Barbie Dream House

So there is this thing called National Blog Posting Month, or NaBloPoMo for short. It's abbreviated in the same way as National Novel Writers' Month (which I considered doing, but decided against) but I hadn't heard of it before. Also, I'm not sure if there's a specific month or what, since prompts go back to June. But I LOVE writing prompts! So, without further ado:

What would your dream home/apartment/condo/yurt look like? Where would it be? Who'd live in it with you?

Let me start by saying that I kind of found my dream home. It isn't 100% perfect--nothing that you don't build yourself ever is--but it's pretty damn close. Here is some of the description from the real estate posting:

"For the buyer seeking privacy and serenity, this location has it all. A long driveway winds through the woods, into a large open lawn with the house sited atop a gentle hill. A separate driveway leads to the two barns, located on the lower part of the property. The large farmer's porch across the front is the perfect spot for relaxing and enjoying the view."

It would be difficult to improve on this setup. And there's more: 5" maple plank flooring! A mudroom! A kitchen with an island, a pot rack, AND a pastry counter! A whirlpool tub! A craft room with built-in shelves! And to top it all off, an in-ground pool! So what's not to love?

Well, for starters, the price tag. This home will set you back $999,900 (why not just say a million? I hate tricksy pricing like that) and, for a place with only 4 bedrooms/2.5 baths, that seems excessive, even if it is 4.628 square feet on 8.51 acres. OK, well, maybe it doesn't seem THAT excessive for all you get, but did you notice that last bit? 8.51 acres of grass, trees, and driveway that you have to take care of yourself--also, a pool. It requires a lot of maintenance. And, the most important thing in real estate? Location, location, location.

This house is located in Berlin, MA. It's a solid half-hour from Brandon's work, and lest I forget, purchasing a house in Massachusetts gives us a little bit stronger tie to Massachusetts. And I want to go back to North Carolina someday. So let's take this house, move it to North Carolina--and really, there are a few places I could take it--give me a lot of money, including enough to hire a landscaper; and make some minor changes, like to the color of dining room, which is currently red. Then Brandon, Calvin, and I can move in, get a dog for me and an ATV for Brandon, and get to living happily ever after.

Of course, since this house is for sale now and we do not have anything LIKE the means to purchase at this time, it won't happen. How do we overcome this problem? Copy all the photos from the real estate listing, copy all the descriptions, and build it ourselves several years down the road when it's actually a possibility.



Also, just so you know, Calvin was leaning over the Boppy and managed to pull himself forward and faceplant on the floor so that now his feet are up on it. He is eating his hand and making happy noises, so I left him.