I ditched a big city for a $5,000 fixer-upper with 8 bedrooms in a small town. It's nice to live in a place where people don't treat each other like strangers.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with John Nichols, 47, about his move to Huntington, West Virginia, after growing tired of living in Chicago. It has been edited for length and clarity.
While Katie and her family — who immigrated to America from Germany during the Cold War – had always lived in Chicago, she really wanted to move to West Virginia, a state where my own grandparents had lived. The home was built in 1881 on a civil war battlefield and even had its own parlor. It was located in the oldest section of Huntington, and sat on a block filled with houses that were mostly built in the 1920s.At first, I did not want to purchase the home because it was listed for $35,000 and needed a lot of work. I knew I would not be able to secure financing needed for the property, so we continued looking at different homes.
When we lived in Chicago, we were paying $1,650 a month for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat. Now we have a huge house that does not even have a mortgage.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
PHOTO: Police Rescue Hiker, Dog Stranded on Cliff in West VirginiaA hiker and his dog got some much-needed help Sunday when they found themselves in danger in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Read more »
Soccer player at center of West Virginia transgender sports fight 'incensed' over Riley Gaines attackEXCLUSIVE — A former soccer player at the center of a fight to protect West Virginia 's law defending fairness in women's sports felt 'incensed' after a mob of transgender protesters 'brutally attacked' former swimmer Riley_Gaines_.
Read more »
Soccer player in West Virginia transgender sports fight 'incensed' over Riley Gaines attackWATCH: A former soccer player at the center of a fight to protect West Virginia's law defending fairness in women's sports felt 'incensed' after a mob of transgender protesters 'brutally attacked' former swimmer Riley_Gaines_.
Read more »
Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton Announces She Has Parkinson's DiseaseThe congresswoman said she joins eight million people who have Parkinson's Disease, including actor Michael J. Fox, and described PD as a movement disorder that starts in the brain and will will affect her speech and balance
Read more »
Man holds 4 adults, 1 child hostage while robbing Virginia bankA man entered a Wells Fargo bank in Arlington, Virginia, grabbed an employee, said he had a gun and demanded cash.
Read more »
Virginia lawmakers weigh proposal banning recreational sales of hemp productsGov. Youngkin proposed a revised bill to ban sales of intoxicating hemp products in Virginia after patients who use CBD products called for amendments to the original measure.
Read more »