The new TOP World HQ is in an entirely different part of town—the west or rural side of town, where suburb gives way to farmland. In fact, there's a farm field abutting my new back yard. There are some particularly lovely rural views close by, which I'll photograph and share in due course.
I've been waiting for this opportunity for some time now. This morning I took possession of our new house at a friendly and actually quite moving (no pun intended) financial ceremony called a "closing," about which many of you know far more than I do. It is one of life's small landmarks and memorable for that reason. (I'm also told that it makes almost everyone anxious, regardless of their level of wealth, because even if there is no financial strain involved—which of course there is for many people, me included—there's always the worry about whether you've made the right decision.) The previous owners and their agent (native Waukeshavians who've been friends for decades) couldn't have been nicer.
Every person who is reading or has ever read TOP or clicked on one of our advertisements has indirectly helped make this possible. Certainly anyone who has ever purchased a product from B&H Photo or Amazon through our links has helped. Even more obviously, anyone who has bought one of our own products deserves my thanks—especially, but not limited to, people who participate in our print offers—and that includes the photographers offering their work. There are many people like Jim Henry and Bryce Lee who make regular contributions to the site because they like it (I name two people just to help personalize it—there are many of you). Subscribers definitely help! There are people who give in kind to the site—whether it's tickets to a football game so I can take a break, or the writing of a post, or the loan of a piece of equipment, or just those who have sent me good informational tips—thank you all.
But most especially in this case, you'll remember that we had a "Help TOP Move" print sale some time back. Because those were my pictures, I got to keep a greater percentage of the earnings. Plus, a surprisingly large number of people simply contributed a gift of cash at the time—they didn't want a print, but they wanted to help. I'll thank all you good people in a minute. (I've waited long enough, I want to do it up proper—after the shots of the new home office space.)
As it's mine now, I can share a few pictures—just walkaround snaps made as I let the painter in (my artist friend Karl) after the closing today.
The architectural style is what used to be called "suburban ranch style" or "fifties ranch" but is now more often called "midcentury modern." The living room is being painted as I write, a peaceful blue-gray.
Sorry to you HDR-phobes, but it comes in handy in a shot like this.
The dining room; the kitchen is to the left.
Two views of the kitchen with housekeys and garage door openers on the island countertop. I confess the nice house is part of an even more grand underlying amibition to find myself a wife, and the purpose of the nice kitchen is to fool prospects into thinking I'm housebroken, or, as Huck Finn put it, sivilized. Also so Zander can make sweet potato fries and all sorts of tasty things. (He, unlike moi, can cook.)
Several snaps of the deck and yard. The back yard is really gorgeous, and quite large. And we're about to get to the fun part, so hang in there.
There's a nice line of trees along the south border of the lot. The shed is for the riding mower I will be able to afford by about 2019.
I won't show the three bedrooms and the other bathroom, except to note that I now get my own bathroom for the first time since 1997! Is that not awesome? You might think this is a small thing, and yet it is not. It is a very big and wonderful thing.
It's a tad under 2,000 square feet, and the listing price was $259k. That's well into the upper-middle level of real estate prices in our area—and just a little past the tip-top of my budget (although I did get it for less). I think it seems luxurious, but it might also be relatively inexpensive by national standards. One of the very nice things about living in Wisconsin. ("Wisconsin. Is that in the United States?")
Maybe a few readers who live in, say, Southern California, or coastal Florida, or within driving distance of New York City—or even London or Berlin or Tokyo—can provide context by estimating what a house like this might cost in their areas.
And now what you've been waiting for...
SUBTERRANIA
The official name of TOP World Headquarters is changing. It is now to be called TOP Secret Underground Headquarters, on account of it is in a fortified concrete bunker deep in the Earth. Also known in somewhat more recherché terms as a "finished basement." The mission is still the same, of course: World Dominion, via the Internet, one Photo-Dawg at a time.
The desk in the photo above is the postulated future temp assistant's desk. The desk itself actually came out of the old Schlitz Brewery Headquarters building in downtown Milwaukee. (I bought it from the previous owner of the house.)
Now be still, my beating heart...as we come to the reason why I bought this particular house. BEAR IN MIND that the office from which I've been running this far-flung enterprise for nine years now is 11 feet by 11 feet in size. And stuffed to the scuppers, yea the very gills, with what is technically known as "crap." Stuff for those who think "cr-p" is a curse-word. So take a short walk with me around the new office:
(In the interests of inclusiveness I should point out right here that if you read TOP occasionally or always and you have never contributed one copper cent to me or the site, you're still welcome here, make no mistake about that. Free site, everyone welcome.)
