Scott heard preliminary feedback from our banker today, and it seems that it would be a stretch for the bank to float this dream in the next year's time frame. This is good, in my opinion. I've been following the news, and have been feeling uneasy about the national and world financial scene.
We have always said to one another that the bank would provide a major indicator of the wisdom of this scheme. So, now we have an answer--at least for now--and will be looking for a rental for the next 12-24 months. :D Our top choice is a lovely house on Upper College Terrace in Frederick City. We're discussing plans as to how this home might be a real center of ministry for us all, and a lovely home setting for us for the foreseeable future. I'm so grateful for clear direction, and for God's grace in focusing our attention on ministry first, then home to facilitate that ministry. I can so see Scott hosting a plethora of college students in a home that is roomy and walking distance from our home. Now, we'll see if the Lord keeps this home open for us through January. We need to clear one more financial hurtle before applying, and then it will be time for prayers that God will send a sub-lessor for our townhouse here in Montgomery Village.
"It's a mystery, Shakespeare, and you know how mysteries make me feel..."
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Exploring alternatives
Well, since the last post, we've been exploring alternatives, back-up options, and interim housing. (This last is almost a certain necessity, for we will have to live somewhere while the Phoenix House is built, if all goes forward.) Looking hard at alternate settings (in Frederick City, and/or other acreage that might give us the opportunity to build a homeschool center without bulldozing and getting zoning permission, for instance) has only served to strongly affirm our desires to go forward with this Phoenix Project in Braddock Heights.
As we have talked realistically about negatives concerning Phoenix (the work of a large property, being out in the country, etc.), more and more positives emerge in counterpoint. We've talked at length, for instance, about the work involved. As a result, we have conceived of ways to do work-study programs, and how to organize large, periodic work days. As we talked about the fact that the homeschool center as a place for co-ops to meet would be somewhat limited (after all, class sizes are not large), we have thought of families in various stages of life that we could serve while forwarding our homeschooling vision.
We now picture a true community center, with the yard and basement of the house devoted to activities for younger kids--like, in the basement, a leggo station, a book-reading nook, a dress-up chest, mirror, and tiny theater for amateur theatrics, a craft area (over a cement floor) with a table and some easels complete with Tempra paints and smocks, etc. :D Perhaps we'd have a small space in the basement devoted to sleeping babes, with portable baby monitors that moms could take up to the verandas.
Meanwhile, the outside is shaping up in our minds, too. We're thinking of lots of old-fashioned games: horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, hopscotch, tether ball, badminton/volley ball nets, tire swings, and an amazing Victorian tree house. On the other side of the house, we envision a pergola over top of a picnic table for outside picnic lunching for moms/kids and for Lampstand Press employees.
The whole vision is that the center will be a hangout and drop in spot for young moms who want to fellowship with one another, get a vision for homeschooling, grab a shoulder to cry on, or simply change their four walls for awhile. Thus, it can be used all of the days of the week, not just co-op days, and embrace young mothers of preschoolers as well as older ones who want group classes for their kids. And separate from both of these is the vision of an experimental farm on the back 8 acres, in conjunction with the K-12 science curriculum that Scott wants to develop.
What emerges is a center that will, we hope, serve the entire community of homeschoolers and homeschool wannabes (or even, those who are just curious about home schooling). The idea is to do nothing that can't be duplicated in private homes nationwide. We hope to give Phoenix House a lovely Victorian decor, inside and out, and serve tea on the veranda many days that will refresh the spirits of busy homeschooling moms, while their kids are engaged in wholesome fun and work--physical and academic. :D
It's getting to be a lovely vision... now to see if the Lord will enable us to fulfill our daydreams!
As we have talked realistically about negatives concerning Phoenix (the work of a large property, being out in the country, etc.), more and more positives emerge in counterpoint. We've talked at length, for instance, about the work involved. As a result, we have conceived of ways to do work-study programs, and how to organize large, periodic work days. As we talked about the fact that the homeschool center as a place for co-ops to meet would be somewhat limited (after all, class sizes are not large), we have thought of families in various stages of life that we could serve while forwarding our homeschooling vision.
We now picture a true community center, with the yard and basement of the house devoted to activities for younger kids--like, in the basement, a leggo station, a book-reading nook, a dress-up chest, mirror, and tiny theater for amateur theatrics, a craft area (over a cement floor) with a table and some easels complete with Tempra paints and smocks, etc. :D Perhaps we'd have a small space in the basement devoted to sleeping babes, with portable baby monitors that moms could take up to the verandas.
Meanwhile, the outside is shaping up in our minds, too. We're thinking of lots of old-fashioned games: horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, hopscotch, tether ball, badminton/volley ball nets, tire swings, and an amazing Victorian tree house. On the other side of the house, we envision a pergola over top of a picnic table for outside picnic lunching for moms/kids and for Lampstand Press employees.
