Write about your dream home.
My husband and I have owned two homes in the last thirty-one years. We plan to downsize later this year. Prior home ownership shows you what you want and what you don’t want in a home. But as anyone who has ever watched Love It or List It or House Hunters knows, couples do not always agree on the ideal home. We are no different.
Our first house, home for twenty-seven years, was a 1970s tri-level with an unfinished basement. I didn’t like having to go up and down stairs all the time. That house had a formal living room on the main level and a family room on the lower level. I don’t need two living rooms.
Our current house is a ranch style home with a completely finished basement. It was constructed in 2006, so it has the “open concept” design that is popular today. I like this style, but it isn’t on my must-have list. One of the reasons we want to move is that our house is too big for two people. I don’t like our master bedroom as much as the one in our old house because it isn’t wide enough for our bedroom furniture.
For me, a dream home isn’t just about the inside of the house; I also want a nice yard with a place to sit outside and for hubby to grill. I also like trees. Our first house had a fenced-in backyard with a covered concrete patio. I didn’t like having neighbors so close behind us. Our current house has a nice front porch and two decks in the back. We rarely use the uncovered deck. I like the fact that there are no houses behind us, just a pasture that is likely to be developed someday. As a lover of wildlife, I have enjoyed seeing deer in the pasture and in our yard.
Location. Location. Location. Our old house was in the suburbs. Almost everywhere we needed to go was within three miles of our house. Our current home is six miles or so from the grocery store and church and even farther from the gym and other businesses. I would like to be closer.
I’ve been looking at homes on Zillow and Realtor.com in anticipation of moving. I’ve talked to my husband a couple of times about the homes I like. He says we’re looking for different things.
Kent wants a home that is “cozy” like the home he grew up in. That house was small and outdated, and it’s definitely not my dream home. When Kent’s dad retired from farming, they moved into a newer home in town. I was so happy for my mother-in-law. Kent doesn’t mind a house that needs some work because you can personalize it to your taste. I would rather have a move-in ready home. In the past, we waited too long to remodel our country blue kitchen. Now, I’m too old, or maybe too spoiled, to wait years for what I want!
We lived in several old houses when I was growing up. My mother had a knack for making all our homes feel cozy. I prefer cozy to the starkness of some modern homes, but I don’t want to feel cramped. If there isn’t enough space, a home can easily become cluttered. Clutter disturbs my peace.
So what exactly is my dream home? No more than three levels, including the basement. Spacious master bedroom and kitchen. Two more bedrooms for guests. Space for all our books. A place to sit outside and drink a cup of coffee. Good lighting. And because we have cold winters and summer hail storms, a two car garage is a must.
My favorite home on the market in our area, in our price range, checks off all my boxes. It has a shady front yard with a covered porch. It’s centrally located. It was built in 1948, but it has been updated. The living room and kitchen are spacious. Upstairs, the bedrooms and bathroom have the slanted walls of a one and a half story home. That’s cozy.
For me, a dream home is one that makes both of us happy. Will my dream home be cozy enough for Kent but not too cramped for me?
Innermost Being 