Curb Appeal: Before and After

Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home. ~Matsuo Basho



Does this look like a house you could fall in love with? Even before stepping a foot inside?



Well, that's how I felt when I laid eyes on this little gem in May 2005.

It's hard to believe that just five months before that day, Hubby and I were living in our custom built three bedroom ranch in the "northend". Northend- Our version of Weezy and George Jefferson's east-end, deluxe apartment in the sky".


Ten years ago, when we began construction on our house, it was a dream come true. The perfect house with the perfect location; country life within five minutes of city convenience. We were surrounded by privacy, a large pond, mature evergreens and acre upon acre of open field full of deer, rabbits and other wildlife. Does it get any better than this?


Absolutely NOT! The day after we moved into our newly built house, construction began.



Huh?


Yes, the day after we moved into our new house, construction began on a multi-unit, subsidized- income apartment complex....just three feet off our property line. And just beyond the housing complex, they were adding a four lane state route addition. Oh yes!


We called that home for four years, and once the last of our "original" neighbors decided to move, we opted to do likewise. Lucky for us, our house sold within hours of listing it with our realtor.


We swiftly purchased five acres in a planned community with lots of rules and regulations to protect our investment. However, life had other plans....you'll have to keep coming back to hear that story.


Let's get back to May 2005, as my sister and I took a stroll around the neighborhood (we were temporarily living at my MIL's), I saw this house and immediately recognized the potential in it.

This was MY house; the place my SOUL longed for. The place I wanted to teach my kids how to ride their bicycles. So, after a couple tours and a competitive bidding process, we were finally able to call it ours.

And thus began a four year process of polishing this "diamond in the rough" into the gem I like to call home. All the projects (i.e. board and batten shutters, window box, landscape, pergola deck and repainted foundation) were completed by my personal Handy Andy and his protoge, moi. Here's another shot of the BEFORE:


And now, what you've been waiting for, the AFTER:



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Sincerely, Lisa







Tales from Bloggeritaville: Thrifty Thursdays