Welcome back...I always get a kick out of seeing names reappear here with an update on "real life". Sad to hear of your FIL's death, but your MIL's "memory boxes" for her children was such a thoughtful gesture.

The older house/large lot in an established neighborhood will find its buyer. The mature trees and garden always say "home" in a way the newer subdivisions can't convey.
Your oak trees are perhaps showing the effects of drought...even from earlier this year? Or have you had sufficient rain? josh

Good to see you back, I wondered what happened to you, but Life (with a capital L) often gets in the way, doesn't it?
Hope to see you as a regular again.

You were on the list of partiers I noticed have gone missing. My condolences on the loss of your father-in-law. No time is a good time to part with a family home, but I know what you meant.

I think the older, established homes will come back into their own soon, to the 'starters' who will find that banks aren't so eager to spot them on super mortgages. Older homes not only have more character, but often have amenities only rich people can afford to duplicate in a new-build. I sold an older home, in town, this February on a street with at least five other listings. It was prolly divine providence, or the fact that I kept it so clean for showings, you could literally eat off the floor, and made everything in good repair. That's hard to find in a modestly priced starter home. I also got more than my asking price. Hold on to that thought.

Times is a getting rough, though. I drove by a newly established housing development on our end of the county today, and noticed all building had ceased, and the for sale signs were replaced with auction signs for the lots. Estate auctions seem to still be selling well, but for other property, an auction smacks of the kiss of doom.

Good to see you back.

bienvenue returner.....

And we've missed you! Sorry to hear about your FIL. The oak leaves are just trying to get on the ground good and early so that you have great soil come spring; they missed the tomatoes and peppers.

Welcome home, we're glad you 're back.

I know what you mean about the young folks wanting a
brand new house.
There was one family here that built a large three level
house and instructed the decorator that they wanted to be
able to just bring their clothes and toothbrushes when they moved in.

Everyone is in a hurry these days to have THE house, cars,
and everything in one big package.
No little bungalow or an older home for them.

Suzy is right about the charm of older homes in established neighborhoods.
The right buyer will come along and if it has the necessary
repairs done and is clean and neat, you might just be surprised.

Glad to see you; welcome back.

Welcome back!

Welcome back! This id my place to go to see non-political posts, so I'm hoping you'll be adding to them.

I have a starter home. It was built to be one in 1950. In fact, I think it was meant to be an upscale one, it has hardwood floors throughout, and the original color scheme was quite interesting! It's an adorable little house, (900 sq feet) but I truly wonder how some of my neighbors raised their families in it. Of course, a lot of them built in their single car garages. My neighbor still wanted a workshop, so he built a huge one in the backyard.

I love my house, still, there are times I lust after a bigger bathroom and a walk-in closet.... :)

Lisa

Lisa, wood floors were not upscale in 1950, they were the default. Wall to wall carpet, when it first came out and went mainstream had to have been early seventies, or late sixties. I remember my first home with carpeting. Everything old is new again, and that includes wood floors. The main difference, however, was that in those days, hardwood floors were really 'HARDWOOD'. Now, any wood floor is called hardwood, even if it is soft wood. LOL.

Those fifties houses had a lot of similarities. Many were small and ranch-style and that's when suburban sub-divisions came into their own. Those were the housings going up for Veterans, using their GI bills and VA bennies.

Many of the homes my folks owned, when we were living in America anyway, were large, older and usually Victorian. But, we lived in a few tiny ones when Daddy went back into the military and we rented. I doubt they were as large as 900 square feet for the four of us. People just didn't have a lot of expectations back then and were satisfied, for the most part, if they were middle income. We had one radio, one television, one car, one phone and felt blessed.

Lisa, wood floors were not upscale in 1950, they were the default. Wall to wall carpet, when it first came out and went mainstream had to have been early seventies, or late sixties.

That is so true! My parents' house had hardwood floors that I never saw until they sold the house & the real estate lady told them that it would sell better if they g=ot rid of their 20-year old carpeting. When they ripped it up there were the beautiful (and pristine) wood floors.

Calliope, I am sure you are right about the floors. I was just repeating what one of my former bosses said. He was reminiscing about when my subdivision was on the far outreaches of the city. Now I'm firmly in the center! He also said they were built for all the returning soldiers and their new families.

It's a good little house, all brick, attached garage, nice sized backyard. It also came with only 40 amps of electricity! That was the very first thing that had to be fixed. Actually the former owner had added in a 220 outlet for the window a/c. I kept throwing fuses and the local electricians told me they did good business in my neighborhood. My neighbor raised her eyebrows when I told her about my problem, she said, "all of us just learn not to make toast and do "whatever" at the same time". :)

I'd love to live a slightly older home. They have so much character.

My house did come with it's own wall-to-wall shag carpeting too! Green and also rust....and a couple of swag lights! Guess when the last overhaul of the house had been? :)

Lisa

LOLOL. And, you know, the fridge at that time was either harvest gold, or avocado green. OMG, does that bring back memories. When people got so sick of avocado green appliances, I think the next 'in' one was almond.

OMGosh. 40 Amps! Most I've been in have been sixty, and that sure goes to show you how our electrical consumption has risen dramatically per capita. Our present one is 200 amps.

Lisa, It sounds like your house was done in the 1960's. I remember those avocado green appliances (with orange for accent!). In many ways the 1960's & 1970's were very unfortunate decades.

My house was built in '22 with hard wood floors downstairs and pine upstairs. But always had wall to wall carpet. How do I know? 'Cause I tore the original 18" wide strip maroon flowered wool carpet out in 1983.

Maroon wool with flowers? I can remember the wool maroon flowered carpet my folk's had when I was very small. It must have been de rigeur for late forties, early fifties. It was never tacked down, the wood of the floors made a margin around it. Thank you for bringing up this memory, because I can see it in my mind so sharply I can almost smell it.

18" strips of carpet? OMG! LOL

1954 christmas, notice hardwood floors and flowered curtains. The wool, flowered area rug from the year before is gone.

{{gwi:195420}}

Here it is and wall paper too...

{{gwi:195421}}

Don, is that cute little boy you?

The TV set really brings back memories. Ours was much like the one in the picture, except the screen was not as large. It was a Muntz, and my Father lent my DH and I $300 to buy it. We paid him back $10 a month--plus interest!

Yep that is me and my two older sisters Marilyn an Beverly. The TV is an Admiral black and white. We watched Andy Divine and Midnight the cat every Saturday morning host Roy Rogers, Sky King, Hop-a-long Cassidy and others.

Don, My mom had those big flowered curtains too. What was she thinking??

I love the saddle oxfords and party dress combination! My Mama used to steer me to the oxfords for school shoes and I always hated them. So, I can........and would......spread my toes so wide the shoe salesman couldn't slip them over my feet. I was holding out for Mary Janes or T-straps (patent leather please) or even wedgies. Fat chance.

When I was finally old enough to buy my own shoes, the first pair I ever bought was black oxfords. Blew my mother's mind.

And if all else failed, and we were stateside....I'd agree to penny loafers. With inflation, they'd have to make them large enough to hold credit cards, now.

Suzy, I wish I had a pair of my old Weejun penny loafers now. The last pair I had - left over from my college days - finally became unrepairable about three years ago. LOL, I had them for almost 40 years, so I guess they were worth the $40 they cost in 1966.