But you see this big byootiful office space? YOU DID THAT, y'all who contributed to the "Help TOP Move" sale, from Ctein who made the prints and administrated the sale down to the smallest cash contributor (and including five people who contributed only yesterday! You know who you are, and thanks). That's what you made possible. Because, y'see, I've been working for three years at the task of getting more space, and I could have bought a house on my own all right. But I couldn't have bought this house with this much space without that Sale. So, a great big...
THANK YOU!
to everyone who participated in that.
As for the space itself, sour old Sigmund Freud, in one book of his everyone should read even today, Civilization and Its Discontents
Going from that old 11x11' space to this is going to make a lot of things possible. Maybe it's only the sudden release of dammed up needs, and maybe it's only an "episode," but I am happy.
Self-portrait of happy TOP chief bottlewasher and home maintenance staff in basement storage-room mirror
Upshot...TOP turns 10 next year...and has plenty of room to improve.
Pun intended that time!
Mike
Original contents copyright 2014 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.
(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:
Ailsa: "My jaw has dropped. Not because it isn't wonderful (it is—it really, really is), but because of the price. I just did a conversion into pounds sterling, and had to stare at the screen in disbelief for several moments. I then had to go to a different site to double check.
"For that price, this is what you could buy in my home town of Brighton. I'm now off to weep quietly in a corner...."
Mike replies: Well that's simple. You and Ro and Walt (their greyhound) can just move here. We do have two huge dog parks within an easy drive...I don't know how big the one closer to the new house is, but the one close to the old house is 17+ acres (7 hectares). That's just the fenced-in dog areas! The park itself is many times larger. And our local health club has two indoor swimming pools (one Olympic sized) and an indoor track, along with every other conceivable facility...and costs £32 ($54) a month.
More seriously, I know you can't leave family, friends and business contacts, but it's nice to think about, isn't it?
And by the way—not to lobby—but you don't have to spend as much as £155k here to get a nice house. [g]
Romano Gianetti: "At driving distance (30 miles) from Madrid, Spain, where I live, that house would be a steal at around 1 million euros—thanks to the crisis and the real estate prices going down like crazy. Most probably (given the backyard) 2 M€. Color me appalled...and congratulations!"
Steve Biro: "Back in the late 1980s, I was offered the job as news director at the old WBCS radio in Milwaukee. I was living in Florida at the time and didn't take the job because I had a feeling the station wasn't long for the world. My instincts were right: It was sold six months later, the format changed and the staff blown out.
"I live in the New York metropolitan area now but think often about Milwaukee after my visit to WBCS that weekend in the 1980s. I know I would have enjoyed living that part of the Midwest. After getting a look at the new TOP headquarters and knowing its price, I can only dream about what might have been and weep at what I had to pay for my two-bedroom townhouse an hour outside the Big Apple. But I draw considerable vicarious satisfaction from knowing I played a small role in your victory here, Mike. Congratulations and the best of luck going forward. And remember to enjoy it all!"
The Lazy Aussie: "like"
lynnb: "Mike, warmest congratulations! Your new TOP World HQ looks fabulous! P.S. With all that grass, have you considered a sheep instead of a ride-on mower?"
Mike replies: Seems tempting, until I consider my vet bills for the dogs and then multiply that out to a flock of sheep! [g] Actually I'm anxiously awaiting a quotation from Ray & Son Lawn Mowing Service...wish me luck.
Caleb Courteau: "Congrats Mike. As a nearly daily reader since 2007, I feel pretty darn emotionally invested in the joyous acquisition of your new digs. Cheers!"
Paul Byrnes: "Brilliant Mike. I guess the next development is a live video Internet feed in that office so TOP readers can see what you're doing at all times! Congratulations and thanks for ten years of great writing."
Mike replies: Like the nesting eagles? Made me laugh.
Congratulations!!!! I am so happy for you. I wonder if there is a way for you to get some natural light into your workspace in the basement? Lots of studies have shown the importance of windows to the outside in terms of their effect on happiness and ability to sleep well. If not, take lots of breaks to go up and out into your beautiful backyard space. Breaks are good for us all anyway, even though it's hard to take them.
And I've been thinking about how much a house like that would cost here in San Francisco. Certainly there are no back yards like that here. (And I am properly jealous of yours.)Over a million, for sure, depending on the location and a few other things. Enjoy! And thanks for running my favorite photography site.
