Alright, I DID fall in love with the Outside part of this property. The red barn has its own septic system with water and a toilet. Sweet. There is a really really big room with a concrete floor, which would make an awesome lisaknit kind of a place. The grounds are immaculate with underground drip irrigation for all of the fruit trees...typical, apples, peaches, fig, persimmon, etc. The main house was a bit disappointing, although it was built super solid by the owner. The kitchen is 20 years old and boring and after being used to my updated kitchen, it was not a deal breaker but not wonderful. I kept wanting to go OUTSIDE because that was what was calling to me...gardens everywhere with irrigation for lawns and roses and oodles of fall color trees. The inside of the main house was...BORING and not just paint job boring...Bones Boring. (Except for OUTSIDE)
We climbed all over the property, 3 or more acres of which is open field where the owner once had Jacob and Navajo sheep (when he found out what I do for a living, he softened) as well as a few cattle, for (excuse me) the freezer. The owner's wife said that she just got rid of her loom and wheel. HUH???
Now, on to the little house. It turned out to be the deal breaker, even though I keep mooning over the property. The little house is really cute but there are 9 stairs going up to the bedroom and bath and about as many stairs going down to the garage! I told the owner that this will be impossible for anyone who is doing what we are doing, looking for a home with a small MIL house on the property. Stairs! How dumb. Of course, my mother wants to bring her 7 foot grand piano with her (!) and this is certainly going to limit where she will live comfortably. The little house is so cute with a great kitchen and access to the crushed granite paths around the property. Stairs. STAIRS!
We even thought that it MIGHT not be a deal breaker, if I could get one of those stair climber elevators installed but it would probably be too small for mom to live with her piano and her TV.
The Husband reminded me of what I say to customers when they pine for a one-off garment at a show. If it calls to you and it is meant for you, it will be here for you when you come back. Yup. Good advice for them AND for me. If it were just us, I could make it work but with the comfort of my mother, the privacy nut, involved...the Haystack is getting bigger and bigger. I don't imagine that we will find another property like this available, with all of the I's dotted and T's crossed. Perhaps it will come with less land and a nice kitchen. The Daughter seems to think that the land will be daunting, since I work all of the time around here and it still looks like a mess but honestly, as with a house, the larger it is, the more that the "mess" is spread out! :oD
We went out to see another property after the Shingle Springs place, up in Eldorado and while the little main house was cute, the property and "double wide" were the yucky parts. Rocks and more rocks and boulders for a garden. Ugh. No thank you, plus it was 15 minutes more off of Hiway 50 and I just said to the family and the REA...it would take a life-flight if mom got sick. Ummm, NO. no no no. I guess that I will just have to get a couple of RE guys looking for us. There isn't any hurry at this point because the job isn't going away until October.
There you have it...our day in Eldorado County. SIGHHHHHHHHH.
Aha...did your mum saw the house..maybe she finds it suitable...!!:-) Dont be a Ding Bat now Lisa....there will always be things, who need to be done, when you buy a house...it's the same in Denmark!:-))
Posted by: Helle From Denmark | July 04, 2005 at 05:01 AM
Bummer that it wasn't exactly what you wanted, but the right one will present itself to you. It's such a frustrating process in the meantime!
Posted by: kerry | July 04, 2005 at 07:16 AM
Ah, too bad--I was already planning a visit! But don't forget the very nice and affordable modular homes available these days--you might do better with lots of land and a quick build of the MIL House of your dreams that way. My sister just had one built--very nice, quality construction, fast, inexpensive, lots of options.
Posted by: Janine | July 04, 2005 at 07:54 AM
Your hubby is right, if it's meant to be, it will be there when you need it. Take your time, find the perfect place and keep those photos of the silk/merino off the website- eeeek goes my wallet!
Big hug sweetie pie.
Posted by: Angela | July 04, 2005 at 11:31 AM
Waah I can't see your pictures I see gobbledygook! Maybe later!
Posted by: CarolineF | July 05, 2005 at 05:44 AM
OK I saw them. It's wonderful. I like the little stove. Your kitties would love that.
Posted by: CarolineF | July 05, 2005 at 05:37 PM