Prior to the purchase of my home, I'd been living in Swartz Creek, MI, in a mobile home that I purchased after my divorce. It was affordable, and had served it's purpose while raising my two girls. However, I had always dreamt of someday living in an old house with hardwood floors, a beautiful banister I could decorate for Christmas, and French doors with beveled glass. One day I asked myself, "When is someday?" I was 51 years old and I was still dreaming of "someday..."
I looked at homes in several neighborhoods in Flint before I found my home in Fairfield Village. There are many wonderful and affordable homes in Flint, but not only did I fall in love with my house, I fell in love with the neighborhood. The woman I purchased my house from worked at the University of Michigan-Flint, where I also work. She was having an estate sale and showing her house at the same time, in order to retire and moving out of state. Some of the neighbors were there, so I was able to meet them right away. They were warm, friendly, and welcoming. They talked about how much they would miss her, but they were also open to meeting me, even though it was the first time I'd stepped foot in the house.
The amazing thing was, even though I didn't know the former owner, she saw how much I loved the house. It was important to her that the person who bought it loved it as much as she did. It was important to her that she felt good about who would be taking her place in her neighborhood. The people who live here are generations of families who have been here since many of the homes were built. Their grandparents and parents lived here. They have stories about neighborhood feuds, kids that have gone to college and moved away, marriages and family tragedies. In this neighborhood, you can waive to your neighbor, yell good morning across the fence, have confidence they will keep an eye on things if you are away, yet we all keep to ourselves enough to not be a bother. Fairfield Village is like the small town I grew up in, yet its within the city where I work. It's the best of both worlds.
I followed my dream. I found my old house with my banister, my hardwood floors, and my French doors. I also found a dream neighborhood, that isn't perfect, but it's home to wonderful people and beautiful homes with character and charm. They don't build them like this anymore. Not with real plaster walls and crown moldings, high ceilings, and solid wood doors. Every house is different, unlike the cookie cutter subdivisions of today. Yes, I have some work to do. No old house comes without it's DIY projects, but for me, that's part of the fun of it!
