Moving on

Our house of 35 years was a Federal style, 5 bedroom with full attic and basement. We had bought the land with the farmhouse, built around 1860, and a couple of barns, back in 1976.

First the existing house needed renovation before my mother- in- law could be lodged there and then we needed a house for our growing family.

With the skills of my husband and the huge amount of sweat equity from us both, the house was built on a shoestring, and over many years. Even as we completed parts of it, changes were being made as the demands of our family necessitated. The mudroom was too small! Ski boots, mud boots, ice skates, snowshoes, gloves, mittens, hats, heavy jackets, light jackets, and so much more, for five, already filled every available cupboard and closet. And then there were the hockey players! If you have lived with hockey players you will know that gear has to be spread out to dry daily and even then the stench of sweaty gear is almost unbearable. Did I mention that I was one of the hockey players? So the mudroom tripled in size and we kept going.

By the time our 2nd daughter was married the house was finished and we were ready to downsize. By chance, an opportunity presented itself, to buy an 18 acre wooded lot near our friends in Waterbury Center. Not an easy site to build on but very beautiful and interesting, with rock formations and potentially a huge southern view. We jumped at it. Not quite sure what we were going to do next but never ones to waffle for long, we were soon planning our new home.

But first things first! Selling a large property in a down market certainly has it's challenges. As a Realtor, I know the fundamental rules: condition and price equals value. Even though we had continued to maintain the property through the years there were still some major components that needed replacement. The roofs had neared the end of their lives, the windows were far from efficient and the septic systems for both houses were functioning, but questionable. All were replaced over the next few months and we were ready to go to market. It was 2008!