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There’s a timeless saying in the world of real estate that’s used to describe the three things that matter most in a piece of property:

“Location. Location. Location.”

When I moved into a house in October of 2024, I never could have imagined the ways that moving into a home would transform my life – or the life of Atlas. Since moving in, not a day has gone by where I haven’t thanked God for the perfect home we landed in.

For most of my life, a lot of energy has been spent thinking about the ‘next spot’ where I’d find myself; often looking at something bigger, better and chicer than the current location. Reflecting back, I’m thankful to have lived in a lot of beautiful places and home living experiences; from comfortable loft apartments to high-rises with floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping views, I’ve lived in some amazing p[a]laces.

Each place I’ve lived in has given me a little hint of the ‘perfect’ home I thought I’d one day live in; like picking up ingredients from a grocery store so that you can make the perfect dish. Not all of the things I loved carried over from one spot to the other. For example, I once lived in a place that had a 2-story fitness center and impressive terrace in a ritzy Dallas neighborhood. In another, I had a spiral staircase and large loft space.

When I first walked into the place I now call ‘home’ I remember being unsure of the place as I walked from room to room with the owner of the house. His eyes seemed to glow with a genuine love for the home, and he introduced it almost as if he were presenting a daughter to be wed, rather than a house. I didn’t know it at the time, but he had raised his own family in the home and it was rich with memories that he shares with me to this day.

He presented the back yard with a great deal of pride, telling me about his plans to restore it to its original luster when he lived there. I saw an oasis of opportunity, as well as work, as I walked past the fire pit and stared at the large wall of stones that framed the large yard; imagining the joy I’d feel while mowing the grass and making a mental list of ‘improvements’ that I saw in the future.

Shortly after moving in, I was rummaging through the garage and found a long piece of wood, containing the years, ages and height of his children penned into the wood. He was more the delighted when I told him I had found the ‘treasure’ and asked if I’d hold onto it for him so he could pick it up the next time I saw him.

As time went by, I began to truly understand the gem the home was – and is. The street is a perfect place for Atlas to play, because the road is rarely traveled, aside by people who live on it.

The back yard is full of trees and provides incredible shading during the hot Texas Summers – and plenty of leaves to rake during the Fall.

The garage is enormous and has more than enough room to house our cars, toys, workshop/art studio a large play room on the second level.

Often, I look at this place and think to myself “What would this cost me if it were in X location?” For example, if I had this home in the Bay Area, it would be deemed an enviable palace by guests and those walking past it. Were this home to be in the Palisades, there’s a good chance it would have been burned to a crisp in the LA fires….

Location. Location. Location.

There are a lot of things that can make a home feel like a home, and none of them are as rewarding as discovering the perfect place to raise your child[ren] and make the most important memories of your life together.