A Next Adventure - The Beginning

Eighteen years ago I moved into a total fixer-upper.  But it was calling to me, its song spreading dreams in my head of DIY Bliss and a perfect end result.  You can substitute bliss for bloody thumbs, tears (oh the tears!) and, once I got married, differing opinions over methodology. But yes in the end the house was perfect, at least to me.  

Fast forward to 2023 and my mind is listening to random siren calls for change. Our road has become a nuisance with high speed frequent traffic.  This is accentuated by a blind rise out front and every Yahoo drawn to it for the thrill of going fast enough to get air akin to a Dukes of Hazard episode. We are subjected to these road noises at all hours of the day and night, and our dog Walter (never one to stand up to fear) can often be found hiding under the bed with his teeth audibly chattering. 

And so in June, when Trent is worn down by my multiple "reminders" that I'd like to move, he agrees to start looking at houses with me. The last thing either of us wants is another project of a house.   New houses are sadly out of the preferred budget, and each morning I set a filter on my MLS listings for houses built within the past 10 years, then 20 years, then... we find we are a good match for what was built half a century ago and so this is where our search starts. With retirement on the horizon, we don't want to pay a mortgage for 30 more years. 

After looking at a house for sale we learn no seller will entertain an offer from someone whose house isn't under contract already.  In order to get an offer in on a house that Trent really likes, we move quickly to list our house. I Church-Lady-Clean and we conquer most of a self-imposed 31-bullet to-do list in what amounts to three days.  The photographer is coming Sunday and showings commence right after. The dogs and I bond as I work in my car for two days of said showings. Walter's hot drool surreptitiously slides down my back as I wedge a fogged up laptop against the steering wheel in a Wendy's parking lot.  And at the end of two days, we have two great offers and accept the more generous one.

On the photography day Trent and I go back to the house we intend to put an offer on during their open house.  We are thankful we did a second look - it is so moldy that our faces itch for a full 24 hours after we leave. I feel like a chipmunk with these swollen, hot cheeks. This leaves us in a predicament - there are not many properties in our price range in the area and our closing date is looming near. We look at a few houses - they skimmed the glass ceiling of our preferred budget and yet have a laundry list of things wrong with them.  With this in mind and while continuing to check the listings three times a day, we ultimately put an offer in on a house in a great neighborhood in Hopkinton that was long neglected but easy on the budget, a house we looked at a couple weeks earlier and shockingly-not-shockingly it is not being snatched up by any other buyers.  

I have been pulling for this house all along, because as was the case 18 years prior, it is calling to me.  Standing on the large rear deck I have a vision of what 113 Watchtower will become.  Yes, it will take money and yes you can throw in those bloody thumbs and debates over siding choice and best way to install a shower.  But it will be the perfect house in the end... at least to me.  

Stop by again as I chronical all the quirks and foibles in our next adventure!