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The Arabian tea ’s out of the bag friend : we ’re locomote ! Yep , that ’s correct . In the total bedlam that was May 2021 , we found our dream home , betray our original footling beachtown homestead , and are presently load down and preparing to transition over to the Modern property in the next few week . Whew!Some of you may have already heard the exciting ( perhaps lurid ? ) tidings over onInstagram , but I have a go at it not all of you follow along there – so let me fill you in !
This station is obviously a second different than the usual informational content I partake here , but since this is at the cutting edge of my mind mightily now , I figuredwhy not write about it?Plus , it ’ll be a playfulness and personal way of life to document this huge change in our life sentence . So countenance me tell you the report of find our forever house , as well as answer some frequently asked questions about why we ’re leaving , what we ’re taking with us , logistics , chickens … hooey like that !
Speaking of loyal reader … Before we go any further , Aaron and I desire to continue the most massive , heartfelt , and sincereTHANK YOUto this biotic community ! The success of Homestead and Chill is part of what ’s made all this potential , and none of that would be possible without YOU . As you go on to show up , tune in , divvy up us with friends , bribe delicacy from theshopor ouraffiliate links – it ’s all so apprehended ! Every ounce of your support enable us to develop , pass and help others , and do what we love for a bread and butter . We truly ca n’t thank you enough . give thanks you , give thanks you , thank you .
Alrighty then , countenance ’s dish up !
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Why are we leaving? A bittersweet ending.
I know some of you may think we ’re banana to leave our current space , with all the beauty and abundance we ’ve created here . Trust me , I get it!We’ve poured countless quantity of Department of Energy , love , hours , and imagination ( literal line of descent , exertion and tear ) into this place . Honestly , our gardens feel like part of my identity now , and that ’s a strange matter to take the air away from . Yet from Clarence Day one , it wasnever intended to be our forever and a day home ! When we bought this house in 2013 , we had a 10 - year design in mind . We ’ve always desired more space and privateness ( and increasingly so the last yoke of years ) . It was always supposed to be our starter home . However , we also set out from day one to make the very most of our time here !
This is something I always encourage : ferment with what you ’ve catch , and have fun doing it ! We did not let the fact that we ’d eventually be moving stop us from garden our piffling hearts out – and then some . leave our original homestead behind will be bittersweet for certain , but I ca n’t envisage having spent the last eight years any other direction . Working outside in the garden is our master hobbyhorse , therapy , sustenance , forcible activity , and connection together . Even in previous rental homes , we progress call forth beds or acquire food in containers . Rather than going out to eat , shopping , or going on vacation , we garden .
So here we are , 8 long time of howling retentiveness and learning experiences afterward , quick to move on . The new larger property and home will enable us to see about and cultivate a wide variety of plant , explore newfangled DIY projects and arise methods , enhance our product line with more healing garden - to - body oblation , have a designed workshop inside , maybe even depart a local farmstand , and so much more ! And of course , we ’re thrilled to document the shift of a new garden space with you all ! We feel incredibly blessed to have this raw opportunity withroom to grow , in every common sense of the word . This is something we ’ve been been manifesting and working towards for days .
Finding our forever home
The way we landed at our fresh space feels equal parts serendipitous as well as surreal . As corny or woo - woo as it may sound , the stars absolutely aligned ! We ’d been saving for class , on the observatory for a novel homestead since mid 2020 , and seriously set about hunting in February of this year . Our search was for something very specific ; our “ must rich person ” list long ( more on that to follow ) . Given how special our space is now , we were not willing to leave it for justanylarger place .
I ’d had my centre on the now - ours plaza ( pinch me ! ) for over 3 calendar month . Yes , it was on the marketplace that long – which is totally unheard of in this securities industry , specially in this area ! Most homes are selling in under a calendar week . I look at it online every . single . day . and could n’t get it out of my mind . At first , it was out of reach damage - wise . We continued to save , explore other homes , and had also heard the sellers were not toy with detail offers ( as ours would be ) . For many months , it was nothing but a tube dream .
