We have a slew of ongoing family chats. One is about Benjamin. Another is for Benjamin to do most of the talking, one is for crossword puzzles, another to indulge in grandkids, and one for travel photos. One focuses on buying a house. Two couples in our family are home owners, and two are in the market. Maybe. The economy is a wild card, and making such a far reaching decision is weighty. People post listings of places they find interesting, or outrageous, or tempting. Even those who are content with their current address think it is fun to look. There was an animated thread this morning, with floor plans to explore. It still astonishes me that John bought this home from California twenty two years ago with not a single picture to look at. 

It never ceases to amaze me how the wide angle of the photography enhances the sense of space. It feels big, and maybe it really is large enough to play golf. But when I check the stats about square footage, I come back to facts. This kitchen is the same size as mine. Which is quite adequate, I might add. 

I understand the thinking behind putting your product in the best possible light. Who wants to pay money for someone else's ho hum home? 

One of the books I read to my children was about a couple who wanted to move. They put up a for sale sign and the first people to look said that they would have bought it if it had a garden. After they left the wife looked at her husband and suggested that they plant flowers. Which they did. Another couple came to see the house and turned it down because the paint seemed faded. The owners bought paint and climbed a ladder, to make the house look fresh.  They were pleased. A third couple came to check it out, but decided against it because it they wanted a fence for their dog. The owners bought stakes and pounded them in the soft ground. 

Then the wife spoke to her husband. 

"This is a good house. I don't want to move anymore." So they stayed.

Working on the place I already live matters. That includes the relationships too.