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(See all four photos)

Oooh, that looks great!

The Costcos around here have walleye every year, as I recall sometime during winter? Maybe 11 or 12 bucks a pound. It's fantastic, but I really like walleye fried and I don't fry foods at home, so I leave my walleye eating to restaurants.

I haven't had theirs because the breading is too thick for me, but Culver's has walleye every year during Lent.

https://www.brandeating.com/20...0-lenten-season.html

As if things weren’t complex enough we looked at this new house. They build tract houses differently here. Every house is pretty much a custom, designed around half a dozen base plans. 6 months to complete.

We like it looked at this ranch house, but the version we saw had the optional finished basement and optional second floor, along with nearly everything else they offer. This brought the price up from $270K to over $400K but about $325K would get the third garage, a few hundred extra square feet and finish upgrades.

https://www.khov.com/find-new-...ge---opt-extra-suite

There is a lot to like, including a warranty. Modern windows, insulation, HVAC, layout. Nothing to fix. Very close to the kids. It’s the only sensible choice.

We’ll think about it. That tract will be under construction for at least another year.

Fun fact: I met the builder, K. Hovnenian, a few years back. Greg bought a paintball gun from him.

I was going to ask if you might consider new construction. There are a lot of things to be said for it.

I don't know how I did it, but when I went on the video tour I ended up looking at the ceiling. I eventually managed to right myself and then went on my way, perhaps a bit queasy...

Nice house!

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:
Hard to believe, but the Dean Road house is even more beautiful than we thought. It’s not nearly as lo remote, the driveway is shorter. The great room is more intimate and the turquoise paint is not nearly so obnoxious. The kitchen is perfect in every way. I took some pictures that I’ll post when I get to the laptop.

What really makes the interior, though, is the view out the windows. Every window. The grounds are simply stunning. Shade garden, sun garden, deck, pond, garden shed. Annuals, fountains, and statuary. Fully sprinkled. Rear of property drops off in to a steep ravine and the leaves are turning. One of the most beautiful pieces of property I’ve ever toured.

But:

2 1/2 landscaped acres. No way I’m going to maintain that and if something happened to me Sharon would have to let it all go. If we’re going to travel in winter we need a generator, which means propane tank. It’s $100K more than the house on Menlo Park. Farther from the lake. Farther from the kids. It’s a fabulous property but at this point in our lives it’s not going to work.

But I’ll always regret not buying it.

I'll always regret you not buying it. We'd already made plans to visit.

I agree with Lisa. Go see it again. It's closer to the kids than SoCa.

K Hovanian must be absolutely enormous -- they were the builder slapping up developments all over Columbus OH when I lived there in the early 90s. And they didn't have a great reputation back then. Perhaps they moved to Cleveland and no longer build in Columbus? But if they are really big enough to be statewide, you might not get the most personal warm-and-fuzzy service. (EDIT - wow, not only statewide -- nationwide! https://www.khov.com/find-new-homes)

Also, living in a development that is just getting started means you will be in the middle of a construction zone for years. Buying at the end of the development "life cycle" means the only lots left are ones that have been rejected by everyone else as less desirable locations.

If you look at the site map here: https://www.khov.com/find-new-...omes/waterside-place it seems that waterbury blvd goes on quite a bit past the currently offered lots. I would try to figure out exactly what is going to happen there because you are liable to end up with with a whole second wave of the development opening farther down that street and you really will be in the middle of a construction zone for the rest of your life. That site plan as drawn doesn't look like enough houses to support the community clubhouse and pool they are touting in the marketing, so my guess is they're going to make that development a LOT bigger. I would definitely do your diligence.....

Menlo Park is still my favorite if Dean Rd is totally off the table. Redecorating to fix the style schizophrenia is easy, and you will need a retirement hobby, LOL!

New build is looking more appealing. We’ve looked at several tracts and a few custom builders and are 90% sold on this house:

https://www.khov.com/find-new-...rside-place/lakeport

It’s a two story with ground floor MBR, laundry, and office. The office is what was designed as a small living room but with Covid they put doors on it and called it an office. Upstairs are two bedrooms and a full bath.

Optional “morning room”, a four foot addition on the front of the garage, and an 8’ tall garage door to fit the truck. Basement roughed in for bathroom but not finished. Several pages of tweaks and upgrades - these things really do build like customs. Mrs. Miller likes the elevation with the front porch. Flat 80x160 lot with a tree line in back and a park behind that.

Ticks all of the boxes except lake, which doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

Looks like a nice layout. Where's the laundry?

I know it's a thing these days, but I'm not a fan of TVs hanging over fireplaces. I prefer the TV to be at eye level or slightly below when I'm sitting in my favorite chair or sofa, so ours is on a low teak cabinet in the living room.

Trying to figure out where I'd put a TV in that great room if there were a fireplace there. I'm assuming the fireplace is an add-on. Would you want to include one?

I would definitely do the morning room addition. I think it's a place where you'd spend a lot of time.

edit: Is there a powder room on the first floor for guests?

TV goes on the wall to the left of the fireplace wall.

There is a half bath next to the front door, the laundry is next to that and the (big!) mud room is next to that.

If you click around the website there is a floor plan.

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I'm not a fan of TVs hanging over fireplaces. I prefer the TV to be at eye level or slightly below

Me too!! I do not get the "TV super high up on the wall" trend!

Be very careful with that stone veneer (or "lick and stick" as it is not-so-affectionately called). It is prone to the same kind of water intrusion issues that stucco is as it is often improperly installed. To be safe, choose one of the all-siding options -- probably be cheaper too! If you really like the stone, I would read up on proper installation, grill the builder when you're going over the selections, and then pay close attention when they're installing it.

Took me a day to dig up this article. It will explain the dangers of stone veneer in more detail.
https://abihomeservices.com/ma...r-moisture-problems/

Fun fact - if you click on the article this article references -- "Stucco Woes" by Joe Lstiburek -- Photograph 4 is my house. (Ironically, considering the copyright popup you get when you click on that link, they used my photo without permission, but he did apologize and send me some free journals when I notified him!)

The "could you fit any more furniture in this house" house

edit: What the heck is that drop leaf table doing in the middle of the kitchen? Doesn't make it an eat-in kitchen.

Plus there's more stored in the basement...

"Doesn't look like a ranch but I think it is" house. Comes with its own basketball court. And it's fenced....

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Originally posted by wtg:
The "could you fit any more furniture in this house" house

Also, "dollies and dried flowers and wreathes, oh my!"

Also also, that wastepaper basket really does not fit the decor theme...