My town part II...the house

I have been looking at real estate in the city again

so I can be closer to my children.

For around $400,000
I can get a rundown fibro in an area that would be,
in time taken to drive through traffic,
almost as far away as I am now.
It would require a massive renovation
and would then be over priced for the neighbourhood.

Or, I can get a studio apartment in an old hotel
that has been turned into private studio accommodation,
but it would be reasonably close to the kids.

Third choice is moving to the outer area where I could possibly find
an aged two bedroom unit or townhouse…again needing massive renovations.

So what would I be leaving to move to one of these delights?

A house that we fell in love with the minute we walked through the front door,

a large house for two people
but we do have five children and lots of grandchildren
and there was room for all,
well almost!

It has a history that is romantic and fascinating

and for all those 16 years it has watched over us
and embraced us as a family.
It is one of those magic houses
that is a naturally warm and welcoming home

It stands on ½ an acre of,

admittedly, dreadfully overgrown garden
and is 45 squares of double brick Victoriana with 8’ verandahs all round.

Inside, the 14’ ceilings of beautifully patterned Wunderlich metal

give the large rooms a feeling of cosiness as the proportions are beautiful

Most of the rooms run off the 68’ x 6’ hallway
complete with exquisite stained glass doors at either end.

The many marble and timber Victorian fireplaces
are in almost perfect original condition..

Now I am being honest when I say that the kitchens and bathrooms
could do with a rebuild,
but somehow these just fit with the house and we never felt the need to improve.

There are 14 rooms
if you count the outside loo with its black and white tiles and marble step
and the studio that in one of its lives
saw the birth of hundreds of babies that now live all round Australia.
(I have met them in Brisbane and Hobart!!!)

This is all far too big for me
and it is beginning to crumble around the edges
as I can no longer give it the care it deserves
but the asking price is under $400,000!!

How can that compare with City prices?!!!!!