Out with the Old in with the New

The house we placed a contract on fell through after the inspection discovered significant structural problems, sending us back to the drawing board. Somewhat heartbreaking considering the obstacles we had hurdled to get to that point.

Last weekend we viewed several houses, and the last house on the list caught our attention. Tucked away at the end of a dead-end street, we found a proverbial diamond-in-the-rough. The location is amazing - its right off of I-495, so its a quick commute to work, and it borders a nature reserve. Literally a biking/hiking trail starts where the street ends. Its a split-level home with 5br, 2.5 baths, hardwood floors and art deco design cues - it looks like nothing has been done since the 1970s. We have already started our immediate renovation plans - alot of cleaning, opening up the floorplan, "green" paints and new appliances.

The house has an old security system (circa 1970s) with an extensive master switch panel in the foyer, a metal box on the outside easement with a siren and flashing light, a panic switch in the master bedroom and a few other mysterious features. It also has an old intercomm system (Kari wants to see if we can get it to work). The inspection is scheduled for Monday, so keep your fingers crossed everything goes well.

- Micheal