We've been on a major property search over the past couple of weeks. Really, it started when we first moved here, but then Caroline got sick, and our attention was turned elsewhere. Once we were able to start looking again, and once our house sold, we were on a mission to find the perfect property to build on.
It's been quite the process, and more difficult than I originally thought. We want to stay in Clarence, because we love it here, and because we don't want the kids to change school districts, and we want Ryan to stay at the same high school. Clarence isn't very big, and it's rural, which is what we want--a quiet, country life that's close to a city. However, there's a large creek that goes through the area, which means you have to be careful of the flood plain, and even wetlands on some pieces of property. I also want lots of trees, and a totally wooded lot, and since this area has been farmland for many years, that isn't always easy to find. Taxes are high in general in NY, and Clarence is no exception. Originally we were looking at 5+ acres, but after MAJOR sticker shock at what the taxes would be after a home was built, we decided to look for two-ish acres.
We drove up and down every road in the town, more than once, and scoured listed properties online, and somehow (we don't think it was a coincidence), we stumbled onto a piece of land that we think is going to be perfect.
It's two acres of beautiful woods at a great price, totally quiet, and on a street that dead ends--which means only people that live on that street drive on it. There are neighbors, but we will still have a lot of privacy. We met the owner, our realtor, and the builder there yesterday, and it just sealed the deal. We didn't want to leave! We are in love--it's seriously perfect. We're hoping to have our house built by late spring, and already we're planning a tree fort, tire swings, and more.
Really, it just feels like home.
