Being married to a pilot, I have had to learn some things.  So in the spirit of enlightening you, today, let me make something clear about the front and back of the house and the front and back of the hangar.  

The front of the hangar is the side that opens to the airport.  The back is the side that faces the road and actually faces our best view of the lake.  The front of the house will face the airport runway and the back of the house will face Buccaneer Road.  RIght now we spend a great deal of time looking out our hydraulic hangar door toward the runway.  If there is an airplane that revs its engine, Jack runs to see what kind it is or who it is.  On a nice, sunny and warm day, the first thing Jack wants to do is open the hangar door.  This invites EVERYONE into our lives.  People walk down the runway for exercise.  Planes land and often think we are the FBO (main office for the airport).  So getting a shower, dressing, lounging around in PJs, or even drying my hair are open for the world to enjoy.  

For the next year, our hangar will be a hang-out for our airport neighbors and we love people stopping by.  We will have extra hammers, nail aprons, and tasks to keep people busy when they stop since we must keep moving ahead.  

In the coming months, while we await our building permit approval, we will add a covered patio and storage shed to the back of the hangar.  Today Jack tells me to pick the outside of the colors for the BIG house so we can match the shed and patio to the ultimate house.  IN the next post, I will share some color concepts I am considering…I am a new fan to pinterest.com and to the app HOUZZ.

Until then, don’t get those front and back doors mixed up!

I called two local (local to Moneta, VA) banks yesterday to start the process of getting a construction loan.  Our house is providing no where near what we had hoped 3 years ago in equity!  Jack will be our general contractor and there is a financial bank penalty for what they call a “self-build.”  The rate is about 4.25% right now but I am still sending them all of the documentation they need before we actually talk with them in person.  They want paper copies.  Really?  I don’t do paper statements nor paper tax forms.  I pdf’d the files.

Today is the mechanicals inspection on the house; next week termite and septic inspection.  More hurdles towards closing!  

I went online Saturday to get competitive moving bids.  I have been getting calls and emails all day from moving companies.  So far the prices to move a 4BR house ranges from $4500 to $8500.  But, we need to have storage for our furniture and boxes for up to a year!  The storage units at Smith Mountain Lake are $240 per month and will need at least 2, maybe three!  United and Mayflower provide storage so they will give us an estimate next week.

Yesterday, Jack and I packed, labeled and taped 58 boxes.  That’s a pretty good start.  After a trip this week to Tennessee to do home repairs for Jack’s 87 year old mama, we will really get busy!

We are hosting a fly-in at Smith Mountain Lake Airport May 5th.  Pilots, walkers, drivers, all welcome!  We can show you our site for the house!

We are more than excited that our house is under contract but cautiously optimistic that the Due Diligence date of May 7th will find us equally as happy. Please stay tuned to our quest to have a new beginning.  Karen & Jack