At the very least, I'm sure that we'll meet some amazing new friends and acquaintances!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
On the ground search!
At the very least, I'm sure that we'll meet some amazing new friends and acquaintances!
Monday, October 8, 2012
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
Attractive contemporary with many custom finish details. Walk to Scotts Flat L
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.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Why We're in Love: Part 2, Foodie Heaven
I love food! As someone who enjoys cooking with high quality ingredients, I strive to buy our food from local sources. After doing some digging around, it's safe to conclude that Nevada City rocks! While there are too many options to list (see here for some Nevada County Grown) there's few that have already captured my interest.
CSA's- Part of the appeal of a CSA is the challenge to
try new recipes. It’s fun watching your food change with the seasons and fully
experience what’s growing throughout the year.
Grass Valley Grains is a one man operation who grows varieties of wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, beans, teff, amaranth, millet, and other grains. A surprise offering of grains are dropped monthly at the Outside Inn. Yummy!
Nevada County Free Range Beef offers beef shares. The cows are pasture raised and happily roam on hundreds of acres. Using all this land to raise cows prevents it from becoming the next shopping center or track home neighborhood. Ethical farmers really do a great job of keeping our land preserved and healthy for the future.
The Nevada City Farmers Market (Saturdays, June-November) is a weekly community gathering with amazing seasonal produce, grains, local dairy, flowers, live entertainment and more. I think this quote from their website really sums it up. “Come, feel the energy and live the goodness!” It’s nearly impossible to go and not have a great time.
There are some really amazing grass roots efforts going on in Nevada City. Another example is the food swap where participants bring in homemade or self harvested food and swap with others. How thrilling it would be to come with an abundance of one item and leave with arm load of new culinary delights.
And...If all else fails, there is a really nice Coop, BriarPatch. The store prides itself on selling local food and other sustainable
options. They carry over 400 products from over 100 regional vendors! There is an outstanding selection of dairy, meat, and produce. If you enjoy
drinking beer and wine it's hard to leave empty handed.
Nevada City, here I come!
Nevada City, here I come!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Technology: the deal breaker?
It appears as if another item will be added to our house
hunting wish list: high speed internet. Since Shon works from home in the IT
arena we are dependent on it. Nevada City
is a rural community and if you go too far out of town only satellite internet
is available. Satellite internet is very slow (15MG) and costly (over $100 per
month). Shon needs at least 50MG to effectively do his job. We encountered this
dilemma today when we discovered this house:
This warm, inviting country home is secluded yet is only 2.5 miles to historic Nevada City. Lots of windows let the forest it with abundant decks for
entertaining. The main house is 3/2 with an additional area below (475
SF) that is permitted for an office or additional bedroom includes a
full bath. The over sized garage has a full bath and wood stove
downstairs and a finished room upstairs. Great game room teen hangout or
-. The upstairs room in the garage and the area below are not counted
in the SF. Generator is hard wired into the home.
What we love: This house sits on nearly three acres of mostly usable land. I am picturing a couple of alpacas, a dairy goat and there is
already a fenced in garden area. There are some additional dwelling areas
that could serve as an in-law unit for my dad, vacation rental or office for Shon. The main living area has beautiful wood beam ceilings and large windows which capture the views and let in plenty of natural light. The realtor Debbie Gordon is also very thoughtful, she seems like someone who we could happily work with. The kitchen is nicely remodeled with new counter tops and it has a
large pantry. Oddly, the kitchen remodel is also a drawback…
Drawbacks: Call us
crazy, but oftentimes we prefer the houses that are not remodeled. We would
rather save our money and remodel using materials we love. If a house is
updated we would feel guilty tearing out the really nice oak cabinets and replacing them with
maple or replacing good looking laminate flooring for cork flooring. Part of the excitement of owning a house is
making it our own over time. I would rather live with old fashion 1970’s tile counter tops and eventually upgrade to the dreamy recycled glass counters. This counter top
situation is actually minor and would never be a deal breaker for us. Really, the main setback here is the location no WIFI no Nevada City
love. I am also still caught up with the fantasy of walking to the grocery
store or (one day) the kids to school.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Why We're in Love, Part 1: General Plan
Below is the introduction to Nevada City's General Plan and these ideals are reflected throughout.
Nevada City in the Sierra Nevada Foothills in California is a poem, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.
Nevada City is an accumulation of well preserved 19th century Gold Rush architectural treasures and a few that are not. It is a state of being, a paradox. It is many things to many people and nothing to some.