As other homes continued to unimpress and as we got tight to being able-bodied to put in an offer ( albeit still contingent , we were going to give it a shot anyway ) , the aspiration domicile had a fuss of action , showings , and several inviolable offering before we were able to play . The very day we think we ’d lost it , a really rad belongings with a lot of potential come up in the Petaluma area , which would be closer to our families in NorCal . We dropped everything , made the slip up there , and decease after it wholeheartedly ( again , only because we thought the local one was a goner ) . uncalled-for to say , we did n’t get it – and we thank our lucky stars for that ! On the parkway back home , our realtor differentiate us that we misplace that crack – but that somehow , the local dream dimension was still available . All their recent offers “ did n’t work out” . So we pounced .
turn out , the ambition home was on the mart for so long because the Peter Sellers were n’t in a haste . It had stand for to be their evermore aspiration home too , and were only leaving it due to an unplanned workplace relocation . They were waiting for the sodding people to fondly take over their house and garden , and none of the previous likely buyers felt right . In our offer letter , they read our write up , hear photograph of our gardens , the chicken , and said we were the ones they ’d been waiting for . That “ God had sent us to them ” . We ’re more spiritual than religious , but hearing that made me burst into tears . I felt it too . 💖
During our first visit . I ca n’t consider this is our new world . The glimmer in Aaron ’s heart gets me every time ! 😭
What is the new place like?
I will take more photos and/or a full video tour of duty of the newfangled property in the next month or two , draw up our future plan , and share more with you in a freestanding Charles William Post ! In a nutshell , it isover 2.5 acres , mostly flat and usable , already has a handful ofraised garden bedsand untested fruit trees , and quite a few beautiful oak tree Tree as well . There are several zone ley ( the previous owners had a gymnastic horse and a Capricorn the Goat ) along with many pee tap throughout – a huge plus ! The soil is incredibly arenaceous ( on the silty side even ) and will need sizable organic affair , agedcompost , andmulchto liven up it up .
Our current homestead is on the border of USDA hardiness zona 9b/10a , while the new property sits firmly inzone 9b . It ’s only a few miles away from our position now but slightly inland . That mean it will be a shade warmer during the daytime and cool at Nox , and haveless fogand sea influence . That ’s something we ’re actually really activated about ! As much as I love being a mile from the beach now ( it ’ll still only be a short crusade away ! ) the summertime fogginess can become tyrannical at times here . In fact , as I ’m writing this , I have n’t seen the sun in several days .
Oh yeah , I almost forgot : we ’re adopting three more kat ! There are currently four outside “ barn cats ” at the new property , and the trafficker is taking one with them . There was public lecture about having the other three trapped , so I immediately stepped in and say we ’d be more than happy to take care of them . Our three indoor - only kitties are accustomed to understand the neighborhood cats in our railyard anyways . So , I ’d like you all to meet Teddy , Bear , and Badger – our raw buddies and built - in rodent ascendancy ! I ’ve pick up they spend most of their time hunting gophers in the furthest pasture , so I have high promise they wo n’t bother the birds too much .
Selling our home and real estate madness
Okay , back to how it all went down . What a whirlwind ! Because our house - hunt had n’t been feeling all that fruitful , and we also had the potentiality to bump a more affordable place without dealing with the stress of a contingent sales agreement and timeline , we had NOT seriously prepare to trade our firm quite yet . Sure , we ’d done a couple small projects and made a few donation runs , but that was about it . So once our offer was take , it was GO time !
The offer on the new household was take over late one Monday night , and we worked around the clock to get our house show - ready , photographed , and on the marketplace within a couple day . Pruning , mulching , purgation , mystifying cleansing , staging … I was so exhausted , I palpate like I had the influenza the whole time but had to keep push . screening were scheduled all solar day the following Friday and Saturday while Aaron and I sat in the gondola at a green with all three cats and one volaille . That ’s a whole other story , but let ’s just say thank good forNuVita pet CBD(and the human rule too ) !
Our home was on the marketplace for only 4 days , had 21 showing , and 10 go came in . We accept an offer from a mythologic young nature - loving couple the following Monday Nox – precisely one week later . Just as our marketer were special about who purchase their home , we made sure to select a buyer that was die to jazz and apprise our garden , and continue to tend to it ( at least to some extent ) – not some flipper or investor .
In all , we admittedly buy our fresh home during an extreme peak in the grocery , but we also got to deal during the peak , so it ’s not all bad ! Plus , when you ’re talking about line up your forever dreaming home , does resale or likely wear and tear really matter ? Not to us .
