The Liberty House: Victory Lap

Today was the big sign-your-name-and-several-years-of-your-life-away-so-you-can-call-a-150-year-old-farmhouse-home day. Guess what banks, appraisers, and shady online auctioning companies? I. Win. And now I get to officially call The Liberty House home.

This has been 31 of the longest days I can remember, but seriously? I lived in a garage for something like 18 months for my last house, 30 days of paperwork-induced-hell seems like a light sentence for this one. And, as per usual in this process, there are still a few loose ends that haven’t been cleared up yet, but the end result here is that I wrote one (or two) very big checks and someone cashed them, and to celebrate that moment of victory, I bring you this:

The victory lap.

I actually meant to upload a 15 minute video tour of the house, but apparently that would have taken 3 hours using Whole Foods free wi-fi, and if I were to stay in Whole Foods for three hours I would walk out wider than I am tall. Sea Salt Chocolate Chip cookies might be the death of me.

Instead of doing that I brought a bottle of champagne out to the house and I’m in the midst of a little celebration that included walking thing perimeter of all six acres of property I have here and making a little toast at each corner, and, of course, writing my first post from the Liberty House.

Here’s the view from the Southwest corner of the property looking out onto the rolling farmland:

From the same corner looking back to the house:

That picture should put the size of the pole barn in perspective for you. When my grandpa came out for a tour last weekend and we walked in side, the only thing he could say was “Holy Shit!” (Amen, Papa.)

This is the Northwest corner looking back at the house:

My plan is for this to be donkey pasture, and to use the little shed as the donkey barn.

And from as close to the Northeast corner as I was going to get, due to the neighbor-across-the-street’s bigass dogs whom I haven’t been introduced to yet:

Of course I had to finish my wine while playing king-of-the-hill on top of my pile of treasure.

“Debris” my ass. From what I can tell I’ve got at least a dozen good sized barn beams in there, along with at least 2 pallets of reclaimed brick and another 3-4 pallets of 12″ block. Plus the roofing materials from at least three houses, and enough wood to have one hell of a bonfire. It’s going to be a summer-long project sorting all of that out, but I think I’ll have plenty of awesome building materials when I’m done… at least enough for an addition to the patio and a little fireplace to go along with it.

Tomorrow I’ve got guys coming to fix the radiator pipes, so hopefully by Monday I’ll have heat which means the water can get turned back on (for the third time) and this place will have a working toilet. You’ll never find anyone so excited about the ability to flush as a girl who just drank half a bottle of champagne.

Now I’m probably going to go rip some carpet out of the downstairs bedroom. What? I can’t help myself.

I know I’ve said it a lot lately, but since the alcohol is making me a little sappy I’ll say it again:Thank you to all of you who regularly tune in to DIYdiva, who’ve been here to support me over the last crazy month, who’ve said nasty things about the appraiser who tortured the crap out of me for the last two weeks, and who are as excited about this new adventure as I am. It wouldn’t be the same without you.

45 Responses

  1. Yay! Congrats!! I’m so excited to watch you turn that amazing old farmhouse into a spectacular new home!

  2. Congrats! What a beautiful piece of property you have there. I think it was definitely meant to be! πŸ™‚

    Can’t wait for the video!

  3. Congratulations! I so look forward to your posts, and am grateful that you take the time to share so much information and photos,etc. I’m looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us!

  4. YAY!!!

    Although I’d be tearing carpet out of that master bathroom toilet area first – just on principle since no toilet should ever be that close to carpet!

  5. Well, I feel better already. It was nerve-wracking even as a mere visitor to your blog. I’m glad you have will have water soon. Very nice.

  6. How funny that I have zero recollection about the pole barn being THAT BIG. πŸ™‚ And how abnormally excited I am for you that the heat will work soon, given it wasn’t even that cold when I toured the house.

    And see my email about the debris pile. Yes, I’m crazy.

    Can’t wait to celebrate in person! Congrats!

  7. SO exciting! Congratulations! (And yeah… maybe consider pulling up that bathroom carpet first. πŸ˜‰

  8. I am so excited for you…well for me too…I get to read about your adventures in your new home! Enjoy the moment!

  9. Congratulations, Kit, I’m so chuffed for you! The whole place looks fantastic, and your land is beautiful. Wish I could come rummage through that brilliant ‘debris’ pile with you, it looks like fun. πŸ™‚

  10. Congratulations and I’m jealous. We’re smack dab in the middle of a NINETY day escrow on 40 acres and it has been the longest escrow of our lives. We can’t wait to get in to the house and start the personalizing. I will have to watch your blog to live vicariously in the meantime. Again, congratulations!