Its survival is determined by the attitude of those people who are willing to care. -John Stienbeck, Cannery Row
Main street Nevada City
Some overarching goals that are further stated in the introduction are to preserve historic buildings and sites; to not expand development into the surrounding open forest; and encourage design which is appropriate to its own age, but which is unassertive, allowing the dominance of the City's primary, 19th century historic period.
Yes, yes, yes!!
Simply put, this a slow-to-no growth community that does not embrace urban sprawl and unsightly architecture. Community's like Nevada City are rare today, especially in our current social and economic climate. It is likely, when you think of your hometown growing up and compare it to today there are glaring differences. Many beautiful, special places have been overrun by strip malls, housing developments, and superstores such as Home Depot or Walmart. These big box stores are not only unaesthetic but they have pushed out small business. Without a general plan in place, such as this one, the sprawl is almost guaranteed to happen.
Imagine growing up somewhere and coming back as an adult with everything the same as when you left. Imagine starting a small business and knowing that you are surrounded by a community of people who honor small businesses and will patron your store out of loyalty to small town living. These are the ideals that we would like to embrace even if it means paying more for less. Ah, Nevada City Love!
Nevada City in the Sierra Nevada Foothills in California is a poem, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.
Nevada City is an accumulation of well preserved 19th century Gold Rush architectural treasures and a few that are not. It is a state of being, a paradox. It is many things to many people and nothing to some.
Its survival is determined by the attitude of those people who are willing to care. -John Stienbeck, Cannery Row
Some overarching goals that are further stated in the introduction are to preserve historic buildings and sites; to not expand development into the surrounding open forest; and encourage design which is appropriate to its own age, but which is unassertive, allowing the dominance of the City's primary, 19th century historic period.
Yes, yes, yes!!
Simply put, this a slow-to-no growth community that does not embrace urban sprawl and unsightly architecture. Community's like Nevada City are rare today, especially in our current social and economic climate. It is likely, when you think of your hometown growing up and compare it to today there are glaring differences. Many beautiful, special places have been overrun by strip malls, housing developments, and superstores such as Home Depot or Walmart. These big box stores are not only unaesthetic but they have pushed out small business. Without a general plan in place, such as this one, the sprawl is almost guaranteed to happen.
Imagine growing up somewhere and coming back as an adult with everything the same as when you left. Imagine starting a small business and knowing that you are surrounded by a community of people who honor small businesses and will patron your store out of loyalty to small town living. These are the ideals that we would like to embrace even if it means paying more for less. Ah, Nevada City Love!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Our home seeking wishlist:
I've had this real estate wanted ad posted on Craigslist for months...
- Walking distance to Nevada City downtown (1 mile or less)
- High speed internet (50MG or more)
- 1/4 acre or more of useable land that can be used for gardening and chicken coop
- Private location- no major road noise
- At least 2 bedrooms (prefer 3)
- Area that can be converted or used as an office (ideally separated from the house)
- Central heat and air, dishwasher, garbage disposal, laundry hookup
- Open floor plan
Here are some additional items that we desire:
- Vaulted or wood beam ceilings
- Wood burning stove
- Kitchen with lots of counter space and pantry
- Garage, Chicken Coop, Veggie Garden
What's on the market?
Here are a couple of the most recent real estate listings that sparked our interest and why we ultimately had to pass:
Mount Calvary Street, $360,100
In-Town and private! Homes like this do not come up often! Wonderful vintage 1940's, modernized bungalow on Piety Hill. Well kept, light, bright, open kitchen/living area; all windows look out to lovely gardens, heritage sequoia; great separate 350SF+/- studio;separate garden shed; end of the lane privacy on Mt. Calvary Lane. An amazing opportunity! FULLY LENDER APPROVED SHORT SALE! BUY NOW!
What we love: There are a number of things that we love about this house. It has an adorable vintage style, room for a large veggie garden/chicken coop and an unfinished studio that would be tempting to convert into a dwelling for our in-laws (namely my father who has cancer) or other folks who are passing through. We could also convert the garden shed into a nice little office/man cave for Shon to work out of. The neighborhood is awesome and there is a beautiful tree in the front yard that welcomes you home.
Drawbacks: The listing price! They are asking $360K, while for some people this might be right on target with their price range its is far from what we can afford. I spoke with the realtor and she said we could put in a lower offer after it had been listed for seven days if there was no activity. However, she also insisted that I use her local lender. Is that legal? Probably not. So I am not thrilled to work with the agent on this one. While the location is ideal in terms of conveniences (grocery story, gym, school) you can hear the freeway. We really want to be able to enjoy the serenity of being in the mountains without listening to the continuous hum of cars driving by. However, road noise is something that we would consider trading off down the road for a house that is more modestly priced, but for now it's a deterrent.