Posted by: Jessica Mironov | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 01:26 PM
WOW! A fireplace in the basement? I'm impressed (and a little bit jealous ;-). I see that my contribution has been put to good use.Congratulations with the new office (and accompanying house).
Posted by: Timba | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 01:27 PM
Lovely "mid-century modern". No wonder you are happy.
As a current resident of LA and formerly from Sydney, Australia I can give you two "equivalents". We are currently in a 1900 sq ft house in a nice neighborhood but a much smaller block: $800k. With your land: $900k plus. In Sydney, again in a nice area, about $1.2 million.
Posted by: Robert | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 01:27 PM
Wow Mike, well bought! I won't bother you by detailing how little real estate that sum would fetch here in California, beyond noting TOP intergalactic HQ would need to make do with a non-walk in closet.
The yard is the thing of dreams (except for mowing days). I recall lawns from our pre-drought days.
Best wishes for a smooth move-in and billiard table transplant.
Posted by: Rick D | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 01:37 PM
Congrats! Well earned.
Posted by: Mike | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 01:47 PM
Congratulations, Mike! It looks like a lovely home and I am very, very happy for you. May you enjoy many wonderful years there!
Posted by: Dave Jenkins | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 01:55 PM
I sure hope you have the money for a gardener and a cleaning lady or else you will never have any time for the blog!
Posted by: John Holmes | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 02:16 PM
Congratulations!
Posted by: Eddie | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 02:24 PM
Your new house looks great. I'm really happy for you. That backyard looks like paradise. Wisconsin sure is green this summer. I imagine this house will work wonders on your winter blues. All that window light should make for many nice photos in the coming years. I'm looking forward to your experiments as you learn the light in your new home.
My wife and I are always debating moving back to Wisconsin from our current home in the Bay Area. The coasts are getting so expensive that they are dying culturally. San Fran has turned into one large gated community. There's no music scene and no art scene. You can't live here unless you're already established or have rich parents. I imagine cities like Milwaukee, Detroit, and Saint Louis will become centers of emergent art. I look at that cheap real estate and I see freedom.
With that said, we just put an offer in on a shack-like house in Pacific Grove on the Monterrey Peninsula. This house is so expensive that if we actually get it I'll never be able to afford another camera or lens again. However, it's walking distance to the beach and the town has some of the last remaining good public schools in California. So, as I struggle to pay down the mortgage on a house that stands in the shadow of all those old, famous Monterey Peninsula photographers (Adams, Weston, and Brandt), you'll be up in Wisconsin blazing a path into the 21st century.
Posted by: Dave | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 02:31 PM
One more thought... You need to celebrate. How many people can support a middle class lifestyle and afford a beautiful home from the fruits of their creativity alone? You are one of the few. The rest of us must attach ourselves to a larger organization. We are all riding piggyback. You did this yourself. Yes, you're getting paid by your readers. But we support TOP because we love what you create. We want your blog to be a success. Without your writing our lives would be diminished. Thanks for all your hard work.
Posted by: Dave | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 02:47 PM
Michael -
You found an excellent place to grow your empire.
Wisconsin offers great value in real estate and your location between Milwaukee and Madison will give you access to some of the best Southeastern Wi. has to offer.
keep up the good work!
Chris Beloin
Grafton, WI
Posted by: Chris Beloin | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 02:47 PM
Congratulations! Looks terrific... and lots of work to get that office into shape!
As far as context for my area, I live in Northern Virginia outside of DC. Anywhere close to the city, that house would probably go for at least $500,000, and very close to the city it would be closer to $1,000,000; This is largely because you actually have some land!
My 1250 sq. ft. condo listed for $300,000 - and that's AFTER the crash. Before the crash it listed for well over $400,000.
Posted by: David Bostedo | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 03:16 PM
Congratulations! May your home be blessed with many years of health and happiness!
As recent events here in Michigan have demonstrated, be sure you have a working sump pump in that beautiful new basement of yours.
Posted by: Steve Rosenblum | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 03:27 PM
Hello from Hong Kong. For context, this would easily cost US$6 to US$10 million here. Hope you enjoy the new place, looks like a steal!
Posted by: Brian | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 03:28 PM
I predict evenings on the deck with a Kindle and jazz.
Posted by: Speed | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 03:45 PM
I think you got the last caption ever-so-slightly incorrect. Shouldn't it be "Self-portrait... in future darkroom"?
