I found the perfect house
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I've been keeping an eye out for ranches in our area, but up till now they've all needed a ton of work to make them someplace we'd like to live.
This place is about half a mile from our current home. MCM ranch, all remodeled, with decor I could more than live with. Laundry on main floor. Lovely garden. Finished lower level with family room and fourth bedroom, perfect if you had a live-in caregiver. I could move in and do pretty much nothing.
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I've been keeping an eye out for ranches in our area, but up till now they've all needed a ton of work to make them someplace we'd like to live.
This place is about half a mile from our current home. MCM ranch, all remodeled, with decor I could more than live with. Laundry on main floor. Lovely garden. Finished lower level with family room and fourth bedroom, perfect if you had a live-in caregiver. I could move in and do pretty much nothing.
Oooh, very, very nice!! I love the cosmetics of! In fact, I didn't see anything I didn't like, whoever did the reno did a really nice job, especially in terms of updating the house without putting in stuff that would look dated in a few years. Also, two outdoor spaces, really nice!
It also seems very roomy. Do you think the posted sq ft of 1906 include the basemen, because I'm thinking not.
@wtg said in I found the perfect house:
I've been keeping an eye out for ranches in our area, but up till now they've all needed a ton of work to make them someplace we'd like to live.
Wait, does that mean you're actively planning to move?
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Very nice!
Love the outdoor spaces!
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V.nice. I was just looking at ranch listings yesterday. Our realtor told me "everybody" was looking for a ranch when we moved from our three story house to another three story house 8 years ago. Shoulda listened then.
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V.nice. I was just looking at ranch listings yesterday. Our realtor told me "everybody" was looking for a ranch when we moved from our three story house to another three story house 8 years ago. Shoulda listened then.
@rustyfingers said in I found the perfect house:
Our realtor told me "everybody" was looking for a ranch
Is that because people want one-story living?
Around here it seems like having a second floor is very common, and walkout basements are very popular, so it's not unusual for there to be (de facto?) three-story houses on the market.
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I think retiring (ed) baby boomers are the chief market. A lot of newer houses around here are multi stories. Maybe people with growing families want more house on less land?
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Oooh, very, very nice!! I love the cosmetics of! In fact, I didn't see anything I didn't like, whoever did the reno did a really nice job, especially in terms of updating the house without putting in stuff that would look dated in a few years. Also, two outdoor spaces, really nice!
It also seems very roomy. Do you think the posted sq ft of 1906 include the basemen, because I'm thinking not.
@wtg said in I found the perfect house:
I've been keeping an eye out for ranches in our area, but up till now they've all needed a ton of work to make them someplace we'd like to live.
Wait, does that mean you're actively planning to move?
@ShiroKuro said in I found the perfect house:
Wait, does that mean you're actively planning to move?
Par of me thinks one story is the way to go as we get older. OTOH...
It's hard to predict what will become an issue with respect to activities of daily living. A ranch doesn't necessarily solve all those problems, and there are things you can do in a two story house to address some things. Chair lifts make a two story house livable if you can't do stairs. Hiring someone to do laundry (a basement activity in our house) or installing a washer/dryer combo on the second floor are much cheaper ways deal with certain issues.
Hard to predict the future. So for now we continue to trim our possessions to be poised to move, wherever, if the need arises. And I keep looking at real estate listings. I love the Lincoln Ln house but Mr wtg isn't as entranced. And of course I've only seen photos so it may not be as intriguing as I think. But I suspect it would be.
@ShiroKuro said in I found the perfect house:
Do you think the posted sq ft of 1906 include the basemen
I'm guessing it does not. The area labeled as raised crawl in the floor plan of the basement is an addition. I think that was part of the 2014 renovation.
The basement exit is brilliant the way they went through the foundation wall and created that entrance with the floating stairs.
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@ShiroKuro said in I found the perfect house:
Wait, does that mean you're actively planning to move?
Par of me thinks one story is the way to go as we get older. OTOH...
It's hard to predict what will become an issue with respect to activities of daily living. A ranch doesn't necessarily solve all those problems, and there are things you can do in a two story house to address some things. Chair lifts make a two story house livable if you can't do stairs. Hiring someone to do laundry (a basement activity in our house) or installing a washer/dryer combo on the second floor are much cheaper ways deal with certain issues.
