"Amy, are you insane? What are you thinking?"
Well, there are a few reasons actually. And it's not something that we just decided to do on the spur of the moment. It's been a topic of conversation for several years in our home. In fact, we had it on the market 3 years ago, but decided to stay and plow through some challenges. But the Lord has clearly shown us that He has another plan for us.
1. Downsizing. Our family will only get smaller in the next few years, not larger. When we built this house, our family was in a period of expansion. That time is over and has come to a close. This home is definitely an asset for a large family.
2. Health. If you've been a reader here for a while, you know my husband has a chronic health issue that makes keeping a large home a challenge. I'm no spring chick either! And as our own chicks fly the coop, it's just more house than we'll need. The garden is big, the coop is big, the property is big. Perfect for a bunch of kids to conquer or a young couple to develop. I had wanted to plant a small apple orchard out back, build a gazebo at the top of the hill, add a barn, etc. While the zoning doesn't allow for commercial businesses to operate on the property, one could still harvest an apple crop and take it elsewhere to trade or sell.
3. Debt. We are just one step away from being totally 100% debt free. Yes... we can smell it!!! And we want it. Our mortgage is the last thing to pay off. We are very blessed NOT to be upside down in our house - we built when the market was down and not inflated. So by selling and buying or building a smaller home, we can pay cash.
So, I look at this as a new adventure. An opportunity to try something new. We're not giving up on homesteading. Not in the least! But it will be smaller in scale... otherwise, not much will change. In fact, we plan to stay in the area because we love it so much here!
It would totally bless my heart to see someone with a passion for homesteading living in this house. I'm sure it would make the transition so much easier, knowing Sweetwater Farm would have the same love and attention. If you're looking for a homestead you can sink your roots into, perhaps this may be just the place! (See more photos and specifics HERE; for Farmhouse Tour Photos click HERE; for more on Bear Valley Springs visit the site at http://www.bvsa.org/)
