If the original owners came to your house . . .

[Nichole77]

The original owners of my house live next door. They are mean horrible people. The house was a rental before it was mine. It was built in the early 60's and was becoming dilapidated. We remodeled. I don't know what they think, but I don't think they were thrilled when we removed the palm trees they planted in the front. They were about 80 feet tall and a nuisance.

 

[Crunchie]

While I would welcome the previous owners if they stopped by, I think I would be embarrased. Not because my house/farm is in that bad of shape or unusually dirty/messy (though it is a bit of both

), but because this was the farm that these people wanted to live on for the rest of their lives (it was an unexpected and I believe unwanted move) and they had very much put their heart and soul into this property. I know that I don't live up to the expectations that they had for this place. Of course, when it comes down to it, it is mine and really none of their business what I chose to do with it....but I don't feel that way most of the time. I see the thought and care they put into every detail of making this place what they wanted, and then they had to walk away and give it to someone else.

It's all a work in progress, though, and one day I'll have this place the way I want it--and when I do, I'd be a bit more comfortable if the original owners stopped by!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

When my house was up for sale before I bought it, the original family came through the open house. They brought a painting that was done of the house when the huge pinetrees out front were newly planted (house is at least 130 years old.) When I bought the house, the seller told me this because when he bought it from that family, the house was condemned. He totally gutted and redid it and the original owners were so appreciative.

Last year a woman stopped by to buy some vegetables from my stand out front. She hesitated then finally introduced herself as the granddaughter of the original owners. Said she grew up in the house and thanked me for keeping it up. Had tears in her eyes as she left and gave me her card to keep in touch. I know she'd like to see the inside but it's always a mess. I would have been mortified, as you were, but she probably wouldn't have even noticed the mess - just imagined what everying used to look like and where things were. He knows he was "intruding" and it probably took alot of gumption to even stop. It was nice of you to welcome him.

 

[ChickenFanaticAB]

We have had not the original owners of our current house, but the ones right before us stop by a few times. The son of the owners grew up in the house, and stops by just about every time he happens to be in town (which has only been about four times over the past ten years. Most recently he brought his sister along (who now has a daughter of her own whom she brought) and they looked around for a bit. We have made some changes to the house, mostly paint and cosmetic things...but I definitely think that they were more interested in the memories that it brought back than anything else. I know that if I went back to my old house (which was a rental, but after living there 8 years I feel like there is a sense of ownership) which I lived in from the ages of 2-10, I wouldn't expect the rainbow wallpaper (which we didn't put up...) that was in my bedroom to still be there, but I can still picture that house perfectly, even 10 years later, and I would love to make the familiar walk through it. Even now, I drive past it just to see how it's doing, and while the yard is a mess (humph.) it is still nice to see it, but I haven't asked to go in...maybe someday.

 

[CritterHill]

I drive past my old house once a year or so. Usually I have my little ones with me. We always pull over and I point it out and explain that was where Mommy was a baby and grew up.

They are fascinated. I have always wanted to knock and see if they would mind me showing my girls my old room, but I've never had the nerve.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

In the space of about a year and a half (when I was in college) all of my childhood homes were sold. The house I grew up in, my aunt/uncle's place (where I spent tons of time with my cousins) and my grandmother's house (where we spent pretty much every school holiday). These were the places of comfort for me, places of love and great comfort. It was a horrible year.

I never did go back to my grandmother's house. She had a stroke right after the family Christmas gathering at her place. I've never been able to bear the thought of seeing it without being able to walk in the mudroom door and see her smiling face. Just thinking about it is making me cry. Dang I miss her.

Peridodically my sister and I have driven by our childhood home. I haven't been back inside since my folks sold it. Generally we are outraged at how the new folks have screwed it up.

My current home is the first place I've ever owned personally that has held that same emotional attachment. I love this house. I love sitting on the front porch and listening to the cows and birds. I love all the creaks in the floor and all of the weird little quirks. I even love the fact that nothing is square or plumb or level. When I drive up to this house my soul is at peace.
My house was built by the local board of education. Everyone out here calls it the Teacher House (very fun since I teach too). It sits across from what used to be the local K-12 school. The principal or senior male teacher lived here so they could take care of the building before and after hours. At some point the BoEd started renting it out. It's been here since the 1930s and has had all manner of people living here. The funny thing is that the neighborhood/town is very proprietary about this little house. People randomly stop by all the time to inspect the work I'm doing on it. Complete strangers critique the ongoing process. It was a little weird at first to know that people would just stop and look around, but it's kinda growing on me. Clearly they care about this house too and feel a great deal of affection for it. I have heard stories of when the outhouse was torn down and indoor plumbing installed. Some guy swung by an aerial picture he found somewhere of the house in the 1950s. The house belongs to the neighborhood and I am known as the lady that bought the Teacher House. I'm okay with that.