  11. Whew! Finally and Totally f***ing awesome!!! Congratulations, have another glass of champange!

  12. You did it right. Champagne is the one thing I unfortunately missed out on when I closed. Strangely enough, it was the day before New Years Eve – you’d think I wouldn’t be able to sneeze without bumping into a bottle.

  13. wow congratulation πŸ™‚ it seems like forever since u bid on the house and now its finally yours, looking forward to all the new adventures you are going to be on with this house… πŸ™‚

  14. Congratulations, Kristin!!! You must be very happy and relieved. I agree with Lucy….this has been nerve-wracking for your faithful followers as well. Your March 4th entry was especially frustrating (ok, I was darn-right pissed off and told Uncle Paul “Kristin just gave me a headache”…lol), but YOU DID IT! We know you will do wonderful things with the Liberty House. Can’t wait to see it in person. Congrats from the whole Walker clan!!!

  15. Wooohooooo! Congratulations! I love your house. Maybe one day I’ll be able to convince husband to go rural. For now we’re urban dwellers

    You know, you now have room for a sh*tload of miniature donkeys … Did you know they breed miniature cows? http://www.littlemoos.com/

  16. Wooo- Hooo! Congrats! We are all looking forward to the upcoming entertainment of watching your process with this great place!

  17. Way to go girl!!!! I cannot wait to follow your blog as you embark on this new adventure. Your house and property look absolutely spectacular. Makes me wish I was about 20 years younger (I’m in my mid-50s) so that I too could take on such project. So, I guess I will just have to live that dream vicariously through you πŸ™‚

  18. Congratulations!!! You deserve that half bottle of champagne for all that you have gone through in the last year! I have been reading your blog since you built the bad ass pergola. This place looks the most promising and exciting of all your houses. Can’t wait to see how it all turns out!! Let the eye twitching commence! :0)

  19. You deserve every inch of those six beautiful acres and all the square footage thereon for making it through this past month! So looking forward to the adeventures to come.

  20. Yay! It is so fun watching you move along with your projects – can’t wait to see what’s to come…

  21. Congratulations, Kit! I felt myself seriously exhale when I read the opening! Wish we all could’ve been there to celebrate with you in person!

    Carpet downstairs? What, no hazmat suit to do the master bath carpet available?!

    Thank you for your very kind words to us followers! Over the next few days/months/years, I/we will remind you how exciting this is and will virtually shoot any unwanted appraiser/banker that dares to draw near The Liberty House!

  22. I’m bringing another bottle of champagne when I get home and lucky me, I get to see all of this in person. Be there in 3 weeks and you are the first thing I want to explore. Many congrats on hanging in there. I love you Mamie

    1. Yes! I promise to have running water by the time you come. Can’t want to have you up to visit.

  23. Quiz Time:::::
    Enlarge the photo of the champagne glass. Look closely. To the left of center, could that be a reflection of Kit, in a diaphanous blue gown, toasting to the sky with another glass? ? ? ?
    Probably not, but it could keep us guessing ! ! ! !

  24. So…
    I just discovered your blog via The Ugly Duckling House, and I have to say…wow. Congrats! My husband and I are in the middle of searching for our first (non-rental) home, so I’m going to let you and this incredible property inspire me. Thanks so much!

  25. Grandpa rocks – that was also my reaction when I saw the pictures of the pole barn!

    Congrats!!

  26. How exciting. Congrats on getting the house (I know I’m way behind on the blog). That is some property you have. Reminds me of the place I grew up in. I’m so envious right now. I’m really enjoying all the posts – trying to catch up. You have done a fantastic job.

  27. So I stumbled upon your site after Pinterest recommended one of your posts on chicken coop building. I have to say I am thoroughly entertained. So I went waaaay back to some of your earliest posts and followed along in chronological order (yea I admit this is a little stalker-ish) however this was awesome!!! Your story rocks. Anyway, you provide inspiration and determination for me to figure shit out on my own and I thank you!

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