The whole vision is that the center will be a hangout and drop in spot for young moms who want to fellowship with one another, get a vision for homeschooling, grab a shoulder to cry on, or simply change their four walls for awhile. Thus, it can be used all of the days of the week, not just co-op days, and embrace young mothers of preschoolers as well as older ones who want group classes for their kids. And separate from both of these is the vision of an experimental farm on the back 8 acres, in conjunction with the K-12 science curriculum that Scott wants to develop.
What emerges is a center that will, we hope, serve the entire community of homeschoolers and homeschool wannabes (or even, those who are just curious about home schooling). The idea is to do nothing that can't be duplicated in private homes nationwide. We hope to give Phoenix House a lovely Victorian decor, inside and out, and serve tea on the veranda many days that will refresh the spirits of busy homeschooling moms, while their kids are engaged in wholesome fun and work--physical and academic. :D
It's getting to be a lovely vision... now to see if the Lord will enable us to fulfill our daydreams!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Weekend discussions
By now, in the advice-gathering process, several people have voiced the same concern: do you really want to take on 9 acres at your stage of life?
Christy and Scott believe that we can and should harness homeschool kid power to help run this center as we get older. They reason that, if it is a homeschool center that benefits the community, then we can offer two forms of "payment" for the use/benefits there.
1. We can establish a fee: either tuition for classes taught or a small fee for groups using the facility itself, if moms are doing the teaching.
2. Families can choose whether to contribute to the center in dollars or labor.
The administrator of Lampstand Press can keep track of all of the labor exchanges, and our book keeper can charge families for dollar payments. What remains is that there will need to be work crew leaders for cleaning/maintaining the ground floor and the gardens/yard immediately around the house (1+ acre).
For those of you who are following along and who live in the Frederick homeschooling community, what do you think? Would people opt for helping out (cleaning/maintaining the downstairs of the homeschooling center house and maintaining the lawn/gardens of the 1+ acre yard) or would they be most likely to pay class tuition or use fees for the center in dollars? If it's a split, what kind of split? 50/50? Give us a guess!
Christy and Scott believe that we can and should harness homeschool kid power to help run this center as we get older. They reason that, if it is a homeschool center that benefits the community, then we can offer two forms of "payment" for the use/benefits there.
1. We can establish a fee: either tuition for classes taught or a small fee for groups using the facility itself, if moms are doing the teaching.
2. Families can choose whether to contribute to the center in dollars or labor.
The administrator of Lampstand Press can keep track of all of the labor exchanges, and our book keeper can charge families for dollar payments. What remains is that there will need to be work crew leaders for cleaning/maintaining the ground floor and the gardens/yard immediately around the house (1+ acre).
For those of you who are following along and who live in the Frederick homeschooling community, what do you think? Would people opt for helping out (cleaning/maintaining the downstairs of the homeschooling center house and maintaining the lawn/gardens of the 1+ acre yard) or would they be most likely to pay class tuition or use fees for the center in dollars? If it's a split, what kind of split? 50/50? Give us a guess!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Off to the bank!
Well, after HOURS of work, Scott took all the Sandy Spring forms off to the bank. Mostly, this falls under the heading of "getting our affairs in order." We aren't really moving forward with the project yet. More, we've given them a detailed picture of our current finances, and projections for this coming year, and will sit down with them in January and discuss their perspectives on our current loans, line of credit, deposit for future purchases, etc.
I'm so PROUD of Scott: he really put a lot of time into the proposals and summaries, and was detailed and thorough. I think that, no matter what, this was a great step forward for anything we do in the real estate realm next year. THREE CHEERS FOR SCOTT!!!
I'm so PROUD of Scott: he really put a lot of time into the proposals and summaries, and was detailed and thorough. I think that, no matter what, this was a great step forward for anything we do in the real estate realm next year. THREE CHEERS FOR SCOTT!!!
Diligently slogging
Scott is diligently slogging through paperwork for the bank. He's run into some serious roadblocks: his Quickin data seemed utterly lost from a year ago backwards, and there were hours of discouragement there, but God graciously led him to a back door by which he could access it. HOURS are going into applications for the bank.
Meanwhile, I've put in a call to Haven Builders, who will take a floor plan from a customer and (in most cases) can create a modular build from it. What we're hoping is that, if we get a loan, the building process could be significantly shortened and simplified by using modular construction. I've yet to hear back from a technical professional, but the receptionist made encouraging remarks.
Meanwhile, I've put in a call to Haven Builders, who will take a floor plan from a customer and (in most cases) can create a modular build from it. What we're hoping is that, if we get a loan, the building process could be significantly shortened and simplified by using modular construction. I've yet to hear back from a technical professional, but the receptionist made encouraging remarks.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Building our time line
Today, we've been talking and building our time line, vis a vis the ebb and flow of finances associated with our seasonal business.