Hard to predict the future. So for now we continue to trim our possessions to be poised to move, wherever, if the need arises. And I keep looking at real estate listings. I love the Lincoln Ln house but Mr wtg isn't as entranced. And of course I've only seen photos so it may not be as intriguing as I think. But I suspect it would be.
@ShiroKuro said in I found the perfect house:
Do you think the posted sq ft of 1906 include the basemen
I'm guessing it does not. The area labeled as raised crawl in the floor plan of the basement is an addition. I think that was part of the 2014 renovation.
The basement exit is brilliant the way they went through the foundation wall and created that entrance with the floating stairs.
@wtg said in I found the perfect house:
I love the Lincoln Ln house but Mr wtg isn't as entranced. And of course I've only seen photos so it may not be as intriguing as I think. But I suspect it would be.
You should go and see it! And tell us about it!
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@Big_Al - The kitchen is my least favorite part of the house also, not only because of the gray color, but because I don't like the layout very much. No upper cabinets, the range hood over the cooktop next to the sink looks awkward, and the frig and the built-in oven/microwave unit are off to the side and not near any counter where you can set things down. So all in all, not the kitchen I would have designed.
OTOH, I am at stage of life when I'm cooking less, so not as fussy about how the kitchen is laid out. And I'm also at the stage of my life where I'm willing to give on design if I like most of the house (which I do), and if it appears to be well-maintained. I like the floor plan and how so many of the views to the outside look out onto a well-designed back yard. This one is a winner for me on many counts.
I wish they had an open house scheduled, but so far I don't see one. It may go quickly.
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@Big_Al - The kitchen is my least favorite part of the house also, not only because of the gray color, but because I don't like the layout very much. No upper cabinets, the range hood over the cooktop next to the sink looks awkward, and the frig and the built-in oven/microwave unit are off to the side and not near any counter where you can set things down. So all in all, not the kitchen I would have designed.
OTOH, I am at stage of life when I'm cooking less, so not as fussy about how the kitchen is laid out. And I'm also at the stage of my life where I'm willing to give on design if I like most of the house (which I do), and if it appears to be well-maintained. I like the floor plan and how so many of the views to the outside look out onto a well-designed back yard. This one is a winner for me on many counts.
I wish they had an open house scheduled, but so far I don't see one. It may go quickly.
@wtg said in I found the perfect house:
I wish they had an open house scheduled, but so far I don't see one.
Too bad! Open houses are basically the easiest way to casual scope someplace out, but otherwise it's not really possible is it!
It may go quickly.
I have the impression that houses with this much cosmetic appeal usually do.
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Nice. Nice enough to check it on Google maps.
I have to ask, what's with the house numbering?
419 is next to 501? And where is 417?
The other side of the road is equally baffling. Seems you have houses backing on to each other ascending in number but on different roads if they are odd or even. And some numbers simply missing.
But looking there is only one 815 no other odd 800's.
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I love it!
Virtually everything in this market is multistory with basements that raise the entry six or eight steps above grade, which makes me wonder what the Victorians did when they got old or broke a leg.
On the plus side, all these stairs may keep us fit longer, but we're pragmatic enough to think about the problem they present. A ramp or wheelchair lift will get us in the house, if need be. Once in, there's a full bath and bedroom on the first floor, so if one of us were disabled on the short term, we could manage pretty easily. If it were both of us, we'd have to farm out the laundry.
If it were long-term, we'd want to be able to access the second floor. There's a spot where one of those new small-footprint elevators will fit if we decide to go maximal. The less maximal approach would be a chair lift on the stairs, which we know will work because we're told that a previous owner had one. That would get us to the laundry and our bedroom. If the time comes when none of these things work, it will be our cue to find some kind of independent or assisted living situation.
The positive aspect of this house in terms of aging is its location. If we can still get around but aren't able to drive, we can walk to the necessities of life and to public transportation. That has the potential to keep us independent longer, and perhaps as importantly, keep us from being too isolated in our old age.
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Under contract. Not surprised.
Oh well, I didn't really want to move anyway....
When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier
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Looks so spacious and lots of storage. Also I love its having a potential live-in's apartment in the basement for home help if needed.
If it's near walkable amenities that's very important too! Makes up for the reduced exercise one gets (without really realizing it) from having stairs. (I'm convinced that makes an important difference, though, yes, the day is apt to come when they would be too dangerous.)
I looked for the ratings on various risks it's susceptible to and that was pretty much perfect! Only flaw is they anticipate worsening air quality.
