The weeks news. Making new plans, and a little freshening up around the cabin.
It’s been a hectic few weeks up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven in the great northwest. I meant to get this out a couple days ago but reference the aforementioned hectic.
We listed the cabin a couple of weeks ago, and the first week was a flurry of showings, at least five in as many days. No one made an offer, though one couple did express an interest, it went no further. Things have settled down a bit after that first week, with a showing every few days or so. We’re hoping someone makes an offer before the snow flies as we will need to pack and get everything off the mountain while we are still able to get the pickup in.
We had been looking for a house in Maine, and even thought we had found the right place. But, after the inspection, it fell flat. Far too many things wrong with it that don’t show up in pictures. Including mold, and the garage, which had been converted into two bedrooms, sliding off it’s foundation. Turns out, whoever did the conversion didn’t know what they were doing, and failed to make the proper additions to the concrete slab floor of the garage. The house was a foreclosure, and the bank holding the deed will most likely end up loosing money on it because it will never pass an inspection. It was $450 well spent as far as the lovely wife and I are concerned.
The stress of trying to sell a house while, and buy another one 3,000 miles away, was getting to both of us. So, we decided that for now, we will try and get this place sold, then pay off what few bills we have, buy a motorhome (we have found a few that have low miles, and not that expensive), put the rest of the money from the sale into the bank, then head to Florida for the winter. That is, if this place sells soon. Then, we will head to Maine in the spring and find a good place to set up a base camp so we can go look at houses in person. Also, with interest rates going up, maybe by next spring they will start going back down, as will prices on homes. Couple that with the very good possibility of my disability rating from the VA being raised to 100%, and we will be able to afford more house for less money.
While we wait for someone to look at this place and make an offer, we have been doing a few minor things to improve its “curb appeal”. Just this weekend, we painted the bathroom and finished some trim work and other things that I have been wanting to do in that room. We also repainted the kitchen, since the paint was not looking all that great, and we needed to patch a few nail holes in the walls in that room where shelves had been removed. Nothing major, but it might be just enough for the next person who looks to want to buy.
It also takes a certain kind of person to live off the grid. With no running water (it has to be hauled in), no septic (compost toilet and outhouse), very little solar, and 110-volt electricity provided by a generator, this life isn’t for just anyone. So far, though many have tried, only myself and the lovely wife have managed to make it for any length of time. Fingers crossed that something happens this month.
Well, that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.