Given the fact that I'll finish writing Tapestry in mid-February, it seems prudent to us to offer on the land in late February or early March, and to concurrently put our rented townhouse on the market to find someone to take over our lease, so that we can move up to Frederick. The idea would be to offer a contingent contract on the 9 acre Phoenix lot. Contingencies would involve gaining financing and county approvals with a window of up to six months to close, putting us--if we overcome all obstacles--at the end of August beginning a build, or--if we run into insurmountable odds--looking for an existing alternate property, or simply staying put in the rental.
The Phoenix Project will take a us year to eighteen months all told to work through the process and build the house, sink or swim, and we'd rather be among our new church members than remote down here, so we're thinking that we'll be looking for a no-lease situation (ideally in Braddock Heights, but possibly elsewhere up there) that can accommodate us and our girls coming and going until Phoenix is built.
If, by August, we find that Phoenix is not feasible (no county approval, not enough money, problems building, or whatever) then with a no-lease rental we can look for an existing "plan B" property.
We'd love feedback on these ideas! Post a comment or email us privately: it's why we're thinking out loud here!
Given the fact that I'll finish writing Tapestry in mid-February, it seems prudent to us to offer on the land in late February or early March, and to concurrently put our rented townhouse on the market to find someone to take over our lease, so that we can move up to Frederick. The idea would be to offer a contingent contract on the 9 acre Phoenix lot. Contingencies would involve gaining financing and county approvals with a window of up to six months to close, putting us--if we overcome all obstacles--at the end of August beginning a build, or--if we run into insurmountable odds--looking for an existing alternate property, or simply staying put in the rental.
The Phoenix Project will take a us year to eighteen months all told to work through the process and build the house, sink or swim, and we'd rather be among our new church members than remote down here, so we're thinking that we'll be looking for a no-lease situation (ideally in Braddock Heights, but possibly elsewhere up there) that can accommodate us and our girls coming and going until Phoenix is built.
If, by August, we find that Phoenix is not feasible (no county approval, not enough money, problems building, or whatever) then with a no-lease rental we can look for an existing "plan B" property.
We'd love feedback on these ideas! Post a comment or email us privately: it's why we're thinking out loud here!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Is it too much?
We have started the process of seeking counsel, and one stop on that road is my Mom. Yesterday we had the opportunity to visit with her about this, and her concerns gave us food for thought. She wondered:
1. Whether, in this uncertain economy, it was wise to assume a large debt.
2. Whether, at our phase of life (kids gone, no need to homeschool ourselves, and aging issues ahead in the not-so-distant future) it was wise/necessary to take on a large property that needed energy (heat/light, but also physical care) to maintain.
3. Whether a smaller, cheaper home from which we could sally forth to do ministry, rather than hosting others in order to interact, might not be wisest.
All of these were valid questions that we'll need to explore. Our initial thoughts in return are these:
1. We do want to be prudent in the economy, but we do need some place to live and to house the business. Shouldering this debt would amount to less than the sum of the payments we now make in two places (i.e. our rented townhouse and our rented warehouse space).
2. Certainly, God has not yet ever called us to manage a substantial landed estate. We've had large houses that we've filled with God's people and events that glorified Him, but never maintained land or done farming. Also, the economy is uncertain, and this unique property would be more difficult than some to resell.
3. This is a good point, and has much wisdom to offer. Without children of our own, and laying aside combining the business with our home, do we NEED to be the hosts for whatever God has for us to do in Frederick? We're not sure.
As we said, the slowdown in our forward progress gives us time to process and ask advice, and we're grateful for it. :D
1. Whether, in this uncertain economy, it was wise to assume a large debt.
2. Whether, at our phase of life (kids gone, no need to homeschool ourselves, and aging issues ahead in the not-so-distant future) it was wise/necessary to take on a large property that needed energy (heat/light, but also physical care) to maintain.
3. Whether a smaller, cheaper home from which we could sally forth to do ministry, rather than hosting others in order to interact, might not be wisest.
All of these were valid questions that we'll need to explore. Our initial thoughts in return are these:
1. We do want to be prudent in the economy, but we do need some place to live and to house the business. Shouldering this debt would amount to less than the sum of the payments we now make in two places (i.e. our rented townhouse and our rented warehouse space).
2. Certainly, God has not yet ever called us to manage a substantial landed estate. We've had large houses that we've filled with God's people and events that glorified Him, but never maintained land or done farming. Also, the economy is uncertain, and this unique property would be more difficult than some to resell.
3. This is a good point, and has much wisdom to offer. Without children of our own, and laying aside combining the business with our home, do we NEED to be the hosts for whatever God has for us to do in Frederick? We're not sure.
