Well then, we’re in Romania for five and a half weeks today. The first two were spend indoors, because of the self-quarantine. The second two were thus easily more interesting. We first went out to visit friends in Runc, where Matthias quickly found something useful to do. After that, we made sure that the rest of the time spend in the apartment would be more comfortable than the first two weeks. All in all that already took us a few days in total, especially because we didn’t know where to find everything we felt like we needed.
Then, Matthias took me and Cato to see the valley where we thought to have found a house prior (the one that “they” didn’t seem to want to sell after all), and the valley on the other side of the mainroad. Both were stunning. One of these was definitely going to be our “backyard” if we had anything to do with it (luckily, we do). We left our phonenumber with a passerby in valley nr 2.
We were given a contact from someone who kind of rolled into doing the work of a real-estate broker. If anything was for sale in valley nr 1, he’d know. We were a bit pessimistic about it, since there was nothing on olx, the Romanian marktplaats or craigslist. Then how would he all of a sudden know more?
Turns out, he does. And not everything for sale is on olx, or even properly online. In short, we found something. And as soon as we get out of lockdown (Sibiu is in local lockdown for two weeks), we will sign the pre-contract, so as the current owner can start the procedure to get the papers in order for selling. To us. And then, we’ll have a dreamhome in disguise.
It hasn’t been lived in for 30 years, and you can tell. The walls are ok, but the ceiling has had some serious damage when a tree fell through the roof (years ago, the roof is fixed, the ceilings aren’t). There are bats living in what used to be the kitchen. There’s been dug a hole in the livingroom by something. The paint needs some serious touching up, and the plaster needs fixing on the outside of the walls. But the foundation is good. And since we probably would have wanted to change everything about every house we would’ve bought, it’s probably for the best that there is no plumbing yet. Yep, no bathroom, no kitchen (as we know it), but two wells and a little stream. But hey, location, location, location.
This winter we will still have to remain in Sibiu, since it’s undoable to live in this house as it is with a 7 month old baby. This Spring we will set up a yurt to live in, while changing the rooftop of both the house and the barn. The barn will then be transformed into three studios and facilities for camping guests, after which we’ll work our magic on the house. We’re excited!!