You must allow me to tell you how ardently and hopelessly I love the 'one that got away'. Mainly, because my friends and family are quite sick of hearing about it…
Sara- I love this. I spend my life on Right Move looking at the 'ones' that got away. I think that ultimately you make something or someone 'the one'. I genuinely believe there are hundreds of 'the ones' out there for all of us. it's just a mix of timing, opportunity and often serendipity. Thanks for sharing
A long time ago, my husband and I found 'the one'; close to my parents who at that time, were starting to need more support, in an area we both loved. Sadly, it required the co-operation of family to make it happen, but that was not to be. We resolved to not look for a whole year, as we couldn't believe we'd ever find that house again. I promised my husband I wouldn't look (he was away a lot at the time) but that very next Friday afternoon when my work colleague and I were passing the time by searching for real estate, up popped an eerily similar version of 'the one' - Ron was away - I shoved the dogs in the car the very next morning and drove the 1.5 hours to meet the agent, all the while telling myself it wouldn't be right, that I was mad to even be looking, that I'd promised...blah blah - arrived, got out of the car, took one look and knew I was done for. We lived in that house for 20 happy years, created a wonderful new chapter for the house and ourselves; I wouldn't change it for the world, but I must confess I did love that first one...
This really resonated! I fell in love with a cottage in the city last Autumn, that I *know* would have been perfect but was just out of our budget at the time. Like you, I was totally invested in the imagined future I was building in my mind and I still find myself looking it up so I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in that! We've ended up with a top floor tenement that is packed full of period features that we would have had to spend years and £££ restoring in the cottage. We get the keys next week - eek! Loving your Substack, Sara. The line "irritating tenacity and soft, loving magic" got me. This is so me too! ❤️❤️
Hello Sara.... "Something else was better for you!" Something else needed you!
Again, I identify with your story... but in my case, the house came back to me. It was sold to someone else. I cried, I got depressed, then fell in love with another house (which didn't happened either). But only for the 1st house to come back again. Now I am here, trying to figure this out! A challenge house... I tell you. But I am still in love with"her"!
Thanks for sharing your love affair. Hoping that your heart is moving on! I know you will find "another one". I know....!
Oh comparison and regret deadly. Happy you stilled pursued your dream. I think regrets can often be one of the hardest things to live with. Limit as much as possible. Looking forward to your journey
This made my heart ache a little. We found our dream house last year and everything that could’ve gone wrong, did. There were so many moments when we thought we wouldn’t get it, then times when we thought everything was sorted and finally, finally we would be moving in! It was such an agonising time. And, though we were lucky enough to actually get the house of our dreams… it appears our rose-tinted glasses had kept our eyes off the countless problems with the place 😭
Reading this has helped remind me that I do love our house, though. Thank you for sharing x
I fell instantly in love with the first house we saw online one year ago when we started to seriously consider trying to make my life dream of a house in Sardinia come true. It has been such a journey to get to this point, but in 2 hours the house will finally be ours and tomorrow we start our journey south through Europe to take posession. It almost got away, but we got it. Though if we hadn’t I’m sure that too could have been for the best. Things usually work out the way they are supposed to.
Oh boy yes - I had one - a beautiful setting next to the river with luscious wisteria piling everywhere .. I literally stole into the grounds with my phone and whispered into my video speedily sending it of to husband.. Viewing booked , day arrived , at meeting place - phone goes.. désolée Madame, un offre a été accepté aujourd’hui.. Wind dropped out of my sails .. Dreams restored .. and years later an even more ambitious project underway .. it will be fabulous .. just need a large dose of patience.. Bon courage ma chère 😙
I have taken my car into the garage today. On my walk home and then again when I walk back to collect it I have to go past the one that got away.
Sara- I love this. I spend my life on Right Move looking at the 'ones' that got away. I think that ultimately you make something or someone 'the one'. I genuinely believe there are hundreds of 'the ones' out there for all of us. it's just a mix of timing, opportunity and often serendipity. Thanks for sharing
A long time ago, my husband and I found 'the one'; close to my parents who at that time, were starting to need more support, in an area we both loved. Sadly, it required the co-operation of family to make it happen, but that was not to be. We resolved to not look for a whole year, as we couldn't believe we'd ever find that house again. I promised my husband I wouldn't look (he was away a lot at the time) but that very next Friday afternoon when my work colleague and I were passing the time by searching for real estate, up popped an eerily similar version of 'the one' - Ron was away - I shoved the dogs in the car the very next morning and drove the 1.5 hours to meet the agent, all the while telling myself it wouldn't be right, that I was mad to even be looking, that I'd promised...blah blah - arrived, got out of the car, took one look and knew I was done for. We lived in that house for 20 happy years, created a wonderful new chapter for the house and ourselves; I wouldn't change it for the world, but I must confess I did love that first one...
This really resonated! I fell in love with a cottage in the city last Autumn, that I *know* would have been perfect but was just out of our budget at the time. Like you, I was totally invested in the imagined future I was building in my mind and I still find myself looking it up so I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in that! We've ended up with a top floor tenement that is packed full of period features that we would have had to spend years and £££ restoring in the cottage. We get the keys next week - eek! Loving your Substack, Sara. The line "irritating tenacity and soft, loving magic" got me. This is so me too! ❤️❤️
Hello Sara.... "Something else was better for you!" Something else needed you!
Again, I identify with your story... but in my case, the house came back to me. It was sold to someone else. I cried, I got depressed, then fell in love with another house (which didn't happened either). But only for the 1st house to come back again. Now I am here, trying to figure this out! A challenge house... I tell you. But I am still in love with"her"!
Thanks for sharing your love affair. Hoping that your heart is moving on! I know you will find "another one". I know....!
Oh comparison and regret deadly. Happy you stilled pursued your dream. I think regrets can often be one of the hardest things to live with. Limit as much as possible. Looking forward to your journey
This made my heart ache a little. We found our dream house last year and everything that could’ve gone wrong, did. There were so many moments when we thought we wouldn’t get it, then times when we thought everything was sorted and finally, finally we would be moving in! It was such an agonising time. And, though we were lucky enough to actually get the house of our dreams… it appears our rose-tinted glasses had kept our eyes off the countless problems with the place 😭
Reading this has helped remind me that I do love our house, though. Thank you for sharing x
I fell instantly in love with the first house we saw online one year ago when we started to seriously consider trying to make my life dream of a house in Sardinia come true. It has been such a journey to get to this point, but in 2 hours the house will finally be ours and tomorrow we start our journey south through Europe to take posession. It almost got away, but we got it. Though if we hadn’t I’m sure that too could have been for the best. Things usually work out the way they are supposed to.
Oh boy yes - I had one - a beautiful setting next to the river with luscious wisteria piling everywhere .. I literally stole into the grounds with my phone and whispered into my video speedily sending it of to husband.. Viewing booked , day arrived , at meeting place - phone goes.. désolée Madame, un offre a été accepté aujourd’hui.. Wind dropped out of my sails .. Dreams restored .. and years later an even more ambitious project underway .. it will be fabulous .. just need a large dose of patience.. Bon courage ma chère 😙