by Hola mi gente,
It feels like ages since we last updated you on our journey! Life after early retirement has been a whirlwind, especially now that we’re a family of four. In December 2022, our second daughter, Lina, brought a delightful new dimension to our lives. Life has changed a lot since then.
This lovely little firecracker has shown us that no two children are alike. Despite our best efforts to raise them similarly, their unique personalities continue to surprise us. 🙂
A Dream Realized
Aside from raising kids and homeschooling, we’ve been immersed in an incredibly exciting project: we’re building our own home here in Florida!
The process has been a steep learning curve—so much so that I might just consider a new career in construction after this adventure! Ha!
Maybe not! I’m not looking to get a permanent job here.
But, here we are, in the process of building a truly custom home, which requires more thought and decision-making than buying a cookie-cutter home.
You might ask, “Weren’t you happy with your current home, the one you bought back in 2020?” While we’ve loved our space, we’ve always dreamt of having more land. So, when the chance came to buy over five acres at a county auction in our cherished neighborhood, how could we resist?
It felt like a dream come true. We’re thrilled to own such a significant piece of land in our neighborhood. It’s deeply satisfying to know we prevented developers from turning it into a cookie-cutter subdivision. Instead, this land will remain a cherished gem, preserving its natural beauty and wildlife. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to keep a bit of the neighborhood’s charm intact.
This land brings me back to a cherished memory from my childhood, reminding me of when my parents purchased a lot in the Dominican Republic in the 80s and built their dream home. We even took a photo on this land that mirrored one they took back then, forming a beautiful link between the past and present. It’s incredible to think that our kids and their future generations will look back and reflect on this moment.
It’s fascinating how we often find ourselves following in our parents’ footsteps. I was once deeply immersed in the world of technology, but now I enjoy simplicity, embracing the outdoors and country life while still living in the city. It feels like a return to basics, a way to honor the past while shaping our own future.
What’s Missing From Our Current Home
Our current home is cozy, but it lacks certain features and the expansive outdoor space we’ve always desired. We envision a backyard filled with fruit trees and ample room for raising chickens. Picture this: fresh eggs every morning and a thriving garden. Our current lot only accommodates four chickens due to city regulations, but our future property offers space for many more, along with an abundance of fruit trees and wildlife. Yes, we’ll have chickens!
And I want all varieties of avocados. Is there a variety for every season? I want it!
This new property fuels our passion for creating a sustainable, bountiful homestead. We already compost, but in the future we will be able to mulch and harvest rainwater to water the garden.
From Pennsylvania Profits to Florida Dreams
Let’s take a step back. Remember our Nuestra Casa funds? They played a pivotal role in turning our Florida relocation dreams into reality. After retiring from our corporate jobs, we had accumulated enough savings to invest in a house in Florida. With interest rates at a historic low, we decided to put down 50% on our current home. After exploring various neighborhoods in Sarasota County, we found the ideal location and made the move.
Our girls are only about 12 minutes away from Grandma, which was a big plus in choosing our current location! Our oldest already has sleepovers, and we see Grandma frequently. Everything seemed to fall into place effortlessly.
We also made a strategic decision to retain our Pennsylvania rental property, using the rental income to support our early retirement goals. We sold it last year to our former tenants. Selling that property for a substantial profit was a game-changer, given its significant appreciation since 2020. We’re now channeling those funds into our new construction project. It’s incredible how past investments can help build the foundation for new dreams.
But you might be wondering: How are we financing the rest of the project?
The challenge of being “early retirees” is that we don’t have a regular paycheck. We’ve been living off our investments for the past five years. Securing a conventional construction loan or home equity line can be tricky without a steady income. Construction loans are also very strict. Most require you to have a builder. We are owner-builders, which means we can customize as much as we want and use high-quality materials without cutting corners, but we don’t fit the criteria for most construction loans.
While we can explore asset-based loans, they come with higher interest rates. We applied for one, but the closing costs were astronomical. To navigate the financing, we’ll be employing some creative financing strategies. Stay tuned for a future post where we’ll dive deeper into how we’re making this project work. For the time being, let’s continue salivating at the possibility of future dreams.
Designing Our Haven
Creating our ideal home has been nothing short of exhilarating. We sifted through countless plans, carefully selecting features we loved and customizing them to fit our vision. Working closely with our designer, we turned our ideas into detailed blueprints.
Every morning, we would sit on our lanai, sipping coffee and daydreaming about our future space. After months of going back and forth, our vision came to life on paper. We began this process last summer, and in about four months, we nailed the design.
With more land at our disposal, we’re excited to design a space that truly fits our family’s needs. From a sprawling backyard oasis to a spacious kitchen and a multifunctional bonus room for homeschooling, we’re crafting a home tailored to our lifestyle.
The Ideal Backyard
And speaking of our backyard, it will be more than just a patch of grass—it will be our sanctuary. Picture a covered lanai for lazy afternoons, a penthouse-style chicken coop, rows of fruit trees, and a lush garden irrigated by a rainwater harvesting system. We aim to create an ecosystem that thrives on its own, harnessing nature’s power as much as possible.
The Dream Kitchen
The kitchen will be spacious, complete with a walk-in pantry—ideal for our hosting and cooking needs. As avid cooks and hosts, having a kitchen that caters to us is essential. From intimate family meals to gatherings with friends, designing a kitchen that becomes the heart of our home is truly exciting.
A Room for Creativity
We’re thrilled to be creating additional space for our girls, and one area that has us particularly excited is the bonus/guest room. This multifunctional space will serve as the epicenter of our homeschooling endeavors, brimming with educational tools and resources. From musical instruments to interactive games and a dedicated experiment table, it’s a haven for learning and exploration tailored to their unique interests and needs. We’re committed to providing them with an enriching educational experience, and this room will be instrumental in fostering their growth and curiosity.
All of the rooms will have at least 10 foot ceilings to create a sense of openness and encourage creativity. Mommy and Daddy will get a bigger study room with 13-foot ceilings and large windows.
Nurturing Our Family
Our vision extends beyond the physical structure. We want our daughters to develop a deep connection to this environment, creating lasting memories and experiencing a sense of freedom and spontaneity. Those are the dividends of homeownership that can’t be traced on a spreadsheet.
Where Are We in the Building Process?
We’re on the verge of breaking ground! We’ve got all the paperwork in order to submit for our building permits, except for one crucial piece: septic system approval. In our city, not every area has access to city sewage. While the city is working on expanding the system, the project requires millions of dollars that are currently beyond their reach. As a result, we need to install a septic tank for our property.
We’re awaiting approval from the county health department before we can submit all the paperwork to the city. Would you like to hear more about our building process, including the challenges and triumphs? Let us know in the comments!
Conclusion
In building our home, we’re not just creating a physical space; we’re crafting a sanctuary where our family can thrive. Each step of this journey, from winning the land auction to designing the blueprints, has been filled with anticipation and excitement.
Yuna is already looking forward to decorating her future room, but that does not stop her from living in the present by decorating her current room with mermaid stickers. Or should I say mermaid tails? When I told her they looked like fish cut in half, she was not happy. 😄
As we advance with this project, we’re committed to creating an enriching environment for our daughters, where they can grow wild and free, discover where their food comes from, and learn how to grow it themselves. Our ultimate goal is to nurture self-sufficient, critical thinkers.
