My brother and I have "owned" our family homestead for years. Yet, we didn't have control of it for years, since my dad was living there. After he went into the nursing home, we fixed up the place to rent the place out. When our tenants moved out (into their new home), the house has sat vacant. Recently, we've been paying taxes on a non-performing asset.That's part of why we decided to sell the house.
We went into contract in late May, and the clock has been ticking. Our lawyer told us that the buyers have 2 months to close on the deal unless their bank refuses to give them the loan. And now, my schedule conflicts with the last 2 weeks of this 2 month period. So, I sent an email to my brother to let him know which days I can and cannot be available for the closing. Hopefully, this won't cause the closing to be delayed any further.
I have a lot of memories of living in this house. And I will miss having a connection to the house. But for everything, there is a season. Yet, that season is over.
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My apartment has been my home for much longer than the family homestead. Like the family homestead, I have held back on doing many of the renovations and modernization that most properties go through over the years. My kitchen looks like any kitchen did in the 1970's, and my bathroom looks a little older than that due to the color scheme of the toilet and bathtub. It'll need a hard core renovation when I eventually leave this place. But that'll be someone else's concern.
If I had had children, I know how my property would need to be divided. This is not my reality in this universe. My niece and nephew will get most of everything, with the proceeds of the house sale going to RQS upon my demise. (And I hope that's not anytime soon.)
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Memories are important things, as that's all any of us can take with us when we pass. If there is something afterwards for us, no one knows. But I want to be rich in happy memories when that time comes.
