House Hunting II

OK.  This house hunting stuff isn't so bad after all.  You just have to look in the area where the Universe has decided you should look instead of the area you thought you wanted to live.

I'd spent over two decades living north of the Plaza, and I wanted to stay there.  (Yes, the distinction is meaningless to many - we ARE talking houses less than three miles apart.)  North of the Plaza is scrappier, less of a sure thing; the people who live there band together to support each other in their work of reclaiming these beautiful old city neighborhoods.  South of the Plaza is more established.  Safer.  More sure of itself and its place in the world.  It doesn't need to be reclaimed because it was never unclaimed.

Yet, when I looked north of the Plaza, I couldn't find ANYPLACE I could both afford and was willing to move into.  As soon as I looked south, ta-da!  There was not one, but two good options.  ('Go here', says the Universe...)  So, I picked one, and jumped in with both feet.  It's the one that needs more work (of course?  I never said I'd never pick up a rehab house again, did I?  I hope not.  If so, I'll have to eat my words), and it's in a great location.

When I first moved to Kansas City, I fell in love with Loose Park, just south of the Plaza.  It's beautifully landscaped, with a walking trail and lots of kids and dogs accompanied by their adult people.  The house I picked is just a few blocks from the park; I'll be able to go there for my walks.  I've missed my walks this past year.

The house has lots of big windows, and no closets to speak of.  The kitchen is beyond redemption; I'll have to add to the back of the house to make it into a workable space.  It's not a big house.  I like that part.  And it doesn't need a total makeover.  'Just' the kitchen.  and, as long as you're going to do that, you might as well make it a two-story addition, and redo the bathroom just above.  and it IS a two car garage, but wouldn't it be nice to have a little workshop space out there....

No, I'm not sure about what I'm doing.  But I'm doing it anyways.  I close on March 1.