My lifelong wish to live on an island of my very own is finally coming true! I never thought I would be able to afford it. However, the one bright side of the previous year’s wild weather is that a lot of damaged homes are up for purchase at a steal. My main goal for the house I was purchasing was it had to be on its own island. I always wanted the house to still be on the foundation and stable enough to walk through. In short, I wanted the bones to still be in good shape. The house I finally found is everything I wanted, though part of this is on a technicality. The house is not the only one on the island, but it is the only one inhabited. The land permits were denied halfway through building, so the property is owned but virtually unusable. The house I bought on the other side of the island has one major problem–its been abandoned for two years. This means it needs a lot of things totally gutted, one of which includes the heating and air conditioning system. But I was able to have this cost calculated by an HVAC contractor who walked through the property for me, and thusly removed it from the asking price. That house had been on the market for so long they accepted my offer immediately! I’m using the restoration process as an opportunity to make the house more environmentally friendly by putting in a heating and air conditioning system with a high SEER rating that doesn’t use any ductwork. The ductless mini split heat pump will require less maintenance, and thusly stand up better to Mother Nature. I can’t wait to finish my dream home.
