Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Show Low Project - Before and After

Before:


Jace showed me this beauty on the Internet weeks before we bought it.  And as usual I thought to myself and said to him, "No thanks."  But as we pulled up to the house one sunny late summer day - it came to me.  Yes!  I remember now.  I remember this place.  This neighborhood.  This house.  My childhood.


My sunny childhood took place just down the street from this house.  I rode my bike down this dirt road.  I hid in it's dark places during summertime capture the flag marathons.  I later would speed by this house in my Toyota truck - late for 1st hour English or work at Dairy Queen.  This house very quickly became near and dear and FULL of potential.

You may remember Jace leaving my side and closing the deal on this day.  My newborn baby is now 5 months old.  Mikael and the house have grown and changed so much.

After:


Shall we go over the highlights?  The funky sun room - gone.  Replaced by a two car garage, with a decorative metal garage door (carriage style).  Large, awkward porch roof - gone.  Smaller porch roof over new front door, with rock column bases.  New concrete siding (green!).  Newly poured concrete driveway and sidewalk.  And the dirt road I biked on as a child, is now paved!


We replaced the windows.  Replaced roof shingles.  And added shake shingles and craftsman style braces in the gables.  I'm in love with the lot.  It is over 1/2 an acre and has many mature aspen & pine trees.

Beauty ain't she?

Arizona is full of "ranch style homes."  This is the 4th ranch home we've bought.  They are all built in the 70's.  Flat front exterior.  1 car carport - usually framed in.  Same 3 bedroom/2 bathroom floor plan.  And one long run of low pitched trusses.  The goal every time we tackle one is to add character, and depth, and make the neighbors forget how bad the 70's were.  My handsome contractor and I were not alive in the 70's.  Were you?  Maybe one of you could tell me why every single house built was the built the same?  My Dad told me 7 years ago when we bought our 1st "rancher" that his 1st house was a rancher and that he built it for $29,000.  Whoa!  We couldn't believe it.  We couldn't imagine a world where newly weds could purchase a home for under $100,000.  Maybe the 70's weren't so bad.

Fast forward to 2011.  And the aftermath of a housing market gone bust.

Funny how life repeats itself.

People listen.  This bust market has some real bright spots.  My Show Low house being one of them.  She is for sale.  Get the info here or here. The handsome contractor and I have done all the hard work.  She will not disappoint.  And I will forever be jealous of you and your sunny part of the world.

Come on back for some more amazing interior before and afters.

7 comments:

  1. This new blog is gonna rock! So excited for what's to come!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Seriously?! You would never even know it is the same house. You guys kill me! I'm excited to see the inside and excited about your new blog!

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow i know exactly where that is and i think if i drove down that road today without this information i would have passed out. not even the same house at all. it's beautiful! i have always wanted to renovate a home so i'm looking forward to maybe getting some bravery from your blog.
    p.s. could i get an invite to your other blog?? ashley.broomall(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. You house look Beautiful now! Great job!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. It was so fun to see this on Better After today! I love Lindsey's commentary.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just Beautiful!!! Would never know it is the same place... GREAT Vision on this one...
    (stopping by from Better/After)
    & PS... our 1st house was $29,000... payments were $130. a month, made double payments... which was a lot to us back in the 70's & paid it off in 7 yrs.... Wish I still had that house & those payments : )

    ReplyDelete
  7. My parents bought their house for $28,000 in 1968. It was a lot of money for them then. lol Even though we get paid a lot more now, it's hard to believe that was expensive. The great thing was we didn't live in a tract home. It was totally unique! Lately, I've seen houses like mine around in other parts of Southern California. It makes me nostalgic till I remember that the house was only 900 sq feet.

    ReplyDelete