With a day to spare over the weekend, we decided to venture up to Nevada City and take a peek at some houses of interest. Each house represented completely different aspects of the real estate spectrum. We were especially interested in a property on Nimrod Street across the street from lovely Pioneer Park. It was originally priced at around $250K and over the past month has been reduced to $189K. This low price inspired conversations between us about living minimally vs quality of life. 

I have been reading The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler. This book encourages the reader to consider the difference between pleasure and happiness in the decision making process. Naturally I began to apply this principal to our house hunting philosophy: expensive house = more pleasure, less financial stress = more happiness, etc. While we have not found our home-to-be I think this tool will prove to be invaluable. 

Here's the breakdown of our Saturday house hunting quest:

428 Nimrod Street, $189,900 

A picturesque bungalow located close to Pioneer Park and walking distance to downtown Nevada City! Very conveniently located to all the amenities of a gorgeous, in-town park. The living area has French doors that open up to a deck for al fresco dining. For the cooler nights, there is a brick fireplace to take off the chill. Beautiful landscaping in both the front and back yards. There is a separate detached building that can be used as an artist studio or storage; let your imagination decide what works for you.

What we love: The location cannot be beat. Across the street is Pioneer Park with an amazing playground, large grassy field, outdoor amphitheater, small hiking trail by a creek and the list goes on... The outdoor deck in front is also a very nice feature. There is a detached studio that could be used for an office.

Drawbacks: Apparently architects in the 1940's really liked the concept of adjoining bedrooms. There's no way to remedy this even if the house was extended out and a hallway was added. Due to the age of the home it's in desperate need of an interior renovation. Lastly, its a little too small. I am not sure where we would realistically fit a comfortable sitting area.

15513 Cascade Loop, $299,900

Attractive contemporary with many custom finish details. Walk to Scotts Flat Lake for all water sports. Set on beautiful, all usable, landscaped parcel w/fenced yard, veggie garden & french doors out to large, low maintenance patio. Fir, madrons, oak and pine. Outstanding natural light inside. Vaulted ceilings in spacious fam. rm. with wood stove on rock hearth and skylights. Custom kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel sink and appliances and +oak cabinets. Beautiful hickory flooring. Overhead fans. Metal roof, "leaf guard" type gutters, oversized garage + carport. Designed, built and maintained with attention to detail, making… this an outstanding housing opportunity!

What we love: This house more than surpasses everything on our wishlist. It is by far the nicest house we have seen in our price range and the pictures  can not do it justice. It's immaculately maintained and has been tastefully updated. I could list all the things that we love about this house but it would take many hundreds of words. We had the privilege of the listing agent, Charlie Brock. He is extremely professional and knowledgeable about Nevada City Real Estate. We appreciated his honesty and feedback.

Drawbacks: Err, location!!! This is a heart breaking situation because we are completely in love with this house. It is located in Cascade Shores, which is adjacent to Scotts Flat Lake. It takes about 12 minutes to drive to central Nevada City. Sadly, the main road is closed part of the year when it snows and the alternate route, weather depending, can take up to 20 minutes. Taking into consideration the transportation demands of children and the influx of gas prices, the commute could become very time consuming and expensive. Additionally, the overall vibe in Cascade Shores seems much different than central Nevada City. The challenge here, is making a huge financial and lifestyle commitment without any firsthand experience of the location. We deliberated, slept on it, and concluded that we should keep looking.