Join us for our new-house pre-move-in party!
Between the time that we close on our new house and the time we actually move into it, we're going to have a party so that everyone can see it. Mark your calendar now and plan to join us on Sunday, January 30, 2005, from 1 to 4 pm. No gifts, please. We're moving to escape all the stuff we already have! The gift of your company is the treasure we prize.
Taking the little road to a big commitment
So we bought a new house, finally. This is something we've been thinking about for a long time, and working on in earnest since we met, fell in love with and had our hearts broken by Bloodhaven. The house we're buying is this one on East El Caminito Drive in Phoenix.
If you know Phoenix, you can figure out where the house is on this map. We're between Central Avenue and Seventh Street, just south of the Arizona Canal. We can get on the trail paths of the canal at the east end of the street, which will be a treat for dogs and bicyclists.
It's actually Cathy who is buying the house. I'm just throwing a lot of money at it. As a Professional Sales Monster, my income is considered undocumented.
Even so, I am essentially a first time home-buyer. It's funny, because I've done this so many times that it's second nature to me. I wrote the contract exactly as we submitted it before Cathy had even seen the house. But I'm like a courtesan finally getting married; I understand the mechanical part perfectly, it's the enduring commitment that's new to me.
Not just because I do real estate for a living, we have a pretty long set of objectives we wanted to fulfill, and this house is a reasonable compromise, for now. We wanted:
- A home to do business from in the North Central Phoenix neighborhood we plan to list in.
- A home that we can live in as a family and ad hoc petting zoo for at least two years (yes, that comes second; we could always split the home and office functions, but we really, really need an office we can bring clients to).
- A home that is convenient to Cameron's life, which is evermore downtown as time goes by.
- A home that will appreciate in value significantly in the two or more years we're in it.
- A home that will avail itself to what I call Abuelitoria (homes for the little grandmas, should they need to come live with us).
- A home that is pleasing to Cathy--who will insist that the domestic esthete is me.
Of these, Bloodhaven is perfect in every respect, which is why it continues to break our hearts. This house, El Caminito ('little road' in Espanol), is okay for number 1, ideal for numbers 2 and 3, an excellent bet for number 4, a total zero for number 5, and, for number 6, it is very, very nice no matter who is the judge.
The home is a classic Phoenix Ranch House, but the seller has gutted and completely remodeled it. He opened up the sight lines, making it feel much newer than 1962 inside. The kitchen is all new, with gorgeous cabinets, granite countertops and a black flat-top range on a vast granite island. The living room, which we'll use as our office, is huge, as is the great room/family room. New plumbing, new wiring, new landscaping front and back, new roof, new stucco exterior.
There's always more with me, but the important thing for now is that we're having a party. After we close and before we move in, we're going to hold the house open for friends, family, clients and neighbors, so you can see what we got for our money.
Below there are links to lots of photos of the house, but be sure to plan to join us for our breaking-in party.
When: Sunday, January 30, 2005, 1 to 4 pm
Where: 314 E El Caminito Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85020 (Click on the address for driving directions)
What to bring: Just your own sweet self; we already have too much of everythng
Exploring El Caminito
Elevation and surrounding area