Explaination 4 Kathey, Susie , & others

Avatar for quite_contrary
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Explaination 4 Kathey, Susie , & others
8
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 4:01pm
I am sure I have mentioned it before but maybe not. Yes the plan is to move Contraryville to new quarters.

A month or so ago we were looking for new renters for one of our rentals. I mentioned to DH that if we didn't rent it pretty soon we should consider selling our house and move into it. That has been a 'back burner' plan since we bought it, that it would be our retirement home. Someday. It is a lovely 3BR twin home on 3 acres a couple of miles further out in the country from us. One day he showed it to a young couple who had just graduated college and were transferring here from the southern part of the state. They mentioned they really wanted to buy a house but needed a couple of months to get established enough to qualify for a loan. DH showed them our home and it was exactly what they were looking for. They agreed to rent the twin home and we agreed to allow them to buy this home when they are ready with in the next year but probably sooner.

The advantages of this arrangement are many. Number 1 among them not having to list our house and show it to tons of other Realtors and prospective buyers at a moments notice. I really hate that. As the wife of a Realtor I can appreciate what families go through to sell their home. It was just an ordinary day in Contraryville and things weren't too messy. Roger showed them the house and I didn't even go crazy for a week cleaning and looking for all the nooks and crannies dirt and mess hide in to embarrass at the time of a showing. I guess being a Realtor family I feel that everything must be perfect. They just looked at it as it was and loved it.

I love the house here and the yard but it has gotten too big. So much yard work and now we have 5 BR, 3 BA and a family room just like the house we moved from 8 years ago that my DD just bought back. We really don't need all that space and besides if you have it you never know who might move in with you. Like your kids. The rental we will be moving to is a twin home that sets on a nice flat treeless 3 acres. We may even buy the other half soon. If that happens before the young couple get things together for their loan, we may move to that one instead and continue to rent the other side.

Both units have 3 BR and 2 BA but no basement. (No expansion room or storage.) The plan is to build a detached 3 car garrage for our extra vehichles and toys and to fling fling fling. Drew will be using the attached garage for his boat building adventure at first as it is insulated and heated. If his business takes off and he actually makes money we can look into buying or renting him better space at a later date. He will have one bedroom (Verses the 2 he inhabits now)and the other will be a guest/computer/office. We will need to share space and learn to like it. Drew is a little upset because we (including him) worked so hard to make our yard beautiful and he hates to leave it but we have been hiring our lawn mowed as we just can't count on him to do it. Roger's accident last summer has prevented him from doing many things including mowing. We can't always live our lives to make our kids happy, before long he will move on and leave us for his own life.

I look upon the yard as a clean canvas for me to paint my pretty little haven on, while having learned from the mistakes I made here. There are a lot of shrubs and perreniels that I wouldn't bother with again and some I know I will want to use. We will make a bigger and better pond and waterfall and I am planning on an English garden setting for it. I plan to keep it smaller and more manageable, but stunning. The fish will move with us and hopefully love their new surroundings. I may leave a few for the new owners to get them started.

I have discovered that the fun was in the doing, but the upkeep is difficult. I just tried to do too much here and it is already starting to get out of hand. Needs some younger blood to care for it.

Since the home is now a rental we can live in it for 2 years and then sell it without paying capital gains. If we find we want to do something different we can do it then. We have a lot of equity in our home and by selling now our payments would drop as well as taxes. Maybe we could even invest in that little Florida home I have been dreaming about all these years. Who knows?

We, Roger and I, just feel it is the right decission for us to whittle down and live more simply and to do it now before we have too. The Real Estate market here in Western Wisconsin has not been slowed as much as other parts of the country, but that could change and maybe getting out now while the getting is still good is a wise way to go. I think that smaller is the right direction for us. DH works too hard and even though he loves what he does I would like to see him take a little more time to relax while he is still healthy enough to enjoy it.

