January 10, 2008 # two. Texas Lake House

It is  kind of interesting how it all came about. Ken and I wanted to own property on water. Also we wanted a place to stay when we visited David and Suzanne.  David was brought up having a country home for weekends.  One year after they married they purchased their first home. One year after that Ken and I asked if they would be interested in purchasing a lake house.  Both had good jobs so they said yes.  So Suzanne and Ken and I went looking at all the properties for sale. An agency in Canyon Lake gave me a list of everything for sale and with my Bethesda card we went knocking on the doors and asked to see the properties. Fortunately most housed were empty so we just peeked in the windows and looked over the yard, looking for an easy slope down to the lake.  Canyon Lake is in a canyon after all.  We selected three properties for the three of us to inspect and we purchased  this little tacky home on this great lot.  David and Suzanne had no children yet so they could afford the purchase.  We bought the place 50\50 and it has worked spectacularly well for everyone.. Two years after the purchase Ken and I paid for the renovation's  while David took over the mortgage.  We still keep $500. a pop in an account where Suzanne pays the utilities.

Our rule was that anyone could buy an object for the lake house for under $100. and get compensated from the kitty.  Anything over needs a vote. If you buy prior to consultation you have bought the object yourself for the house.  We had such fun together working through the renovations.  And everyone has enjoyed the property a lot.  Two of their friends also have purchased on the lake .  So the whole project has been a success, from the time we purchased in 1955 until today.

In September, 2001, Ken and I were visiting the family at the lake.  David asked if we would be interested in purchasing a ranch in the hill country because in two years or so he would like us to both buy a ranch no more that one hour from their home.  The lake is 45 minutes from their home in San Antonio.  Ken got on the computer and discovered that the cost of ranches was already beyond our means within the one hour span, but if we went west of Kerrville and Fredericksburg the land was affordable to us right now.  So Ken and I went looking right then and we purchased on that visit.  Remember this was just after 9\11 and no one was flying let alone purchasing country property.  So we did what we usually do and that is we bought what we could afford at the time.  And a good thing too.  Ranch land now sells for a lot more money now.  And that is how we bought our small ranch in the Hill Country in Texas.  We have 150 acres and a 20 year old ranch house, where David & Suzanne stay, and Ken and I build us a house on the top of the property.  But more about that the next time.