The Economy

North Carolina ain't cheap. We bought our lot to build the house in 2016. The people who just built across the street paid more than $100K for their lot than we did. Our houses aren't really comparable, so that's a different number.

 

Most of the places I think of on the Texas coast aren't what I think of as beach, either. That said, I'm more about the salt water and wade or surf fishing than the beach anyhow. Nobody wants to see my old carcass laid out on a beach towel. I've done a bit of time around Kemah/Seabrook. Bolivar Peninsula.

None of it's cheap, but I don't really want to live right on the coast anyhow, just close enough to get there quickly when I want to go.

It's very unlikely that we'd move down there anyhow. Pipedream.

 

Most of the Texas coast is made up of places that could get a visit or two from Jim Cantore between June 1 and Nov. 30.

 

If I won the lottery (which would be quite the feat because I hardly ever buy a ticket), task numero uno would be getting on the horn to a realtor somewhere along the Carolinas coast. My dream would be a beachfront place at Edisto Beach combined with a (purchased) slip at the marina there.

 

That sounds lovely. I must point out that I'll be taking down the outdoor Christmas decorations this morning in anticipation of the 70 mph winds coming with tonight and tomorrow's storm at MY dream house location, and we're a half-mile from the beach. Storm season is upon us. It's weird living in a place where the weather changes the actual geography on a near annual basis, lovely as the place is.

 

If I win the lottery, I’ll be in the Mountain Time Zone … somewhere … for the rest of my life. Look for the barn with the horses — that’ll be my place.

 

Texas:

 

I think we are going to miss the worst of it. It's rainy and nasty and will be until at least this time tomorrow. I did make sure there was no gear adrift underneath the house as well as my brother-in-laws' houses in anticipation of any wind event. The heavy rain and flooding seem to be well to the west.
The Cape Fear and Pee Dee basins will rise in the next 48 hours.

 

I’ve been shopping for an upstate NY lake house for the last few months. We haven’t pulled the trigger yet, for various reasons, but there are a ton of waterfront homes available at prices that are completely reasonable.

At least, reasonable to me, a homeowner in the DC metro area.

 

While sipping a sip and listening in on "ship traffic control" on the VHF last weekend, I learned that in that neck o' the woods, "Bolivar" isn't pronounced "Bow-lee-vahr" ... it's "Bah-liv-er".

 

True. My wife and I honeymooned at my boss's beach house on Bolivar. I'm the only guy you know who caught crabs on his honeymoon and will admit it.

 

Finger Lakes? Beautiful.