchen and relocated basement stairs, but we used the rest to split the middle bedroom in two.

Half of that space went to our primary, and the rest was joined with the other remaining bedroom, creating an 11-by-12-foot space for our daughters to share.

We've regretted it ever since.

Many people in my life advised me not to do this, but I didn't listen

When making my plans, my main thought was that our bedroom was too small. My husband and I were squeezing past each other each time we got ready and waiting for the other to dress so we could reach our own clothes.

For me, the only logical solution was to make our bedroom bigger and have our kids share a room. Fellow parents and even my husband didn't think this was a good idea, but I ignored them.

Instead, I thought fancifully about the bonds my girls could build within those four walls and imagined the fun they'd have growing up in the same room, just as I did with my sister.

My girls don't have enough space and their living styles aren't compatible

Today, I'm very much reaping what I sowed.

One of my daughters is messy and nonchalant while the other is organized and opinionated.

Instead of their shared space bringing them closer, it serves as a major point of contention between them.

They love each other but, every day, they fight over something concerning their room: closet doors left open, a cluttered nightstand, lights left on at bedtime.

When I made this decision, I didn't know their developing personalities wouldn't mesh in a roommate way. I also should've realized that as they grew, their belongings would, too.

The single five-drawer dresser that could once hold all their clothes is now overflowing. I spend many a morning stuffing sweatpants and jeans down so its drawers can shut.

My now-13-year-old's woman-sized clothing needs full-sized hangers, which don't fit in her child-sized closet. The hangers jut upward on one side while her clothes are pressed together like sardines in a tin.

As a little girl, she had only a brush, some hair ties, and bows. Now, she needs space for makeup, skincare, hair straighteners, and curling irons.

As her collection of adolescent items grows, so does her younger sister's resentment toward the disparity of storage space … and back to arguing we go.

We're planning to renovate again, in part so our daughters get their own rooms

I'm grateful our daughters have enough things that their drawers are too full — and there are certainly families who successfully share smaller spaces — but this setup doesn't work for us.

Moving isn't an option right now, so we're renovating again to add a second floor to our house. My daughters' bedroom issues aren't the only reason we're doing so, but they're definitely a contributing factor.

I'm excited to add a larger pantry, upstairs laundry room, and primary bathroom, but I'm downright elated that my girls won't have to share a space.

I can't wait for the day when they'll no longer fight over who has an inch more space atop the dresser.

Yes, they'll still argue — they're siblings, after all — but I'm confident my kids will get along better when they have some privacy and space from each other.

Maybe absence will even make their hearts grow a little fonder.

• Alfonso Cobo, 32, bought a three-bedroom apartment in an old Tribeca warehouse for $4.6 million in 2022.
• The tech entrepreneur, who studied architecture, spent $1 million making it a bachelor pad.
• Cobo sold his loft to pursue a bicoastal lifestyle and more renovation projects worldwide.

In 2022, Alfonso Cobo was on the hunt for new digs in Manhattan when he decided to look at listings in Tribeca.

Cobo, originally from Spain's Canary Islands, lived in a handful of New York City neighborhoods over the course of eight years.

"I've done this thing of moving a lot from Brooklyn to Manhattan," Cobo, a 32-year-old serial tech entrepreneur and the founder of social media platform Hypelist, told Business Insider. "Tribeca was a neighborhood I had never tried."

Eventually, he came across a listing for a three-bedroom apartment in The Fairchild, a seven-storey converted warehouse built in the 1880s.

"It was very, very dated. Everything was super white, dark floors, glossy white kitchen cabinets," Cobo said. "It just wasn't me at all. It didn't have the level of warmth I wanted. It didn't have any personality."

But Cobo isn't one to shy away from a project — so he took a leap and bought the 2,000-square-foot apartment for $4.6 million.

Cobo was dead-set on the apartment and paid 8% over the asking price.

Three years before buying the Tribeca loft, Cobo sold a social media app he created to Squarespace for $50 million.

As much as he might fit the bill of a tech entrepreneur, he says he feels like a designer first and foremost.

"Even though I didn't love architecture as an industry as a whole when I used to like work there," Cobo added, "I did really miss that physicality of designing spaces."

That itch to create is partly why he felt he could take on a real estate project as extensive as this — and was willing to pay 8% above the asking price.

