I’m back, Burien.
I haven’t lived full-time in Burien since September 1966 when my parents drove me across the state to attend Washington State University. At the time, this sheltered Burien boy couldn’t wait to see the lights of my hometown in the rearview mirror of my parents’ station wagon.
As young adults are prone to do, I rebounded back to my mom and dad’s house temporarily for summers or after life’s setbacks. The last time I was 38.
But now Marge and I are moving into what we say is the South Seahurst/West Gregory Heights/North Three Tree Point neighborhood.
I’ve worked at the Highline Times in Burien for 11 years. It’s kind of strange that someone would wait so long before deciding to move closer to work.
Well, I think it’s a funny story.
The way I like to tell the tale is that it all began one warm summer afternoon when Marge called me over to our backyard dock while I was kayaking in the lake.
“You’re not happy here,” she declares in my story.
“I’m not?” I reply.
But what’s closer to the truth is that while I loved my house and the lake, I missed being part of the community I reported on. I felt more at home in my old hometown.
We decided to put our house up for sale and buy a Highline house during one of the worst real estate periods imaginable.
I contacted real estate agent Lynn Banke at the Burien branch of Prudential Northwest Realty and the adventure began. Lynn, a friend from my Burien teenage years, is a great agent. She is always our strong advocate and a calming presence during a truly nerve-wracking process.
Funny thing, we forgot to get our house ready for listing. On weekends, it was much more fun riding around in Lynn’s car and poking into other’s people’s drawers.
Besides, its hard to let loose of the mainland shore until you’ve got a signed house deal on that beautiful island in the distance.
Marge and I were an odd househunting couple. My lifelong motto has been, “Whatever.” Marge’s mantra is “’Settling’ is not an option.”
Early on, while we were driving around checking out houses, Marge innocently said, “Oh, while we’re so close let’s head a little bit west and look at that house with the Sound view---just for fun.”
Going through the house I was so mad I refused to notice the details beyond that it resembled a cedared mini-mountain lodge with a water view. I just knew it would poison the well as far as seriously considering homes actually in our price range.
In future months when Marge would casually ask what I thought about that house, I would always reply, “It’s in a different league, “ thus firmly reminding her that it was out of our reach. She translated that into, “It’s the best house we’ve seen.”
So, sure enough, while we flirted with the Des Moines Mansion, the Hobbit House, the Air House and so many others, they always fell short of the Tree House in our minds.
And, somehow, as housing prices fell, Marge was inching me up in price. That house was almost in range.
But bad news. As we dithered, the Tree House had been taken off the market.
Whatever.
I was afraid Marge would start knocking on doors of unlisted houses she liked and demand the owners sell to her.
Instead, Marge went all Captain Kirk on me.
You serious Star Trekkers know that James T. Kirk was the only recruit to ever beat the unbeatable war game scenario at the Starfleet Academy. Even Mr. Spock failed. Kirk simply changed the rules of the game.
Anyway, Captain Marge changed the rules and got Lynn to go through channels to have the owner recontacted. Fortunately, the owner was still interested in selling.
We got another chance to go through the house. This time I looked very closely. Fantasies can never live up to memories.
Anxious moments for Lynn as we combed through the house. Sometimes, I think a real estate agent has a job almost as nerve wracking as a bomb disposal guy. In both professions, it can all blow up at the very last moment.
But, gradually, the Tree House grew on us again and we realized the reality of it was as wonderful as the fantasy.
We lowballed an offer. The owner highballed. We middleballed. We got it!
We’re leasing the Tree House until we sell our home. Know anybody who wants to live on a Pierce County lake?