After 10 Years, We Got Water

It happened last year...

Well over 10 years ago Dr Teri and I purchased a small summer place in southern Delaware.

It was just a small 3-bedroom, 2 bath place with a large sun porch. It was less than a block to the bay. It was, and remains a very quiet and relaxing place. Just something away from home. A simple change of location. It’s great for a weekend get away especially off season and even in the winter.

After 10 years of research and testing, I wrote the majority of my course there. Dr Teri wrote most of her dissertation there too.

However, once we got there, we were always looking for a place right on the water. We wanted bay side. Since it doesn’t get washed away with the storms like an oceanside property.

There were concerns. Two. The initial price and the ongoing maintenance for a 3rd place we weren’t going to be living full time.

Most of the places we were looking at had a price tag of 1 million plus.

We knew that just starting our retirement that we didn’t want to drop that much money into a “summer” place and take on a new mortgage too.

We were looking for a while, off and on. You know how it goes. Sort of hopping that something interesting will just pop up.

Well it did. In early August. I was getting daily Zillow emails. We looked but they didn’t have the water we were looking for. One popped up. It had the water but the house seemed marginal on the listing. It was well under the million dollar price tag that would have closed us out of even considering. We decided to at least take a look.

The water was great. Yes, the house was marginal. But livable. There was an old kitchen. Appliances needed to be replaced and the heating and AC system would need to be replaced at some time along with some of the windows.

We made the decision. Even knowing that it would definitely need some work.

The offer was accepted. No mortgage and in 2.5 weeks total, we closed on a Wednesday at noon and started moving in by 1 PM.

We had our wedding annervisery dinner there that year just a few days after the closing.

Four sliding glass doors that overlook the bay, 10 feet away. A front porch that overlooks the bay and the inlet (200 ft) to a nearby marina.

We didn’t expect this to happen this soon. We're thrilled and grateful.

Preparedness, planning and the right circumstance…

After 10 years we got water and a quiet sunrise.

Dr Fred “focused for retirement” Rouse, CFP

The REAL Money Doctor

PS: The water was our dream. Let me help you get your dream.

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