What happened to the lot you were looking at?

This looks great. What have been some of your in-laws objections in the past?

Ok, you had me at the first photo.

I am not sure if I posted about the swampy one that had been listed for years and years? I was against that one. It's a problem that just can't be fixed.

You are there for the land and the view. That is paramount. Everything else you can deal with. Does the body of water have what you want? Is the location right?

I love love that first photo;total sucker for that kind of thing.

I'm in love with that lot! Where is that located? The house looks like a fun project. I have no idea what's going on with that basement, but I'm sure you can figure out a better way :)

The swampy lot went on the back burner. Plus it was just fate that I drove a nail into my foot when we went to see it again.

My inlaws are used to a certain standard of living and they're not renovators. For them to see the potential in a diamond in the rough is difficult. They also are not really wilderness people, but they do have some dreams of entertaining their friends from around the world at this place. So it has to be a classy summer home. But then again, they're not going to spend TOO much time there so they don't want to sink like, high six figures into it.

They'd be happy to build and so would we if we could find a lot.

Let us photoshop it for them!

I would love that!!

I should also mention that my inlaws are lovely, generous, friendly, not too bossy, not stuck up at all and are great hosts. I really lucked out in that department!

Another view of the pond:

Kitchen, in fairly good shape. Now the dishwasher is installed right next to the stove. The brick behind the stove is real thinsliced brick.

This post was edited by robotropolis on Thu, Nov 20, 14 at 15:57

The basement bedroom/bath issue will be a costly reno due to the support beams running between the stairs. Are there ways to renovate the main floors to add another BR/B? That may be better $ wise.
Don't know where this is but the pond may have been an attempt at dealing with a soggy lot, beware. Pretty but make sure no water issues with the house.
If there are high six figures for a reno, maybe this is better as a tear down. Could you build on this lot? Even on the footprint? New would come with updated hvac, kichen, baths and windows/doors and some insulation in the walls because it doesn't look like there would be much.
Not a professional here but have done the major renovations on many homes and if you're north of 500K $ then consider new.
Land and pond and water views - wow sure is pretty.

Ok, I am a sucker for odd properties with views (but you knew that). The very first house I wanted to buy was actually a stand alone library for another (very grand) house. It was so gorgeous. But it was very goofy and oddly retrofitted. So I confess I have a chequered past.

And then she shows it with a dusting of snow. :::swoon:::

But, other than as a negotiating tool, if you can in fact provide safe egress in a fire, then why do you care that you have to go down to go up? It's a little odd but it isn't like a huge inconvenience. You aren't going thru anyone else's bedroom, are you? Consider it a non-motorized Stairmaster. A better butt in 30 days.

I was thinking if I could renovate the bottom part into a little den then it could be a nice .... Well, nice ish guest suite.

Missy moo thanks for your input! Great things to consider. I believe the basement is really dry but I'm sensitive to the possibility of bad drainage.

If I could even have $200k this could be a slamming cottage, but I have a feeling I'm looking at $100k max reno/spruce up budget which still goes a long way in my area.

Update: took FIL out yesterday and he was equally seduced by the property/the views!!

Found out the cottage and its neighbour share an 11 foot dug well, which is even worse than the well I lived on as a child. So that'll be changed.

Not at offer stage but close!

It looks like there are A LOT of stairs in there. Is that an issue, i.e.: aging in-laws or yourselves or other guests?

Ooooh, Robo!

FILs are tough crowds. They are, unlike, say, me, usually not snookered by pretty vistas over things like wells and roofs and layout. So I am glad that, all in all, he liked it.

I mean, it is a vacation home ... we can be a bit more forgiving can't we?

Good luck whatever you decide!

I warned you in the other thread, Robo - I'll be bringing my canoe!

I love the fireplace.

Thanks!!

I don't really have a further update. We looked at another place yesterday that was a bust. Hope we get to go for this one. Two more hurdles: FIL would like a pre-offer inspection and need MIL's opinion (she's traveling at the moment).

I'm DEFINITELY already at the mental decorating stage. Think I'd just open a can of white paint all over this thing and go from there. Leave the kitchen cabinets pine for that Canadian rustic look and try and convince DH to spring for hardwood throughout (right now it's carpet, lino and laminate).

The darker beams are stained a semi opaque navy blue, not sure I can deal with that. Although it would fit with my idea to do a color scheme inspired by the Hudson's bay blanket (ivory, navy, kelly, cherry, sunflower).

But I could more see all white (I know this interior is 2000% grander than what I'm dealing with)

I agree that no potential for one-level living is a drawback for this place. A ramp could be installed fairly easily between the main floor and the middle bedroom/bathroom. But my inlaws live in large custom home with no main-floor living potential and no elevator so I'm not too concerned about the summer home for them. I find Canadians tend to think less about one level living from what I found on this board -- could be because we're used to multi-level homes due to heating efficiency, or someone else proposed it may be because there's a lot of maintenance with home ownership up here due to the snow. Not sure. Three sets of my grandparents lived into their 80s in multilevel homes (basement laundry).

This post was edited by robotropolis on Mon, Dec 1, 14 at 12:17

Update -- putting an offer in this week. Fingers crossed!

ooh ooh ooh!

I am so excited for you.

Love the Hudson Bay. We had them at our lakehouse and they are a must. Pendleton has gorgeous blankets too. BTW, Lands End makes a washable one just like the one you like, at a good price too...

Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

We just finished building a small weekend lake cottage, and I've been going through decorating withdrawal, so looking forward to your future posts.

We had a weekend log cabin we sold a few years ago,and had a Hudson Bay blanket in the MB. I purchased a set of 1930s Winold Reiss Indian prints, several of which feature the HB blanket, and framed them for the MB. I used the ones featuring children in the kids' loft, along with Pendleton blankets. Pendletons are beautiful, like mtn stated above.

I loved them all, and wanted to reuse them in the new place, but they just didn't fit.

Can't wait for your next update!

I guess it passed FIL's inspection and MIL approved. I hope you get it.

Robotropolis, that looks like a fantastic place with lots of fab mcm potential, great looking lot and view! Hope the offer goes well, fingers crossed.

I found a few HBC blankets on kijiji, just had them dry cleaned. Great deals for gorgeous vintage real hbc blankets. I love 'em. (Even my oven mitts at the cottage are HBC!)

This canoe would look great on that lake! ;)