"I do love putting all my passion and love into designing my own spaces."

Cobo enlisted British designer Helena Clunies Ross and spent $1 million on a renovation.

Cobo, who has an architecture degree from a British university, credits Ross with encouraging him to work in "unconventional" design choices that took his home "to the next level."

"We put a lot of effort in doing a really high-end renovation," he said.

The process ended up costing Cobo $1 million as it involved spending on a number of custom-designed features.

He estimates that about 80% of the interiors and furnishings are customized.

From the sofas and curved windows to the lamp in the dining room that spirals down from the 21-foot ceiling and the metal-clad library, almost every inch of the apartment was tailor-made to suit Cobo's personality and style, including nods to his Mediterranean heritage.

One of his favorite features is the dark gray kitchen island, which he said and Ross spent "weeks and weeks" picking out.

Cobo's priority was sourcing unique and high-quality materials, which meant the space turned out far from the "sad beige" aesthetic often associated with millennials.

"Even though I'm quite minimal when it comes to design, there's a lot of layering and a lot of texture," he said.

The apartment originally had three bedrooms, but Cobo ditched two of them.

Having found success at a relatively young age, Cobo said he didn't feel the need to have an additional two bedrooms.

"I don't have a family, I'm still single, so I really created a space that fulfilled my needs at the time."

What eventually turned into his bachelor pad was an oasis within the hustle and bustle of NYC where Cobo could work, be social with friends, work, and disconnect. "I really wanted to adapt the space to those needs."

Not having a guest room wasn't an issue, Cobo added. If his parents visited, for example, they got the bedroom while he set up camp on the couch.

One of his favorite features is a 16-foot olive tree that required a crane to install.

Given the apartment's modern design, Cobo wanted to add a more earthy element to his home.

The result was a huge 16-foot olive tree, which sits on the first floor and was no small feat to install.

"To bring that in, we actually had to close the traffic in the street, bring in a crane, crane the tree up, and then fit it through a really small window," he said.

It was "a whole thing," Cobo said. And for a moment, he had real doubts the tree would ever get into the loft.

But when it finally did, he said "it changed the space completely and brought that added missing piece of nature."

Cobo just sold the apartment for almost $7 million.

Working with Jessica Markowski, an agent from NYC real estate firm Serhant, Cobo said it took about three months to find the right buyer.

This week the loft sold for $6.9 million — making it one of the most expensive one-bedroom sales in Manhattan this year, he said.

Cobo wouldn't be drawn on the new owner, but said the individual shares a similar lifestyle and aesthetic.

And while he's renovated a handful of residences before, letting go of his Tribeca apartment wasn't easy. "I was quite emotional because I put so much of myself in it."

Cobo is already busy with new renovation projects.

Cobo's decision to sell the loft was prompted by increasingly dividing his time between New York and California.

As well as working on his latest tech venture, he's also looking ahead to future renovations through his real estate company, Olivar.

Creating beautiful homes is one of his "passion projects," Cobo said, adding that he has projects underway in the US, Bali, and Spain.

"I'm always thinking about what the next thing is, what I can build next, what I can renovate."

• Matt Guy moved to Japan in 2023 and bought a traditional house in a ski town for $6,000.
• He lives in the two-story house — that was built in the '60s — with his Japanese partner.
• He hopes that people will not buy property in Japan solely because it's cheap or trendy.

Matt Guy visited Japan for the first time during a six-week trip in 2010. Half of the visit was spent snowboarding, while the other half was spent exploring the country.

At that time, Guy — who was born in Australia — had already traveled to 30 different countries and lived in several places before, but Japan piqued his curiosity.

"I left the country feeling kind of different," Guy, 40, told Business Insider.

He knew he wanted to explore and understand the country more deeply, which led him to move to Japan in 2014 and enroll in a one-year course to learn the language.

Slowly, the idea of relocating to Japan started to take root. In 2016, he returned as an English teacher and stayed for two years. But he was itching to see the world once again, so he left.

It wasn't until 2023 that he returned to Japan — and this time, for good.

"By the time I committed to making Japan my home, it wasn't on a whim. I came with knowledge, experience, and respect for a place I had grown to deeply love," he said.

