House Hunting in California: Crack house or Unabomber cabin?
09/12/2023
I'm moving back home. The truth is, I'm a Californian through and through, and while that may not be a popular stance, it's mine. Yes, I'd even go to San Francisco if I could. I can't really afford where I grew up (the Bay Area outside of San Francisco) but I can go near my parents. (Between Tahoe & Sacramento.) Anyway, as I'm looking through houses "in my price range," it seems I have a choice between crack house row and an isolated one-room cabin we'd see on the ID network or "Ghost Adventures." And this is depressing. Could I live well just about anywhere else? Of course. That's why I moved in the first place while I got my act together, but now my act is together, and I want to go home. I know California. I know how things work.
At the same time, there is the stark realization that I will have to give up my beautiful house that is perfect for me. I will have to give up my writer friends who live here and a huge level of comfort. In return? I'll get the world I know, access to my family & lifelong friends, and extreme characters so I can write with ease. Honestly, it's hard to live around "normals" when you've been living with extreme personalities. I'm sure that's some kind of trauma response, but whatever, it's who I am.
I realize most people would choose comfort over the crack house option, but not me. I also love making a house a home and I'm very good at it so this should be fun. Moving, however, I am not looking forward to that. The realtors want me to paint my cute red house white so it's "modern farmhouse." I'm considering this, but also, why does everyone want to be so basic? I have the only red house and I tell people, I live in the red house on the corner and they know just where I mean. The realtor even gave me some "Magnolia" colors. Girl, I am not supporting the Magnolia conglomerate. She has enough money, and I can find white paint at Home Depot.
I'll keep you posted on the house hunt. The real estate taxes are rough in California. This is one of those blind faith walks. I hope there's a redwood at the end of it.