Sunday, Aug. 15, 2010

A yard does say a lot

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU for writing this article. What a person's yard says about them could be any of the following: caring, hard working, appreciative, respectable, clueless, slob, lazy, ungrateful, uncaring. It wasn't so long ago that owning a home meant something. Owning a home was the American dream. Land ownership meant status, stability, respect. Sadly that is not the case today. Just because someone has the means to own a home doesn't necessarily mean that they should be homeowners.

Owning a home takes time, effort and the maturity that some people lack. Home ownership is a privilege. Sure you have your little piece of the American pie, but it still needs to be maintained, respected and appreciated. I was taught by my grandmother that you get your work done first, then have fun. So if you have the means, time and energy to get in 18 holes or attend a sporting event or spend a Saturday on the boat/at the beach/fishing, then you also have the means, time and energy to be a responsible homeowner and cut your grass, pull weeds, pick up the newspapers that you have stepped/driven over and bring in the garbage cans from the curb. For those who want to own real estate with no maintenance, look into a condo or townhouse. Want to own a home without having to deal with unapproving looks from the neighbors? Maybe a neighborhood isn't the best location for you.

Yes, Mr. Foster, my own husband has said those dreaded words "why bother" as we have driven past those very unkept homes you mentioned in your article. But I do bother because owning a home is a privilege, a responsibility and a dream that is fulfilled. I take great pride in my little piece of the American pie. I only wish others would realize what owning a home means and start acting like appreciative, caring and mature homeowners. Yes, Mr. Foster, appearances do matter...to neighbors, home sellers and, especially, potential home buyers.

H.M. Bruck

Wake Forest