Congrats, and enjoy! I look forward to seeing the pool table strewn with work-prints.
Posted by: MarkB | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 05:06 PM
Looks fantastic!
Congratulations on the move.
Posted by: Rob... | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 05:41 PM
Wow Mike... Congratulations! I'm writing from a workcation, in a one bedroom apartment in a 600 year old building in Leuven, Belgium, university subsidized housing for 700 euros a month.
When my wife and I found our place one mile from my business I was ecstatic... We're in Brookline, MA, just adjacent to Boston and on public transportation, where our 1500 sf 3 bedroom condo would currently sell for about $750,000. To have a 2000 sf house in this neighborhood would be $1.5 million, and you'd never find a yard like that unless you wanted to pay three times more!
But such as it is... Enjoy the place and congratulations again! And it looks like your diet has been working well, too... Nice selfie ;)
Posted by: Ben | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 05:55 PM
Wow, what a great house and great yard and great finished basement. Hope the move goes smoothly and that you settle in comfortably. Congratulations!
Posted by: Duncan | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 05:56 PM
Congrats, Mike, this couldn't be happening to a nicer guy!
Re: other real estate markets, even here in Portland, Oregon (a relatively moderate market by West Coast standards) a house like yours in a similar area would likely cost you $500 - 700k.
Posted by: Tom Hassler | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 07:07 PM
Great to see the pictures of the new, now not so secret HQ. My entire (end terrace) house would probably fit in your basement, is in easy commuting distance from Zurich and cost $650,000. The tax is low here but I still might cry a little. Please tell me your house is made of wood and not bricks and concrete just to make me feel better. I do have a real bomb shelter in the cellar though, but so does almost everyone in Switzerland.
Cheers Tim
Posted by: Tim Franklin | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 07:36 PM
That is a nice, well cared for, house.
Where I am (rural area, between Philadelphia and Allentown), guessing at the size of the lot, I'd say around here it would go for about $300K - firm. If closer to Philly, that could rise to mid-300's.
Congratulations and good luck. I'm glad I could help a wee bit.
Posted by: MikeR | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 09:39 PM
First of all, many CONGRATULATIONS on the new house and TOP HQ. It couldn't happened to a nicer writer/photographer/etc. And OMG on the really spacious subterranean TOP HQ.
Many you and your family, and future wife(!) have many wonderful years here.
Posted by: Mus Aziz | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 09:45 PM
In our neighbourhood (West Point Grey in Vancouver, BC) a tear-down bungalow on a 33 by 110 foot lot is going for about $1.7 million in US dollars. It's nuts and we wouldn't be living here if we hadn't bought in 1978. Seems like a bubble to us. $259K sounds very reasonable by those standards.
Posted by: John Hogg | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 10:27 PM
You are welcome, and your joy is infectious!
Posted by: John Hall | Saturday, 23 August 2014 at 10:29 PM
Nice house, nice occupant. Both would look good here in Luxembourg. Prices are based on two factors, size and value of the land and the value of the house. Land is measured in Are. An Are is 100 square meters and costs around $90,000, depending on the location of the house. The house is around 200 sqm, which is upper medium sized but it's age.would indicate less insulation and other aspects needing modernization. Thus I'd estimate house value at around $300K and land value at $1.8M I.e. $2.1M in total.the nice thing is that you are in the edge if the countryside , as we are, and that provides many varied dog walking opportunities (taking our Lab out in a few minutes). Also note that the Luxembourgers who went to America, settled in Wisconsin, except for Edward Steichen, who went to NYC.
Posted by: Robert | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 01:38 AM
Wow ! Good Luck !
Posted by: Yoram Nevo | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 03:21 AM
That's great Mike. Have fun with the adventure of moving into a new wonderful space, enjoy (and write about) the transition, and try to deal with the agoraphobia of a work area larger than a closet.
Good for you!
Posted by: Mike Anderson | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 03:27 AM
Congratulations, Mike; I'm very glad I could help a little. YOU are welcome. The house looks gorgeous, and it also looks as if you'll be needing that riding mower SOON! How about I send you $100 to start your RM Fund?
"Wisconsin. Is that in the United States?" Yes indeed, immediately east of Minnesota, which I am FAR from and very happy about it--I much prefer the desert cities of Arizona (for 56 years, now).
Posted by: Jeffrey Behr | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 03:53 AM
Mike,
Congratulations on finding such a lovely home to live in and work from! Have fun getting it all just right. I just want to echo what so many of your commenters have already said and thank you for your insightful photographic musings, humorous asides, digressions to coffee, music and pool, and sharing your experiences in a different city on a different continent (both the ups and the downs).
