Ending the year, with things looking up

Well, we are finishing up a project in Columbia County, a county we like working in and probably has a lot of opportunity for us, but, not an easy lift in terms of logistics.  Pretty far from the team.  That being said, I don’t think we’ve used that as an excuse once, in fact, probably the opposite where we flooded the zone more often than not, just in terms of allocating as many resources as possible in a consolidated fashion.  I camped out a few nights in my Van camper, and I know the electricians spent a few nights up there in a local campground.  Good team.  Proud to be associated with them.   

This home was fun - first, the clients were awesome.  Gold Star, Masterclass level.  2nd, they zeroed in on a cool design we hadn’t built in years, and had only built once.  So we were able to pull it out of the archives, dust if off, look at with eyes that have seen a lot since it was last built 10 years ago meaning lots of large and small improvements could be made and were made.  And then during and now at the end of the project, really were validated that this was the right design for the clients, and good design overal, and the changes we made to update it were spot on.

This is a growing trend for us, one I like.  People, in the later stages of life- retired but still spry (here’s looking at you Pat!), selling some suburban home they’ve lived in forever, and selecting us to build on of our designs for them.  It’s cool.  It’s validating.

Looks like we got another deal popping at Ashokan Acres - that will make 4.   Only 5 lots left till I’m out of lots in Ulster again, which will suck, since it’s a good market for us.  Buying 3 more lots in Narrowsburg.  Have created 6 more lots in North Branch.

I head into NYC this weekend with my son and two of this friends.   Lucas and I have been doing this since he was 2 months old.  I’m sure we missed a year or two, but not many for sure.  I have my annual dinner party at my home in Milford PA on Thursday, and then off the Biltmore in Asheville to spend with a secret admirer (I know, I know, that doesn’t really narrow it down there are so many).

For some reason, I haven’t had a drink since last April.  I didn’t really try to abstain, but here I am 8 months later and not a drop. I don’t know what miracle I was expecting, but it whatever it was, it didn’t happen.  I didn’t drop 10 lbs, I didn’t sleep a whole lot better, I guess I saved some money, and I’m sure there are mental health benefits, but nothing earth-shattering, write-home-about impacts.

I’m not a big fan of the stock market.  I have a decent amount in equities but the ups and downs of the market bother me more than it should, considering my exposure - or lack of- in terms of proportion of investable $$.  So, I’ve pulled back some to a conservative old man 60/40ish stock/bond split, so when there is a run like there has been recently, I get a relative ‘meh’ bump in portofolio value.  However, that’s ok, because I know my customers are probably invested more aggressively, and their improved sense of finances helps them pull the trigger on a home and a new home sale for me makes even good stock market returns looks silly and modest in relation.

Looks like another deal or two in the works. That gives us a pretty significant queue of deals for next year.