TanksHill...Roll on!!

[TanksHill]

Well I am home and we survived. We actually had a nice visit with my mom. She is looking very old and is having leg issues. I plan to spend some time doing a bit of research this week.

She gave me a couple books while I was there. A Jerry Baker and another cook book. She always likes to give me something. Which I hate and feel guilty about.

I took her a big box of frozen meats and another box full of the basics for a Christmas dinner. More like Turkey dinner but we missed Thanksgiving with her this year so all is good.

I figured my dh was getting antsy... When I went outside to check on him he was flat on his back laying in the sun with all 3 kids. Having nothing to do is sometimes really good for you. He seemd so relaxed. I probably should have left him there longer.

The whole way to my moms we talked about different scenarios of us moving. How it would be to build again or find something move in ready. He said "just tell me when and I'll be ready to go". I told him I can't make that decision for him.. Because next summer in the heat and humdidity he might use it against me.

He actually said we should go to Mo again in March. Maybe we will.

I want to get over to Al's journal. I can't wait to see how her chicken day went.

G

 

[BarredBuff]

Im glad you had a good visit, I hope your mom gets to feeling better.

 

[Farmfresh]

How it would be to build again or find something move in ready. He said "just tell me when and I'll be ready to go". I told him I can't make that decision for him.. Because next summer in the heat and humdidity he might use it against me.

He actually said we should go to Mo again in March. Maybe we will.
G

It would probably be a great idea to just move and rent a while here. That way you could check it out properly and find the "just right" place to build or buy. I wish you would move closer. California is just not "the place you wanna be" (like the Beverly Hillbillies thought) anymore. Especially in this economy.

 

[TanksHill]

It's funny that you say that. My dh said the almost same thing. The idea if having to rent is kinda hard for me.

When we moved here it kinda went like this...
---- Our house sold and this one was not through escrow. So we had everything stored and stayed on the property my fil had bought. We were there for 3 weeks living out of a box.

------ Then we moved into the house we tore down, lived in it for almost 2 years. It was not supposed to take that long so I never really unpacked.

------ Then we stored everything we owned in a shipping container and lived in a 33 ft camping trailer foot 18 months. We built a makeshift room in between the trailer and the shipping container. When it rained the water ran inside. Not fun.

------- As the house grew closer to finishing we kinda moved into the garage. Slept and cooked in the trailer but set up family room in the garage.

Then we finally moved in and unpacked. When I think about living in a temporary house it kinda freaks me out. Almost like I am making my kids move twice. What if we start renting and dh is never satisfied. How long will I have to live out of boxes then?

I think we could probably store our stuff in a shipping container and make it in our fifth wheel for a good month. That way we wouldn't drag our feet. And not have to pay rent at the same time. But that's hard too.

I found a really nice place last night. Actually I have seen the listing before. But I showed dh and he was impressed.. A much older stick built home but has great land, a river, pond, and tons of barns and buildings. Which we have decided are really a bonus. Those buildings usually cost a lot more than the house itself.

My dh actually asked if it had enough woods. I have told him the things our land should have. I guess hes listening. Live water, woods, grazing, fencing, barns, house etc..

Last night we talked about having a real estate agent look over our home and give us some ideas. I think if we sink 20 grand into gussying up the place we will make more than that back when we sell. It is just hard to show this place with us in it. I am not really a neat person. 3 kids tons of stuff everywhere.

I was running the numbers and trying to figure out if we could buy and keep this place. Maybe rent it out.. Let it pay for itself. But I think we would need a huge down for the next place and then dh would have to find a job asap. That would be ideal though. Then if the market comes back we would be golden.

Who knows.... Sorry for rambling. My coffee's not quite kicked in yet. And I feel I am thinking aloud.

gotta go get another cup...

g

 

[framing fowl]

Morning! Brainstorming outloud is a good thing! Personally, I think it's a great idea to have a real estate agent look over your current place. They'll give you a fresh perspective for sure.

How many acres does the place you're looking at have? What fun to be looking at a new place.

 

[murphysranch]

Where in Mo? I wanna go look and dream, not that I know anything about Mo though...

 

[TanksHill]

MR when we went in March it was just beautiful. The trees had not completely leafed out and it was the perfect weather. Which I know is not the norm. It's like 20 degrees there today and in the summer my cousin says it's drippy. My dh Aunt has 40 acres and his cousin has the adjoining 60. There is 1 1/2 mile of pasture between them.

But we have weighed our options. We want more land, pay for our stuff outright and live happily ever after.

If it was that easy.

If you look at a map of the untied states and you follow the 35 th latitude line. You will see my favorite places. Central Ca. southern Ut, Colorado.. Skip Ne. It's smack dab in the middle of tornado alley. Then you hit Mo. My Aunt is just east of Springfield. She has explained to me that with the topography the tornadoes really go up the flat lands towards the NE. But because she is in the Ozarks and hills they have never experienced one. I am not going to say it can't happen. They get a few warnings here and there. The winters are freezing and the summers are humid. But, they don't every have to water their gardens. Rain is plenty.

What moving to Mo could do for us is give us a place where we can buy a chunk of land, minimal 40 acres. A house, with all kinds of SS amenities and the ability to pay cash for it all. Dh has said he will work anywhere if necessary. But I truly think we could manage without that.

It is a crazy decision for us to make. But my dh being a cancer survivor has a lot to do with it. The stress he is under is so bad for his health. We have learned what is important to us. Family. Moving from Ca will give us the tools and ability to be together and live a simpler life style. We know it's not easier but we would be together doing it.

This morning my Cousin just happened to call. We talked a bit. My Aunt was talking about how she knows a "jobber". A guy who will come to Ca and pick up a shipping container for us and drive it back to Mo. This will cost about 3 thousand.

It's selling our home that is the big problem. It's well used if you get my drift. We finished building it 10 years ago. We have 3 kids under the age of 10. And it shows. Not to brag but it used to be worth a ton of money. Now it's not. So there is a balance. Do we put money in to it or sell "As is" and run. Either way we can pay cash for the new place but the profit will be much less.

I think dh is ready to go. So I might be bpacking again. We'll see.

 

[Farmfresh]

Given the economy I say ditch and run!

Someone will be fast to snap up a "fixer upper" faster and you are not sinking in more money that might not pack the return you desire.

I sold real estate for about 6 years. Your best bet is move all of the stuff out possible and slap on a fresh coat of white paint inside and re-paint the outside. Nothing sells a house faster for less than empty rooms and fresh paint. Many buyers won't look hard enough to see the glaring faults that you see living there everyday. Then cut that price and get out!

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks FF. There are some things we will HAVE to do. But it won't be that bad. Now that my re fi went through I am officially debt free. Except for the house. So that simplifies a lot.

Ok so what do you all think of this place? Please no one run and buy it.

http://idx.usmultilist.com/search2/...bedrooms=any&bathrooms=any&sqft=any&acres=any

This is one of the favorites so far.

 

[Farmfresh]

I am not very familiar with that part of Missouri, but this looks really nice!