We’ve lived in our house for over 33 years, and while we sometimes look at each other and say "whatever possessed us to buy a house?" we’ve been very happy here. We’ve made changes and we have plenty of renovation work we need to do, but hey, what homeowner can’t say that? Here are the five things we like the best about our home.
- It’s bigger than we need, but not too big. We have room to spare, but it isn’t as if we have an entire vacant wing. A family with several children could live here comfortably, but it isn’t a McMansion.
- It’s in a good neighborhood. The houses in our subdivision are considered "starter" homes, but it’s been stable, without too many people moving in or out. It’s quiet, with the exception of Independence Day and New Year’s Eve and the occasional loud party from the people behind us (which always ends by midnight). It’s always been a racially-mixed subdivision, which contributes to the stability: everybody gets along and leaves each other alone. That doesn’t mean we totally ignore each other, though. When situations dictate, we all pitch in. There was an elderly gentleman with Alzheimer’s living with his daughter and her family. One day he wandered away from home, and they were frantic looking for him. Several of the neighbors and we drove around the neighborhood looking for him. Turns out he was across the street, sitting in the backyard of a family who was out of town, cold and thirsty. The family next door to us found him and got him home.
- It’s close to shopping and restaurants. There was nothing here within a reasonable distance when we first moved here. Now we’re five minutes from about a dozen restaurants, three grocery stores, Target, Home Depot, a half dozen gas stations, and a Starbucks. There’s a movie theater, which we never go to anymore (who can afford it?), a library, and other amenities. Everything we need within 5 miles of home.
- This magnolia. In front of the house. About 15 feet tall. Gets these beautiful aromatic blossoms every year.
- It’s all ours. We’ve paid the mortgage in full. When we first signed the mortgage, Mary looked at me and said "We’ll be in debt for the rest of our lives!" I’m happy to say it didn’t turn out that way.
We’ve lived here since November 1987, for both of us the longest we’ve lived anywhere. Others in our position have moved two or three times. This is more than a house to us: it’s home.
I’m so very glad you like your home and it being all yours is great. My husband and I bought our first home in 2019, so we’re nowhere near paying off the mortgage. Our home also needs a lot of renovations, but we’ll get that done eventually.
It’s wonderful that you have so many amenities nearby. So do we, even though our town is pretty small. We used to live in a tiny village with absolutely nothing in it and are so glad we are now closer to a supermarket and some restaurants at least.
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Did I see where you lived in The Netherlands? Just curious… we spent a week there in ’90…
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Oh, cool! I currently live in Raalte, Overijssel. I’ve lived all over the province of Gelderland too and was born in Rotterdam.
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When we were there in 1990, we were in Nieuwegein, which I guess is a suburb of Amsterdam. Kind of a nice little town…
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Oh okay. Nieuwegein is a suburb of Utrecht. I think I’ve been there once to go to the railroad museum.
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Nice house, John. We probably will be paying for the house for the rest of our lives but that’s okay by us. We’ll let the kids decide what to do with it after that.
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I definitely sometimes feel that we will be paying off our house for the rest of our lives. I cannot wait for the day when that might not be the case! Magnolia trees are in my top 5 favorite tree list. So pretty in bloom!!
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We refinanced when I walked away from the job I had held for 20 years, and when I talked to the representative I asked if we could refinance for 15 years instead of 30. It was only about $100 a month more and got us paid off much faster. Believe me, it’s been a huge load off my mind…
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What a lovely and cozy house, John. It’s not just a house, it is a home.
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Thanks! Yes, it is.
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What a lovely post, John. It is amazing how we can find a simple structure, fill it with love and memories, and make it a home. My husband and I just crossed our five year mark in the house we bought when we retired. It has been a little empty of late Due to Covid, but we have made quite a few special memories here. Your place looks warm and inviting and the magnolia is always a welcome addition.
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I think the magnolia sold Mary on it….
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I can understand that.
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This home looks so cozy and warm, it sounds like a great neighbourhood. I grew up I. The country…we owned a sawmill and those times were really wonderful. The sunsets, the trees and heading the frogs in the spring was just special.
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Noplace like home, is there? When I was traveling, it was a sight for sore eyes.
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