Thanks for answering about the lifespan options! I'm enjoying playing on Long, so I'll keep doing that.
But I have a serious question about moving. You said the family cannot move off the lot, which I do understand. However, there is likely to come a time when the family's lot is terribly bugged. Even if EA finally patches this game. In TS2, my lots always developed bugs after a few generations.
In the event of BUGS, can the family be moved off the lot in order to bulldoze and rebuild? Portraits and such could be moved to the inventory so they're not lost due to the bugs, and then rehung in the new house.