One of the concerns we had about going to Sweden has been housing. Not so much where we're going, but where we are. We bought a fixer up
per back in 2002 for cheap. After addressing 30 years of deferred maintenance and doing our own renovations, you'd think we'd be done by now. I had no idea how hard it would be. Four years later we're still knocking out projects. We've been in this mode for so long we're already thinking about projects at mormor's house. What is wrong with us?
Just this year alone we paid my brother to remodel our kitchen. We also finished painting our dining room, finished the hard wood floor, painted the front exterior, planted the front flower bed, moved and built a base for a storage shed, moved a driveway of gravel, dug and planted a flower bed between our driveway and the neighbor's, and relocated a collection of hasta that was getting pulverized by the local deer population. And we have more stuff to do before the holidays.
I run through this year's list because it also helps me see that we've done a lot. You can have an endless string of weekend and evening projects and feel like you're not getting anywhere yet when you stand back and see the whole, there's progress and it's encouraging. A
nd to think I didn't know how to do much before this all started.
Whenever we go to Sweden, all the hardwork we've done should help when we go to sell. I weighed renting it out for about an hour but decided against it. Once we're done here, we're done.
per back in 2002 for cheap. After addressing 30 years of deferred maintenance and doing our own renovations, you'd think we'd be done by now. I had no idea how hard it would be. Four years later we're still knocking out projects. We've been in this mode for so long we're already thinking about projects at mormor's house. What is wrong with us?Just this year alone we paid my brother to remodel our kitchen. We also finished painting our dining room, finished the hard wood floor, painted the front exterior, planted the front flower bed, moved and built a base for a storage shed, moved a driveway of gravel, dug and planted a flower bed between our driveway and the neighbor's, and relocated a collection of hasta that was getting pulverized by the local deer population. And we have more stuff to do before the holidays.
I run through this year's list because it also helps me see that we've done a lot. You can have an endless string of weekend and evening projects and feel like you're not getting anywhere yet when you stand back and see the whole, there's progress and it's encouraging. A
nd to think I didn't know how to do much before this all started.Whenever we go to Sweden, all the hardwork we've done should help when we go to sell. I weighed renting it out for about an hour but decided against it. Once we're done here, we're done.
Things yet to be done before a potential sale: replace basement stair, finish ceiling and hardwood floor in living room, first floor closet and hallway, paint rear exterior, stain deck, build roof over rear exterior door. I think if we weren't moving for a couple years I'd be done with the house this year.
The net is that we hope to be debt free with a little seed money when we go. The irony is that we won't really get to enjoy and dress up the house before we sell it. It doesn't make sense to purchase things like furniture or artsy stuff that we'll have to sell within a couple months anyway. We're taking minimum to Sweden as is. I priced out having things shipped and the per square foot cost outweighs the cost of what we 
own. At that rate, we're better off buying new over there. But we shouldn't need that much. Our heirloom type stuff will be stored Stateside with sibs.
As far as regretting all the work on the fixer upper just to sell it? None. I've gained so much experience there's not a lot I can't jump into. May blow up the house, but heck, I'm not afraid to jump in. I know certainly a lot more than I did in the spring of 2002. This house has been a big part of why I became a stay at home dad, other than the kids. The time has gone so fast. I think it's starting to set in that these days are drawing to a close. Kind of sad actually. But the whole stay at home thing is another post. How's that for a hook?
own. At that rate, we're better off buying new over there. But we shouldn't need that much. Our heirloom type stuff will be stored Stateside with sibs.As far as regretting all the work on the fixer upper just to sell it? None. I've gained so much experience there's not a lot I can't jump into. May blow up the house, but heck, I'm not afraid to jump in. I know certainly a lot more than I did in the spring of 2002. This house has been a big part of why I became a stay at home dad, other than the kids. The time has gone so fast. I think it's starting to set in that these days are drawing to a close. Kind of sad actually. But the whole stay at home thing is another post. How's that for a hook?
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