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Saturday, November 3, 2012

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Full-Time RVing...


                     A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Full-Time RVing...         

Ummmm.... a house.  

It's located 35 miles from the kids and grandkids, and 15 miles from where Steve works at the park, in a tiny town that just spoke our names. 

We weren't really looking to buy a house, but this quaint little town appealed to us.  We tried an offer first on another house, which took 20 days of us waiting and being in the running till we were then out of the running (a foreclosure deal).   So then Steve found another home on the same road, in better shape, and more appealing. 

The best part?  We can keep the motorhome in the back yard, as long as it's not an abandoned old rusty trailer!  LOL ... That was from the Zoning Officer, Police Commissioner and the City Planning Director.
This will be our "Summer Home" once Steve retires, and we can leave each fall and travel for the winters.  At least, that is our plan. Being less than half of what our other house value

Appealing features are all original woodwork, pocket doors, crown mouldings, high mop boards, builtins, etc.  The foyer is very welcoming and the sun porch across the east side will get lots of morning coffee sipping time.

I am glad we kinda "purged" all our old furniture and things, as they would not fit this "style"
 of home.  This is more Craftsman, Mission or Arts & Crafts style rather than "Lodge" of the log home we had before.

If you want to see a slide show of the home, here is the link:

43 comments:

  1. Wow!....it looks beautiful! So surprised you found another home so quickly, but when it happens, it happens for the best reasons that speak so personally to each one of us.

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  2. Oh Karen its gorgeous..and wait till you get your wonderful touch in there I love love the windows, the woodwork, the builtins...wow...what a gorgeous older home..I grew up in one like that...congratulations to you and Steveo...what fun you will have with that...

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  3. Wow, Real estate is really cheap in Wisconsin. That house cost less than our 2007 Alfa did last year. I think houses are going to go up again and buying now is a smart move. Steve seems like the kind of guy that does a good job on repairs etc. so having a house will be a good investment for you. I guess you will be getting that treasure trunk back.

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  4. Well, I sure didn't expect this but congratulations. It really is a beautiful house with a lot of fun potential about it.

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  5. Whoa, that was a surprise!! Your new house has a lot of charm, but what happened to Steve being retired and the two of you being full-time RVers? Guess the next step will be shopping for furniture and settling in. I'll look forward to you sharing this new adventure here on your blog.

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    1. Steve is really enjoying his job at High Cliff Park, and even if he does retire in the future, we would still have to stay residents of Wisconsin for 6-7 years worth of his accumulated health insurance premiums when he retires.

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  6. I am so glad you posted about this. It was so hard not to say anything and besides that, my tongue was getting awful bloody! LOL!
    We are happy for you two. Now you can sleep and dream all you want.
    Love ya!
    P.S. Do we need to get that furniture we saw???? ;P

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    1. don't need a hutch now.. and going to look for "mission" "craftsman" or "arts & crafts" style items.

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  7. Beautiful! I love the leaded windows & original woodwork! now - where''s the loom room?

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  8. Beautiful house! congratulations! I love the leaded windows & original woodwork! now - where's the loom room?

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  9. Whoa, that was a surprise! From full-time RVers back to home-owners. Guess the next step will be shopping for furniture and settling in. I look forward to you sharing this next adventure here on your blog.

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  10. WHAT???? I am amazed to say the least! Good for you guys!

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  11. Beautiful! I especially like the windows and the sun porch. How wonderful that you can park the RV there too.

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  12. Wow a good stout Wisconsin German house and you got a good deal on it to. What else could you want. Good Luck. Sam & Donna..

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    1. Yup, it's a heavily German settled community. Looking back on the plot info, the first landowner in the 1860's bought it all while living in Germany, and sold off parcel by parcel to other Germans who were coming over to settle. Then it was later built on by the families once they got over here. This house was in the same family of four generations for 97 years!

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  13. Wow. I didn't see that one coming.... okay, maybe a little bit. I did wonder how you were going to leave all those grand kids!

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  14. Love the built-ins and windows. I can see you weaving on your front porch this summer. Just like @ Homestead Weavers!! Congratulations.

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  15. What a perfect, adorable house. I've always loved the craftsman/mission style. I wish you happiness, love, and good fortune in your beautiful new home. Now, you can live the best of two lifestyles. :) Very happy for you.

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  16. All I can say is you guys are crazy! But it looks gorgeous (lots of nice woodwork like my house) and it will be nice to have a summer home and a place for your looms. When do you get to move in?

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    1. Long closing date.. most appraisers are taking 30-40 days in this area. So bank said 45-60 to close. The seller eldest daughter (executor of will) is going to be out of town in Dec until after Christmas, so that will work out for her too to set it at Dec 31.

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  17. What a lovely surprise. Congratulations!!!

    P.S. You've landed in the old hometown of our friends John and Sandy of Mothership RV fame!!

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  18. What a COOL house!!! Leaded windows, all the old woodwork, new garage. Plenty of room. Looks clean and neat!!! Congrats!

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  19. How many miles per gallon does it get??? LOL!

    Congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful new life in your new digs:-) You may have set a landspeed record for shortest fulltimers ever:-)

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  20. Congratulations on your new digs! How many miles/gallon does it get??? LOL

    Best wishes for a happy time settling in.

    Sherry & Ted

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  21. I'd say you 2 did VERY well! Congrats on the "winter" digs!

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  22. I love the house! You two were too young to retire anyway. LOL There is always vacation time too. I cant wait to see what you and Stevio do to this house. The only thing that I would want to change is the kitchen. Can the wall come down that separates the sink from the stove? Or can you just add a sink in the other room and make that a modern pantry? Cant wait to see what you do. Keep the pics coming.

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    1. You are right on the thinking, Harriet. The main kitchen will get new cabinets, probably bead board or something. We are looking at interesting styles to compliment the home. Then once the main kitchen is done, the fridge and dishwasher can be moved out of the butler's pantry. We are planning to make the first floor bath a bit bigger, and making the butler's pantry into a first floor laundry.

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  23. I love it, Karen.......and I think it is the right move.
    Good for you.

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  24. I love the windows and you have a place for Harry Potter to stay under the stairs.

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    1. I think we already dubbed it "The Munchkin Closet" hahahahaha

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  25. Congratulations! Wow. Now you have a big house and a big backyard.

    Love the house. You did good.

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    1. Yes.. gonna have to change that title.... and my moniker name! I won't be "Karen In The Woods" ... now what will I be? Any ideas?

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  26. Congratulations Karen, the only problem with changing your name is that you are already established as Karen in the Woods and even women over here in Michigan know you as that. So if you added something like, Karen in the Woods and Steveio, who moved to the city. You still have your identity, (can't think of the word they refer to) but have changed it to reflect now. It's called "Brand" Karen in the Woods is your brand, so if you change it, it may be hard for new people to find you.

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  27. Congrats. Was looking forward to following you full time but I am sure your new direction will be just as interesting and, as long as it is right for you, it is the right way to go.

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  28. Howdy Karen & Stevio,

    Y'all wouldn't know REST & RELAX if it bit you in the behind!!!! That house looks just like y'all and Steve oughta get at least ten years of remodeling out of it and y'all can find another 'project' to keep you from 'really' being full-timers!!! Hope your kids get to stay close to y'all, with all of the 'new' changes that are going to be made and the job market losing so much!!!

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  29. I was reading this several times, and I think that my conclusion is that you have an open mine or the two of you have open minds. If you didn't you would have never been able to see the possibilities in this situation. You listened to your hearts and I applaud you!

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