Xanadu

Never say Never, Maybe

By Ronnie Godfrey, CGB, CGP, president, R Godfrey Homes

Do you remember when World War II ended and builders got busy building small, frame homes 700-1,000 square feet in size. Neither do I. I was only one year old after all. A lot has changed since then. The national average home in the last few years has been over 2,500 square feet. Now a change is occurring across the country. Builders and buyers are rethinking their housing needs.

Just when folks were saying build it bigger the trend changes. What’s more it is happening to Suz and I. We sense the need to downsize. When I found our lot on the Brazos and showed it to Suz, she said we would die here, that we would never live anywhere else. And I thought that we would be watching red, sunburned folks drift by on the river for the rest of our lives.

Here’s the thing, we don’t have to sell; we want to sell. Why would anyone want to move from the river? In our case there are multiple reasons. We have livestock and we keep them on land not far away, but we have to go there twice a day. It would be mighty nice to walk out the back door and take care of the herd. Our needs are such that we could make do with a little smaller home. It’s easier to keep, the utilities are less, insurance, taxes…Well you get the picture.

We’ll sell our Xanadu (that’s what we called it before we built it) and find some land to build our new home on the range with room for horses, goats, and chickens. Perhaps 15-50 acres will do. Maybe you could help us if you know of some land like that.   

My fondest hope is that someone with teens in the home will buy here and enjoy all that the river would offer them. Spend some time watching the eagles, peregrines and osprey cruise by in early winter. Keep the bluebird nest boxes clean after every fledgling and bird seed out for the cardinals.