A blog about a journey to design and build a new house

Nov 25 2012

My wife and I decided to sell our 3800 sq.ft. house and moveinto a downtown apartment while we decided the next step in our living arrangements. We wanted to downsize, preferably build something new and incorporate many of the ideas I had been using over the past 30 years as an architect.   Our 2 older boys had completed their college years and our younger daughter was a senior and living away from home.

We looked at buying a property in an old industrial area of Salt Lake City and building 4 live/work units, one of which we would inhabit. A property was selected, an offer made, plans drawn up and then off to the banks for funding. We quickly realized that, due to the commercial zoning of the property, banks would only finance a 5 yr. loan and due to the fall in my income from the construction industry collapse, we could not qualify. So, back to the drawing board. A continuous search of properties, using Zillow and help from by real estate broker had us looking at  hundreds of properties…mostly older homes that were in need of extensive rehabilitation. Finding vacant property in the City did not look promising.

One particular home, built in the late 1880’s, had potential. We put in an offer only to find that another couple had been on the fence about committing…that is until they found out about our interest and then quickly got serious!

Around the corner, I found a similar house and although it had been operating as a Bed and Breakfast, I suggested to my wife we go in the Hospitality Industry. After many lively discussions over glasses of wine, I was convinced that perhaps we were not ready for so bold a commitment!.

The next several months are spent looking at no fewer than 100 properties. Although many have possibilities, nothing stands out.