In June 2022, I relocated to a new state so my son could live with me while going to college. I wanted a house after living the apartment/townhouse life for the last seven years. I was tired of shared walls and the constant cooking odors wafting over from my neighbors. I also missed having a yard and some extra living space.
I found a small 1921 bungalow with two bedrooms, one bathroom, nine-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, and a unique, quirky character. At first, it seemed great to me. I have always wanted a bungalow and love traditional older homes. However, my initial excitement quickly faded shortly after moving in. I was faced with the reality of owning an old, somewhat neglected house with lead paint, asbestos siding, squeaky floors, and a basement prone to a tad bit of flooding among other things.
Had I known what I know now about the house, would I have bought it? That would be a definite NO, but I have certainly learned a lot over these past two and a half years and still have much more to learn. A neighbor said to me, and it is so relatable to this house: “It is like eating an elephant, one bite at a time.” This house is most certainly a massive beast that has been unleashed to me and the progress I have made amounts to a few bites here and there. It seems I have bought the extreme makeover house instead of the small fixer upper I had imagined.