May 11, 2008
in the media: no income, no assets, no debt
This week’s episode of This American Life, “The Giant Pool of Money” is “a special program about the housing crisis”. The intro piece is all about NINA loans (No Income, No Assets), which is how we initially bought our house while working as a substitute teacher and part-time at Starbucks, respectively. Another recent article in the NY Times, Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Solvent profiles a couple in Akron, Ohio, that slowly restored a house over 12 years without taking on an house-related debt other than their mortgage.
May 4, 2008
apparently we’re slumlords
The city sent us a letter last week informing us that the condition of our house does not meet code and that we have 30 days to fix the problems or face fines (we are not alone in this).
May 4, 2008
making the porch more beautiful
A simple idea that we’ve talked about for a long time and finally put together: getting some kind of curtains on the upstairs back porch. Our view definitely benefits from a soft gauzy overlay…
April 25, 2008
in which we score a very tall mantle
Our friend Bill gave us this!
April 9, 2008
into the void
After 4 1/2 years in the house, we finally got the will together to bust up into the attic last week.
March 9, 2008
1206
A photographic cross section of the neighborhood: the 1206 of every block from 38th Street to 19th Street.
February 17, 2008
new dirt towards spring
The part of the backyard that used to be behind the fence and in the alley that we reclaimed last spring has finally been given a layer of topsoil and seeded. Getting the dirt has been an on&off project for easily the past 5 months, somehow.
January 27, 2008
a flat assessment
The 2008 real estate assessments are out now and for the first time in at least 10 years the assessed value of our house did not rise. This is to be expected, I guess, given everything going on in the housing market but it does take a little of the glow off of having finally gotten the work done for the tax abatement program.
January 23, 2008
on plumbers
Every time that I have to deal with a professional plumber or electrician I’m either left feeling ripped off or infuriated by their incompetence.
January 21, 2008
house renovation porn
Our neighborhood blog has an ongoing series of before&after photos of renovations from around the area, if you’re into that kind of thing…
January 20, 2008
*embarrassing*
Linking from some of the other houseblogs gives us the idea that our wee house blog got a mention in Victorian Homes Magazine. I guess Leaky Roof and Still Smells like Cat Pee Magazine figures we’d be too easy or something. Anyway, we haven’t done anything in months and don’t seem to be gearing up for much until at least spring. Check back in July, we really ought to be kicking ass again by then…
December 24, 2007
a topical joke
A guy meets a hooker in a bar. She says, “This is your lucky night. I’ve got a special game for you. I’ll do absolutely anything you want for $300, as long as you can say it in three words.” The guy replies, “Hey, why not?” He pull his wallet out of his pocket, and one at a time lays three hundred-dollar bills on the bar, and says, slowly: “Paint…my…house.” [via]
December 3, 2007
house with wreath
The wreath seemed really big when it was inside.
