Tuesday Night and thoughts about Debt
What to write about? What to write? How about a quote I heard the other day - "Character has repaid more loans than collateral ever will." I like that line - because I know from experience how easy it would have been over the past few years just to walk away from some of the debts I accrued while learning the ropes - definitely some of those debts had no investment value, and were just wrong decisions or experiments that then needed to be paid off - slowing down the progress, threatening the viability of the good decisions, making the day to day effort that much harder. But I guess it's like the runner or exerciser who refuses to stop and take a breath, because by not giving in to the idea of stopping, then the idea eventually goes away, and you are a better runner. Or in a case like mine, by paying the bills, even when it kind of painful and half the time not even fully earned by the half-assed contractors I've had to use over the years, for some reason I always felt the need and found a way to repay my obligations, that were, in the end, byproducts of decisions I made - That's the funny thing about a credit score or credit history - it's accurate - there are two types of people - those who over the years figured out a way to pay for things they bought, or those at some point, had priorities that trumped a previous debt committment. It's all especially relevant now that banks that overlooked that old adage - that 'character has repaid much more money than collateral ever will' - are relearning it, and the banks and lenders who never forgot it, like our local bank I use The First National Bank of Jeffersonville, look especially prescient - just a few short years ago they looked stodgy and lost in the past. The old rabbit and hare story - and this little rural bank has survived 2 world wars, a depression and dozen or so business cycles. Now that's a good story. They loaned me my first real estate dollar, and has grown with me every step of the way - sometimes me pushing them to help me more, and sometimes them pushing me to bite off a little more. Me, - I never thought I would be borrowing and repaying hundreds of thousands of dollars a month - but I have never lost my respect for debt both as a potential friend and a potential enemy.
Preliminary Pics of New Masterpieces
It's been a beautiful, quintessential and glorious Catskills autumn for many reasons - the birth of my son, the weather has been out of this world, and all of future homeowners are more convinced than ever that they need an escape from that crazy world out there. Call me crazy, but we are building 6 or 7 houses at the moment, and a true test of putting my money where my mouth is - we are starting 3 new cottages in November - spec homes, ready for the spring (spec homes mean without a preordained owner). I am starting to smell the woodstoves burning in the morning and evening. Some Pics - Albert's farm on the hill. 10 acres, barn, house, stone walls, and now we are designing a garage for the cars and lawnmowers.
And here is Cottage 15 - 1100 sq ft, 2 bedrooms, living room, fireplace, 2 full baths, and this great wrap-around porch. Really coming together now that the porch has taken shape. Big ass bleacher steps out front for drinking the forties.
Side view on a Saturday morning -
Other side view - This color, which shall remain secret - is perfect for this cottage - where simplicity reigns, and modesty and subtlety rule the day.
And Cottage 9, with the exterior paintined a soft beigey color, which is set off by the main cedar tone roof, and what will be a rustic red metal porch roof.
The floors just got stained, and the interiors will be mostly finished by the end of the month. Stained window trim, stained doors, stained crown mouldings and an old school brick fireplace in this here beauty.
Bedroom, with the cathedral dormer wood stained, in contrast to the painted walls and ceilings.
Exterior stone steps, salvaged and found on the property.
And the 100 yr old stone wall complimenting and softening all this newness.
All in all, this land and house combo is probably the steal of a lifetime, because it is frickin perfect. I probably could sell it 14 times by Christmas. All for now. Have a nice weekend.
9.2 lbs, 22 inches long - 10-11-08
Lucas Richard Petersheim has arrived. Bare assed and happy, his big feet didn't even fit onto the footprint certification (you know what they say about big feet!).
Right after birth...
From the baby room to Lisa's 'suite'.
His first road trip.
Crazy Ruby in the baby thing.
And with his official Catskill Farms onesy.
Houses We Build
The Cottage at Highland Farms. Big Windows.
Double barn doors in the office.
Very cool black tile with white for the fireplace.
Since I am going to be out of commission for a few days or so while we bring a little baby boy into this cruel and confused world, I thought I'd do a post so you all don't forget about me.
I love this house - Cottage 7 - and the more it sits there aging gracefully, the better it looks to me. Grass growing in, red door, leaves falling on the walkways and drives.
And here is Cottage 15, now that we slapped on the green tone ('thicket') paint. On the inside we are just finishing the sheetrock.
And here's the roof installation of Cottage 13. That will be finished today. Dean the owner plans a trip for this weekend to check it out.
And a nice autumn picture of Bella Drive. Amazingly, this project was only getting started last year, and now the four houses are complete, and the owners moved in.
And Cottage 9, the next house on the schedule to close. Hopefully by Thanksgiving. Painting inside and out, and the floor staining begins next week.
Cottage 14 is moving right along, with the blue roof, windows in, electric and plumbing done and the insulation starting today.
Interior is lofty and open.
This cathedral space is the kitchen, which should make for some heavenly dinners.