And to add to the real estate discussion, my fairly ordinary 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house (albeit on a big 1000 sq M block) in one of the not so fancy suburbs of Canberra, Australia, would probably go for around AUS $380k (about US $350k). A place like yours would be around at least the AUS $ 650k mark.
Posted by: KeithM | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 04:23 AM
Yeah \o/
It's both beautiful and big, I can see why it makes you happy. And I'm glad I could help, even if only a little bit. And you've given us so much you've really earned this. Here's to many happy years for you in this house o/
In other news, $259k would get you a very small apartment (a bit over 200 square feet) in my neighbourhood of Paris, which is one of the least expensive parts of this beautiful city. In the centre, I'm not sure you could get anything for that kind of money. Maybe a bedroom under the roofs, with a shared toilet. Different world...
Posted by: Thomas Paris | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 04:55 AM
Wonderful, Mike.
And a terrific lesson in blogging to boot. Lifting the veil on the behind the scenes. Literally inviting us into your home. It really helps strngthen the bond with us, you readers.
Thank YOU.
Posted by: Roger Overall | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 05:36 AM
Happy is good. Enjoy, you deserve it.
Posted by: Guy P | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 06:23 AM
Good for you.
"Midcentury modern", don't you love real estate jargon? They're selling "Zen Urban Flats" near me. I'm almost tempted to go in and ask.
Posted by: Robert Roaldi | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 06:45 AM
Congratulations Mike. Looking forward to the full return of TOP from the new headquarters.
Posted by: Chris S | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 08:00 AM
Back in the late 1980s, I was offered the job as news director at the old WBCS radio in Milwaukee. I was living in Florida at the time and didn't take the job because I had a feeling the station wasn't long for the world. My instincts were right: It was sold six months later, the format changed and the staff blown out.
I live in the New York metropolitan area now but think often about Milwaukee after my visit to WBCS that weekend in the 1980s. I know I would have enjoyed living that part of the Midwest. After getting a look at the new TOP headquarters and knowing its price, I can only dream about what might have been and weep at what I had to pay for my two-bedroom townhouse an hour outside the Big Apple.
But I draw considerable vicarious satisfaction from knowing I played a small role in your victory here, Mike. Congratulations and the best of luck going forward. And remember to enjoy it all!
Posted by: Steve Biro | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 08:39 AM
Nothing like talking about the price of property to get everyone going. I live in Westchester County, which is about twenty miles north of Times Square, NYC. A quarter acre lot (empty) costs around $750,000US and we have the highest property taxes in the US.
As someone else said, take care of any fixes right now so as not to be plagued later. I knew someone that cut a deal with a local trade school to have the students build in a big wall of shelving/storage. The work was supervised by the instructor and the cost was very reasonable. Noticed a dehumdifier in one of the pictures; pay attention to that.
Best of luck in your new home.
Posted by: Peter | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 10:12 AM
Fantastic! I'm really pleased for you. Who'd have thunk it?
Posted by: Eric Perlberg | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 11:04 AM
You've made a great choice. Well done. Congrats.
Posted by: Pierre Munson | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 11:12 AM
Congratulations on all of it, Mike!
I was happy to read your off-hand remark about looking for a lifemate. You would deserve that and would be a wonderful lifemate. Also to read you have not abandoned the plan to hire an assistant. And eyes got moist, never usually do on photography websites, reading your thanks.
Posted by: Lubo | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 11:18 AM
Very happy for you Mike! Well deserved. Congratulations and enjoy your new home.
Posted by: Paulo | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 11:37 AM
Congratulations, Mike, on a very nice MCM.
You might want to check out "Atomic Ranch" :https://www.atomic-ranch.com/ to get some insight on sources for maintaining your house in an original style, should you be interested.
A house like that here in San Diego would range from $500,000 at the low end, to north of $2.5M, depending on its proximity to the water, neighborhood desirability, etc.
So yeah, you scored. Enjoy it!
Posted by: JBH | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 11:55 AM
Congratulations.
I wish you all the best and success following the move.
...and + 1 to Bryan Willman's #3
Posted by: Dony | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 12:28 PM
That's no yard, that's a garden! You have trees!
Looks mighty nice. Super-congrats. Happy house.
Posted by: Tim | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 12:31 PM
You're looking good in that picture. Perhaps as a future topic you could give us an update on your diet... it seems to be working for you.
