Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Little House In The City

Home is where one starts from. 
T.S. Eliot


My thirty-five year old son has purchased and just moved into his first home. The down-turn in housing has allowed him to afford his own home, which made him feel a little bad, but it is what it is. This was not a foreclosed property, but values have dropped enough to make home ownership available to him. The Twin Cities metro area was very expensive.

So he bought his little house in the city of Minneapolis. Matthew is a chef with the aptitude you may expect where handyman things come into play, so he needed something turnkey and as maintenance free as possible and he got it in this bungalow. The house is spotless and completely redone throughout. The lawn needs some work and it can use landscaping, but that's it.

We are so happy for him and now I get to bring him some flowering pots and lots of perennials from my yard. He wants ivy to plant along the backyard fence and I can give him all of that he needs. It grows wild in my tree line.

I need to be careful about being the meddling mom, but now I have something to meddle in! 

10 comments:

Memories Of Mine said...

Oh that is great news. I do understand the feeling about being about to afford something in a time when many are losing their jobs. He shouldn’t feel guilty for working hard, just lucky to have a job and to be able to afford a house.

It’s interesting you say house prices have dropped. As our house prices are remaining steady and have increase in my local area even though we are in a rescission. Interest rates have dropped to around 5% where as last year the hit over 9%. I think the low interest rates has put more people in the property market and hence increase competition for housing and prices have risen accordingly, especially in the more affordable suburbs. Housing prices have only dropped in the more affluent suburbs.

Ganeida said...

Ooooh! I just love meddling in other people's gardens! The house looks lovely & with room for *imagination* in the garden ~ the only bit I'm really interested in. lol That's great news.

Judy said...

That is great! I hope he will enjoy his new home....it is a great accomplishment.

Girl Tornado said...

Oh how fun is this! :) What an adorable house he found. My mom loves to meddle here at our house -- she was here in May and we got the exterior painted, thanks to her suggestion.

Now how many 67-year old moms do you know that would go visit their kids and suggest "let's paint the outside of your house"? She loves anything to do with home renovation, it's truly her life. I'm a very thankful daughter -- without her help, I doubt I would have had the mojo to do it all myself!

Since my son and his wife live in Ohio, I can't meddle too much -- but they do a pretty good job all on their own with their house!

Alicia @ boylerpf said...

What a great bungalow! With all the plants I've seen over at your place, I thik he would enjoy having a few around and if he is a fix up challenge kind of guy...all the better. I highly doubt he'll mind you coming in and helping. There are always sous chefs for the head chef!!

Kacie said...

yay!! cute little house!

Cyndi and Stumpy said...

I worry that our kids will never have some of the opportunities that we had...home ownership, travel, educations, to name just a few. I am so happy for your son and wish him the best years in his new home.

Sandra said...

Liss: Home values in the US have plummeted and foreclosure rates are high.

Ganeida: I will gently meddle. : )

Judy: He is very proud of his house, so I know he is enjoying it.

Oz Girl: You have a marvelous mother. I could use a little help here, maybe on her way to visit you she might stop here.......... : 0

Alicia: He isn't really receptive to to much mothering or meddling, so I need to be subtle. The problem is, I am something like the bull in the china shop, so it's not my strong point, subtlety!

gsp: I know what you mean. My son is 35 and this is his first house. When I was 35 I was on my third house. Where I live now is my fourth. He will never attain that. I'm simply so pleased he has what he does and so is he. It's a nice home in a diverse neighborhood. It's small, but really nice and he and his cat like it. I'm simply spilling over with happiness for him. The Twin Cities is expensive, even now, so this is a wonderful thing.

I will be an undercover meddler!

Sandra said...

Alicia, I seem to not know how to spell. To and too, not to and to.!

Judy said...

Sandra, I hope you are doing ok, thinking of you and your loss. I want you to know how much I enjoy your blog so I am passing along the Premio Meme Award to your lovely blog!

Enjoy your day!