Why I was Off the Air for Ten Years....

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Or at least, the biggest reason:

http://www.era.com/erabin/listing?Property=2060540

When you hear someone who owns an old house say 'Too many projects, not enough time', it's an understatement!

Unfortunately the folks with the contract to buy my house haven't had luck selling theirs, so it looks like the deal is done for now. Figured I'd share the link before it gets pulled, if for no other reason than for the Igor voice they use in the audio. Sometimes technology just isn't the answer. 

So - barring any last minute miracles, the northeast is indeed stuck with me until next spring or summer.

[K1JJ]

Looks like a beautiful Vermont house, Todd.

Yes, the real estate market has really taken it on the chin lately, valuation-wise.  There is a website that will let you see the estimated value of your own exact house. It appears prices in this area peaked last Jan and have actually declined about 15% since.

I have friends in Florida who have seen $100K sliced off $400K houses within the last 8 months - with an estimated one year back log of houses for sale in some areas....  It sure was a fast ride up in the last few years, however. 

But ya gotta live somewhere. I pity the poor Tom Vu type real estate speculators who loaded up no-money-down this time around. 

There is an obvious concept... if the other people's house didn't sell, then it was priced too high. Would it sell if priced at $1? How about $100? How about 50K?, etc. ie, there IS a price, and the expectations of the sellers were too high for the market at the time.

Time will tell how this real estate "correction" plays out.  Hope you sell your place by spring, though we all like you around anyway...

T

[k7yoo]

I have been remodeling an 1800's building for 10 years so I know the drill. I passed the listing to my wife...Our grandkids are not too far from there...Good radio location...east coast sound rules...could I pick up enough aluminum cans to make the payment...any spare shopping carts?
Skip Green
K7YOO

[Carl WA1KPD]

Nice place Todd.

I was in Montpelier for a meeting yesterday and drove right  by you without knowing it.
The car forced itself off the road in Windsor to the Harpoon brewery. Got to get that steering checked out

[WA1GFZ]

Rebuilt present place in the 80s. Not learning I decide to build one. It shure cuts into radio energy.
A lot of staisifaction in building or rebuilding a house. You learn to live with the mistakes and cover them with trim. fc

[W1RKW]

Nice house indeed Todd!!

[k3zrf]

Todd,

Cool house and certainly full of amenities.

I can't believe it's 'sitting' on the market.

I can see the visual for antennas.

[WA1GFZ]

Yea, consider a beautiful house like that with a KW1 in the kitchen .....dats livin

[wa1knx]

sweet house todd,
      much like our family house up in maine. been in the family for 180+years.

      well, if you've been there a long time, losing 15% on a home with
money you never had, then so what. I sold 6 years ago, and my old home
in ma went up 300k. had I kept it and sold today, if I lost 20% from the
peak I wouldn't have cared. for me I wished I'd kept mine and picked up
a few hundred k more.

     speaking of not being on the air todd, I'm living in a stinking motel
5 days a week here in northern phoenix. no time to get on the damn
air!! working on insurance co application software (yawn) hope to
get on and work people at least once this winter!!!!!

73 todd - deano

[W1ATR]

228 g's for almost 3000 sq feet. I can't buy a converted chicken coop around here for 228K. Shoot, I better think about looking in Vt. I own a small HVAC co., so I need to look for a nice cold state to live in.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Thanks for the kind words on the moneypi...er...house, guys. It's been a long road since buying it in 94 and there's still plenty of cosmetics to do. But before anyone rushes to VT, keep in mind that we have the highest taxes per capita in the country:

http://www.census.gov/govs/statetax/05staxrank.html

That and some pretty screwed up politics. So....be warned.

Also, it doesn't show in the picture but the back yard drops off drastically about 8 feet behind the house. Which wouldn't be bad if the trees were aranged in such a way as to set up some nice wires, but they're not.

I'll do okay on the bottom line because I bought the place cheap in '94. Had to replace some sills, rewire, replumb, add a shower, replace some ceilings, etc. Just cleaning up the yard of weeds and debris made a huge difference. The problem is, winter is not a good time of the year in the northeast to sell or even move your stuff. The couple who wanted the place absolutely love it, but couldn't sell theirs. VT has been bucking the downward sales trend, but it's bound to catch up.

Yea, consider a beautiful house like that with a KW1 in the kitchen .....dats livin

Well, doze dayz is done, Frank. Attached 25 feet of 10/3 to the transmitter last week and got it moved back into the radio room. No more Kitchen Kilowatt, except for the long, black tail.

228 g's for almost 3000 sq feet. I can't buy a converted chicken coop around here for 228K.

They didn't show it, but there's also a two story carriage house with full basement just to the left. Trust me, it's not a good thing to have all that space if you're single and accumulate heavy stuff.

And any of you guys who get up this way be sure to give a call and stop by. I'm good in the book, QRZ or Verizon. Just down the hill from I-89 about 3 miles, about 30 mins from the NH border. Got some microbrew in the fridge, Carl. 

[WA1GFZ]

Todd,
Women love heat maybe you can have the new XYL enjoy the KW1 on a cold day after a long old buzzard transmission. Maybe she will want it in the kitchen for extra heat.

[KB2WIG]

Todd,
Women love heat maybe you can have the new XYL enjoy the KW1 on a cold day after a long old buzzard transmission. Maybe she will want it in the kitchen for extra heat.

Try hanging your credit card off of it... that'll make the wife happy.... sometimes it works with  my xyl ....   klc

[Carl WA1KPD]

Got some microbrew in the fridge, Carl. 

Todd,
Going back to our ER deal with Gary many years ago - As I recall you got the SX-28 and I got the Spkr- you have consistently shown yourself as a man of good taste.
You have confirmed it with
o   The house,
o   The station
o   Your good company at Hosstraders
o   And from all accounts your YL.- She sounds real FB
Therefore I sense an eyeball to review your Microbrew stash may be in order this winter. Prehaps I can help you lighten your load of radios in exchange for greenbacks before you head south? My XYL lived in Burlington for a number of years and loved it. What is the price if the QTH fully equipped with all radios?
Gonna miss you at HT or did you negotiate hamfest visitation rights 2X per year?
Really sorry I missed your last week I did not know you were that close.  Took the client to Sarducci's in Montpilier. If you have not been there, go before you leave and try the shrimp and garlic pizza
73 OM
KPD/5