Our own little piece of dirt in Guatemala

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Today we became landowners!

Steve and I casually started looking at real estate in December, shortly after we returned from New Zealand. It was the standard procedure: Steve and I start dreaming about owning a vacation home, we look around and see what's available, and then we come down to reality and talk ourselves out of it.

This has worked so well during these past 18 years of marriage - we never once actually pulled the trigger on a vacation property, but really enjoyed the process of dreaming, looking, visiting, and dreaming some more.

But to actually buy something? Why would we want to do that??!! Who needs to be burdened by all the responsibilities of ownership? It's much better to keep your freedom and visit a variety of places than to be bogged down by a single property, right?

Umm, well yes, of course...but...

Anyhow, we found a little piece of land that was the last lot in a very small development south of Central Park and within walking distance to it. We got a terrific price (in fact we could sell it tomorrow and get a decent return) and we've decided to just sit tight a few years and see if this feeling of great satisfaction leaves us. We don't have to build any time soon, in fact we're thinking that we won't build until the kids are out of high school, so we have plenty of time to just sit and think (and dream, look, visit and dream some more).

When we went to sign the papers today, we met face to face with the sellers, who are this lovely couple from the capital. They specifically said that they were looking for "nice people" so that the little neighborhood they are developing would be nice and friendly. We somehow managed to passed muster, because they went ahead and signed the papers.

Anyway, we're just tickled at this whole thing. I'll try to get some photos to post, so check back if you want to see our little piece of terra firma.

Postscript: Pictures posted!

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Photos

Our property is on the left
Those first few rows of coffee trees are on the southern end of our property, which extends 18 meters up to the foreground of the picture.

Horse not included
This shot shows the eastern wall that we will build up to. The lot is 25 meters deep. Our property begins to the right of the horse.