Also, love the house, enjoy it because you deserve it.
Posted by: Frankb | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 12:55 PM
Congrats to you Mike
Thanks for the many comparators, Makes me feel rich...
Although you did not ask, Mike, just to help define the lower bound of livable real estate in the states and to spread the envy around (about the domicile maybe , likely not the local amenities) I give you this contemporaneous example in the small town south;
http://www.trulia.com/property/1082698301-Deer-Park-167-Poplar-Springs-Dr-Tupelo-MS-38804
1.07acre(4330 sq meters) 2600 sq ft(246 sq meters) for 259.9k$
My house cost 405k 8 years ago before the crash and contains 5000 sq ft (no basement) on 2.07 acres fronting a 6 acre pond (not typos). Of course the heat index today and the mosquitoes are to die for. In a sense we are the temperate climate mirror image of you, Mike. But for a Master Gardener(a State, farm extension service designation) to do her thing and deer, red fox, a rare bobcat, frogs serenading one at night and birds birds birds what more could a nature photographer ask?
And, oh yeah, Elvis' birthplace...
I guess I am rich.
NL
Posted by: Nature Lover | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 01:14 PM
2000 sf, for $259K? Are you kidding? I have just had to pay $800K equivalent for a 770 sf apartment in not-quite-prime London. Consider yourself blessed!
Tim
Posted by: Tim Auger | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 01:20 PM
Congratulations on the house and good luck with the move. I live in central Texas and I would say prices are similar but the larger Texas cities (DFW, Houston, San Antonio, Austin) are starting to get nutty. Our next move will be to someplace smaller, more rural, and further south.
Posted by: Jeff | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 01:45 PM
It makes me happy to see you so happy, Mike.
Posted by: Paul Bass | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 02:03 PM
I started following you back when you were a photocopied paper production that came by air mail and then followed you from your first on-line steps to the popular and well-regarded blog you now are.
I've never been in the position to afford either print purchases or cash contributions but always buy my Amazon.co.uk purchases via your link. Perhaps that has helped a little.
I think your new house is truly amazing and only a tiny fraction of what it would cost here in the UK if you could even find something similar.
But mainly, through my long association with your blog as a reader, and probably as a result of the great pleasure it has given me whether you were writing about photography or something else altogether, I too am very excited about your move.
I definitely want regular updates as your new house becomes your new home.
Posted by: Len Salem | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 02:09 PM
Very nice! I hope you enjoy many happy years there.
Posted by: Patrick Dodds | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 02:53 PM
Mike,
Congratulations. This should be a perfect fit. Very, very nice.
For comparison my daughter has a mid century modern, 1341 sq. ft. on a 6100 ft. lot in Whittier CA about 10 miles from Disneyland that would comp for around $450K.
Here in New Orleans we call closing the "Act of Sale" which sounds a bit more risqué.
bd
Posted by: Bob Dales | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 03:10 PM
You have all that natural daylight, distraction-free view and space upstairs and you want to hide away under strip lighting in the basement? By all means have a den/playroom/admin storage down there but move the day-to-day office back somewhere with its own window
Posted by: Ed | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 03:46 PM
"It's a tad under 2,000 square feet"
What does that include? LR, DR, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath certainly. Does it include basement, with or without storage areas? Garage?
Happy for you
Posted by: Dovydas | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 04:07 PM
Congratulations! This looks fantastic, a well-deserved improvement. Regarding the lawn & the necessity of mowing it, how about planting some vegetables? Lawns are a very curious form of suburban slavery — lots of work, and you can't even eat the end result.
... I suppose the Wisconsin climate isn't the best for a coffee plantation?
Posted by: Damien | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 04:30 PM
Bellissima! Very nice, congrats!
robert
Posted by: robert quiet photographer | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 05:15 PM
Glad I could help, Mike, If only in a small way.
Posted by: Roger Bradbury | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 06:37 PM
Well, the price you paid would buy 4/7th of my 1,056 sq ft town house with NO yard. The only thing that keeps me from moving is retirement. When that happens l'll be able to sell for enough to move to the sticks, buy a place outright and have money to live on till it's time to look at grass from the wrong side....God willing and the country doesn't crash and burn. And I'm beginning to suspect it might..
Congrats and glad I could chip in in a small way. Considering all I've gained from TOP it was small payback. Enjoy Mike.
