Quote of the Day: We are all born charming, fresh and spontaneous, and must be civilized before we are fit to participate in society. -- Judith Martin otherwise know as Miss Manners
I took the plunge and asked my grandmother how much she'd sell the house and an acre of land to me for. She admitted it (and I can tell by her expression) that she had never considered the idea.
Some family history, if it doesn't bore you. The tax records say the original part of the house was built in 1919. It was built as the retirement home of my great-great-grandparents Starkey on my father's side. My great-grandmother inherited it along with a bundle of land, and her brothers cheated her out of the bigger holdings in Pumpkin Center. At some point during my father's lifetime, the detached kitchen was torn down and pine lean-to added that now houses a kitchen and the back bedroom. My parents bought an acre and built their house next door when I was six or seven. Gram insisted that it was bought so it would be community property in case something happened to my father. She was a savvy lady. No one else wanted to live there at the time, and Gram's health was failing. It was a perfect solution. When she died the land and house was divided between my grandmother and my great-uncle's four kids (he had died while they were teenagers; I don't even remember him). My grandmother got the house and maybe a little over an acre with it. And then the fun started.
She moved my father's brother's family in. That only lasted a few months but they had garage sales on all Gram's belongings. We were not given the chance to go and get anything we wanted. They also moved the living room furniture out with them. That we recently got back after my uncle divorced his first wife and Mom threatened her with the law. Then our cousin my great-uncle's oldest son moved in. That lasted for 11 years, and they systematically started destroying the place. Dad finally kicked them out, and they moved a trailer onto his land right next door.
I had just graduated from college and asked if I could rent the place. My grandmother agreed and we started renovating. But instead of doing a real renovation, my uncle (who anticipated my aunt inheriting the house and it should be a rental income for her after he dies) went to work pour money into the kitchen floor, and all brand new cabinets installed over rotting sheet rock. I've already complained about the bathroom. He had to switch doors around so both bedrooms would have doors with doorknobs. He had to put a fancy deadbolt on the front door that is so thin I can kick it in. We had to get a new gas heater because the one that still worked wasn't covered under insurance. Had to put plastic lattice work around the bottom because insurance said so. We couldn't tear out an ugly added-in wall because that would get rid of the third bedroom (the one I'm using as an office). Meanwhile, the whole house needs to be releveled, the sheet rock torn out, the plumbing brought up to at least 1990s standards, and the electricity needs to be updated (the wire from the pole is original for when the first ran electricity to Pumpkin Center).
I want the house. I love the house. The only way I can get the work done on the house without having the entire family squawking over what I'm doing and how it should be done is if I own the house. The only way to insure that it stays in the family and who knows what moves in next as renters is if I own the house. The only way to get the money to do what I want is I have equity. I'm a single, white female with a steady job and decent credit. I qualify for help. Paying for the house seems to be the best way from keeping it from being a big snit-fit. Have Aunt Sissy inherit the hand or give her the money for it.
My grandmother is making a family discussion out of it. So I guess the next step is to see my aunt and father. I know I've told him I want the house, but I don't think he was there when I was talking it over with mother and what were the plans my great-uncle had for changing the house. My aunt and uncle I need to bring onto my side because they're the ones my grandmother listens to.
Time to research FHA.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
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