Here’s what I want in a community, in a house, in a neighborhood.
I want a unique living space. Old manufacturers building turned homestead? Yes. Sharing walls? No.
I want a community and surrounding area to serve me as much as I serve them. Easy access to transit, to hiking, to an active lifestyle. I want my life to revolve around gardening, farmers markets and fresh food.
I want to be in town but feel like I have the peace of a waterfront home. I want space, however I crave neighbors and playmates for my kids.
A porch … is a must.
I want a playroom – and if there’s a magical commercial space rezoned residential with amazing 16 foot ceilings, I want that – I’ll turn the huge overhead doors that were once used for boat storage into windows. Then we’ll build our own indoor play ground. A rubber room! Full of balls and walls to climb and slides to swirl down.
I’ll compromise with a chicken coop on a property in the middle of a city. An extra, bonus space to create in, to crave, to go to.
I do not want your normal. Or what I thought was my normal for the past 27 years. I feel suffocated by the listings in our area, the school districts that dictate where we look and the ability to actually get what we want.
Maybe this just isn’t our town. I fully accept that but it’s not that easy.
I could buy a dump and spend months making it our dream. I’m fine with that. I don’t need ready made. I’m an idea girl, I’ve got a million. Location then … is what it boils down to and I’m not feeling lucky.
We’re moving … can’t you tell? Where to?
I wish I knew.
Former factory or garage (think auto mechanic) rezoned to residential use? Or Mixed use? Aaron telecommutes occasionally? Spring Lake, farther north? farther south? I saw an old grey brick building in a backyard w/ a green house on the back the other day & had a bit of lust in my heart.
You have completely described my ideal living situation! I want quiet but community, distance from busyness but close to friends, family, and farmers markets. A house with character, but not falling apart.
If you find that around here you better not let me know – I may make an offer before you get a chance to! š
Kalamazoo has a lot of that stuff. Also, I’m pretty sure that our house is just this side of ‘character’ v. ‘falling apart’, but public opinion is mixed.
Ideally in Zeeland school district although that just doesn’t seem to be a deal breaker for us. We like Holland but I think we both want to try something new – a lot depends on Aaron’s job.
Closer to GR is fine – farther from it isn’t.
We’re happy renters, very very happy renters. So we’re in no hurry – the thought was that we would be moving this summer (possibly out of state) but we just don’t know how those plans are shaping up. We don’t know much, lets be honest. So we’re half looking to know what our options are locally and half looking because we’re not sure if we want to sign another lease in this apartment or not.
Rich, I craigslisted K-zoo and the first thing that came up was a commercial building to die for. I’m in love. Aaron is not! ha!
Donielle if you find it, I NEED TO KNOW. You can buy it before me, sure! I just need to know this stuff exists.