As we said, the slowdown in our forward progress gives us time to process and ask advice, and we're grateful for it. :D
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Rusty's story
One of the neighbors that we met while visiting the property on Dec. 1, Paula, had lived in Braddock Heights for 20 years. We met her as she was on her nightly ramble with her dog. She said, "The man who used to live here used to have three white crosses on his lawn. I remember saying to my friend, 'boy, he's really religious.' My friend looked uneasy and said, 'I don't think he's that kind of Christian.'"
Last night we went to Care Group and shared our desire to purchase this property. One of our Care Group members, Rusty, piped up. He said, "I can tell you about that house. I used to deliver pizza there. The old man who lived there had a couch by the door on the right, and a TV on the other side. And he lived on the couch. From behind this front area, there was just tons of garbage piled up. He had paths through it to the kitchen and to the bathroom, and that was it."
Rusty then said, "As a pizza delivery boy, I was never on time, or the pizza was never hot enough, or the right kind, and of course there was never a tip! Forget it. The guy was a mean, nasty individual. He was also a Grand Poobah, or something, in the KKK. One time, in my 20's, I heard that there was going to be a cross burned up there. I decided to go and see, 'cause I'd never seen the ritual. As they were getting ready to burn the cross, though, God's Spirit told me not to watch the cross burning. I turned away, even though I really wanted to look."
Finally, he said, "Later, I passed the house one day. There was something to indicate that the man had died. I remember praying and an idea welled up in my heart, 'Lord, wouldn't it be grand if someday that old house was torn down and something good that glorified You were built in its place?' "
We were all pretty quiet. Scott and I felt encouraged. Scott has personal experience with the KKK. When he was 2 years old, they burned a cross on his lawn. Later, they ran his father out of town: Jim Somerville was a pastor who would not join the White Citizen's Council in his town and spent more time ministering to his black congregation than his white one, which made him a nigger lover. As a result, the family spent one memorable winter in an unheated cabin in NC, truly a shaping experience. What Scott remembers is that his dad was not cowed by the KKK; what I know is that Jim Somerville has a deep and passionate love for blacks who are denied their civil rights, or in truth any oppressed person.
It seems that God may be answering Rusty's prayer (or sense) for that old house from years ago through us. If not through us, we sure know that God has not forgotten what has gone on there in the past, and He has plans for the Phoenix house in the future!
Last night we went to Care Group and shared our desire to purchase this property. One of our Care Group members, Rusty, piped up. He said, "I can tell you about that house. I used to deliver pizza there. The old man who lived there had a couch by the door on the right, and a TV on the other side. And he lived on the couch. From behind this front area, there was just tons of garbage piled up. He had paths through it to the kitchen and to the bathroom, and that was it."
Rusty then said, "As a pizza delivery boy, I was never on time, or the pizza was never hot enough, or the right kind, and of course there was never a tip! Forget it. The guy was a mean, nasty individual. He was also a Grand Poobah, or something, in the KKK. One time, in my 20's, I heard that there was going to be a cross burned up there. I decided to go and see, 'cause I'd never seen the ritual. As they were getting ready to burn the cross, though, God's Spirit told me not to watch the cross burning. I turned away, even though I really wanted to look."
Finally, he said, "Later, I passed the house one day. There was something to indicate that the man had died. I remember praying and an idea welled up in my heart, 'Lord, wouldn't it be grand if someday that old house was torn down and something good that glorified You were built in its place?' "
We were all pretty quiet. Scott and I felt encouraged. Scott has personal experience with the KKK. When he was 2 years old, they burned a cross on his lawn. Later, they ran his father out of town: Jim Somerville was a pastor who would not join the White Citizen's Council in his town and spent more time ministering to his black congregation than his white one, which made him a nigger lover. As a result, the family spent one memorable winter in an unheated cabin in NC, truly a shaping experience. What Scott remembers is that his dad was not cowed by the KKK; what I know is that Jim Somerville has a deep and passionate love for blacks who are denied their civil rights, or in truth any oppressed person.
It seems that God may be answering Rusty's prayer (or sense) for that old house from years ago through us. If not through us, we sure know that God has not forgotten what has gone on there in the past, and He has plans for the Phoenix house in the future!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Pictures!
Here are some shots from the ground at the property. You can click on any of the still shots if you want to see them bigger. Click on the "play" button to view video clips.
Here are shots of the burned out house that gives the project its name.
Below, you can see the old garage behind the house that has a dirt pit under it and a totally caved-in roof. (I envision a carriage house with an arts center in its place someday.) In the foreground of the first of these two shots is the parking area would be located.
The first video below is a panorama while standing on the front porch of the property. It shows the street and a peek of the view of Middletown Valley that would be stunning from the second/third floors of a house we'd build, and still nice enough in winter from the veranda.
