For the past few years I have given quite a bit of thought to “what’s next” for me. After 26 years of living in Washington, DC (and Arlington)—and having plenty of fun and quite a few adventures—I knew I didn’t want to retire there. I decided I wanted to live in a smaller town in the region, but anticipated the move happening three or four years from now.
And then I found Falling Creek.
I was surfing Fredericksburg real estate on Zillow in August 2021 trying to get a sense of the type of house I wanted when I came across two houses:
- An amazing, genuine mid-century modern house that I was convinced was exactly what I wanted
- A shabby colonial that intrigued me
That shabby colonial is Falling Creek and when I looked at it, I was dazzled. At every turn there was something that made me say “oh, wow!”, from the original 1980s kitchen to the curved staircase to the brick circle drive to the moldy wine room to the standalone cottage and the giant greenhouse to the creek on the back of the property.
The house had only had one owner and he built it. But it needed lots—and I do mean lots—of love.
I waited about a week and then looked at it again.
And, if you know me, you know that I’m a guy who doesn’t like shabby things. I don’t want anything run down or ramshackle. I hate that. Hate. It.
But this house was something.
So, fast forward to closing day, Nov. 10, 2021: I now live in Fredericksburg at this house, which has taken on the name of its street, Falling Creek. Here are a bunch of “before” pictures. And stay tuned for the “after” pictures as improvements are made. (You can click/tap on the photos to make them larger.)
