It Only Takes Five Hours

September 7, 2019
Tombstone, Arizona

Following a snug all-slides-pulled-in night in Anthem, Arizona, we make the 225 mile drive south to Tombstone. 

We've mooch-docked here at our dear friends' house many times in the last 4.5 years, and gotten in the habit of calling it our Arizona home. When last here in March we made the decision to start looking for our own place to really call home for the winters. 

Periodically Donnie and Anna have sent us information on properties they've seen for sale in the area. In addition, I've tracked down the owners (found the daughter on Facebook after a couple Google searches) of a 10 acre parcel with an old trailer and great views. We have an appointment to meet her there on the 14th. 

There are many factors that make southeast Arizona generally, and Tombstone specifically, a great spot for us to land. One of them is affordability so we can continue to travel most of the year. 

After an hour of getting caught up, we all want to go look at the 10 acre property. It's more land than we need and can likely afford, and more work than we probably want to do, taking more time than we really want to spend - but it's a beautiful spot with those big views. We spend some time talking about all we'd want to do, where we'd put the home we've already picked out (a stunning manufactured home I'm in love with), how we'd landscape, all those "if it were ours" discussions.

A flat home site to start after lots of demo.

Nice views.

One of the places they told us about a few months ago, and one that I've looked at online, is nearby and I suggest we go look at that one next. 

As is often the case, it looks and feels very different from what I've seen online. It's really cute :-) With 2.2 acres, and similar 360 degree views, we instantly like the property. With three garages, a few mature trees, and a completely fenced yard, we want to see if the interior is something we could live in.

A For Sale By Owner property, Donnie encourages us to call the woman whom they've met and believe is very motivated. So I'm not surprised when she answers and offers to come show us the house. The weather is perfect, with cool breezes and big storm clouds, so I tell her we'll wait for she and her husband to drive over from nearby Sierra Vista.

This gives us more time to wander and wonder and see ourselves here. 

This could be my house!

Louella and Lee arrive in about 30 minutes, a delightful older couple who have owned it four years, but spent many years visiting their good friends who owned it before them. 

Stepping in the front door (behind Tessa of course), I love it. The livingroom is dated with real wood paneling on one wall and pale pink drapes on the big window, it feels like a home. Like it could be our home. 

Louella gives us a detailed tour of the two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, small kitchen, and large utility porch. Lee shows us the big garage converted from a car port with two roll-up doors, and the detached garage that is also a good size. Donnie's already measuring for his boat.....

They show us the property line, going all the way down to the next street, and it looks like so much more than just over 2 acres.

With updates in the kitchen and bathrooms, and some work in the yard, we could make a lovely home here.

We thank them for coming over so quickly and head back. A short discussion has us all agreeing that this is a great home for us - location, size, cost, availability - we should make an offer. 

So we do. Louella says she'll call back soon.

And then we all go for dinner at the Longhorn, a favorite where everyone knows Donnie (they all call him Wheat Bread here) and Anna. 

Dinner is good as always and while we're enjoying our meal and our friends, guess who comes from the back of the restaurant having just finished their dinner? Yep, it's Lee and Louella with big smiles on their faces. 

The offer is accepted, hands are shook, congrats are shared all around.

It's been five hours since we arrived in Tombstone :-)

When it's supposed to happen, it does.

Waiting isn't one of my strong suits, I'm definitely an instant-gratification gal. Adding more issues with the rig and the next week is a long one. But that first five hours back in Tombstone will always be one of those "Wow, that was amazing!" memories we'll share for years to come.

Next up we'll deal with the motorhome and all the house paperwork and more fun stuff (for me) like finding furniture and house stuff.