Next is a video that shows a 360 degree pan of the front yard and neighbors. The firehouse is the long low yellowish brick building to the left of the house as you face the property that's the first shot of this video, then the Phoenix house, then, on its right is the Montessouri School building (which we think has gone bankrupt). Then you'll see the nice Victorian homes that face us across the street.
Here's a video of the back 8 acres. The houses you see first are existing neighbors. The green space is the start of the acreage, that goes WAY back. (What's not readily apparent is that from the main house, you'll be looking over these trees to Sugarloaf and associated hills in the background.) It's a lovely view.
And here's lastly, here's another video, this time a glimpse of the long "hidden valley" that's part of the back acreage (a southeastern exposure sloped rather steeply) that runs the length of the east side of the lot.
Stills of the back acreage:
Below are the building sites for the two lots behind the house. Confusingly, the fire house (already built) sits on Lot 1 (subdivided off the then 10-acre farm). The burned-out house is on Lot 2.
This is the site where one would build a house on Lot 3, if we ever subdivided (currently not the plan):
And this is the site for Lot 4, again, only if we ever subdivided:
Both of these face a nice steep slope down into the valley.
Here are shots of the burned out house that gives the project its name.
Below, you can see the old garage behind the house that has a dirt pit under it and a totally caved-in roof. (I envision a carriage house with an arts center in its place someday.) In the foreground of the first of these two shots is the parking area would be located.
The first video below is a panorama while standing on the front porch of the property. It shows the street and a peek of the view of Middletown Valley that would be stunning from the second/third floors of a house we'd build, and still nice enough in winter from the veranda.
Next is a video that shows a 360 degree pan of the front yard and neighbors. The firehouse is the long low yellowish brick building to the left of the house as you face the property that's the first shot of this video, then the Phoenix house, then, on its right is the Montessouri School building (which we think has gone bankrupt). Then you'll see the nice Victorian homes that face us across the street.
Here's a video of the back 8 acres. The houses you see first are existing neighbors. The green space is the start of the acreage, that goes WAY back. (What's not readily apparent is that from the main house, you'll be looking over these trees to Sugarloaf and associated hills in the background.) It's a lovely view.
And here's lastly, here's another video, this time a glimpse of the long "hidden valley" that's part of the back acreage (a southeastern exposure sloped rather steeply) that runs the length of the east side of the lot.
Stills of the back acreage:
Below are the building sites for the two lots behind the house. Confusingly, the fire house (already built) sits on Lot 1 (subdivided off the then 10-acre farm). The burned-out house is on Lot 2.
This is the site where one would build a house on Lot 3, if we ever subdivided (currently not the plan):
And this is the site for Lot 4, again, only if we ever subdivided:
Both of these face a nice steep slope down into the valley.
Slowing down
Well, reality set in yesterday. It's all about finances.
Mike Acton (Sandy Spring) has said that the bank looks on raw land purchases differently than finished builds in terms of collateral. We have 75K in the bank that he has in the past assured us we can use for a downpayment on a home, but when Scott approached him recently, he said that the bank values raw land differently because it's harder to sell if we default. (In a way, that's good. Maybe our Phoenix lot is hard to sell to others, too?)
Furthermore, he advised Scott that we couldn't renew or convert our business line of credit (which must be reviewed in February 2010 at the latest) before the new year. They want year-end numbers before they do a review.
Since other things at work were rather discouraging yesterday, and I was generally so tired from all the excitement of life and the search for land in general, we did nothing on the Phoenix Project yesterday but communicate to Elizabeth that we are slowing down and won't be putting in an offer of any kind before February 1.
This is a good thing. It gives us time to cool down and consider all aspects of the project. We can approach various counselors and get their considered opionions on the costs and ministry focus. It gives us time to visit a planning board meeting before actually needing to present there, meet neighbors and lobby for the project, and hone our financial picture.
I also feel calm peace knowing that God can remove this property from the scene by having someone else buy it out from under us if it's not His will. :D I like giving God room to close doors as much as I like walking through open ones. So, we wait, we pray, and we work at a comfortable pace. Wow, we must be growing up!
Mike Acton (Sandy Spring) has said that the bank looks on raw land purchases differently than finished builds in terms of collateral. We have 75K in the bank that he has in the past assured us we can use for a downpayment on a home, but when Scott approached him recently, he said that the bank values raw land differently because it's harder to sell if we default. (In a way, that's good. Maybe our Phoenix lot is hard to sell to others, too?)
Furthermore, he advised Scott that we couldn't renew or convert our business line of credit (which must be reviewed in February 2010 at the latest) before the new year. They want year-end numbers before they do a review.
Since other things at work were rather discouraging yesterday, and I was generally so tired from all the excitement of life and the search for land in general, we did nothing on the Phoenix Project yesterday but communicate to Elizabeth that we are slowing down and won't be putting in an offer of any kind before February 1.
