A New Art Studio

We learned the perils of renting this year when we did not immediately purchase a home in our new community. Instead we wanted to take our time, look around and find the right place to settle. In November, our massively-leveraged landlord succumbed to the lousy economy and is losing the house we rent. On July 31, he will become another statistic, his property reverting to the bank. On that date, we will also be out of a home.

After MONTHS of looking—and by looking, I mean daily watching MLS listings, searching RealtyTrac, scouring County Assessor sites, driving around all of two counties, and talking with numerous realtors, friends and acquaintances—we’ve found a place and the buyers have accepted our offer. It was worth the wait.

Once upon a time, the neglected property we are purchasing served the community as a school. The dilapidated-shadow-of-its-former-self now sits forlornly on the side of a hill overlooking a lake in a small town. I’m certain few people can see it’s potential for all the rubbish and repairs, but I couldn’t be more thrilled with this disguised blessing. It has an art studio and a shop hidden behind brambles and junk.

Call me crazy, but I love it. We’ve never been ones to buy new houses. Actually, this will be the fifth in our line of project homes, and, hopefully, the last. May this one be permanent.