There was never a time in my memory that I didn't like to explore homes, attics and basements. The latter two are like treasure hunts. The homes themselves are intriguing to me as I'm curious about decor, architecture and design.
During my working years, I worked in a number of real estate offices. I loved the work, but only rarely got to see the homes we had listed. I did get to see photos that we used for advertising them and occasionally I'd be present in one of them when we had an Open House. These days, I do a lot of 'peeking' into homes by way of internet photos and real estate magazine ads.
Currently we are discussing the idea of moving to a smaller property. We bought a newly-built farm house design in 2005, moved into it in 2006, built a good sized room off the rear of the house to provide space for family gatherings. We have seven kids and eight grandchildren, most of whom don't have work schedules that allow them to visit often, therefore, we're heating and trying to maintain this large house for just the two of us. So, I've been house hunting again.
What we're really like is a smaller home on a smaller lot, less to keep up, less time and cost to operate. I think I could live in a condo....maybe on a lake or a retirement community of people around our own age. Then we'd pay the yearly fee, and someone else would be keeping the property in good shape, giving us the option to travel or do whatever we choose to, without the obligation to the work involved in yard care. But, that idea has a 'snag'. That snag is my husband's resistance to living so close to neighbors.
This makes things a bit difficult in finding a property we can agree on. His idea, as the grandson of a real estate developer, is to have a lot of property.... the more the merrier. ( HEY!!! Isn't that going against the idea of our idea of down-sizing? ) We currently live in a subdivision with each home on a half-acre plot. Neighbors are close, but not as close as on the other side of a condo wall. I have a little trepidation about moving to a large acreage surrounded by woods or even vacant land. There'd be no one to speak to, wave to, or know if we were not within sight for a few days. (I watch too many crime-solving programs on TV..... I want to know that someone would be aware that I'd been scarce, before someone discovers me as a pile of bones on the kitchen floor!)
Ideally, I'd love to find a little log home, on a property overlooking or even including, a pond. I know that he'd like that too, and so that's what I'm concentrating on finding. I found an ad for one, located about 30 miles from here....I showed it to him. He likes it more than anything else so far, but doesn't like the price much. It's a small 4 bedroom log cabin....on 6 acres, with a stocked pond. He doesn't fish, but if there were catfish and bass outside my kitchen door, I'd learn, real quick, to bait a hook, and take the catch off the hook!
So....how is 4 bedrooms on 6 acres called 'down-sizing', you might ask. Now THAT is a good question.....and I must admit that it truly isn't fitting well under that category. However, it sure fits the idea of our joint dream!
Stay tuned.....
