how do you know it's time to move on?

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

Walt Disney, American creator of Mickey Mouse

I was sitting at one of my favorite coffee houses this morning getting geared up for the week, when I was visited by an acquaintance who asked--how do you know it is time to move on and go someplace else? 

 

For me, it was time to move when the call to return to the country was so intense, where I longed to see an unobstructed sunrise and sunset, have room to breathe and a house with space for the imagination.  We had been dipping a toe in the water for years, until one day it hit me like a ton of bricks...it was time to go, and I felt it to my core. Our house was ready because we had been maintaining it all along, and it sold immediately.  It was relatively easy. Buying our next home was a different story, but I discovered when the timing is right, things just slide into place.

 

With selling your house, you have to be ready to go and not "kind of want to go someplace else."  It won't work unless you are fully in and committed to the journey--in your mind can you see your new house? in your heart are you ready to let go of the attachment? and in your body are you ready to move your life?  Of course there is a bit of physical work to be done--have the house in good condition so that someone else would want to buy it.  But by being ready in a holistic way, you make the process so much easier on yourself.  

 

So if you are wishfully looking to move and aren't sure about when, start looking and listening for the signs within yourself that it is time to move on to your next adventure.  Then take a deep breath,  set your intention, take a leap of faith and give me a call! :)   Then start packing because it sets the right energy in your home that you are leaving.

a vision for a little house

The question is not what you look at,

but what you see.

Henry David Thoreau, one of my favorite American Authors

We have this cottage house listed on 250 Old Kennett Road just outside of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania that is surrounded by beautiful country estates...it is all potential.  Over the last several years, it has been neglected like Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House (one of my favorite childhood stories).  It would be easy to see what is on the surface and be afraid to take a chance.  However, this is a house that will love you for every little improvement you make upon it.  It is has been standing for over a 100 years and is not going anywhere.  With a bit of imagination and of course an investment of patience and some money will yield a great home.  I wish I could adopt all the homes such as this...for I see their charm, warmth and beauty just waiting for the right person to uncover it.  Want to take a tour?

10 challenges of my new home

I always entertain great hopes.
-Robert Frost, American Poet

Now that we have made it through settlement...it is starting to settle in...buying a 300 year old house does have its challenges. Not that I am one to run from a good challenge, but truth be told, there have been moments when I have questioned whether or not I over-did it this time. While I am absolutely in love and knew this place was the perfect home, there is a slight chance my rosy-colored glasses kept me from seeing the reality of all the work in store. Here are my ten challenges of my new home:

1. If the picture above didn't scare you away and you are still reading, you can guess my number one challenge...they don't pay the rent or clean up after themselves. Completely cute to their mother I am sure, but there's a reason we scream. Not sure how to evict them because they have been here longer. I have already been forbidden to get a cat since everyone in the house is sure they are allergic...stay tuned.
2. Chilly...never before have I used my sweaters more...should have been tipped off by all the fireplaces. Unfortunately someone along the line-up decided all the fireplace chimneys should be closed...most likely to keep out drafts, but how toasty would that be to have a fire in every one? Everyone is getting comforters and slippers for Christmas...need I say more?
3. Two-pronged outlets and having only one outlet in a room...if you are lucky. We have found outlets that must have been put there for status symbols because there is no wiring to make them live...all show and no volts. My very patient father-in-law came to the rescue with a bunch of grounded outlets...so zen!
4. Plaster walls...how do you hang anything on them and how do you fill in a hole that was a "whoops!"? You do have the benefit of quiet space because the walls are about 18 inches thick.
5. Period paint colors and windows being painted shut. Although I have done my share of painting, this one is going to be saved for a professional. We are just going to go room by room. Let me know if you have a favorite painter who knows older homes as I would love references.
6. Fitting my furniture in the assorted rooms sizes. Pottery Barn is a relatively new creation that doesn't necessarily work in the 18th century home, and this is a challenge when your pre-teen wants her room to look like the magazine.
7. Smaller closets...brings to mind the saying, "Live simply so that others may simply live." There is not enough room to change your mind in these closets...choose fewer and choose the best especially when it comes to shoes. Someone told me that they built them smaller so they would not be taxed for another "room"...I would have paid the tax.
8. Appliances that passed inspection, but mysteriously are not functioning the moment your pen touches the HUD1. Who was Murphy, and what's the deal with his law?
9. Cleaning up where someone left off...I am investing in a good vacuum and a good rake. Sometimes when people are moving out, they run out of time to leave it ship-shape for you. Be prepared to get busy right away.
10. My basement and attic that are the perfect sight for National Treasure 3. Someday they will be beautiful.

My brother said it best when he visited this weekend, "You have a project for every weekend for a 1,000 weeks." We are lucky to be in this home and over time like anything else, we will learn and grow from it. Whatever love we give this house will come right back to us as we transform this timeless space into our home. I'm still a believer!

Come visit my new listing!

Come over to see a sweet house at 104 Bette Road! A fabulous ranch in the desirable community of Lynnfield. Cozy and well-cared for, this home has three bedrooms, 1.5 baths, a spacious kitchen, hardwood floors throughout and a fireplace. Whether you want to relax outside on the deck or be in the finished basement, this home has lots of space for entertaining.