House-hunting in Japan

At that time, Guy — who has a background in construction — was on the hunt for a permanent place to call home.

He had spent the past couple of years looking at listings in Japan and scouting out different areas where he wouldn't mind living.

"I would still be searching even when I was overseas," Guy said. "I spent all of that time shaping up what is most desirable to me and what ticks the boxes for me."

As someone who likes the outdoors and enjoys activities such as hiking, backcountry skiing, and snowboarding, he has always wanted to live in a ski town.

By a stroke of luck, a friend who owns a ski lodge near Myoko Kogen — a popular ski area in the Niigata prefecture — had invited Guy to spend the summer.

By the end of the season, Guy ended up finding his forever home.

"I came here without an intention to buy anything, but it just lined up that this house became available," he said.

He chanced upon the listing online after searching for property in the area.

The traditional two-story house, built in the '60s, was owned by a couple in their eighties, who were eager to show him around.

"He's like, 'Come in, let me show you the good points of my house. If you open this window during the summer and that window, you get this cross ventilation coming through. This window gets the best sunshine,'" Guy said, recalling the previous owner's words. "It was incredible."

Guy says he bought the property for slightly under 1 million Japanese yen, or about $6,000.

"One of the things that I wanted was to live in a ski town up on the hill. I want the ski lift and the chairlift to be there," Guy said. "But as I've spent more time in the mountains, I've realized that if I come down a little bit, away from the more popular area, I'd be able to save money, and enjoy other benefits too."

For instance, it doesn't snow as heavily where he is.

"I don't have to clear snow. Some of my neighbors up the hill do," he said. "There are fewer insects; there are fewer woodpeckers that destroy your house. There are no bears here."

Rural but convenient

Guy — now a content creator who makes videos about off-the-beaten-path destinations in Japan — lives in the house with his partner, who is Japanese.

The house was largely move-in ready, save for the bathroom, which had some termites, he said.

"Everything else could have been left as it was. There was really no renovation necessary," Guy said.

However, he had his own idea of how he wanted the place to look, so he made some changes to the interiors.

"I recently renovated my bathroom and my shower room, and I made it out of Hinoki Japanese wood, and now that's become one of my favorite spots in the house," he added.

Even though the area he lives in is considered rural, there are still plenty of amenities around.

"For example, my next-door neighbor is a sushi restaurant. Two doors down, there's a soba restaurant. My local hospital is about 35 seconds walk away. The pharmacy is across the street from that. The post office is 15 seconds walk away," Guy said. "So it's all very convenient."

To get to Tokyo, all he has to do is hop on the Shinkansen, bullet train, and he'll be there in about two hours, he said.

A more present and intentional life

Since moving to Japan, Guy says he's found himself living a life that's more connected to the present.

For instance, the way that Japanese culture celebrates the changing seasons has encouraged him to focus less on what's next and more on what's happening now.

"This shift has brought a deeper sense of gratitude for everyday moments, whether it's enjoying a seasonal meal or taking part in a local tradition," he said.

He's also grown to be more patient since Japanese culture emphasizes politeness and respect in daily interactions.

"Whether it's waiting your turn to speak, carefully listening, or queuing for a train or a popular restaurant, patience becomes second nature," Guy said. "The value placed on maintaining harmony also means situations are often handled calmly and thoughtfully, which has taught me the value of slowing down and considering others."

Japanese society also views people as equals, regardless of their jobs, he said.

"Whether you are a bus driver or a doctor, you're very much treated with just as much respect as anybody else," Guy said. "People know that you're needed to operate. You are still part of the system needed to make everything work smoothly."

Playing a part in the community

Guy says one of the biggest things people should consider is that buying a house in Japan means participating in the local community.

"I think it's important to think about how you are a contributor to the community," Guy said. "It cannot be an entirely selfish approach of 'I just want a cheap ski house in Japan.'"

For instance, Guy and his neighbors meet every three months to do community service, such as cleaning the streets together.

"I think the first question is, 'How can I be valuable to the community that I live in?' And it's got to go beyond teaching English to people who don't ever need to use English in this community. It's got to go beyond cooking them things or baking them cookies," Guy said.

It's important that people consider their decision carefully before buying a house here, especially since it's quite a trend right now, Guy — who also does property consulting on the side — said.

