The Incredible Feeling of Homeownership

Happiest of Holidays to One and All!

Anyone who I've represented as a first time home buyer knows the story I've told countless times to so many people.

The feeling of owning a home is something so strong and spiritual, especially if you rented for as long as my beloved Wife, Robin and I did. Don't get me wrong, we had a fantastic landlord who was always there to address any repair issues, didn't mind the driftwood and planters outside our apartment door. We even got our security deposit back after living there for 13...yes, count 'em...THIRTEEN years!

In 1999, after trying to find a home a number of years prior to that (once we'd have a sufficient amount set aside, one of our cars would decide to cough and wheeze and clean out our wallets and savings account), we saved, asked a TON of questions and started searching again.

We met a busload of agents but found one who was like an "older brother" figure to us and we ran him ragged. We were set to make an offer on a nice Bangor Box home, gorgeous interior, walk-up attic, the works...EXCEPT it had no yard to speak of, it was on a one way street and a stones throw from the medical center...which is fine if you're in ill health...otherwise it's a constant howl of sirens and traffic.

Our agent whose name shall remain, Bob Gilberti...insisted we look at a home that until recently was a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) that Stan Pyzynski was about to list.

I walked through the 4 bedroom Colonial and thought...Wow! This place is GORGEOUS! And it's on a DOUBLE LOT! It'll be a great home for SOMEONE else because there's no way on God's Green Earth we could afford this...

Robin, my Wife, a very intelligent woman and a head for figures was talking to Bob when I came back downstairs and she looked into my eyes and said the words I never thought I'd hear..."We Can Do This!"

A huge Catalpa Tree, raspberry patches, flower gardens, a vegetable garden and now, due to our love of the place, a patio deck we built with the help of my 4th "Little" from Big Brothers Big Sisters, More Gardens, rosebushes, lilies, 8 or more bird feeders, etc and a great bunch of neighbors, I realized something and for this year's Holiday Poem, I highlighted that realization...that what I had yearned for...had come true:

Several times a day, every day, for more than ten years now,

I've thought and said... "I LOVE this place."

It's a myriad of things that come together
and bring a smile to my face.

It's not just being with my Beloved, my Soul mate, my spouse,

It's not just having this wonderful home, this house...

It's not just cuddling our beloved felines and bunny...

It's something felt deep within,
something that can't be obtained with money.

I'm reminded of it at the start of the holiday shopping season...

That somewhere along the way...
many of us seem to have forgotten its reason.

In high school we were asked describe our vision of Utopia...

Our idea of Paradise.

Looking back on what I had written, I had to look twice.

What I described was like a massive neighborhood.

People got along and helped each other and life was good.

There's only one reason why we were all put here in the first place...

On this big beautiful blue rock, circling in outer space...

Every woman and man, child and creature...

Every father and mother...

Every sister and brother...

We were put here simply...

To love and to care for one another.

Happy Holidays written with Love by C.K. Olsen

December 8, 2009

From our hearts and home to yours...Love, Christopher & Robin and our

Felines Kiwi, Loki, Maggie & Abby as well as Mikey the Bunny