Realtors Don't Like Us

It's ironic since we're in the business, but we're the kind of people realtors don't like.

We've lived in the same house for 25 years.

We probably should have moved about ten years ago when I was recruited for a job with an international energy firm that had its North American headquarters in Andover, MA, just a couple of miles from the New Hampshire border.

The commute was a bear, but Megs was a senior in high school, so moving wouldn't have been fair. I also traveled extensively, which would have left Mari alone in a new home, while trying to establish her real estate footprint in an unfamiliar area.

So, I rented the second bedroom of a basement condo in Chelmsford that was owned by the head of HR at an area software development company. Bill was from Pawtucket and had a similar ugly daily commute. He was on the road a lot too, so sometimes only one of us was there. Many weeks neither of us were.

We had a lot in common from our travels and big jobs at large corporations to talking about Rhode Island. So when we were both at "The Foxy," Bill and I spent the time swapping stories and eating the left overs that our wives sometimes packed for us. {The name of the condo complex was Fox Run hence the nickname, which has a special meaning if you're from Rhode Island.}

Mari and I almost moved about two years ago to one of the few Cape condo complexes on her "if we ever" list. But it didn't work out.

You need to understand, there's nothing remarkable about our home. It's your typical Cape style house: one bedroom down with two up and a bathroom on each floor. There's nothing Cape Cod-ish about our subdivision, either. It could be transplanted to almost anywhere and fit right in. There are no water views and while we're really close to ponds and beaches, none are within walking distance.

Our house sits in the middle of a 1/2 acre corner lot surrounded by trees giving the impression that we have roomy front and  back yards.  There's more than enough space when Mariana is over to play soccer and whiffle ball, as well as practice our chip shots.

Aside from the usual updates and repairs, the only major changes we've made to the house are the new kitchen that Mari did this year and outdoor shower that I've wanted since we arrived. Because we've decided to age in place -- that's the technical term for "we ain't goin' nowhere" --  there are vague plans to turn the first floor bedroom into a master suite.

The average American moves about 11 times. So, why haven't we?

When my parents would visit, my Dad often said that he enjoyed coming because our house was "comfortable." I think that description probably best sums up why we're still there after all these years. Our home is comfortable and at this point contains far too many memories to leave behind.

One of the folksy sayings realtors have when a house has been on the market longer than expected is that the home is "just waiting for its owner."

So, in the case of our little house, I guess that's us.