So . . . you wanna buy a house?This sign greeted me this morning as the sun came up. It's positioned squarely in front of our next-door neighbor's house. The same neighbor whose mother owns the property but lives in California. The same neighbor whose pending divorce looked to convert the house into a rental. Absentee landlord, revolving door of tenants. Not a winning formula for a stable block.
In ways that quietly shame me, I've longed for something to happen with this house for years. You know that house on the block that's always overgrown with dandelions, always in need of a paint job? That's this house. Complicating matters is the tenants themselves, who had a quality that trumps all those annoyances: A steadfast respect for their neighbors. They were good people, and you couldn't have really asked for better than that. It certainly made it a whole lot easier not to stew all those times John had to mow their lawn, or I had to shovel their walk. Because these particular neighbors always had our backs. And that's worth more than the rest of it combined.
But now I'll admit. I'm fantasizing. Who might buy the place? More to the point, could *we* buy the place? What would it take to fix it up? How might it look with some perennials? The possibilites could drive a girl to distraction.
Regardless, it looks like some changes are afoot, mighty close to home. It's almost the holidays, and I like not knowing what's exactly in the box.
And all of this is to say, if you know someone in the market for a
fixer-upper, who wants to capitalize on the most buyer-friendly real estate market in decades, and will receive as part of the bargain some pretty top-drawer next-door neighbors, please send them my way. There's a nice welcome gift in it for them, and we've been known to loan a spare egg or cup of sugar by request.
fixer-upper, who wants to capitalize on the most buyer-friendly real estate market in decades, and will receive as part of the bargain some pretty top-drawer next-door neighbors, please send them my way. There's a nice welcome gift in it for them, and we've been known to loan a spare egg or cup of sugar by request.
6 comments:
I hope you get good neighbors!
There has been a steady influx of students in our 'hood since it has begun to ever so slightly improve...young people whose parents BUY THEM A HOUSE. All of the non-yard care of renters with the extra excitement of teens on their own for the first time.
Good luck!
Berdawn, that sounds like my personal version of Hell :-). I don't know if you'll even see this comment, but any chance you'll be around Columbus next week? We're headed there for Thanksgiving. It'd be fun to meet in person over coffee if you're around.
You're going to be in Columbus for Thanksgiving? D'oh! Of course, the one time I'm not. Sigh.
Keeping my fingers crossed that Santa brings you some lovely new neighbors for Christmas.
Oh man, of all the years NOT be flinging open the doors and hosting a multitude! Usually I make a giagantor bird and we cram at least a couple dozen folks into our place but this year it's just me and the husband heading to WV to visit my mother. OTOH, it's Michigan weekend, and we usually try to flee town for that, so maybe there is some balance?!? I'm berdawn@gmail so let me know when you're headed back this way!
This Thanksgiving has a very O Henry feel about it: Will miss dear Rosemary, who usually comes to Columbus but instead will stay in her newfound home of West Virginia. Also missing new friend Berdawn, who lives in Columbus but will head to WV for the holiday. All the while visiting my husband's family in the place where I -- but not he -- grew up, because his family transplanted themselves there 15 years ago.
Best not to think too hard on it, and simply to eat. Happy gluttonous holiday to all :-).
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