...is that when you get white paint in your hair it isn't as noticeable.
Or so I would like to think. After much going back-and-forth, the Maryland Mosses have decided to try to move to Northern Virginia (Diocese of Arlington motto: "More Catholics than AveMariaville, and no alligators!")
So like the Prices, we're using our tax return to tart up the ol' Prussian Green Money Pit. Right now that means paint, paint, and more paint. Then the mother of all spring cleanings and then... we'll see what happens.
Meanwhile we're mulling over the cost-benefit analysis: cheaper house in good condition with smaller mortgage, or more expensive house in need of fixing-upping in a better neighborhood?
Hi, Peony. You barely know me, but I vote for an older home in good condition. We lived in the Woodlawn area of Alexandria. It is just a couple of miles away from Ft. Belvoir and just off of Route 1. There is a little park there...it has a name, but I don't know it. It's not really a park..just a tree area, which means no houses in it.
I think the new homes and areas in Virginia are so big and the neighbors so foreign to each other. I think it's lot of working moms, long driveways and keeping up with the Joneses.
I say all of this based on a friend who lived in Stafford...she felt her neighbors looked down on her and didn't want to let her into their 'club'.
Living in Woodlawn, we went to St. Louis Church when Fr. Peffley was there. I just love that diocese. *sigh*
Good luck!!
Oh, Sandyone, that sounds like a lovely neighborhood. Did you see Father Peffley's write-up in the WaPo, about his new church in Loudoun?
The trick is finding the "older home in good condition." None of the homes we're looking at are new construction -- we'd rather have something older, smaller, but closer in. One of the homes we've seen that I like is about 20 years old but is pristine (with a totally updated kitchen.) After our time in our Money Pit, I'm just very weary of fixing-upping at this point. The biggest improvement we made was a total kitchen redo. So after getting to use our nice new kitchen that's just the way I like it (down to the paint and Formica that match my dishes) with nice modern appliances that actually work... I'm spoiled, pure and simple, and I don't want to go back to crudgy old ovens that don't have working thermostats.
I know what you mean Peony... Just when we got things pretty much organized in our old house (after 6 years) we moved into a house that had even more things to do on it... (sigh...) Three years later, it's much better, but still needs work... (si-iigh)
Here's hoping you get a great deal on a super up-dated older home!!