Room to Grow

Image via WikipediaIn 1978 selecting a house to buy was not the ordeal it is today. You decided on a price range, went to a realty, viewed photos in a book and were shown what you liked and/or could afford. The sellers' attitude at that time was take it or leave it. There was no pandering to buyers, no HGTV guidelines to follow, no video tours posted on the web. In 1978 although mortgage loan rates were slightly rising, no crisis existed in the industry.

We didn't look at a lot of properties, maybe five or six. The first house we saw seemed to be a perfect fit, but who makes such a monumental decision that quickly? So we continued our search only to arrive back at the start. We chose the first house. It had the most potential, lots of room to grow, and interesting features which gave it a certain uniqueness. Since houses in our price range were mostly one or two bedroom homes, we thought choosing a house we could alter and add on to later made sense.

My favorite feature was, and remains to be, the fireplace. It can be a place for the whole family to gather around and enjoy or for only one to sit by and relax. It's a great background for entertaining in the winter. Anyone coming in from the cold out of doors to a warm, inviting fireplace will feel welcomed just by its glow. Each autumn I looked forward to that first chilly evening when I would light it again!