The one I’ve been sitting in for the last 38 years. In a rural area of the county, backed by woods and nature on a dead end street. A small 3 bedroom rancher on a little over an acres of property. A brick front with chimneys on each side. A patio deck on the side and a deck out the upstairs slider that I built with a neighbor.
But that is only part of an ideal home. Your neighborhood and surrounding areas are very important for your ideal home. For a long time this neighborhood was very stable. Nobody moved. Transition started a few years back but really accelerated this past few years and I’d say at least 2/3 of the neighborhood turned over in the last 5 years. So lots of new neighbors which bring changes.
Also the development of the surrounding area has changed it dramatically. Look beyond your neighborhood streets. What used to be farm or just large tracks of property gets developed quickly. What areas are commercially zoned.
Is it still my ideal home, yes. But have things changed, yes. Have we adapted so far, yes.
Some more tidbits about my ideal home.
It has marks on a bedroom doorframe of grandchildren heights at various stages.
It has a basement office that has walls covered with hundreds of photos.
It has a small workroom in the basement.
It has 2 levels, one for each of us, with one set of steps that is good for exercise.
A nice driveway unless it needs shoveling.
A new kitchen which made my better half happy.
A lounge chair, hammock and grill on the deck.
A small shed holding my battle implements to fight back mother nature.
A look out the window or step outside and see deer, racoons, foxes, woodchucks, squirrels, hawks, and many other creatures.
We both would like a big front porch but we are fine with this one. Photo by Mike Hartley