According to Japan's Ministry of Justice, 2,604 Americans moved to the country in 2023, bringing the total number of American expats in Japan to 63,408.

Four Americans told BI previously listed the country's safety standards and relative affordability as their reasons for making the move. Some of them even buy and renovate one of the country's 8 million cheap abandoned homes.

He hopes people who purchase property in Japan do so because they genuinely love the country and its culture, and want to contribute to it — not just because they like the aesthetics of owning a house there.

"Buying a house in Japan is not just a financial transaction; it's a cultural exchange that affects both the buyer and the surrounding area," Guy said. "My hope is to see Japan maintain its unique character and charm rather than having homes purchased solely because they are inexpensive."

Have you recently relocated to a new country and found your dream home? If you have a story to share, contact this reporter at [email protected].

• After years of saving, I spent $50,000 on a kitchen remodel to create the space of my dreams.
• I'm glad I splurged on my high-end countertops and an interior designer.
• My new appliances have been great, but I didn't need to install under-cabinet lighting.

When I bought my three-bedroom, two-bath house in 2005, I was in my late 20s, and it felt like my first real step into adulthood.

There was a lot to love about my new home, from the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in the office (a dream for any writer!) to the 1970s archway from the living room to the kitchen that provides so much character.

But there were also things I hoped to one day change, like replacing the wall-to-wall carpeting with tile and remodeling the sad brown kitchen. Little did I know it would take 15 years to save up for new flooring and a few more still to get around to the kitchen.

I estimated it would cost $45,000 to make the changes I wanted — which included ripping out and replacing just about everything — although my final bill came in closer to $50,000.

I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Five things stand out to me a being 100% worth splurging on, but there's one expensive choice I wouldn't make again.

Hiring a designer was worth every penny.

I'm terrible with a tape measure, know nothing about piecing together cabinets into a cohesive and functional layout, and didn't have the time or eye to pick out the perfect tile — so I hired an interior designer.

We worked together to bring my vision to fruition and she to planned all the details of my remodel. I paid $525 for an initial consultation and $5,250 for the design development.

I have no doubt that if I'd tried to do this myself, I would've wasted a ton of time at stores being indecisive and I probably wouldn't have liked the end result.

I don't regret living in hotels during the demolition and early construction.

This project was supposed to take about three weeks, but it actually went on for about three months.

My contractor had forewarned me just how messy and loud the demolition phase would be and that I wouldn't have access to a kitchen the entire time — so I booked three weeks of hotel stays to avoid the chaos.

Although it would've been easier, logistically, to stay in one hotel the entire time, I chased specials and discounted rates at some of the most luxurious resorts in Phoenix (the triple-digit summer heat means massive sales each year).

I work from home, so being able to work in peace at these hotels for a few weeks at the start of the project was priceless. I definitely had a tough time once I went back to living in my house during the rest of the remodel.

My higher-end countertops feel worth every penny.

I knew I wanted quartz countertops, and my designer helpfully chose some options within my budget. The problem? I hated how cheap and flat they looked.

So, she showed me some upgraded samples — and, of course, I fell in love with how much more depth and richness they had.

I ended up paying about $11,000 for countertops, which was several thousand dollars over budget. I don't regret it because they have the "wow" factor I wanted.

I'm glad we had a millworker make custom shelves.

One of my requested design features was a display area for my collection of colorful Le Creuset enameled cast-iron cookware — but each piece is so heavy and large that we weren't sure how to accommodate it.

My designer engaged a local millworker to custom-create three floating white-oak shelves that would enhance the overall design while providing functional storage space.

The project cost over $2,200, but the shelves are the focal point of the room — and I can see their beauty from my living room, too.

Upgrading to new appliances now saved me a headache down the road.

At first, I thought I might keep my 19-year-old stove and fridge for another year or two until I saved up for replacements.

However, once you design a kitchen around appliance measurements, it's not as easy to swap them out down the road.

So, I spent over $5,000 on a gorgeous LG stove and LG fridge I'd had my eye on. It was the right call — they look sleeker and more modern and are far superior to my old appliances.

The new fridge is enormous, and my new induction-style stove heats up twice as fast as the old electric one.

On the other hand, I don't think installing under-cabinet lighting was worth it.

I'll admit that a slew of TikTok videos about task and mood lighting convinced me to install trendy under-cabinet lights.