This is a good thing. It gives us time to cool down and consider all aspects of the project. We can approach various counselors and get their considered opionions on the costs and ministry focus. It gives us time to visit a planning board meeting before actually needing to present there, meet neighbors and lobby for the project, and hone our financial picture.
I also feel calm peace knowing that God can remove this property from the scene by having someone else buy it out from under us if it's not His will. :D I like giving God room to close doors as much as I like walking through open ones. So, we wait, we pray, and we work at a comfortable pace. Wow, we must be growing up!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Lots of forward motion!
Yesterday, Scott and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. Yay! Before we went to the beautiful Stone Manor bed and breakfast (we had the Gardenia Suite), we visited the Frederick County Courthouse. (Elizabeth Valance, our realtor said that "some people start out a marriage at the Court House, or end it there. It's great you want to explore just for the fun of it! Congratulations and Happy Sleuthing!" SO cute!) We were very surprised at how much information and overall picture of the process we had gained by day's end!
At the Court House, we found a copy of the deed for the Phoenix property, and discovered that the strange shape of the north side of the property (with those weird arms that embrace the fire station lot) is because, in the '70s, they chopped out the lot on which the fire station now sits out of a much more united whole strip.
We also discovered that the current subdivision process was not complete, and thus there was no large, legible plat of the property at the courthouse. Elizabeth had given us the name of the engineer who had created the proposed subdivision plot and his office was right around the corner from the courthouse. We thus then visited the office of the engineer Gary Castle, and found that everyone was at lunch. So, leaving our phone number, we went to lunch at the Main Cup in Middletown. Yummmm! :D
Mr. Castle called Scott partway through our lunch to say that he couldn't just give us a plat without the owner's permission. We said "call her." He did, then she called her listing agent, and that man, ReMax Agent Billy Shreve, called us. We chatted, and he gave permission for us to see the plat, and kept eating lunch. :) He gave us a recommendation to use Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit bank, where they are looking for only 15% down and serve those who want acreage. He also gave us the name of Larry Smith, on the Frederick zoning board, who could answer our questions about the use of a VC zoned property.
Just as we were finishing lunch and chatting about ordering lattes, Castle called back and we went down to Frederick to get the plat. We had been told that he was a busy man, but he was great! He took forty-five minutes to explain the very complex plat, answered questions about some things that we could or could not do, and told us about the stage that things were at with the subdivision process. We'd have to put in a road to finish the process, and get several government agencies to sign off on it. I'm glad that subdivision is not our real desire! :)
Castle gave us numbers for the man (I forget his name) who can answer our questions about the septic system that's planned. While driving to Stone Manor, we called Larry Smith at zoning, and he was very friendly and helpful. He advised us to talk to the neighbors on all sides. He said there were two stages ahead: an "Exceptions Approval" phase, and then a "Planning Board Site Plan" phase. IF/when we offer on this land, it will be contingent on passing over these speed bumps. Larry said that our proposal would totally hinge on the neighbor's support or lack thereof.
The last phase of headway that we made in our busy, yet peaceful, day was that we met two neighbors. They told us that the house burned after it's owner had departed for a nursing home and the house was empty at that time--about four years ago. (I was grateful: I had worried that the fire had caused a death at the time, but it hadn't.) We learned that the neighborhood will be supportive of almost anyone who doesn't want to subdivide those back lots, causing those back acres to have new houses. That's us! :D So, we're feeling good about that information. Scott's looking forward to glad-handing the neighbors, and letting them know what we're basically going to be up to.
Today, Dec. 2, we awoke at the bed & breakfast, and headed home about 9:30. On the way, we rang up Elizabeth and talked over "next steps." Scott spent the bulk of the day preparing to talk to Sandy Spring about our down payment money and some of our business banking situations. It's in need of disentangling, but we have lots of time. We're a bit shaky on financing, mostly 'cause of timing. We will need wisdom and timing as we approach banks and begin to understand our limitations. It may all yet be a pipe dream, but we're happily puffing on it tonight! :D
At the Court House, we found a copy of the deed for the Phoenix property, and discovered that the strange shape of the north side of the property (with those weird arms that embrace the fire station lot) is because, in the '70s, they chopped out the lot on which the fire station now sits out of a much more united whole strip.
We also discovered that the current subdivision process was not complete, and thus there was no large, legible plat of the property at the courthouse. Elizabeth had given us the name of the engineer who had created the proposed subdivision plot and his office was right around the corner from the courthouse. We thus then visited the office of the engineer Gary Castle, and found that everyone was at lunch. So, leaving our phone number, we went to lunch at the Main Cup in Middletown. Yummmm! :D
Mr. Castle called Scott partway through our lunch to say that he couldn't just give us a plat without the owner's permission. We said "call her." He did, then she called her listing agent, and that man, ReMax Agent Billy Shreve, called us. We chatted, and he gave permission for us to see the plat, and kept eating lunch. :) He gave us a recommendation to use Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit bank, where they are looking for only 15% down and serve those who want acreage. He also gave us the name of Larry Smith, on the Frederick zoning board, who could answer our questions about the use of a VC zoned property.
