The Good (Enough), The Bad (Really), and The Ugly (I Love It)

Second day of the new year and my second sunrise, this time as I drove over Bear Cut and the Rickenbacker Causeway. Miami is so beautiful in the morning light. I love this city. But Grant is not willing to buy on Key Biscayne or in any south Florida city, and evidently our landlord is going to need his apartment back next May. Unless we want to live in our car, I must find us a new home.

Up to Orlando and Windemere to meet my new realtor Jodi and look at possibilities. I picked her because she works for a company in downtown Windemere, has lived in the area for more than 20 years, and was a runner. I hope she's up for this marathon.

Little Lake Sawyer 

The Good Enough: two houses side by side on Little Lake Sawyer. The one I looked at had lots of arches, niches, and black counter tops. Ugh. Who really uses spa bathtubs? On the positive side, big screened porch and a dock. Being just houses around a lake and 1/4 mile from a highway means no community. Lakefront is only desirable feature.

The Really Bad: a darling all-cedar cabin built in 1961 with a god-awful second floor (with a spa bathtub!) added later. The smell of old dog made my eyes water. The owner whispered to me that she had sealed all the windows because she was afraid of break-ins. Hmmm, perhaps that was a bad idea.

Our Driveway Redux 

The Ugly: Love it, love it, love it. Too ridiculous to even consider. This is what we just sold: an expensive, unique house in bad shape on the water. Plus it is 2-story and crazy layout. Big lot, lots of trees. Did I mention in bad shape? I love it. My fantasy is that Grant will grudging go along with an insultingly low offer that the owners are desperate enough to take. As the listing realtor said, it's the lot that's for sale, with the house thrown in for free. We can't afford to tear down and build new, but that's what's going to happen. Just like our old house. Maybe it's in good enough shape to live there for a few years, then sell and reap the profits. Or buy a camper and live in the backyard.

By the time I got home at 8:00 PM, I was too exhausted to begin to talk about my day and what I'd seen. Jodi assured me more houses will come on the market since the holidays are over.