I should have written more often - part 2

Moving right along - we have a lot to catch up with.  On January 12th we scored on a sweet Trailer (before we actually owned any land) via craigslist.
January 14th was the day I got engaged.  January 18th Jeff sanded the trailer and painted the whole thing green (it was rusted and had rotted wood along the bottom).

We had to put aluminum flashing along the bottom to keep rodents out and lay wood across the bottom for the base for insulation and, eventually, the floor.

Here is the beginning photos from the project:

We lagged a lot because we weren't sure if the land was going to go through and it was hard to hang our hopes on some future idea that we had created perhaps out of nothing but fairy dust.  

On January 20th we received good news about geological reports we'd had done.  Two days later, the land and money were through;  we threw the trailer on a hitch, dragged it down to our raw land and we began to draw our plans.


We based them off of the Fencl by Tumbleweed Tiny Houses, pleased with the exterior idea.

 

I should have written more often - part 1.

So here's how the story goes:
We had this crazy idea to go buy a house to secure our future - there were three of us: best friend (Jeff!), fiance (Ross!) and I (Gina!).  We found many places along the way but never one that suited our needs.  Time and time again our excitement was put down by eroding foundation or expenses beyond our means.  I wanted to give up.  To be frustrated.

Then the real estate agent called and said there was a plot of land close to where we were looking before.

Here was the picture:

And here was the description:  

"Approximately 17.5 acres of beautiful land. Property fronts Valencia Creek and Tunnel Gulch with a couple possible building pads via tree removal. Seller use to log property in the 90's so there are dirt roads giving you access. There are other beautiful homes built in the area with power, septic, well, etc."

Certainly, I thought, this was going to be a let down.  It was listed at $235,000 and just down the street from a place listed for almost twice that amount.

We went to check it out and were somewhat surprised by the ... potential.  There was a beautiful creek at the bottom and redwoods all around.

It could work, we thought, but what did it need?  Soil surveys, potable water, a septic system.  Electricity, a place to live, a road.  Some tree removal, poison oak eradication, brush clearance.

We put together our dream and rubbed some pennies together.  The place had been on the market for a moment.  We offered $150.  They came back with $200 and "It doesn't *have* to be sold."

We took it.  We borrowed $250k from Jeff's dad so we'd have $50k leftover for whatever needed to be done.  For those of you who have not done something like this before, $50k is a very small amount of money for all of the things needing to be done.  We did surveys because the county had it listed as a landslide.  Turned out it was sitting on clay and sandstone and there was no potential for land-slide and there hadn't been - woohoo!

Then, Jeff's mom brought home THIS BOOK for Christmas and everything changed.

2014 and guess what

I AM ENGAGED.

HOLY ****.

Look at that ring, too!

Diamonds with mystic topaz and a platinum band.