Anyway that is my long storry of "Where in the world will Contraryville be?" It will be just as fun and just as crazy I am sure. It will still be in the same elementary school as all 5 of my Grands that live here in Huson so I will still be doing daycare for them before and after school. Summers may be a problem with smaller quarters but I don't intend to do daycare forever. (Famous last words)

That is my story and I'm sticking too it. Have a great day bugs. MM

Avatar for kacee2002
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 4:13pm
By twinhome MM you mean a duplex? Where will you winter your fish w/o a basement? I wish DH would consider moving but he is so attached to this home. It is too large and the grounds more than I want.And the taxes here are getting worse and worse. But he is set on remodeling and remaining here. Everytime I mention something concerning the remodel and say resale value he gets his back up and says that doesn't matter. Oh well. Have a good day. KaCee

Poof!!! I'm gone!!

KaCee

Avatar for kacee2002
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 4:23pm
MM, I just went a took a refresher peak at your ponds. What a lot of work you have put in to creating such beautiful spaces! I'm sure that for you though a lot of the joy is in the doing and as you said you have learned what to do and what not to, what works and what doesn't. Brand new projects to plan! KaCee

Poof!!! I'm gone!!

KaCee

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Registered: 09-16-1999
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 5:35pm
Thanks for catching us up, MM. Wherever you are, that is where we will find Contraryville.....;-).....BB
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Avatar for quite_contrary
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 9:04pm
A twin home is similar to a condominium exept that there are only 2 homes in one building. The building sets on the land and you own your half of it but both owners own all the land or lot. Basicly they are set back to back and mirror image each other. Sometimes they are built with garages in between the 2 but ours has the garages on the end back to back. We have never lived anywhere with a communal wall before so that is why we are thinking of buying the other side. If we get noisy and they want to complain to the landlords we will be handy. Believe it or not DH just called me an hour ago and asked if he could show the house to another couple. I screamed a lot but they are here now looking at the outside. Oh well. We will see if they buy he is going to ask for more money than what he told the other couple. What a poop. MM
Avatar for krsecond3
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 10:09pm
Thanks for the explanation and discription. At least it's not in the land of Purple People Eaters (lol). I wish you the best of luck no matter how things turn out. Kathey
Kathey
Avatar for cl_emty_nstr
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Registered: 03-19-2003
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 10:45pm
I have moved 11 times in my life and that was way too many. We always rented till we moved into this house in 1977. I know people, like teachers that move in and out of our little towns that can't get something to rent so they have to buy. Some are only here a year or 2 and I think that is a bunch of bull. I know what hassles there are in buying a house and to have to do it more than once would do me in. I told DH when we moved this time there was only one other place this body was going...lol.

When we moved here we lived just a block east of here. So when I knew we were getting this house I started boxing up everything that wasn't tied down. My best friend and I moved everything but the stove,frig, washer,dryer and freezer. We were pooped because we started about 7am and got done about 9 that night. We moved everything in boxes into the garage here and over the years sifted it into the house as needed...Oh, yes , I forgot to tell you I was about 31 and she was about 26. Today she is a nurse and wouldn't have time to do it and I would be lucky to carry one box in a day....lol......

On the other hand it is fun when you move, like being able to clean everything and start from 1 again...lol

Good Luck......Janet

 


Have a nice day !.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-15-2003
Mon, 05-19-2003 - 11:18pm
Wew! You have home on 3 acres of land in the country. Wew! Wew! Wew! We have a home on a shot glass full of land.

Oh that has to be heaven for you! No concrete, cars, people, buildings, shopping malls or doggies from hell.... That has to be worth all the tea in china! That would be my fantasy home. What ever you decide ya can't loose!

Aloha,

Hula Girl

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Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 05-20-2003 - 12:28am
Thank you for such a detailed explanation MM. Gosh girl, no matter what you do, it's a lot of work!! Sounds like you have this well thought out and we'll be here to cheer you on when it all begins.

I figure you'll be in daycare til all your grands turn 18..LOL!!....Hugs, Susie

Hugs,

..