What house suits you best?
This post has nothing about sex. So skip it now.
They say our house is a reflection of our personality. Suppose you are around mid-life. Whatever that means. Suppose you need to buy a house which will likely be your last. The place you will grow old in. Maybe you lost your previous one at poker, maybe you lost it to an ugly divorce (that's basically the same thing) or maybe you never bothered to buy a house up to now. Maybe the children have finally left and you need to move out. What house would you buy knowing that they all cost the same and this is about how much you have/can take as a loan without changing your lifestyle and that your spouse has no preference and fully supports your choice, whatever that may be?
1. A nice house in the not-far countryside. Over 200 sqm, with a nice well kept half an acre plot and a small heated pool (although where I live heating the pool may prove to be excessively expensive). Huge terrace where you can receive a big crowd, maybe 30 people. Not too far from the city centre and from where you work, maybe a half-hour drive and you telework 2-3 times a week anyway and plan to retire early. But there is only one bakery and one restaurant in the village so you will need a car to go pretty much anywhere.
2. A nice apartment in an upscale neighbourhood, not too close to the centre. You could walk to work in maybe 25 min or bike in 10, city centre is twice the distance. The apartment is very comfortable, 150 sqm, two terraces hosting a table for six each, closed garage... all possible comfort, but not the most spectacular neighbourhood. Quiet and secure yes, but unimpressive. There are a few restaurants and a supermarket within walking distance but this is essentially a place where people go to sleep.
3. A spectacular apartment in a spectacular 1898 ornate stone building in a spectacular neighbourhood registered in UNESCO heritage book, Hausmannian style, looks as good as the Paris 5th arrondissement, walk to centre, 20 min walk to work, bike lane make it 7-8 mn close... The apartment itself is 130 sqm, 3.5m high ceilings with great old wall mouldings everywhere, squeaky old parquet, marble fire place... But not the most comfy, no garage in a busy part of the centre, no open view from the windows and the small balcony, no terrace, no elevator so you will need to crawl with your groceries up the stairs for two tall floors, one small bathroom... But you basically don't need a car if you live there. A bike or an electric scooter, maybe.
4.A real palace in the countryside, far from any urban centre. Pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Over 500 sqm of renovated palatial space, a 3 hectares well-kept garden bordered by a nice river, spectacular drive-up alley... Ok, you can't commute from there but you can keep it as your retirement house and offer a palatial B&B?
So what will you choose? And what do you think I would choose?
This is definitely something different from the ENL norm; I think it is a fun 'pie in the sky' topic. In my dream world, I would like something of a cross between #1 and #4. The idea of a nice country home really appeals to me. A size of about 2000+ SF would be enough provided it was laid out well. A somewhat open concept would allow a lot of 'mingle' space and not crowd folks. Located about 20 miles from a smallish city just off a well kept state highway. A small pool would be nice but a large 10+ folk well made hot tub would be better and get more use. A large deck with ample seating and a great view would provide a great get-together area. If the land has a nice lay, several acres (15+) would be good but care must be taken to make sure an army of gardeners is not necessary but a John Deere with a 6 ft mower is. Probably a mix of old oaks and open pasture type. Add in a stream fed small lake behind a dam with a dock / deck and you've just about created paradise. They're out there; you just have to look long & hard and be willing to pay.
And as for Flora's home; I would pick something of a combination of #2 & #3. The listed amenities for either would not exactly fit the lifestyle you prefer as I envision it. Having access to all the things city life can bring is very important but you must be able to function with some degree of ease. The choice of #2 in a more stylish, convenient location would be ideal but is usually not practical as old city centers in Europe are not made with an excess of space. And, just in case you're interested, Youtube has multiple videos of folks rebuilding old estate / cottage homes in the European countryside. The ones I've viewed have some determined, idealistic couples investing money and sweat equity to return those homes toward their former glory. It's quite interesting if you enjoy that type of endeavor.
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