Abstract visualization (is there such a term?) is not really my strong suit. It's why I use idea books to scrapbook and rubber stamping catalogs to create cards. I can take an idea and tweak it, but coming up with it all on my own is another story!
Perhaps I am not alone in this, and imagining the houses I've described here in Iquique may have been difficult for some. Good news! Today I have a picture (thanks to Chile's version of online realtor listings.) This is the house we saw on Monday:
So far, it is the cheapest house we've seen. (By "cheapest" I mean it costs "only" $117,000 USD.) As a matter of fact, it's currently not only one house, but two. The one-story house in front is the first property which measures approximately 915 square feet. The two-story house in back is the second property which measures approximately the same. Both properties have three bedrooms and one bathroom. We were unable to see the second property and only saw one of the bedrooms in the first, but overall I'd say the place had (again) "possibilities."
However, money and vision are needed to make this "possibility" all that it could be. Definitely the wall between the houses could be removed, a larger parking area could be created, and it could become a beautiful big home. In fact, two doors down the owners did just that. Our one concern was the fact that after doing so, they felt the need to build a mile-high gate with spikes and to wrap multiple circles of barbed wire along the top. Makes you feel really safe, right??
Amusing side note: Despite all that effort, we saw first-hand how easy it is to break in anyway. Two boys - apparently brothers who live there - were locked out (yes, Dad, this does bring back memories!) and one gingerly shimmied up and over with great care to open the gate from the inside. Not to say this was as easy as he made it look - and I do say that from personal experience that might make a great blog post someday! :)
Interestingly, this house is literally nestled at the feet of Cerro Dragon, the enormous sand dune that overlooks the city of Iquique and which some say is the "birthplace of dune surfing." I'm sure our boys would be thrilled with the location! But on the down side, the street is a thruway for buses and public transportation. This makes is a bit noisy and also a bit dangerous. It does seem as though the neighborhood is in improvement mode and many of the original homes are under construction so perhaps one day it will be quite nice and traffic might be redirected. (You see?? There's that abstract visualization again!)
We agreed to come again and see the house if the two-story was available for viewing. Unfortunately or fortunately - depends on which way you look at it - we received news on the current house we are renting that same day. I'm still processing that information but imagine it will appear in another blog post soon!
However, money and vision are needed to make this "possibility" all that it could be. Definitely the wall between the houses could be removed, a larger parking area could be created, and it could become a beautiful big home. In fact, two doors down the owners did just that. Our one concern was the fact that after doing so, they felt the need to build a mile-high gate with spikes and to wrap multiple circles of barbed wire along the top. Makes you feel really safe, right??
Amusing side note: Despite all that effort, we saw first-hand how easy it is to break in anyway. Two boys - apparently brothers who live there - were locked out (yes, Dad, this does bring back memories!) and one gingerly shimmied up and over with great care to open the gate from the inside. Not to say this was as easy as he made it look - and I do say that from personal experience that might make a great blog post someday! :)
Interestingly, this house is literally nestled at the feet of Cerro Dragon, the enormous sand dune that overlooks the city of Iquique and which some say is the "birthplace of dune surfing." I'm sure our boys would be thrilled with the location! But on the down side, the street is a thruway for buses and public transportation. This makes is a bit noisy and also a bit dangerous. It does seem as though the neighborhood is in improvement mode and many of the original homes are under construction so perhaps one day it will be quite nice and traffic might be redirected. (You see?? There's that abstract visualization again!)
We agreed to come again and see the house if the two-story was available for viewing. Unfortunately or fortunately - depends on which way you look at it - we received news on the current house we are renting that same day. I'm still processing that information but imagine it will appear in another blog post soon!
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