June 14 2012 - that is the day my land use permit expires to divide my property. Six years ago I divided my property into 4 lots, I completed phase one and then the economy fell apart. In uncertain times it seems like a good idea to sit tight. This year as June approached I had to decide if I wanted to finish the project. Weighing the options was complicated; interest rates are low, housing prices are still low, building costs are down.... it is a risk. I wasn't sure I wanted to invite that risk and stress into my life. Completing the project involved tearing down a 1904 house that straddled the proposed property line - not trivial. The beginning of April I decided to go ahead with the project - what's a little extra stress for a defined amount of time! Once the ball got rolling it all went pretty fast and relatively smoothly, at least from the outside perspective and thanks to supportive friends. The house had to come down for the City to sign off on the partition. A week before my deadline the house came down, the surveyor finished the final plat, after some back and forth with the County Surveyor he signed the final plat, the city signed the plat and today (11 June 2012) the plat was recorded with the county. Another lot added to the tax rolls for Hood River all within the deadline - whew! Next week the foundation goes in.......
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| Salvage windows - unfortunately there wasn't much else to salvage |
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| Fire Department training night - they were excited to have a house to tear up with chain saws. |
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| First thing Monday morning the equipment showed up and the excavators went to work - lucky for me it was a rainy day to keep the dust down. |
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| Day 1: house down and getting hauled away to be burned and to the landfill. |
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| Day 2: house hauled away and the prep for the foundation done. |
