No zen there, Annie! We want to add a lst floor MBR because the stairs are increasingly diffficult for us to navigate but we're waiting until things cool down. Contractors don't even return calls out here! This used to be our vacation home, but we live here fulltime now. I couldn't manage 2 places again. It's easier to rent when we go on vacation.

Yes, stairs are a big issue, and this one solved that too as it did have a first floor bed and bath. DH has a few friends who have recently moved to one floor living, and we have that in our current home.

I think you made a good decision. Rent a nice place for a month and let someone else worry about the maintenance.

When we were first married we lived in the cutest house that was built in the late 1700s on the Connecticut River. It was directly across from the now-closed Haddam Neck nuclear plant. We joked that if anything happened, we wouldn't suffer too long. And almost 40 years later we seem to not have suffered any effects.

I have no problem living by a nuke plant...DH used to work in one way back in the day...but I don't want to look at it.

Wise decision to wait and watch - unless you stumble on the perfect place.

My son’s MIL is buying a 100 + year old home on a lake in CT. It’s been in the family for at least 7 decades and she spent her summers there as a child. It is a wonderful old style home with a stone foundation, hand planed cedar siding, enclosed porches overlooking the dock and lake. It is liveable but needs some work and she’s having a tough time finding reliable contractors.

At least this will be a private sale so she can avoid the realtor’s commission but it’s a terrible time for house hunting.

Yeah, anytime a property seems too nice for the price there's usually something not apparent that impacts the value. There's a lot to be said for not having two homes but for now we do and the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. We are thinking quite a bit about selling both and buying one in a warmer climate. It's not really practical for us to rent a place down south in the winter with our two cats. It would also freak me out a bit to leave two homes in MN in the winter where power or furnace could go out, pipes freeze, etc. We've had that happen but we were here to get the problem corrected before it was too late. It is fun to look at real estate listings though prices have been insane so far.

Now there’s a view I wouldnt want. The sun going down over the nuclear power plant. I still dream of a getaway place but for me it makes no sense. On the other hand, sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind.

Look at seasonal rentals.

I get appeal. We have had two homes for most if our marriage.

Just finished an entire renovation in Florida home. Honestly, this will be the last.

If we to buy again, I would want move in ready.

OMG . . . no wonder the asking price was reasonable (LOL)!!!

BTW, Annie, I was in Guilford this past weekend and saw a bunch of signs saying "Stop Tweed Airport Expansion". That one house you liked was across from the airport. Wonder if the expansion plans had an impact on its sale.

My husband wouod pay extra for that view. His mother lives in Guilford, so that is a hard no overall ;-)

DH flew out of Tweed last month and DD will fly out from there tomorrow. Very convenient. It sits literally smack dab in a neighborhood. And has for like 100 years?

We love that airport. Especially now that Avelo Air is using it as its hub. Avelo offers very inexpensive flights (ie, $49 each way from Nashville) so my CT bound cousins are very happy. Hope it lasts.

Interesting. Good call Annie. You should have your buying opportunity within the next 12 - 18 months. The recession looms ahead.

Right now materials are scarce. It is hard getting things built. I just purchased 2 dishwashers....but not the brand I really wanted. I got GE instead of Bosch because I "found" them. It's not the position you want to be in when doing remodels.