Hi everybody,

I want to thank each and every one of you for answering me so soon and so kindly. With the exception of one guy who was a downright jerk about it (you know who you are) each person who answered me tried to be as helpful as possible. Many many thanks. We had a 1000 yr. flood here 3 yrs ago which picked up rocks in our creek the size of a Chevy Blazer and stacked them up. Since then, the water channel has been constantly changing with each storm and rocks continue to be pushed around. In response to the rude guy, we live here because this is where we can afford to live right now. We don't just preach the simple lifestyle--we live it. That means I'm a stay at home mom and our 1 income doesn't stretch to buying elsewhere right now. But anyway, now that that's off my chest.... My dad used to be the CO of the local National Guard unit (engineering) after talking to him he said it would be cheaper to move the house to the other end of the property than to re-route the water and build a retaining wall. So in the next day or so we have to make decisions about whether to move the house or try to find another piece of land. We are leaning towards new land because I'd like more animals and gardens. We just might have to live in our camper for a while, but that's ok if we are working towards a goal!!! Thanks again you guys, where else would so many people bother to answer a call for help? P.S.--Please pray for a few days without RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely, Kathy Linger

-- Kathy Linger (kathylinger@hotmail.com), February 11, 2001

Answers

Thanks for keeping us posted Kathy. Don't let the guy get you down, it's nothing personal, he's just kinda mean to most everybody that doesn't think like him. Takes all kind to make a world I quess. Sorry you have to make such big decisions, take care.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), February 12, 2001.

Looking at it from a financial standpoint, right now your house would have little value due to the undermining potential. If the house is worth saving, then you still might consider moving it before you put the property up for sale. Otherwise, it would sell just for the price of bare land, unless a buyer was willing to move it. I'd recommend getting a quote of the cost to move it and set it up again (electric, water, sewage) and then talk to a good real estate agent on whether or not to have the house moved. These are just throw-out numbers. Say the bare land would be worth $40,000. Cost to move and set-up the house again was $10,000. Value of property with house moved is $60,000. It would make economic sense in this situation.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), February 12, 2001.

kathy did you try the national guard? here where i live they do community service id think they would move the boulders for you. Bob se.ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@hit.net), February 12, 2001.

Is "Hillbilly" the same person as JoeL?

-- lynne (leaves7@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

e I didn't mind being called a jerk,(considering the sorce), but I resent being confused with Joel.(lynne, is that really monica?) Some people want "pitty parties", and I'm not one to support them, especially when their after my hard earned tax dollars.If you don't want to hear criticism then you shouldn't post a question. Nobody, agrees with all the answers they get to their posts, however, you should be intellgent enough to realize that there are many answers to every question. Right or wrong. What you want to hear and what you don't! I will thank Diane, for pointing out that we are all different, and thank Buddha, I don't think like her or anyone else. That's what makes us different, isn't it wonderful!! How boring life would be if we all thought the same.

I respect the fact that your a "stay at home mom" (domestic engineer), and I admire you for that, and you must have a very caring husband. So many women can't or don't want to stay home to rear their children. I'm also sorry that I didn't post an answer you wanted to hear.

Sincerly....The Jerk

-- Jerk (internethillbilly@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

I have to say that I am behind Jerk on his comments on this thread. It is important that these kinds of things get said on this forum in hopes of preventing someone else from being in the same predicament that Kathy is in. I think he did it responsibly by not flaming her but rather pointing out a very important issue in this that needed to be said to help others. I saw that Kathy's defense was that she bought that land because it was all that she could afford. But, look at where she is now. Any money she had invested in that property is down the tubes. It is a question of being penny-wise and pound foolish. I think it would be helpful for people, particularly those who don't have a lot of money to realize if they do buy something they should still protect their investment by not buying the wrong property. They are lucky that they have only lost their house. They could have lost their lives. I'm not trying to hammer Kathy, I'm sure she has enough heartache and regret about her purchase already, but hopefully others will learn by her mistake. So let's lighten up a bit on Jerk. We all have the responsibility to educate those who come to the forum and sometimes saying the hard things is tough to do. I'm glad he had the courage to do it.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), February 16, 2001.