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Full Blown Westies

In March 2018 we moved to the West. To Yarraville to be closer to Oli. We loved it.

In November 2019 we bought next door in Footscray (or Foot’a’scray as it is known locally thanks to furniture tycoon Franco Cozzo).

We bought a double-fronted Californian Bungalow.

A real fixer-upper.

When we first inspected the house, we were drawn in by the charm of the front half of the house, the original structure, estimated to be from the 1920s. We joked our way through the second half of the house, which comprised of two 3m-wide lean-tos, with floor-board patterned lino, and internalised windows. No wonder the listing didn’t include photos of the kitchen, dining room or bathroom. We wrote it off.

But then it didn’t sell. It got passed in at auction. It kept turning up on our real estate searches. The price went down, then down again.

So we went back for a second visit. And then for a third visit with a builder. The more we talked about it, the more attractive it appeared. Sure it needed work, but at least it would be a ‘neat’ fix. Knock down the back half, put in an open-plan kitchen-dining-living area, plus some minor internal renovations, and a new coat of paint! Done!

So we put in an offer and after a brief negotiation we got our dream home. It settled on November 1, and we moved on November 8.

So now we have to fix it.

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