Although I dig the vibe they give off, I just don't use them as often as I expected. One of the reasons is that I didn't spend even more money to have them put on a dimmer switch, so they're just too bright at night.

I could've saved a few thousand dollars if I hadn't bothered with them at all.

• I planned ahead and consulted with experts but still made mistakes while renovating my bathroom.
• My floor looks dirty quickly because the grout is too light and I chose the wrong vanity lightning.
• The shower niches look nice but don't drain properly because they're not angled.

As a writer with kids, I'd long ago abandoned the dream of a bathroom remodel. Instead, I'd learned to live with perpetually loose floor tiles and a tub that was as shallow as it was short.

Then, one day, the shower wall caved in, exposing a gaping hole of black mold. Outwardly, I cursed our bad fortune. Inwardly, I threw back my head and silently screamed, "We're renovating!"

With the help of a small inheritance, we transformed our tiny, dilapidated bathroom into a clean and airy space that sparks joy whenever I use it.

The renovation required a full gut down to the studs. We moved the door, opened the ceiling, and splurged on a double vanity and high-end fixtures.

I made good calls and a few bad ones and probably spent 50,000 Canadian dollars (about $36,000) total.

Although I consulted with a designer and sought help from my design-savvy sister, there are a few things I'd definitely do differently next time.

I should've done my shower-niche homework.

I added shower niches for storage and was thrilled with my design choices until I had my first shower and noticed water pooling in both shelves.

After a quick Google search, I realized the tiling at the bottom of a niche should be angled to let the water drain. I hadn't thought of this, and my contractor apparently hadn't either.

The niches aren't angled at all. Worse, they're in a part of the shower that gets especially wet.

They don't always dry between showers so, over time, water could seep through the tile and into the framing behind — which might eventually cause another mold problem.

A darker grout would've helped my floor tiles look cleaner.

During the design process, I had to select a grout to accompany my beautiful white-gray Carrara marble tiles.

At the time, I chose a light color thinking it would seamlessly match the tiles — it did. Unfortunately, it's also a dirt magnet in the high-foot-traffic area around the sink.

No amount of scrubbing has helped thus far and comparing it to the pristine tile under the vanity hurts my heart a bit. Next time, I'll go at least two shades darker with floor grout to help mask the unavoidable grime of this busy zone.

I didn't appreciate the importance of specs.

It took forever to find the perfect floating vanity with drawers and space for two sinks. At last, I imported a beautiful fluted piece from Italy.

While awaiting its arrival, my contractor roughed in the plumbing based on the standard height for vanities. It turns out my piece was not standard — its cutouts for pipes didn't match up with the now-installed plumbing lines.

Fortunately, we were able to cut out a notch in the back of each of the drawers to accommodate pipes. This was better than buying a new piece, but it added another 400 Canadian dollars to my budget.

Next time, I'd ensure my contractor had all the specs before mounting or installing anything.

The lighting for my vanity area isn't great.

Although I'd put a lot of thought into the placement of pot lights in the ceiling, I neglected to do the same with vanity lighting.

Instead of, say, three lights placed at eye level or two over the mirrors, I settled on just one placed between the two mirrors. This was, in part, to save money.

But one light doesn't provide nearly enough illumination when you're using the mirrors. (Just ask my teens!)

I don't really have enough room for three sconces, but I wish I 'd at least placed one above each mirror. I'm now sourcing new (hopefully cheap) sconces, which I'll also have to pay an electrician to install. Ouch.

I wish I'd paid more attention when ordering my custom window.

When I discovered my existing window had to go, I knew I wanted to replace it with an industrial-style one complete with grilles running in a grid on the outside.

I could already picture the adorable piles of snow that would collect in the corners come December. Since I was so certain and so busy I ordered my window over the phone.

When the window arrived, I was shocked to find the grilles were between the sheets of glass. I'd never seen this design before, and it was definitely not my intended vibe.

It was a custom piece, so I couldn't return it. Instead, I focused on the positives: This was much cheaper and way easier to clean than the ones with grilles on the outside.

Since it's a small window, I've gotten used to it and even come to like it. But if ever I'm in a position to add windows to another room in my house, I'll spend more time and money to ensure I order the grilles on the outside.