Will I NEVER learn?

At last post we'd just backed out of a contract for a house we loved in Sugar Land, Texas. We'd also just started looking at houses north of the city and I'd said we'd found "quite a few possibles".

The part I left out was that one of the possibles was an absolutely gorgeous custom built home on a lake in the Senterra subdivision of Spring, Texas. It's unfinished, but even in that state it's impressive:




o Sits on a natural, not canal-like, lake.
o Has 3300 sq ft of floor space
o Three bedrooms including a master that looks out on the lake.



o Study with wood wainscoting (I think that's what you call it) and a computer nook just off of it. Full bath too so it could be a third guest room.


o Beautiful kitchen that opens onto the family room, breakfast area, and views of the lake.


o Formal living room that you see directly across the foyer as you walk in and a view of the lake through the picture window.
o Huge diningroom with butler's pantry.

o Two covered patios looking out on the lake with access from family room and master bedroom.
o Three car garage (no more wondering where to put my windsurfing equipment).
o Table for folding clothes and a sink in the utility room.
o Corner lot with a second lake (retainment pond actually) across the street.
o The not-yet-completed community swimming pool is across the lake.
o There's a public golf course within 15 minute drive.
o AND it's at least $200,000 more than we were planning on spending.
o AND it's a 55 minute commute to my office ... on good days.

We drove out there on Sunday. We walked through it again, and frankly just fell completely in love with it. We asked ourselves, "Why are we not just taking this? It's the perfect house for us and who cares how much it costs if we've got the money? Why are we even debating this?" We walked around the lake and saw a few minnows swimming plus signs people have been fishing. We had mild concerns about where the lake's outlet is; how does it keep from flooding the houses? But still. I could see taking this house and never moving again.

Then Lara sees a pipe sticking up out of the ground just on the property line: "Warning - Petroleum Product Pipeline -- call 1-888-555-You're-F-ked to report explosions, fires and other destruction. Sorry about that." Well, I'm kidding about what the sign said, but not about there being a 10 inch gasoline pipeline running next to the property. It carries as much as 1500 barrels (60,000 gallons!) of gasoline an hour and can run at 500 psi. It was laid in 1948.

I can hear god in his arm chair saying, "I TOLD you not to buy a house. Why won't you listen?"

Then why does he keep putting houses we like in our way and then jerking them out from under us.

Truthfully, we like it so much, we may buy it anyway.

Today though, we're off to look at townhouses to rent ... again. Maybe we'll find something we love that we don't have to buy.