Dodging a bullet

Literally days before we learned that Corrie was pregnant we put down a huge bid on a fixer-upper single family house. With just some help, some luck in selling our place, some old fashion gumption, we could end up with a 3bdr/2bth home that we could grow into. Our 2bdrm condo started to feel too small for a growing family.

Sure it had its quirks, but what historic house doesn't? It was built around 1885 as an ice house for the nearby pond. Years later somebody with a short attention span built an addition on the back, but couldn't be bothered to dig a deep enough foundation. As a result, half the house was about 4 feet taller than the rest. Walking from room to room proved challenging for us non-short people, but it had oh so much potential. Knock this wall out, open this room up, move stairs over here, new half-bath there... We're young(ish), somewhat creative people. If effort was all it took, we could turn this place into something grand. (There she is, actually pregnant before we knew it)

Well we were outbid. The very next day Corrie took her pregnancy test (or four) and we forgot all about this place. Soon after the other buyer was scared off when her inspection revealed significant foundation issues. Not right away, but someday in the next 5-7 years the whole house would have to be jacked up about 3 feet. The seller was desperate it seemed, so the house was offered to us on a platter. With the asbestos shingles, the lead paint everywhere, and the effort it would take we were able to walk away from it all without too many regrets.

All that is background to waking up this morning to NPR telling us that the Boston Real Estate Market is tanking. Our neighborhood that typically has about 50-80 condo's on the market at any one time, now has over 300 available. Prices seem to be dropping, and we're heading into the slow season. I get cold sweats thinking these days about how close we came to having a crushing new mortgage, trying to stay warm until our new windows get installed, eating beans and rice three times a day, taking CVS brand lead poisoning tests each month, while staying up late trying to take down walls with a sledge hammer.

Yup. Feeling pretty lucky today.