Posted by: Bob Smith | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 08:11 PM
Unbelievable! I'm so pleased for you Mike. Here in Aussie such a place would be $500,000 - $800,000 depending on the location
Posted by: Tony Ayling | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 08:55 PM
It looks like a brilliant place all around, and what a magnificent office space in the basement—a true TOP Man Cave (if I may indulge in some sexism).
As for the price, and seeing as this is the game we're playing, I'd guesstimate that you'd pay about $1.5-3.0 million just outside Boston, where I live (price dependent on your particular ZIP code). And that would be with a 300-400 sqft backyard, not that field you have.
If you wanted the full backyard, then you'd have to go further away from Boston, into the suburbs, and still pay the same price! Plus you'd have a 60-90 minute rush-hour commute each way every day. Well, not you, but the average person who isn't lucky enough to work at home :-)
Lulu and Mr Butters are already in love with that backyard, right?
Posted by: Miserere | Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 09:27 PM
Very nice place you have.
Regarding the basement you'll be spending quite a lot of time: do you do any research related to radon exposure?
It's an issue that has puzzled me for years.
With greetings from Athens (where this place would be > €2Μ).
Xen
[Hi Xen, The inspector measured radon of 37 pCi/L, roughly ten times the highest acceptable level. A radon mitigation system was installed at the seller's expense, after which the radon level dropped to 0.5 pCi/L, about the same level as outdoors, which is considered ideal. I'll continue to have it tested yearly, and to have the mitigation system maintained. --Mike]
Posted by: Xenophon Costeas | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 02:57 AM
Congratulations! That looks wonderful.
Around my neighborhood, a 2000 sq FT home like that on that kind of property would have run you $1.8-2.6M. Minimum. Probably much more.
Posted by: Godfrey | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 04:17 AM
Brilliant Mike. I guess the next development is a live video internet feed in that office so TOP readers can see what you're doing at all times! Congratulations and thanks for ten years of great writing.
Posted by: Paul Byrnes | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 05:04 AM
It looks spacious, comfortable and beautiful. Congratulations.
Posted by: Marcelo Guarini | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 06:57 AM
Where are the dogs?
Posted by: Marcelo Guarini | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 07:00 AM
With a garden that size and a 2000 square feet house, I bet 40m us$. Without the garden and an apartment, 5m us$. That is probably the low end. (I calculate it to be at least 80m us$ but I guess I cut it ... Tell me if you can find one like that and I tried to be the dealer. )
Hong Kong price. To be fair they will be concrete and the garden, it will also be concrete ... No grass and hence no need of mnower.
Do not quote just New York, Japan, ... The most expensive flat to buy or rent is here. Note I use flat. Not house.
That is why you have capitalist in USA. I think we need real communist in Hong Kong, as those communists from china overwhelming the property market here lately.
Can't afford it.
Posted by: Dennis ng | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 09:08 AM
That looks really nice and spacious, congratulations! Will the person who was helping you cope with all your stuff continue to work with you, or have you solved that problem by having that much more space?
A house in a similarly sparse area of Berlin would probably not cost all that much more than this house; Berlin is surprisingly affordable, apart from a few highly desired areas. You would be on the edge of the city. I know that a house of about 150 sq.m. (~1500 sq.ft.) can be had on the edges of Pankow for about 220.000 Euros, which is a bit more, but if you go a bit further out, you can have more for less.
Posted by: CarstenW | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 10:28 AM
Congrats Mike. I started reading you back when you were doing a weekly column over on Steves-Digicams. I am so glad to see a genuine internet success story play out for you. It is very well deserved. I will quite gladly keep using your links. Take care and enjoy the new diggs.
Posted by: Mark | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 11:18 AM
"The inspector measured radon of 37 pCi/L, roughly ten times the highest acceptable level. A radon mitigation system was installed at the seller's expense, after which the radon level dropped to 0.5 pCi/L, about the same level as outdoors, which is considered ideal. I'll continue to have it tested yearly, and to have the mitigation system maintained."
There's disagreement between the US EPA, which has set an action level of 4.0 pCi/L, and the World Health Organization, which targets a more conservative 2.7 pCi/L. Your new home's post-mitigation level is far below either, a "good thing." :-)
One of the other commenters mentioned seeing a dehumidifier in the basement and wondered about moisture. I'm hopeful for you that the constantly-running radon exhaust system will also dry things out down there.
Posted by: Sal Santamaura | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 11:48 AM
This looks great, Mike. I'm insanely jealous of the back yard. Congrats and best of luck!
