I’ll never build my own house! Never!

How many houses?

We have lived in two different houses that we owned until we left for the adventure of our lifetime – starting all over again in South Africa in 2003, leaving everything behind after 45 years in Switzerland. Our first was an old farm house – a very old farmhouse Ito exact. We called it our home for 10 years and my daughter basically spent her childhood years there. The second one was a modern semi-detached home – light modern style inside, rather common on the outside and by then my wife’s absolute favourite and her “house for life”. It wasn’t to be. Sorry, my love!

• 

• 

• 

In the early 2000’s we owned a small house close to the Malecon in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. It was not big, but a beautiful place maintained by Esther, a lifelong friend of ours and the owner of the Angel Azul B&B in La Paz. And it was my wife’s “home from home for life”. It wasn’t to be. Sorry, my love!

• 

• 

• 

• 

We have been living in Mzansi* for 18 years now – 3 houses in 3 different areas of one of South Africa’s most hated and most loved cities – buzzing Johannesburg. Totally underrated, Joburg is a great city with a many of cultural highlights, a thriving art scene and the centre of SA’s music scene.

• 

• 

• 

• 

*Mzansi is a colloquial name for South Africa. It is also used to refer to aspects of South African arts, culture and leisure, etc. – so that one reads of “Mzansi house” (music) and “Mzansi hip hop,” as well as “Mzansi people” and the like. Read more here – The origin of “Mzansi” – a detective story

Building a house versus buying a house

I have no diploma in engineering, but one in resolving complex issues from the school of life. So the answer to this dilemma is rather simple. And the answer is: Take it easy, go and find something nice and finished out there and then make it your own. Spend your energy putting the best interior in place and start enjoying your new space immediately.

“But we are not going to build. Too much of a shlep, too expensive, too nerve-wrecking. Hell no.”

The Soulman to his Soulmam

So far, so good. Very important to note is the following: For the last 30+ years we stuck to that rule and none of these houses were built by us. Not a single one. We loved every piece at the time and there was nothing wrong. So you will under-stand that all these years the standard tune that was set in stone was: “But we are not going to build. Too much of a shlep, too expensive, too nerve-wrecking. Hell no.” Search for the nicest fit you can find and turn it into the best home ever. Easy, y’all. All smiles.

Then the year of the lord 2020 started with a bang. Boom! The pandemic hit and everything changed. Zappoing! And we were on the journey again – you remember? Refresh your memory here: Leaving the city, shall we my dear

With the jolly tune of “But we are not…bla…bla…bla…Hell no!” on my lips we started the hunt for the only one to be located in Clarens in the South African province of the Free State.

Searching a property in Clarens applying the approved Soulman’s methodology of – you know….

Starting in September 2020 the hunt was on. There is a vibrant and active property market in and around Clarens. Should be a piece of cake. And yes, we quickly found our most promising lead and followed it up and up and up for six long months. But it did not materialise to become the new hacienda magica. End of February 2021 our home in Joburg was put on the market and was sold within weeks. Ooops. With a potential short 3 months transfer period looming, a slight sense of panic started to creep in. So let’s speed up the pace and look, look, look. La luta continua! But there was and still is a very, very small stock of existing houses on the marke. And none of them did/does suit our budget or style.

What we noted, was that there are many pieces of land available. What – no houses? L-a-n-d only? In the past, that always came with the house as a proper side-effect. Panic station! The beginning of the meltdown of my set-in-stone approach of tackling new real estate was imminent and it was not a groovy feeling at all.

DEFCON 1 and the need to change

Buying land and then? Building a house? The worst nightmares started visiting me every night. Top of the charts – a nightly episode of Nightmare on Van Reenen Street starring Freddy, the builder. OMG!

Change was needed. Change of approach to the problem at hand. Getting rid of the nightmares. The clock was ticking. After a very short emergency conference with my love the decision was taken. If we really wanted to have Clarens as our next stop in life, then land needs to be bought and…… a house being built! On 23 April 2021 we found it. As I write this, we are the proud owners of a 2 800 m2 plot in the beautiful town of Clarens. And I will tell you more about the house the Soulman and the Soulmam will be building there. Thank you Soulmam – you found it, our own long to road to freedom.

Never too old. Never too crazy.

To be continued – stay tuned, y’all!