DUTCHESS COUNTY REAL ESTATE

I know it might seem like I just dropped off the face of the earth.  I have been a habitual blogger up until recently.  Not deliberately, I just quit Active Rain cold turkey a few weeks ago.  Then, around the middle of last week I tried to jump back into the Rain.  I started out slow by just catching up on reading and commenting on a few posts by my favorite blog buddies.  I figured it would take me a few days to get caught up on commenting before unleashing my own creative juices.  Perhaps I just needed some inspiration from others.  It's hard to get creative when you've been inactive on Active Rain for so long.

Actually, I've had so many other things on my mind this summer and I've also been traveling a lot. I wish I could say my travels have been related to vacationing.  But, I've speant a total of about 6 weeks this summer tending to my elderly parents who live out of town and are dealing with a health crisis.

Just as I thought their situation had stableized and I was gradually starting to get back to Active Rain and to my real estate business, one night during the middle of last week my phone rang at 2:30am.  And, for the second time this summer my world began to spiral out of control. 

My mother had already been re-admitted to the hospital 5 days earlier and at the time I had arranged to have my father placed into an assisted living facility while she underwent diagnostic testing.  On Wednesday of last week the hospital called me while I was leaving Washington DC after a brief visit with my daughter and granddaughter (and blog buddy Pat Kennedy).  With all the tests coming back inconclusive, they were considering releasing my mother a few days later and sending her to a rehab facility where she could get physical therapy and become stronger.  Then, in the middle of the same night after I no sooner arrived home and fell asleep - I was awakened.  The doctor on the other end of the phone explained that my mother was transferred to ICU after having a mini-stroke,   

So, what would cause me to take a break from Active Rain?  Let's just say that I am putting my Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation to work - personally.  Lately, my time has been speant checking into senior housing options for my parents and dealing with repeated hospital stays along with extended respite care periods in assisted living facilities for my dad.  I am now looking for a more permanent housing situation for them and I am learning a lot about senior housing options, specifically the differences between independent living and assisted living.

Fortunately, my mom's mini-stroke was just that.  Nobody can tell she has had a stroke (TSI). But, the doctor informed me there could be others to follow this one.  Having the responsibility of a house and caring for my dad has probably taken it's toll on her.  And, now her own health issues need to be taken into consideration too. 

For right now, my mother's needs are minimal and the best housing option for her is independent living.  On the other hand, my dad needs a stepped up level of service which typically my mother can provide if and when she's on her feet again - for now he needs assisted living.  Ideally, downsizing to apartment type housing in a facility that offers both independent and assisted living seems to be the best solution.

So, I am back to hanging out in my hometown again - tending to my parents and shopping for the right place to call their permanent home.  I think I have found THE place. I will take my father there today to get his final approval before switching him to a new place - it has to be a place where my mother can transition to also without feeling like she is giving up too much of her own independence.

By the end of the week, I hope to have my dad settled in at the new place where he will wait for my mom to join up with him after her hospital stay and rehab.  Putting their house up for sale can wait for now.  The nice thing is that we can arrange a month to month lease which will allow us to ensure their happiness. 

I hope to return home next week, not only ready to put my SRES designation to work for me again - but, to use my personal life experience to guide others who are no longer able to age in place.  And, hopefully it won't be long until I am a regular hear again on Active Rain.  I'll be back soon - I promise!  

My clients were just beaming yesterday when they told me they were heading to greener pastures.  They are moving to an area of the country where you can actually buy a  nice luxury home for only $250,000.   When they described it, I imagined the same house here selling for around 500K.  Wow, no wonder they were so attracted to this place. Seems tempting enough for ME to even consider migrating to.  It just so happens that my clients are retiring in their late 40s due to health reasons and they needed to relocate to an area of the country which offers up affordability and warm temperatures.

Later in the evening I was telling a friend about this.  "Seems to be a nice place to consider retiring to", I told her.  My friend had a concerned look on her face.  She looked at me as if I had two heads and immediately dismissed this as being a desirable place to live.  She had recently been out of town on business in THAT city. 

While staying at an area hotel during her business trip, she met a nice man by the pool and they began conversing.  Soon she realized she was casually speaking to an FBI agent who told her WHY he was there on business too.  It's become the latest area for under-cover investigations.  With the rash of foreclosures, the affordability is also attracting many gangs and criminal activity to the many nice luxury home communities. Apparently, as so many people in this economy are considering relocating to more affordable housing markets, so are criminals flocking to these areas too and taking up residence. 

Imagine, you move into your dream house - a gated luxury home community where your children or grandchildren will be playing in the streets.  The neighborhood is beautiful enough to be a scene from a movie set.  A safe haven seems to surround you.  There is continuity around you.  For all appearances, it seems like a prominent community.  Except, your neighbors are a little shady.  They don't earn their money the same way you do.  In fact, they might not even have a mortgage because blood money is what contributed to the cash purchase of their home.  

Ooops, one thing you might not have known when YOU purchased - that house up the street just sold too ...for cash ...to a notorious gang leader. And, the members are meeting right there every day on a regular basis. 

Greener pastures?  Sometimes the grass only appears to be greener on the other side of the country.  Or, in this case maybe there is no grass at all, perhaps it's just a mirage.  

Oh, I miss you.  It felt like a lifetime, when in reality it was just a few short years.  We spent countless hours together every day and there were many late nights too.  Sometimes I would tip-toe into bed in the wee hours to avoid waking hubby. If he only knew what time it was.  He was very jealous of you.  See, he knew all about our business relationship but had a hard time accepting all those late nights in the office.  When it turned personal, he REALLY got annoyed. 

From the beginning, you made it very easy for me to get to know you. I immediately grew comfortable sharing very intimate details with you.  It helped that I felt an instant comfort level. Oh, I loved you so!

Amazingly, after a few late nights together, I became more and more passionate about my work.  Was it work, or YOU? But, now that you're gone work is not as fun much anymore.  

I remember how you were so responsive to my touch.  I quickly learned of all your secret little places.  Oh, how easy you were to get to know.  Eventually, I would turn to you first thing in the morning.  I couldn't wait to turn you on.  And, at night I would find it hard to part ways with you.  We became inseparable.  I just couldn't get enough of you!

Then, one day you just died. There was no advance notice.  The tragedy is that you were only middle aged.  I thought we would still have a few more years together.  There was so much more I had hoped to accomplish with you.  It's hard to believe I won't have you to turn to anymore. 

I think I'll be okay.  I've found another but it was hard to move on and things just aren't the same.  

See, I can't seem to find all those secret little places on this new computer.  I am having a hard time getting to know it like I knew YOU.  After many days and late nights together I'm just not sure if I will ever feel the same way about this one.  It's a bit more complicated this time around. Oh, how I miss you.