Posted by: BH | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 11:50 AM
Really happy for you Mike!
Great house and yard.
In the suburbs of Skopje, Macedonia where I live to buy the land and build the house would cost from 200.000 to 300.000 EUR depending on the location. That is a lot of money for Macedonian standards and that is why people seldom buy houses, you buy condos here yes, but if you have the money needed for a house you buy the land and build yourself the house. The suburbs of Skopje are still considered rural and land is considered to be still cheap- it costs from 50 to 100 EUR per square meter. That said the style and the materials we use to build houses here are different than in the US because Skopje is in a seismic area meaning strong earthquakes can be expected like for instance the earthquake in 1963 that devastated the city. Thus the material of choice is reinforced concrete skeleton with clay building blocks.
www.offspot.blogspot.com I build this house 5 years ago when land was even cheaper 25 EUR per sq meter. The cost for the land 700 m2 and the finished house was 200.000 EUR
Once again - Congratulations!
[Very interesting Darko, and that is a beautiful house you have! I like the style. --Mike]
Posted by: Darko Hristov | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 11:51 AM
Beautiful place. I have a soft spot for classic mid fifties ranch houses and yours is a perfect example. Lots of wall space to fill up but no doubt you are up to the task.
One thing to keep in mind when moving to a bigger place is the First Law Of Gaseous Brick-A-Brack:"Junk expands to fill the space allotted".
Posted by: mike plews | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 12:52 PM
I...just...well, thank you. I know that in some small part, I (like many, many others)contributed to you buying this house, but buying a house doesn't just happen on its own and I know this took a lot of work on your end, too. I'm glad you were able to raise (and save!) enough money, I'm glad you were able to find a house that met your needs, I'm glad that T.O.P. is such a wonderful website to read, and I'm glad that the web helps to make things like this possible. It's the kind of thing that restores my faith in humanity: sometimes, the good, hard-working, civilized and polite guy, who has paid his dues for years, actually gets what he deserves. Kudos for staying patient and making it happen.
A few other notes/comments:
1. Where will the pool table go?
2. Where will the stereo go?
3. I know you have other things on your mind right now, but in my opinion, the sooner you hire an intern, the better. Just as an example (this isn't a complaint, I'm just setting forth the economic argument), I've got to believe the reduced pace of updates has taken a toll on your traffic and (to a lesser extent) your affiliate income. An intern could have moderated comments and maybe even written short updates describing your move, thereby maintaining traffic AND freeing you to take care of your house. Overall, I expect the investment in an intern to result in greater income to you.
4. You look good! Seriously, even standing half in shadows, you look trim and younger. You're doing something right...keep it up!
All the best,
Adam
Posted by: adamct | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 05:47 PM
Fantastic, Mike. Congratulations! I'm 75 miles outside of New York City, and you would not get that much house, or especially that much land, here.
Posted by: Rob Lisak | Monday, 25 August 2014 at 06:21 PM
I'll add to the long list of congrats, Mike. Well done!
Regarding a comparative price in my area (Lexington, KY, USA), the housing prices seems to be similar, though we'd probably have to pay the full list price.
I'm curious to know if there is hardwood flooring underneath the upstairs carpet. If so, it would be great to reveal it and rid the house of the dirt and dog dander trapping crapet (no typo).
That's what we do when rehabbing a house. Around here even distressed, but newly refinished, hardwood floors outsell carpet every time.
Cheers
Posted by: Jack Stivers | Tuesday, 26 August 2014 at 09:59 AM
Due to someone else's divorce I ended up with an exMark commercial zero turn mower with 146 hours on the meter for only $1,500.00. This brand starts new at $6500 and up. Most run much more. At my old house I hated cutting the lawn with a walk behind mower but with the exMark I enjoy the two hours every 4 to 6 days mowing two acres I live on now. Goes to prove with the right toy any chore can become fun.
Posted by: Tom Swoboda | Wednesday, 27 August 2014 at 04:44 PM
My son and his family bought a 60s split level in New Jersey for the high $300Ks, and I'd say it's roughly equivalent in space, style and condition to what you have. When first hearing what he paid, a member of our extended family from Wisconsin summarily declared that he got taken. But I and others who have lived in this country's east and west coast metro areas know he got a bargain by finding something under $400K.
Posted by: Carl Blesch | Thursday, 28 August 2014 at 01:26 PM
Great house. Best of luck--prosperity, health, and happiness.
Posted by: Bob Rosinsky | Thursday, 28 August 2014 at 11:16 PM