A Dream Come True

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 I grew up with a father, uncles and cousins whom all built homes for a living.  I grew up in two different homes. I was brought home from the hospital, in 1977, into a newly constructed home by my father and family. At 13 I moved into our newly constructed home by my father, designed by both my mother and father. In 1997, I transferred to a University where I lived in dorms and remodeled apartments. After college I lived in new apartments or updated homes. I tell you all this so you know that newer homes were my norm.
 Historical or older homes had always intriqued me. From the history they held within their walls and of things of times past. But in my mid-thirties I fell in love with historical homes. A friend had purchased a historical home in a neighboring city.  Her home was lisited as one of the historical homes you could tour during the annual town festival. I spent many days enjoying the quantness and youniquness of her home. She did have a few modern touches in her decor. But for the most part she had antiques and younique pieces.
 During this time I was married. So when it came time for us to start looking for a house to buy I did not start searching for the newer constructed modern homes as most would. I searched for older homes full of charm. We found an older quant home just outside of downtown. It still had the sidewalks that ran past the ball parks, parks and then down into downtown. However, this house's inspection did not meet our standards. We, also, looked at newer built homes. We went into an unexpected bidding war on one. Since we were not 100% sure this was the house for us. We left our bid at our offer price. We left it up to fate. We lost the bid by only $1000. Two years later, 2014, I became a single woman again. So it seemed our house hunting failures were a good thing. Some would say it was meant to be.

The years following, 2014, I had roommates. I even rented my sisters basement apartment. During those next few years I wanted my own place. But I was and I am still not in a position to want to buy and know I want to live in my small home town forever. So the search for a small rental home at a very decent rental price began. Those were very hard to come by. Once one came available it was rented instantly.
At the beginning of 2018 my searching went from browsing to a full on search. I reached out to friends, business owners who are friends of mine whom had rentals. Then I ask them did they know of anyone whom had rentals. At this point in time I was not particularly looking for a historical home. I was just looking for my own little home to rent.
I was at a friends one day that had just moved into her house a few months prior. I noticed a cute little older home next door to her. It looked vacant and the grass was real high. This friend was actually renting from a friend and local business owner. I went by his business to ask him if he had any possible rentals available. He did not. I asked him about the house I saw vacant next to his rental. He informed me that the owner was actually a lady I knew very well. I had actually contacted her about her rentals several times over the past few months. She had never mentioned this home and it had been vacant at least for a year.
Then that is when it all begin to fall into place. I called the owner of the older home. Ask her about the house I was interested in. She said yes they were wanting to rent it again. That an elderly lady that had lived there previously had contacted them wanting to move back in. That she would talk to her husband and find out for sure.
So on the next afternoon I called her back. She said she did not believe her husband had heard from the lady. But wanted to make sure.
I found out during this coversation that this house was very special to the owner. Her aunt lived in the house when she was a young girl. She remembers playing on the front porch and sidewalks, etc..
After one year of renting the home after she and her husband purchased it. They came up with very strict guidelines for possible tenants. Trying to keep a historical home in good shape as a rental property is not an easy task. The guidelines include; The renter must be single, must not have any childen nor pets. That pretty much characterises an eldely female. Which is whom they had rented to previously.
I met all the guidelines except one. I was not elderly. I told the owner, my long time aquantance, that I can understand her position on renting the house. That people these days do not take care of anything especially if it is not theirs. But my daddy and most of my family built homes. We remodeled homes we did not tear them up. That if she gave me the opportunity she would not be disappointed. She did share with me that the the reason the elderly lady had moved out before was to move in with her son so he could take care of her. That she did not think the lady would really be able to move back in. She even said, after our long conversation, that she thought the house would be the perfect fit for me.
She told me to give her until to tomorrow evening to find out if the other lady wanted it. If not she saw no reason why I could not rent it.
The next 24 hours seemed like the longest 24 hours of my life. But I finally got the call. The other lady did not want it and it was mine if I wanted it. Tears welled up in my eyes as I was thanking her and said Yes I want it!! I had yet to see the inside. But I had seen so many houses in my price range. I knew this was a good one. She gave me a way to go in and look. I was by myself at night. I walked in through the carport entrance that went directly into the sunroom. From the sunroom I walked through original french doors onto refinished hardwood floors in the formal dining room. I stopped right there threw my hands up in the air and thanked God for my dreams and many prayers coming to pass. I was the new tenant of my very own 1920's historical home in my small town!

Please be on the look out for many more post to come as I furnish, decorate and update this beautiful 1920's home. I want it to be an experience when someone walks into this home. I want it to be like they are stepping back in time.
Please stayed tuned...until next time ~ @the-melisha