Just as we were finishing lunch and chatting about ordering lattes, Castle called back and we went down to Frederick to get the plat. We had been told that he was a busy man, but he was great! He took forty-five minutes to explain the very complex plat, answered questions about some things that we could or could not do, and told us about the stage that things were at with the subdivision process. We'd have to put in a road to finish the process, and get several government agencies to sign off on it. I'm glad that subdivision is not our real desire! :)
Castle gave us numbers for the man (I forget his name) who can answer our questions about the septic system that's planned. While driving to Stone Manor, we called Larry Smith at zoning, and he was very friendly and helpful. He advised us to talk to the neighbors on all sides. He said there were two stages ahead: an "Exceptions Approval" phase, and then a "Planning Board Site Plan" phase. IF/when we offer on this land, it will be contingent on passing over these speed bumps. Larry said that our proposal would totally hinge on the neighbor's support or lack thereof.
The last phase of headway that we made in our busy, yet peaceful, day was that we met two neighbors. They told us that the house burned after it's owner had departed for a nursing home and the house was empty at that time--about four years ago. (I was grateful: I had worried that the fire had caused a death at the time, but it hadn't.) We learned that the neighborhood will be supportive of almost anyone who doesn't want to subdivide those back lots, causing those back acres to have new houses. That's us! :D So, we're feeling good about that information. Scott's looking forward to glad-handing the neighbors, and letting them know what we're basically going to be up to.
Today, Dec. 2, we awoke at the bed & breakfast, and headed home about 9:30. On the way, we rang up Elizabeth and talked over "next steps." Scott spent the bulk of the day preparing to talk to Sandy Spring about our down payment money and some of our business banking situations. It's in need of disentangling, but we have lots of time. We're a bit shaky on financing, mostly 'cause of timing. We will need wisdom and timing as we approach banks and begin to understand our limitations. It may all yet be a pipe dream, but we're happily puffing on it tonight! :D
How we got to the starting line
Scott and I have been praying and surfing the net (respectively) for our future ministry and home site. We stand at quite a crossroad: thirty years married, all of our children grown to be responsible, Christian adults (we're so thankful) and finishing a ten-year writing project. The question has become: "You can do many things... (anything, really!) Now what?"
It's not so easy to answer! God was kind to give us guardrails as we've muddled through the last thirty years. Clear callings to raise and nurture six children in the Lord, and then to homeschool them to the best of our ability, which led to writing Tapestry of Grace, which made us entrepreneurs and, at one scary point, near bankrupts! Tis God's grace that has led us safe thus far through many dangers, toils, and snares, and He will lead us home! As John Piper says, because we're on the road, we're sure of our destination."
Early in September, God clearly gave us the go-ahead signal to move to Frederick, MD. He had a role for us there. This was exciting! Yay! A guardrail for us!
In the last three or four months, there has been a ton of discussion about what our ministry was. The housing opportunities are so varied in kind. We've seriously looked at everything from center-city living to 218-acre farms. We've very seriously explored living out the next two years in an RV. It's a puzzle, and there are financial pieces, ministry pieces, and social pieces. And then there are simply the emotional desires of our hearts, personal preferences, etc. Again, may I say, "whew!"?
Last week, we think we may have found the answer to our quest. It is a burned-out house in Braddock Heights on a 9-acre lot that fronts Jefferson Blvd. The lot is in the last stages of being subdivided roughly according to the picture below; there would be three lots in all if the process were completed, one behind the others. (You can click on each of the pictures in this post to see them bigger.) The yellow line outlines the whole property. The red lines divide it into the proposed future subdivided lots.
To orient you, that's Jefferson Blvd running down on the left, and Old Swimming Pool Rd. running down on the right. The lots that abut the property are all developed. The lot forms an interesting "valley interior" that has accesses at the top. The front of the Lot is on Jefferson Blvd. and is located between the Volunteer Fire Station and what was recently a Montessouri school (now appears bankrupt, sadly).
The front lot is zoned "VC"-- Village Center--which means that we can build a house with a Victorian facade that will house a homeschool center downstairs that will be a place where area homeschoolers can hold classes, and then we can live above it in a generous apartment. The subdivision approval is not currently complete, and we are not thinking that we'll ever finish the process. Rather, we'd plan to live on the front lot and farm the back 8 acres. (A lot of the land is steeply sloping, so "farming" means "messing around with animals as much as we'd like to." Ponies, greenhouses, some veggies, etc. Mostly, we want homeschoolers to have the opportunity to do some community farming, maybe.)
