Adventures in Country Property
Three and half years ago my fiancée and I bought a country property in the Russian River area of Sonoma County. We were seeking house in a location that matched our desired lifestyle. We decided to prioritize where we would live over what we would do for work. First, we debated and settled on a criteria list: Privacy – Enough land to buffer us from neighbors Views Natural surroundings for kids to explore Room for a garden Barn to convert to an office Guest house for friends and family Good schools Easy access to Club or Park Walking distance to a trail or town (for coffee!) Nice rural downtown Good grocery store (with quality natural foods) Great restaurants Near good universities Within an hour and half of a major city and airport Close to the Ocean In the end, we got everything except walking distance to town. We settled for a ten minute drive. We choose a fixer-up with the emphasis on fix. Our house was built in 1962 and seemed to have had no maintenance over 40 years. We purchased the six acre property from the family of the original owners, whose mother lived there until her 90s. Given her age and the size of the property, it’s easy to see why she was forced to let the house run down. Our adventure began the moment we started our search on the Internet for land near San Francisco. A listing in Petaluma caught our imagination and off we went to see it. The fit wasn’t there, but the agent ascertained our interests. The next day he took us to the area around Sebastopol which reminded us of our home state of Connecticut. The agent took us down an unmarked lane to the end of the road. The driveway was like a tunnel with a roof of trees. We parked and entered the front door to a jaw-dropping view. We were sold on the spot immediately as emotion overcame us. This could be ours, our hearts sang. No way, our heads said. Trying to approach the decision rationally, we asked several people about the expenses associated with fixing the place. With the information at hand, we were convinced we could do it. I didn’t know at the time that my sources failed me by a factor of 5. Today, the property still brings the same inspiring emotions, with its beauty, unmatched natural setting, and exquisitely fixed-up home. We love it, and we learned the hard way, that fixing up means just that: Fixing it all up. Now, we enjoy it. Here are some things to consider with any country fixer, from our experience: What shape is the well pump and tank in? Do I need new water filtering & treatment to save my clothes and plumbing fixtures? What are the septic requirements for adding a bedroom? What is the heat source? We had electrical and needed to upgrade to propane. Is the plumbing and electrical up to code? What can you salvage? Door knobs, molding, light fixtures, appliances? Are the windows single pane and will you replace them with double pane wood or vinyl? Does the driveway need repaving soon? How does the property handle heavy rains? Will I need to buy a tractor, a chainsaw, and tools galore? Do the trees need pruning? How often? Will I need to hire help for the landscaping? What condition is the roof in? Are there any noticeable leaks?   Ask your neighbors for good trustworthy referrals for the various help you’ll need. Throughout the hard work, keep the goal in mind and remember the feelings that led you to the place originally. The transformation of your environment is more than the transformation of buildings and land—it’s your own transformation as well. As one contractor told us, it is really a privilege to shape your space. It’s even more of a privilege to live there, knowing the part you played in making it a reality.