It’s been over three years since we decided we were done dealing with Minnesota winters and sold many things we figured we wouldn’t need any longer. The location we moved to was picked because brother Don and his wife, Kathy, had moved here about a year and a half before we did, and they both loved The Villages.
Before the move there were many things we needed to get rid of; some things were sold, and some things were given away. A moving truck was rented and as we packed for the move we realized we needed more room, so we rented a trailer to pull behind the truck.
Even with the truck and trailer, there were still things that wouldn’t fit so the buyer of our Cold Spring home graciously accepted those things.
We loaded and moved in July – one of the hottest months in Florida. Once we arrived here the unloading of the truck was brutal, but it got done.
Any time you purchase a pre-owned home you never know what things you might find that you want to change, or worse, need to change. For us, one of our major issues was a rain gutter leak that found its way behind the siding in our lanai (screened porch area) over the past twenty years or so. I know that because when the siding was removed there was a lot of rotted wood and studs that needed replacing. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because the repair work created a whole new look to that wall and it turned out very nice.
The next thing we discovered was that many of the appliances in the home needed to be replaced – starting with the electric range – then one in the home worked okay, but I was too used to gas, so the electric range was replaced with gas. Then there was the refrigerator that was making all kinds of weird noises. The timing for replacing the fridge was perfect since a store not far from us had a sale. Following that was the dishwasher – then the washer and dryer.
I knew the next major item needing replacement would be our air conditioner, and I hoped we could delay that replacement for a few years, but the one that came with the home started making some loud noises when it started and stopped and the last thing you want not working is your air conditioner. Since it would be impossible to predict when the thing won’t work any longer we decided it was time to make some calls and get a new unit on the way. Florida is one place you don’t want to have a failing air conditioner since it runs quite often during the summer months – much more than in Minnesota. For reference, as I write this week’s column the outside air temperature is 97 degrees with high humidity, so cooling air inside the home is very important for a person’s comfort, and scheduling before the unit quits working seemed like a good idea.
My bank account is hoping this is the last major purchase.
Have A Good Week!
