February 2, 2005
We've been talking about it for a couple months and recently made a decision to buy our own home this spring/summer. We had wanted to save more for a down payment, to lower the term of a mortgage but if we wait much longer any extra savings will be eaten by [http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/050129prices.shtml|rising house prices]. Once our income tax return arrives we will be looking in earnest (March/April). We're going to take the plunge and we're both excited and scared. Buying a house is much more permanent decision than renting and we will be starting to grow deeper roots in this area.
This weekend we took a Saturday shopping trip to Portland and once again pined to live in this much more urban centre. We started talking about the possibility of moving to the [http://www.visitportland.com/default.aspx|greater Portland] area. It has so much to offer: beautiful New England architecture, a seaside working port and inland bay, a cobble stoned shopping district, a variety of vegetarian eateries, extensive arts and culture, oceanside parks and beaches, networks of community minded people. Not to mention a generally different crowd of people - more cosmopolitan, less rural mentality (read: less country hicks). It also has a thriving Vineyard church and is closer to Damien's employer in Boston. But that's not all it has, it also has a much more expensive housing market. So, although Portland has so much that appeals to us to live comfortably on a single income would be unrealistic for our family.
In comparison, the Lewiston/Auburn area has Willow Pond Farms, Range Pond, [http://www.bates.edu/index.xml|Bates College] - a Nationally renouned private college (university) that supports a great deal of culture and arts, Lost Valley Ski Hill, a couple Y's and many up and coming downtown revitalization projects that will increase the area's value and bring more restaurants, recreation, shopping etc. to the area. It also has many gorgeous neighborhoods, ours being one. We are getting connected in the local homeschooling group and are finding places to contribute in developing the broader community (not just our neighborhood). And perhaps most importantly this area has people we love and who love us. Friends who stop by on a moment's notice, church family who provides for our spiritual, emotional and physical needs. As an interesting note the population of Lewiston/Auburn is roughly the same as Portland's (about 60,00) so it's not like we live in a small rural town.
Having moved several times we know that we can make friends wherever we go, as long as we get plugged into a good church we'll be fine. But it's time to start putting roots down and building equity in a home. Part of me is scared because as much as I want to settle somewhere I don't want to feel trapped. I've enjoyed the experience of living different places, seeing different things and meeting so many wonderful people. I have a real hard time imagining living in one spot for 20 years. So, I'm afraid that we'll buy a home in Lewiston/Auburn and then have to stay because this is what we have settled into. Also, it's difficult to think about living permanently so far away from family - so, why don't some of you move to the east coast! I don't know if any of this makes sense but I'm coming to realize that I have a bit of wanderlust to live different places, try new things, meet new people. Life's too short to stay in one place!
Despite all those contradictory emotions I am very excited about buying a "first" home. Our Edmonton home didn't really count seeing as we didn't live there or have any emotional attachment to it. I'm excited about moving in a positive financial direction and having a place to call our own.
We'll keep you posted on our progress.
