My new digs: home at last (or pics at last)

For those who requested it, here’s some pics and videos of my new small house on the Central Coast, NSW. It’s about 40 square metres, or around 430 square feet.

This is what it was like when I purchased it (before renovations):

And this is what it’s like now (there’s also a 10 min video at the end of this post that I made for my Mum if you want a more detailed virtual tour, or click on the slideshow button below):

[album: http://bethspencer.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/my house 2010/]

It’s a one-bedroom ‘relocatable’ in a ‘land-lease’ estate. What this means is that I own the house itself outright, and can do what I like to it, and I pay rent on the land.

So it has the benefit of being permanent, through a lease that comes under the Tenancy Act (I can’t be removed unless they relocate me somewhere else of my choosing). But it also means I can customise the house to suit myself without having to get approval from a strata organisation or other owners. And the rent — which includes rates, water and maintenance of the grounds and lawns — is less than half what I’d be paying on a mortgage over the next 30 years if I owned my patch of land freehold. So it’s a great deal for me, given my current financial resources, and I am very happy here.

It was a surprise solution, after months and months of looking at every possibility. In fact I’d got to the stage where I honestly did not think I was ever going to find something that I could even wangle a loan for, let alone afford to live in. The other options all involved me having to rent it out for a while to cover the mortgage.

As for Vandelicious the campervan, it provided the means for me to leave my ten-year home in Creswick, but I did find it increasingly tough going, especially in the warmer weather. Heat, a Van and CFS is not a good combo.

So I am delighted to be here. It is a fantastic part of the world to live in — five minutes drive from beautiful Terrigal beach; 5 mins the other way to Erina Fair, the gym, library and shops; and an hour and a half to Sydney.

My house backs onto a creek and a strip of council land, I have a lawn and garden area in front of me, and the land-lease park is ringed with gum trees.

The purchase was simply a matter of saying ‘yes’, going to the bank and getting a cheque, and signing a lease-contract (which I can transfer, with the house, to someone else if I want). That same afternoon I was in my house and planning the renovations, and within a week, I had a new sliding glass door in the back so that it was now filled with winter sunshine and light.

I spent the next month renovating and setting it up, including an action-packed week where I had the help of my brother and sister-in-law (thanks, Frank & Jean!) who travelled up from Victoria, bringing my stuff out of storage in their covered trailer. They stayed in their RV (mobile home) over at the Stadium carpark for a week and between the three of us, we transformed my funny little house into a home that is just about ideal for me.

We ripped up the cheap, new chemical-laden carpets and managed to convert the plywood underlay into an attractive wooden floor (with much hand-sanding, edging, nail pulling and several coasts of bio-oil), now partly covered with second-hand persian carpets. With a fresh coat of non-toxic white paint inside and wooden venetians on all the windows, my little ‘relocatable’ now feels solid and homely and adorable.

I have a view, a garden (only a small part of which I have to look after myself), a tiny courtyard area right on the banks of a creek, heaps of waterdragons and ducks wandering by, and lovely neighbours.

I can’t believe the mild winter. After Creswick (where the birdbath would still be frozen solid at noon some mornings), it was such luxury this winter to be so warm and comfortable. The new back windows provide passive solar heating in winter when the sun is low, and the reverse-cycle air-conditioner doubles as a heater when needed.

This is the first time in my life I’ve had an air-conditioner and, I have to confess, I love it. It is an absolute lifesaver when I start getting brain-fog and affected by the humidity and heat. I have so much cross-ventilation breezes that I don’t have to use it much, but it makes a massive difference to my ability to sit at my desk and chip away at all that I would like to do.

(Hooray, my own desk! Yay, a kitchen! A bathroom and toilet all for me, wow!)

It’s been almost six months and the novelty still hasn’t worn off. Vandelicious is parked out there in my parking spot, but only gets used to go to the shops these days, and sometimes to the beach or to Sydney. I honestly can’t imagine how I lived in it for almost a year.

Right now I have no desire to travel anywhere; and while it’s handy to go to Sydney and stay overnight, and I love having my massive handbag (as it were) with me when I go out (fridge, spare food, clothes and walking shoes, my stove to make a cuppa and a bed to have a snooze if I get tired), it seems a bit excessive to hang onto it. So, shall have to wait a bit and have a think on that one.

Here’s a video virtual tour in 2 parts (very detailed.. so someone can show my Mum as she can’t travel anymore to see it). This was about 5 or 6 weeks after I moved in, so still a bit chaotic. Also I’ve dug and planted out a front garden since then and the back greens patch is quite lush.