Where do I live?

 

20170213_110931 20170213_110943This is a question that I continue to ask myself daily. I am blessed that I have sufficient places to stay, but not having a home where I can continually live is tough.

My new house is not livable yet. There is no power or water. Until I sell my house, I don’t have the money to proceed with either one of those. I can’t live in a house without water or power, especially in the winter.

Building your own house is a very long process. It is going to take a good year to get the house livable, even with help from friends. I have put as much money as possible towards it. I could not wait until I sold to start the process of building. If I was buying, I could find a situation when I could close on my house and then purchase another one within the span or a month or so, but not when you are building your own house.

About a month ago, I dropped my house $5,000, but still have not sold. I have had several showing in the past few weeks, but no offers to this point. Anyone with a house for sale knows the roller coaster ride of the process. You get a text requesting a showing, confirm and then make sure every little thing in the house is perfect. I am a neat freak by nature so this typically does not include much work. I return to my house after the showing, typically to some footprints on my floor, yet often that is the only evidence. When you hear nothing it is a bit frustrating.

I am well aware that the dead of winter is not the best time to sell your house. With it being a townhouse in Old Town, it would be perfect for someone at UMaine, but there aren’t a lot of new employees and students this time of year.

Back to where I am living. I try to go home to Old Town as much as possible as I truly love my little townhouse, but with the weather being as bad as it has been the past week, I have not made it back there much. Commuting two hours a day just doesn’t make sense. My little Toyota Corolla and the Dixmont hills just do not mix well. I found that out just about a year ago when I slid off the road and into a ditch.

It makes no sense to risk sliding off the road when my parents live two miles from where I work and have several spare bedrooms. Some days I want to go home so badly, but know that I am doing the mature thing by staying.

It’s difficult though. I will never be able to repay my parents for letting me stay with them off and on for the past year and a half, but when you have lived on your own for many years, staying with your parents is not what you want to do.

Instead of being frustrated, I need to be thankful that in this miserable weather I have a nice warm place to stay. So, during this blizzard, I am going to help shovel my parents and grandparents out and continue to peruse Pinterest for my dream home ideas. And watch the Beanpot tonight as I don’t have cable at my house and they do! I’ve found a benefit!!

 

Laura Reed

About Laura Reed

After 15 years in college athletics, the last seven as an assistant athletics director, I was burned out with 70-hour work weeks and extensive travel. I resigned my position and accepted a position in marketing at a small, vibrant college in my hometown of Unity, Maine. In the process I wanted to go back to my childhood where we raised polled Herefords, had a Christmas Tree Farm and spent many hours outside. I decided I wanted to build my own home on beautiful farmland that my family owns. With help from my Dad, the most talented person I’ve ever met, we are building my home together. I have decided to blog my experience – the ups and downs, the joys and frustrations. What was once an open field will one day be my home! The dream in my head is becoming reality. I can just see the lambs frolicking in the field, chickens in the barnyard and going running with my Alaskan Malamute!