How we came up with a duplex

In the spring of 2022, Pam and I decided to take a different direction in our lives. Pam had been approached about managing an RV Park. After some discussion, we decided to meet with the owners to discuss what this would involve. Pam would retire from DayCare, and I would, after a year, retire from Washburn Tech. At the time, it appeared the job would open in the early fall of 2022, but we were told later it might be another year.  They offered Pam the opportunity to work in their office until the opportunity opened up so she could go ahead and retire. Then, before she took the office job, we were told that the RV Park would be available on September 1st. 

We needed to downsize and sell the house within a few months. After talking with several auction houses, we decided to sell stuff ourselves. They could not host an auction in the time we needed. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist became our friends, along with a couple of garage sales. Even then, we hauled off three large dumb containers to clear out our home. We went out and bought a house that our daughter would purchase from us while we waited to sell ours. To our surprise, we only listed the house after an offer. With the house sold and a lot of junk gone, we hired a moving company to move our daughter's stuff, and with the help of kids from Tech, we moved our things to the RV Park.

Now, while we were taking over the RV Park, the apartment behind the office was going through some updating, so we had to sleep in the office while we waited. A year passed, and I retired in July 2023, making the RV Park my full-time job. The plan was to live somewhat free in retirement, but the job at the RV Park required us to work 8 to 6, Tuesday - Friday, and every Saturday. Pam and I decided this life wasn't for us at the start of 2024. We looked at houses, but there wasn't anything out there we wanted, so a rental was our answer. In February, we moved into a three-bedroom house with one bathroom and a small two-car garage. Rental life was ok, but we needed more motivation to do something around the house since we didn't own it. 

At one time, we looked at 55+ communities. The one we really liked that had a home we would love to live in had a waiting list of 70 people. We went ahead and put ourselves on the list and continued to look. We found that the places were expensive and just needed to fit our lifestyle. While we were looking, we also looked at houses for sale. We liked a home on several occasions, but it sold before we could set up a visit. Finally, we reached a point where I first checked out homes without Pam. Either they had a large HOA, the house didn't meet our needs, or the price needed to be correct. Or, in one case, the house smelled like cat pee (and I mean bad). We were checking these homes out now using our realtor.

Then, one weekend, while Pam was gone, I checked out a home I really liked. It was on the higher end of our price range but had almost everything we wanted. We were looking for 1. three bedrooms, 2. at least 1.5 bathrooms, 3. two car garage, 4. basement, 5. fenced-in backyard for the dogs. The house was big, with more than we wanted, except a fenced-in backyard. We arranged another show, this time with our Realtor. While Pam agreed it had everything we wanted and more, there could not pass, which was one issue. The house was built in the 70's and had paneling at the entryway, hallway, and family room. Even though I said we could paint it, she preferred we remove it, and that cost made it too expensive.  While showing the house, the realtor commented about a duplex that was coming on the market. Pam said we would be interested, and I didn't say anything then. But I told her that my only desire is to live in a duplex if someone is caring for the yard.

Since the door had been opened, we set a time to look at the duplex and then set an appointment to see another duplex. Upon our arrival, we were shocked at the size of the duplex. The kitchen was small, it was on a corner lot next to a busy street (but the street and house were protected by a row of large trees), and it was a duplex. But it was a three bedroom, three bathrooms, fireplace, 75% finished basement, privacy fence, and nice deck. It needed new flooring, paint, and new AC. The price was right, and with the help of my connections at Tech, we could install the floor and a new furnace/AC at the material cost. Labor would involve a couple of pizza parties. We would want to buy a new fridge since the one there was white and the rest of the kitchen was steel. I suggest redoing the kitchen counters and taking out a wall. We would still be at least 25,000 below the going price for a duplex like this.

We waited to offer. We looked at the other duplex, which was at the high end of our budget. It was nice, but the price was too high. I took a few days to talk to my tech folks and confirm they would help.  With that, we scheduled a second viewing and made the offer during that time. By the evening, they had accepted, and the ball was in motion. 

Then, it was time to work with the bank. While waiting to take possession, I made several trips over to look at moving the privacy gate to give space to expand the deck. The deck also needed some leveling, and I had to figure out how. I arranged with the realtor to get the floor and HVAC instructors in the house so they could figure out what needed to be done. 

Have done a lot of thinking and have many ideas that may or may not come to reality.

1. Expanding the deck both to the east and west.

2. Build a deck out front and screen it in.

3. Terrace the backyard.

4. New countertops for the kitchen.

5. Remove the wall from the kitchen and dining room to help the kitchen appear larger. 

6. Maybe create a portable island. 

7, Identifying the wooden flooring for upstairs.

8. Using stone-like flooring for the entryway of the house and the bathrooms.

9. Paint the color and what we need to paint the whole house.

10. Changing out the ceiling fan in the dining room.

11. Adding an attic fan.

12. We are removing some of the carpet we are removing and adding it to the unfinished area of the basement.

13. Adding a large TV in the basement.

14. Change the plug-in in the living room so the TV on the wall can plug in directly. 

15. Figuring out if the cameras at the house can be used for security.

16. How to set up my diecast room.

17. Cabinet for laundry room

18. Sell the washer and dryer that is in the house. 

Here are some before pictures. 

Front .. notice the privacy fence to the right. Looking to move that forward. By next spring would like to add a deck and maybe a screen in porch as the entryway

Kitchen .. new granite countertops are planned, and a different fridge.

New flooring will be added as well. The wall to the right will be removed and add a portable island in the future. 

 The door to the left is the garage, and out of sight to the left of that door is the entryway. You're looking at the dining room. The door to the right takes you downstairs. We will replace the ceiling fan, and paint the walls, and wood flooring with possible stone-like flooring at the entryway.

The living room will be painted and have wood flooring. A plug may be added to the wall so the TV hanging on the wall can be plugged in. The double doors go to the deck. Not sure we will leave this two-tone color. 

Looking throw the window wall is the kitchen.

Utility Room is seen when you first see the wall in the door. Want to paint over the wallpaper and sell off the machines.

This will be the extra bedroom upstairs. It is located on the northwest side of the house. The plan is to paint and put in wooden flooring. I thought we might leave the carpet in the closet. 

Two pictures are of the master bedroom. Again, wooden flooring and paint. The door you see is the entryway door. The large closet is on the other side of the bathroom. There has been talk about adding a door between the bedroom and the bathroom.

Showing the main bathroom because of the ugly color. It will be painted and new flooring will be done.

Basement area. The top right is the three rooms that will be Pam's Office. To the right and open area is the family room. Part of this will most likely be a play area for grandkids, and the other part is set up for a sound system and a TV room.

The third room (Pam's office area). It will be painted. but no plans to replace the carpet at this time. Not sure if we will leave paneling or not. 

Storage area for the basement and the area I will convert into my DIecast room. 

Downstairs bathroom - may do nothing to it for it now. 

The deck is 10 feet by 18 feet. You're currently looking west. Want to add about 5 feet to the east and set it up as a cooking area for the smoker, grill, and griddle. To the west, we add about 10 feet X 7 feet and leave the stairs as is. Then, we need to level the deck.

The backyard slopes down to the fence. I will check, but it's almost like the top of the yard before it slopes is as tall as the top of the privacy fence. Going to take the winter to think this through, but want to terrace the hill into multiple terraces with a spot at the bottom with width to either sit with a fire pit or maybe use as a garden. The question is how big each terrace will be and how tall it will be. Then there is the question of whether we should place rocks on each terrace, plant grass (which could make it difficult to mow), or do some type of landscaping like decorating grass.