More January 10, 2011

January Perspective: Home

A wise family member has always said you should plan to keep a house for at least seven years to ensure a good return on your investment. But owning a home is much more than a financial investment. It’s about family, about belonging, about security. Your home is your sanctuary. Especially during this time of uncertainty, it is comforting to come home every day.

During this most recent holiday season, our home was a gathering place for friends and family. Holiday gifts were the very least of it. Rather, it was about the gift of truly feeling at home: a crowd in the kitchen, a full guest room, kids in sleeping bags in the family room, extra shoes in the front entryway, board-game marathons at the dining room table, commotion, clutter and chaos. Memories being made.

Over the years we’ve painted and repainted, remodeled and replanted – all to satisfy our desire to make our home “just right.” It will never be perfect, but it will always reflect who we are, and provide a sense of belonging and well-being.

Beyond improving our own home, we’ve also made an investment in our neighborhood. We have neighbors who have become good friends – and remained so even after some have moved away. We take pride in our community, and we do what we can to make it vibrant and safe, and a welcoming place for everyone.

Now that the holiday decorations are down, only the memories remain. But our home will continue to be a gathering place throughout the year, for occasions big and small, special and ordinary. Making memories is a year-round thing.

As we start this new year, we’re looking ahead with hope and optimism. There will be challenges for sure – what they’ll be we can’t even imagine. But we are sustained by the idea that whatever’s going on, we can go home. And the emotional value of that is priceless.

Happy New Year!

From

OB Jacobi, President, Windermere Real Estate

Geoff Wood, CEO, Windermere Services

Jill Jacobi Wood, President, Windermere Services