do you prefer to build onto your starting home or buy a larger one?

I"ve done it both ways. I do like to build though so I start with an empty lot pretty often. Especially if I've decided that the old lot is too small or the house built on it would have to be demolished and completely redesigned in order to add to it anyway.

I tried extending my legacy starter home but I felt it started to look messy! When I start from scratch I try to have a plan in mind. If I add it ends up being random rooms shoved on the side. Though I'm not great at building anyway...

Last time I just demolished their starter home and rebuilt on the same lot. Looks much better now!

It depends how much energy I put into decorating and personalising the lot. If I can salvage it for another family from my rotation, then I'll have them move. If I didn't put that much work into building it, then I'll just demolish and build again.

I've only ever needed to move thrice in any TS4 save, and all three were in apartments. The first was to move to a 100k apartment bc one of the Sims I needed to complete the City Native aspiration, second was that I needed to split the household bc it was time for the roommates to go their separate ways (the rooommates I had move out I moved into a penthouse in the city), and the third was bc of more space and I wanted them in a spacious house they could afford now.

Apart from that I've always tended to just build onto their starter homes, no matter how much lot space they have. The first household I started on TS4 still uses the same starter home, it's 20x15 and although I have no more space to expand outwards, I just started building upwards or downwards. I stink at building up but I'm great at building down, so basements it is. You'd be surprised how much space you can make in a lot that small with a few wall and room remodels.

I tend to build on to a starter when I start a new game, but normally when the kids grown up (and need to move out) I just download a house off the Gallery and furnish it.

I usually expand my starter home, turn the original living room into an entrance way, the kitchen into a bathroom that sort of thing. It's nice to see the original structure grow but still be recognisable. Eventually by about the third generation they lose sentimentality and tear down the house and build something grander.

I build on the starter home. I can't be bothered to move again, lol.

I usually build my own if I'm feeling inspired other wise I build off the starter lot (Once in a blue moon download a lot off the gallery).

I add onto the house I’m in.

Wow, a lot of people seem to add on. I nearly always just move house.