A House in the Country

A few weeks ago, the TIME magazine Numbers column reported that 359,000 second homes were purchased in 2001 at an average cost of $162,000. They deduced that baby boomers were "searching for weekend getaways."

While we bought our second home a few years earlier, the price was right in line with the average. We bought a big old house that came with a companion lakefront lot within easy walking distance. With grandchildren, kids and sibs, we wanted a place with extra bedrooms. Waterfront homes were beyond what we wanted to pay. What we bought has turned out to be the best of both worlds.

Everyone has decisions to make when they buy a second property. New, old, fixer upper, showplace, on the water, in the mountains. Of course, a lot has to do with your personal taste, recreations and, oh yes, finances. One thing to remember, if you buy a second home, it's just that. You need to multiply all the bills of your first home times two. Maintenance, taxes, improvements...it's all there and then some. But, we've found a second home can be a great stress buster, solace provider, family gathering place, and answer to your prayers.

If you're considering a second home, here are some pointers from our experience. These aren't scientific; there have been no studies done to prove they're right...they just worked for us.

The first decision to make is that you really want a second place. You might find that putting the money into improving your principal residence can be very satisfying and achieve the same goal. We thought about that. We even talked with a number of real estate agents in the area; thinking that a new home might be the answer. Not the case.

Once we decided to look for a second home, we eliminated some of the more popular places because of the difficulty getting there. Lots of traffic on weekends...that sort of thing. We also set a limit on the driving distance to drive to get there. We loved one area, but it was five hours away. The idea is to relax, not spend most of the time coming and going.

We like the water, hiking, and golf and were fortunate to find a location that offers all three. We talked with real estate agents in the area and looked at a lot of homes. We spent a frustrating summer looking at places that were too small, ugly, too expensive, rundown, and in areas difficult to get to. We shut down our search for the winter.

Just after the first of the year, we received a listing from one of the agents. We'd received many mailings, but there was something about this one that got us on the phone to see if the roads were clear enough to get into the area. We were assured there were and off we went.

It was the size we wanted, and the lakefront lot offered a dock and our own beach. There was a lot of work to do inside, but a magnificent front porch really sealed the deal for us. It was freezing outside and there was two feet of snow, but we looked through the screens and saw a beautiful lawn, festooned with gently swaying gargantuan trees that had grown old with the house. We were sold in that moment, made an offer, bickered back a forth and bought the place. The agent was ecstatic. We were the first people to see it.

We did a lot of things wrong. No sooner were we in the house, than there were major wiring and plumbing problems. Have those things checked out before you buy. Handles came off doors, one upstairs leak cascaded water into the living room when the pump (It is a house in the country.) was turned on. But, there were unexpected pleasures, too. A beautiful dry stone wall lay hidden under the winter snow, only to be discovered two months later when we actually closed on the house.

We searched out good local contractors who fixed everything at a reasonable rate. We also like to do a lot of our own work (you may prefer to contract it out). There was a lot to do, so here's what may be the best advice in this entire article. This home was our refuge, a place to relax and recharge the mental batteries. To do everything at once would be folly. We established a five-year plan. First year...second floor. Second year, downstairs. Third year, outside of the house--roof and paint (we contracted this work). Fourth year, restore the lawns (We cheated on this and brought them back a little each year). Fifth year, clean up the waterfront lot. It worked like a charm.

Always something to do. Never too much that we couldn't enjoy ourselves.

You may want to do things differently, but our decor is very eclectic. We didn't want to be concerned if something got broken, or a glass left a ring on a table, or whatever. So, we hit auctions, yard sales, antique shoppes, and a few retail stores. It's a lot of fun and you'll be amazed at the quality you can get. Second homes should be pure enjoyment. Decorate it the way you want it to be. If that means formal dinners and turned down sheets to you...so be it.

Here's a shocker. We don't have a TV, computer, or even a touch tone phone (we do have an old rotary model). You know what? We don't miss them at all.

Hopefully, these tips will be of help to you. If you would like to contribute your own suggestions, send them along to us at letters@grandboomers.com.

Happy house hunting. Let us know how you make out.