What plants or other garden things will you take with you?
It was always the plan toleave all of the raised garden beds , wine-colored barrel , trees , and other in - basis plantings . Those things are part of the landscape painting and ecosystem we ’ve created , and we ’re happy to go forth them for the Modern owner to enjoy ! They belong here . We also decided to allow the glasshouse behind since it ’s securely installed on a concrete block groundwork , but here are some hint onmoving a greenhouseif needed .
Thechicken coopand run was up in the air ( we offered to off it as part of the listing because some may consider it a bit of an eyesore out one of the bedroom windows ) , but we ’re thrilled that they want to keep that too ! Of course , the four chicken peeress are total with us . Our newfangled place already has a turgid coop and enclosed test for them !
The other thing we unquestionably wanted to lend along with us were the decent ceramic potted plants , garden artwork ( like decorative windmills , solar lights , and signs ) , the monarch butterfly stroke enclosure , patio article of furniture , homemade pot workbench , fountain … you know , more personal items . We ’re leaving them our storage sheds and bountiful individual - bay compost bin , but taking the worm bin and compost roller .
Finally , we ’re still attempt to calculate out a biz plan for therainwater collection system . The small 140 - gallon rainwater cooler will stay , as it ’s already all cabbage up and in place . Yet the two large 530 - gallon slimline tank became unsteady ( thanks , gopher ) and have been unplug since last fall . Because we mean to set up a large rain organisation at the new place , we may just sell them before we go .
Things we were looking for in a new property
As few folk have asked what quality we were looking for in a novel homestead . Some things were simply personal taste , but certain face may be helpful for other homestead - hunter to consider as they voyage their journey too !
That sounds like a tall order , right ? verity be told , I was n’t sure we ’d find something that did n’t sacrifice at least one of those things ! I ’m still in shock that we did .
A note on equity and the housing market
I want to acknowledge that we realize how privileged we are to be a white , unbent , Commonwealth of Independent States - gendered couple going through the home buying process . There is a long - standing history of unjust and biased practice in the US housing industriousness . While discrimination based on subspecies , ethnicity , marital status , gender , and/or intimate preference is now illegal , it is still happening ( and is absolutely deplorable ) – from“red - lining”and selecting home purchaser to the loaning physical process and appraisal rates . Yes , we workedreallyhard to get to this place , but the system is also fix up in our favor . Others who also work improbably hard are n’t always so “ prosperous ” . To get a line about this authoritative subject , please readthis articlefrom UC Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute .
Next steps and future plans
So , what ’s next ? You mean , away from packing , moving , picture , cleansing , and unpack ? I need a nap just think about it all . Ha ! In regards to the yard , the first order of business will be planting some some avocado tree tree diagram . Of all our established fruit trees here , we ’ll leave out our avos the most . There is an area along the road that could use a little append concealment , and because tree take the longest to grow in and set about producing , that ’s always a in effect place to get going ! See tips about prefer and planting fruit treeshere , and data about growing Persea Americana specifically inthis guide .
Otherwise , we ’re going totake our time , model back and observe a while . Sure , we ’ll putter , do some pruning , clean up the chicken coop , bring pathways and potted plant , get bird tub set up , arrange the unexampled seed starting room ( I ca n’t want to show you that space … rent ’s just say it ’s a tangible “ trip ” ! ) and other things like that – but we need to watch the sun patterns through the summer , declivity , and into winter before we make any bountiful decisions or consignment in esteem to the primary raised garden layer or nursery areas . A long ton of ground prep and irrigation work needs to be done before we install those too . I make out the planning and translation process ( and remember , it took us over 6 year to get this homestead the way it is now ! ) so I ’m not going to speed it .
In closing , we have tothank you again for your continued love and living ! And if you too are house - hunt and experience discouraged , please do n’t misplace Bob Hope . I know can be bothersome to hear at times , but things do work out the way they ’re supposed to ! As I share some of this journeying on Instagram ( including my frustrations ) , my inbox was flooded with loads of similar stories : of kinfolk who contend to discover the “ right ” place or had numerous rejected offer , some who looked for many month or even years , but all the stories finish the same agency : people ultimately landed in a spot that was even better than they hop-skip for – or more exceptional than the previous ones they ’d “ lost out ” on . A place that felt like house .
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