Buying Our First Home

Not many people wait until they are 55 years old to buy their first house. But I have done just that. You would think that since we had so many years to plan for the purchase that we would have done our homework and had everything just right.

Let me backtrack – when Lulu and I got married – we were pretty young. I had a freshly milled teaching degree – she was still commuting to college from our apartment. Since we had met at the community swimming pool – I was a life guard – she was the pretty girl in a bikini – we jumped at the chance to buy a building lot within sight of the spot where we met. My parents thought we were nuts for paying $3000 for a building lot – $3000 we did not have - but they were willing to put their car title up as collateral – and so we bought the land. Man we were proud. We saw a Lindal Cedar Home kit advertised in Popular Science Magazine – the home of our dreams. You only had to send one dollar to them and they would send you a plan book. Then we took the plan book to the local bank and asked for a mortgage – and after a personal presentation in front of the board of directors – we were given a mortgage! We were too young and naïve to realize what a wonderful coup we just pulled. The reluctant rebels hit the big time.

That summer – a tractor trailer pulled up our dirt driveway and deposited the “house kit” on our lot. Lulu and I started to build it with help from my shop teacher – Paul. I would say that Paul did the majority of the building – but as he said then, “Harry – as the years pass by – you will have built more and more – and I will have built less and less.” I was not sure what he meant then – but now I am.

We lived in that 1000 square foot chalet for over 30 years – raised two kids there – and could not have been prouder. And to anyone that would listen – we would stand on the porch and point to the pool and say, “That’s where we met.”

Fast forward to buying our first home in Tallahassee. After Lulu signed the job contract we had 8 months to search for a new home in Tallahassee. We figured we could do a methodical search for just the right home. The only restriction we put on our search was that it had to be close enough for Lulu to walk to work if she wanted. We did not want the long commute from Killearn because after 10 years of commuting 150 miles each way to New York City – Lulu had wasted enough of her life in a car. Myers Park seemed perfect.

With 8 months before Lulu’s first day of work – we would take our time – find a bargain house – in the perfect place – not rush things. After 30 years of marriage we would finally be buying a house.

Our first local friends lived in Myers Park and we told them about our desire to buy a home near there. They took this as a personal challenge to find the perfect home for Lulu and me. They had taken a liking to us – maybe they saw themselves in us – they were both retired science teachers like me. The next day – Friday – on their daily walk around the neighborhood – they spied a new realty sign just 3 doors away from their house. The house seemed perfect – 3 bedrooms – carport – pool – on a little lake – not too old.

Our friends called and told us the news. I asked them to call the realtor – take a tour of the house – take lots of pictures and email them to us. So Saturday – they took the tour and sent the pictures. Sunday – we called the realtor and Lulu said, “we’ll take it.” When she got off the phone I asked her how much was it. She said, “I don’t know.”

So Monday – we flew to Jacksonville (cheaper flight on Southwest Airlines) – and drove over to Tallahassee. Our realtor Rae showed us the house and told us the price. Without even a consultation Lulu said, “We’ll take it.”

After all our plans to take 8 months to find the perfect house – with the perfect mortgage – in the perfect neighborhood – we bought a pig in a poke in a record 15 minute visit. Just like newlyweds – I carried Lulu across the threshold of our freshly purchase house.

After 55 years in mountains of Appalachia – the Trailing Spouse had an instant home in the hills of Apalachee.