Hands up, I made a big mistake

[Tommy T.]

17 minutes ago, JDDavao said:

I knew 'washing your hands of it' but the 'Marigolds' threw me. Pinholes in Marigolds! Now I get it! Thanks!

You should hear rhyming slang in 'Stralia!!!! Mate... you ain't heard nothing yet!

[JDDavao II]

7 hours ago, GeoffH said:

I get that renting suits some people and that buying/building isn't for everyone but for me it works

While we were building this house, we lived in a nearby development. It was a typical Filipino development but we lucked into renting a duplex (mother/daughter) that was oddly laid out but just large enough for four people plus visitors. On "our" side, we had to knock down a fiberboard wall to make one bedroom our master (with permission, of course) and there was a water leak under the slab so we had to keep turning the street meter on and off when we used it. Personally, I enjoyed sitting outside and watching and the neighbors come and go to the sari-sari- across the street. Sometimes the kids would come up and stick their faces at the gate bars and try to get me to wave or show them how I taught the dog to sit and shake hands but that's not everyone's cup of tea.

Renting was fine as a stepping stone to buying this big lot and building house.

As I said in another thread, we thought there'd be more people here. That's really the only reason we're selling. Family members have gotten huffy so we no longer see one set of nieces and the mother-in-law has moved on. I don't regret the extra space or my bar, I just wish there were more family (with jobs!) to share it with.

I've been talking about renting again when we do sell but M wants to build again, just smaller. It's a good way to control the quality of the house you'll live in but that, too, is not everyone's cup of tea.

[Tommy T.]

21 minutes ago, JDDavao said:

Renting was fine as a stepping stone to buying this big lot and building house.

As I said in another thread, we thought there'd be more people here. That's really the only reason we're selling. Family members have gotten huffy so we no longer see one set of nieces and the mother-in-law has moved on. I don't regret the extra space or my bar, I just wish there were more family (with jobs!) to share it with.

I've been talking about renting again when we do sell but M wants to build again, just smaller. It's a good way to control the quality of the house you'll live in but that, too, is not everyone's cup of tea.

Really? So you are selling now and looking to rent or buy elsewhere? I am a bit surprised about that... but then I don't really know you.

So reviewing the title of this thread, JD... do you see building this home here as a mistake?

Do you intend to live in the same general area or move on?

Edited February 21, 2020 by Tommy T.

[JDDavao II]

5 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Really? So you are selling now and looking to rent or buy elsewhere? I am a bit surprised about that... but then I don't really know you.

Yes we are. It's not that much of a surprise, really. It's actually a bit lonely here for two. With our inability to keep a house helper, our "retirement" routine now includes all of the housework. I never thought I'd want a helper but having been a janitor for a long time in my life, I'm bloody tired of cleaning floors.

11 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

So reviewing the title of this thread, JD... do you see building this home here as a mistake?

I guess I've gone off topic again, Tommy but, no, I don't consider building this house a mistake. When it was full of people, I still had my own space - something all of us expats enjoy. But now that it's emptier, the space isn't important. to me.

I mean, we've got this big, open front room that has kitchen, dining and living areas. The idea was eat, feed, spend time with fam, and with the rug rats running around. Now we use one end of the dining table and watch TV in the bedroom.

It's a bit like when you're at a job interview and the hiring person asks you what your greatest fault is and you think to make it as positive as possible you'll say, "My biggest fault is that I work too hard." LOL. But it's true. The only fault I find here is a positive one: having too much space for our circumstances.

If we had children or if we had family that traveled, it would be a perfect house. 

22 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Do you intend to live in the same general area or move on?

We'll stay in this general area. It's growing so much. Malls are nearby - we can get to Gmall in a tricycle. Although I was turned into a city boy by my time in Seattle, I can't see us moving closer to the poblacion. I still need some greenery.

[Tommy T.]

I see... sorry about your circumstances changing so radically, JD.

I was just going to add that there may be some property near here for sale.

I am not an agent and have absolutely no financial interest in it, but I can tell about it privately if you wish...

Cheers!

Edited February 21, 2020 by Tommy T.

[JDDavao II]

23 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

I am not an agent and have absolutely no financial interest in it, but I can tell about it privately if you wish...

Madame General says we'd love to hear about it, Tommy.