Nile Street, $224,500
Choice in town Nevada City home on fabulous, all useable .53 acre parcel. Outstanding location close to Pioneer Park with its swimming, tennis, creek, horseshoes, band-shell, baseball and more! Easy walk to historic downtown, schools, and more! Master on main floor. Sweet front porch so bring your rocker! Back yard is park-like with a small veggie garden.
What we love: So much potential!! This house has the mid-century charm that we love. Skylights in the main living areas, open kitchen and a nice front porch. This sits on a huge lot with tons of opportunities for gardening, and maybe even keeping a little goat. The front yard also looks like a nice place to add a small fruit orchard. It is in a fantastic location if you enjoy recreating at the park with quick access to the community pool, creek, and park. Its also a really short walk to town. The best part is the listing agent Charlie Brock. He seems like someone you would want to adopt into your family. He has a fun singing introduction on his real estate website (he thinks is embarrassing) that I love. If ever committed to a realtor, he would be our guy. I will definitely be hitting him up for guitar lessons when we move into town.
Drawbacks: The floor plan is not really conducive to family living. The master bedroom is upstairs and the other bedrooms are downstairs in a dark mildly cramped setting. Without young children, this could be workable but I couldn't imagine having my kids rooms so far away from our room. I want to imagine a life for my children where they are in a bright open cherry space and close to mom and dad. Another issue is with the land. It's covered in tress that I would feel super guilty cutting down for my own homesteading ambitions. Ideally we can find a place that wouldn't entail harming any native plants.
So far these are the two listings that have caught our eye since starting this blog. I'll update as new ones come onto the market.
In-Town and private! Homes like this do not come up often! Wonderful vintage 1940's, modernized bungalow on Piety Hill. Well kept, light, bright, open kitchen/living area; all windows look out to lovely gardens, heritage sequoia; great separate 350SF+/- studio;separate garden shed; end of the lane privacy on Mt. Calvary Lane. An amazing opportunity! FULLY LENDER APPROVED SHORT SALE! BUY NOW!
What we love: There are a number of things that we love about this house. It has an adorable vintage style, room for a large veggie garden/chicken coop and an unfinished studio that would be tempting to convert into a dwelling for our in-laws (namely my father who has cancer) or other folks who are passing through. We could also convert the garden shed into a nice little office/man cave for Shon to work out of. The neighborhood is awesome and there is a beautiful tree in the front yard that welcomes you home.
Drawbacks: The listing price! They are asking $360K, while for some people this might be right on target with their price range its is far from what we can afford. I spoke with the realtor and she said we could put in a lower offer after it had been listed for seven days if there was no activity. However, she also insisted that I use her local lender. Is that legal? Probably not. So I am not thrilled to work with the agent on this one. While the location is ideal in terms of conveniences (grocery story, gym, school) you can hear the freeway. We really want to be able to enjoy the serenity of being in the mountains without listening to the continuous hum of cars driving by. However, road noise is something that we would consider trading off down the road for a house that is more modestly priced, but for now it's a deterrent.
Choice in town Nevada City home on fabulous, all useable .53 acre parcel. Outstanding location close to Pioneer Park with its swimming, tennis, creek, horseshoes, band-shell, baseball and more! Easy walk to historic downtown, schools, and more! Master on main floor. Sweet front porch so bring your rocker! Back yard is park-like with a small veggie garden.
What we love: So much potential!! This house has the mid-century charm that we love. Skylights in the main living areas, open kitchen and a nice front porch. This sits on a huge lot with tons of opportunities for gardening, and maybe even keeping a little goat. The front yard also looks like a nice place to add a small fruit orchard. It is in a fantastic location if you enjoy recreating at the park with quick access to the community pool, creek, and park. Its also a really short walk to town. The best part is the listing agent Charlie Brock. He seems like someone you would want to adopt into your family. He has a fun singing introduction on his real estate website (he thinks is embarrassing) that I love. If ever committed to a realtor, he would be our guy. I will definitely be hitting him up for guitar lessons when we move into town.
Drawbacks: The floor plan is not really conducive to family living. The master bedroom is upstairs and the other bedrooms are downstairs in a dark mildly cramped setting. Without young children, this could be workable but I couldn't imagine having my kids rooms so far away from our room. I want to imagine a life for my children where they are in a bright open cherry space and close to mom and dad. Another issue is with the land. It's covered in tress that I would feel super guilty cutting down for my own homesteading ambitions. Ideally we can find a place that wouldn't entail harming any native plants.
So far these are the two listings that have caught our eye since starting this blog. I'll update as new ones come onto the market.
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