The house plan I like best so far is this one:
I think this pretty house would bless the neighborhood! It beats what's there! (See "Pictures" post of this blog--#4.) The idea that we have is to make the lower level "public," where we can host homeschooling classes for area homeschoolers and Scott can hold science classes as he develops his new Natural History curriculum.
This ground floor plan has three large rooms (labeled Dining, Living, and Family rooms) that we'd install pocket doors to isolate from one another during class periods. The portion labeled "garage" would become Lampstand Press offices, and the Screen Porch would be converted into an away room/office/mother's waiting room/sunroom. Take a look by clicking on this sketch~
On the second floor, there's lots of room for us in the Master Suite, and there are two more bedrooms for the girls to come and go. Clicky click!
Finally, there's a third floor, which we'd probably make into a two-room suite: bedroom and study, since the perk will be for four bedrooms:
So, that's the back story for November. Next post will begin the "blow by blow" that this blog was created to record! We know we're in for a long process, given the VC zoning and the fact that there's a house outstanding, not to mention that we've got to untangle our finances sufficiently to make the purchase. But, Scott feels God saying, "C'mon." He's seldom wrong when he gets that feeling. The rest is details!
It's not so easy to answer! God was kind to give us guardrails as we've muddled through the last thirty years. Clear callings to raise and nurture six children in the Lord, and then to homeschool them to the best of our ability, which led to writing Tapestry of Grace, which made us entrepreneurs and, at one scary point, near bankrupts! Tis God's grace that has led us safe thus far through many dangers, toils, and snares, and He will lead us home! As John Piper says, because we're on the road, we're sure of our destination."
Early in September, God clearly gave us the go-ahead signal to move to Frederick, MD. He had a role for us there. This was exciting! Yay! A guardrail for us!
In the last three or four months, there has been a ton of discussion about what our ministry was. The housing opportunities are so varied in kind. We've seriously looked at everything from center-city living to 218-acre farms. We've very seriously explored living out the next two years in an RV. It's a puzzle, and there are financial pieces, ministry pieces, and social pieces. And then there are simply the emotional desires of our hearts, personal preferences, etc. Again, may I say, "whew!"?
Last week, we think we may have found the answer to our quest. It is a burned-out house in Braddock Heights on a 9-acre lot that fronts Jefferson Blvd. The lot is in the last stages of being subdivided roughly according to the picture below; there would be three lots in all if the process were completed, one behind the others. (You can click on each of the pictures in this post to see them bigger.) The yellow line outlines the whole property. The red lines divide it into the proposed future subdivided lots.
To orient you, that's Jefferson Blvd running down on the left, and Old Swimming Pool Rd. running down on the right. The lots that abut the property are all developed. The lot forms an interesting "valley interior" that has accesses at the top. The front of the Lot is on Jefferson Blvd. and is located between the Volunteer Fire Station and what was recently a Montessouri school (now appears bankrupt, sadly).
The front lot is zoned "VC"-- Village Center--which means that we can build a house with a Victorian facade that will house a homeschool center downstairs that will be a place where area homeschoolers can hold classes, and then we can live above it in a generous apartment. The subdivision approval is not currently complete, and we are not thinking that we'll ever finish the process. Rather, we'd plan to live on the front lot and farm the back 8 acres. (A lot of the land is steeply sloping, so "farming" means "messing around with animals as much as we'd like to." Ponies, greenhouses, some veggies, etc. Mostly, we want homeschoolers to have the opportunity to do some community farming, maybe.)
The house plan I like best so far is this one:
I think this pretty house would bless the neighborhood! It beats what's there! (See "Pictures" post of this blog--#4.) The idea that we have is to make the lower level "public," where we can host homeschooling classes for area homeschoolers and Scott can hold science classes as he develops his new Natural History curriculum.
This ground floor plan has three large rooms (labeled Dining, Living, and Family rooms) that we'd install pocket doors to isolate from one another during class periods. The portion labeled "garage" would become Lampstand Press offices, and the Screen Porch would be converted into an away room/office/mother's waiting room/sunroom. Take a look by clicking on this sketch~
On the second floor, there's lots of room for us in the Master Suite, and there are two more bedrooms for the girls to come and go. Clicky click!
Finally, there's a third floor, which we'd probably make into a two-room suite: bedroom and study, since the perk will be for four bedrooms:
So, that's the back story for November. Next post will begin the "blow by blow" that this blog was created to record! We know we're in for a long process, given the VC zoning and the fact that there's a house outstanding, not to mention that we've got to untangle our finances sufficiently to make the purchase. But, Scott feels God saying, "C'mon." He's seldom wrong when he gets that feeling. The rest is details!
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