It may help to know that I have real estate searches on the internet. Every new listing that fits our criteria comes directly to my computer. So on Friday night, when I noticed a small property just north of downtown, I made a mental note to go and look on Saturday morning.
With me I had Evan, Aidan and Avery. Toby was out on a "date" with his mother, something of a shopping date, but they both enjoyed it. Arriving, we piled out of the van and trudged up the alley to the house. We were happy to discover that the 3-season porch was unlocked, so we were able to stand inside and look in through the windows easily. On the main level the house had a living room, an alcove, a central space that might have been called a dining room, but was really too small, a kitchen, a full bath, and one bedroom. In the ceiling of the bedroom was a hole that served as attic access.
Evan and Aidan peered into the windows and declared that it would be "OK". They looked the house over inside and out, and somehow I guess they were able to see it. Avery was rather non-commital, but not really negative, either. With an asking price of $24,900, I thought it might be worth showing my wife.
After lunch, I suggested to Tara that she come and look at the house with me. She was willing, so we left everyone home with Evan and went. Tara also thought the house might be all right after peering into several windows and looking at the floor plan. So we messaged a friend of ours who is in real estate and asked if she could get us in for a showing. Sunday afternoon worked for her, so we were back there by 2:30 today.
The interior was about as good as (or maybe even a little better than) we expected, and after looking it over thoroughly, we told Lisa to put in an offer for us. This was a little bit of a surprise to both of us because we really had planned to sell first and buy second, but at $20-25K, you just don't mess around. If you wait too long, the place will be gone!
So we went home on something like pins and needles, but Lisa called back a few hours later and said that for the first 15 days, they are only accepting owner-occupied offers, and if you're already paying taxes on another property, you can't count as owner-occupied. So we hit a wall on this one, but we are open to the Lord's leading. And 15 days really isn't all that long...
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
A Time of Preparation
For many years I have been fascinated with a different life than the ordinary city-dweller. Most people, it seems to me, grow up and eventually buy a house, but they do it with other people's money. Then they spend the balance of their working life paying for that house. When it is all over, they have an ordinary house on an ordinary yard and have paid some mortgage company $264,000... in interest.
I have been tantalized by a different picture. I see beautiful land with gently rolling hills, an apple orchard, and open fields. Perhaps it is 15 acres -- or more. There is enough land to grow all kinds of things, including children and animals. A kind of peace permeates the land.
The house is small and rustic with log siding and a wood-burning stove. It has enough comforts to keep my wife from declaring a mutiny, but otherwise it is basic and almost off the grid. The living area is inviting, a place for crackling fires, a stone hearth, and a colorful rug.
But it is a long way from there to here. We already own a home on the edge of town, complete with its own mortgage, five bedrooms, and ONE bath. We have been here over two years. Before that we did a year and a half on five acres near Mantorville, before that we were downtown in a 1900 four-square. Before that we owned a little 1.5 story just south of Silver Lake. Before that I was not marred... I mean, married.
We are not all in agreement about the need for this move. Tara, for example, thinks our current house is a delight: "They'll have to carry me out of here in a body bag." Evan "doesn't really want to move... I would prefer to stay here." The little ones more or less agree with Evan.
So the fall of 2010 was filled with discussions of this matter that finally ended with Tara agreeing to a Year of Adventure. These are the rules:
1. Our current house goes on the market February 1st. I have until August 1st to sell it. If it does not sell by August 1st, the experiment is over.
2. If it does sell and a good "final" property for our family is available, we snap it up and move directly to it. If a destination property is not available, we explore the following options:
a) We rent a house in town for six months. During those six months, we search for the destination property and then execute step two.
b) We rent an apartment in town for six months. Again, we use the time to seek a good destination house.
c) We buy one of the foreclosures that are selling for $38,000 in town or in one of the surrounding little towns. We live in it and fix it up. When we're done with it, we sell it for presumably a bit more than $38,000. Then we return again to step two.
d) If we like the rehabbed foreclosure house, we stay there and forget about the rest of these plans.
3. If no "final" house is available, we are also willing to consider buying land and building our own rustic home in the style of the pioneers. (Yes, plumbing; yes, electrical; yes, internet. Don't get crazy here.)
4. By Christmas of 2011, we either are where we intend to go, or we're know how we're getting there.
5. If no plan is available by Christmas of 2011, we will seek and ordinary home in town and abandon these delusions of grandeur.
In a few days, look for pictures on Craig's List.
In all of these plans and preparations, we are mindful of James' admonition in Scripture. We need to hold our plans loosely. If the Lord wills, we will do this or that. We submit our thoughts, hopes, and dreams to Him!
I have been tantalized by a different picture. I see beautiful land with gently rolling hills, an apple orchard, and open fields. Perhaps it is 15 acres -- or more. There is enough land to grow all kinds of things, including children and animals. A kind of peace permeates the land.
The house is small and rustic with log siding and a wood-burning stove. It has enough comforts to keep my wife from declaring a mutiny, but otherwise it is basic and almost off the grid. The living area is inviting, a place for crackling fires, a stone hearth, and a colorful rug.
But it is a long way from there to here. We already own a home on the edge of town, complete with its own mortgage, five bedrooms, and ONE bath. We have been here over two years. Before that we did a year and a half on five acres near Mantorville, before that we were downtown in a 1900 four-square. Before that we owned a little 1.5 story just south of Silver Lake. Before that I was not marred... I mean, married.
We are not all in agreement about the need for this move. Tara, for example, thinks our current house is a delight: "They'll have to carry me out of here in a body bag." Evan "doesn't really want to move... I would prefer to stay here." The little ones more or less agree with Evan.
So the fall of 2010 was filled with discussions of this matter that finally ended with Tara agreeing to a Year of Adventure. These are the rules:
1. Our current house goes on the market February 1st. I have until August 1st to sell it. If it does not sell by August 1st, the experiment is over.
2. If it does sell and a good "final" property for our family is available, we snap it up and move directly to it. If a destination property is not available, we explore the following options:
a) We rent a house in town for six months. During those six months, we search for the destination property and then execute step two.
b) We rent an apartment in town for six months. Again, we use the time to seek a good destination house.
c) We buy one of the foreclosures that are selling for $38,000 in town or in one of the surrounding little towns. We live in it and fix it up. When we're done with it, we sell it for presumably a bit more than $38,000. Then we return again to step two.
d) If we like the rehabbed foreclosure house, we stay there and forget about the rest of these plans.
3. If no "final" house is available, we are also willing to consider buying land and building our own rustic home in the style of the pioneers. (Yes, plumbing; yes, electrical; yes, internet. Don't get crazy here.)
4. By Christmas of 2011, we either are where we intend to go, or we're know how we're getting there.
5. If no plan is available by Christmas of 2011, we will seek and ordinary home in town and abandon these delusions of grandeur.
In a few days, look for pictures on Craig's List.
In all of these plans and preparations, we are mindful of James' admonition in Scripture. We need to hold our plans loosely. If the Lord wills, we will do this or that. We submit our thoughts, hopes, and dreams to Him!
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