![\"Jo](\"http:\/\/www.appleattic.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/1409.jpg\")
<\/a>Jo and Blondie enjoy a warm February day<\/p><\/div>\n
I took advantage of a sunny day by taking my ATV on a run in the Wild Horse Mesa area. The warmth\u00a0has produced a lot of melt but some of the back roads are still snow-covered.\u00a0I\u00a0appreciate the warming weather and hope it continues for a while.<\/p>\n
<\/a>President’s Day ride,\u00a0Wild Horse Mesa<\/p><\/div>\n
The other project that’s taking up some of our energy is our continuing retirement house hunt. Yesterday we took yet-another trip to the Montrose area to look at a\u00a0number of properties Pam had reviewed on-line. Two of the 13 properties appealed to us\u00a0—\u00a0but — are above our target price range. The first is a newer house on a large level lot (1+ acres) in a subdivision near town. This place would need some outside work, primarily repainting +\u00a0replacement of some window trim + extensive yard cleaning and fencing, but it was nice enough that we will likely contact a realtor and schedule a visit to see the inside. Not many places get that far! An elderly neighbor (79 years old) saw us looking the place over and came by to talk about the house and the area in general. He mentioned the foreclosed\u00a0house had a full underground sprinkler system and the yard, when maintained, was gorgeous. (The place has been empty for more than a year and is bank owned, with the price slowly going down.) We appreciated him sharing his perspective; always enlightening to talk to the neighbors.<\/p>\n
Here is Pam on the front porch of the foreclosure house:<\/p>\n
<\/a>20391 Tulip Circle house<\/p><\/div>\n
Both this house, and the\u00a0second one that caught our eye, are in upscale neighborhoods where houses look well maintained and there is no junk around them. (Junky neighbors was a big issue in the Pea Green Corner house hunt last weekend.)<\/p>\n
The second place is more historic in nature, built in 1887 or so. It is known as the Montrose Trading Post. Located on 1.16 acres (63562 Lake Shore Drive), the yard has enormous cottonwood trees and an irrigation pond with\u00a0water flowing to-and-through it. Gorgeous in the summer and attractive all year round. Drawbacks are a lot of steps and a 300+K price tag. However, the property\u00a0really appealed to us for both the appearance and history.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Trading Post has a pond and trees<\/p><\/div>\n
A later addition includes a two-car garage with a room above for storage or living space.<\/p>\n