#fun fact homes in Texas usually don’t have basements | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

eagehaunting · 4 years ago

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Mystery March 2021 day 4: Storm

Thank god Arthur let her borrow the van while he worked today. It made it so much easier to load up her small apartment and ship it to their new home- and in only three trips! Vivi bounces lightly in the drivers seat, glancing around and checking over the van one more time to be sure she got every box inside. Who knows how much stuff Arthur had to pack. He had his tools and his cork boards, along with his mattress and television... it would probably take them three-to-four trips at most. Knowing Arthur, they would probably be smushed together in the front seat because he’d pack the van to the brim!

There wasn’t a single box left, mind for a hanger or two. Perfect! Vivi starts the van and eases herself out of their new driveway, and hurriedly begins to drive down the road.

Thankfully Kingsmen’s mechanics wasn’t too far. Vivi leans over the wheel to take in the dark, heavy clouds that began to circle in the last hour. It shouldn’t take too long to get everything in order, but they should at least try to beat the rain.

Next thing she knew, she was pulling up behind the mechanics shop, and a familiar blond man props the back door open.

“Hey there, stranger!” Vivi calls as she shuffles out, quickly skipping to open the van’s back doors and keep them open. Arthurs footsteps trail up behind her, Vivi casts a small glance. “Are you excited?”

“A bit.” Arthur says, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes. “Lance let me off early so I can prepare all my things, so it should be easy.”

“Nice!” Vivi beams, swiftly moving past him and making a beeline for the back door, whilst completely ignoring how Arthur looks up at the sky with a frown. “Wanna get the big stuff first?”

“Sure.”

Vivi was right, Arthur and her did wind up squished together in the front seat. Arthurs mattress, cork boards, and dresser were crammed in the back, and then surrounded by several boxes full of clothes, tools, and books. Although she did overestimate how much he actually had.

Arthur had managed to cram the entire van with everything he physically had. Stacked from floor the ceiling in haphazard and shaky towers besides and against the bed frame! Vivi would have to drive steadily to avoid a catastrophe.

In the front seat was Arthurs toolbox, a crate full of Galahad’s items, and then a small travel cage that he held in his own hand holding his hamster.

Arthur scoots over as much as he can, fidgeting a bit the more their thighs touch. Of course due to the lack of space, that led to a centimeter of room.

“Sorry about this, Vi,” he coughs into his hand, “I honestly thought that we wouldn’t be this cramped! I figured-“

Vivi blows a raspberry, scooting over herself so she was pressed against the door and offering up another centimeter. “No biggie! I’m glad we did it this way. Now we can get everything inside before we get hit with hail.”

“Hail? I thought it was just a thunderstorm!”

“I thought so too.” Vivi squeezes her hand into her pocket and whisks out her phone - which was partially damp from sweat. Wiping it off quickly, Vivi opens the weather app and lets Arthur snatch it.

He grimaces, “Yikes.”

“Yeah, better hope Lewis doesn’t get hit in the head when he comes home.”

“Or that the power goes out.” Arthur adds grimly. Vivi blows out another raspberry.

“I don’t think that’ll happen. Dont be such a sourpuss.”

“Wanna bet? It’ll be in character for whatever house we got.”

Vivi lifts an eyebrow, glancing over at him, “And whats that supposed to mean?”

Arthur’s smiling, and with a short shrug, “terrifying and haunted. Perfect atmosphere for a black out-”

“Nope!” Vivi barks back, wagging her finger intensely and shaking her head, “Lewis and I made absolute sure that there would be no ghosts in this house. I told you this.”

“Are you sure? You guys double checked? Triple checked?” Arthur probes, leaning forward and sticking his face into hers before retreating, making her laugh.

“Of course! I even had Mystery scope out the house, and there are no ghosts.”

“And if there is?”

Vivi shoots him a pointed, comedic look, “then you can add another.”

They both chuckle now, lightly elbowing one another. But soon after Arthur hums quietly and sinks back in his spot, a small smile crossing across his face as he watches the road ahead of them. He was convinced, perfect. Vivi gloated silently.

For a moment she’s tempted to turn the radio on to fill the silence, but Arthur suddenly turns to her inquisitively.

“Hey, so I never fully explored the house like you and Lewis did, mind filling me in on everything?”

A thrill of excitement rockets through Vivi and her head bounces in time with her, and she rapidly taps the steering wheel. “Okay so- it’s a fairly cheapish house for its size. It’s got a decent sized backyard, a nice sizable garage that can fit two cars and all of our equipment. And if it doesn’t, then we can just get a shed behind the garage to do so.” Vivi illustrates her point with her fingers, hoping that Arthur could follow along. “Lewis was actually talking about setting up a garden back there and- wait, never mind, back to the house. First and foremost, the most exciting aspect, there’s a basement!”

“Which is probably why you say it’s ‘cheap’?” Arthur says with a light snicker.

“Yeah! The guy didn’t charge us extra for the space- or the alcohol cellar! And I even went down there to check and everything seems up to code and in well order? I don’t know- we may have to worry about some floods, but we also live in the desert.”

“Right.”

“Next, we have like...” Vivi counts on her fingers three times before she holds up three fingers. “Three rooms! Two on the main level and one upstairs, but there’s also a closet on the main floor, along with a bathroom- and then one of the rooms actually has its own bathroom! Honestly I feel you should get that room, since you should have your own space and all that-“

Arthur opens his mouth to object, but Vivi doesn’t give him a chance.

“Lewis insisted that I got the upstairs bedroom and he can take the smallest- but! We haven’t decided on who gets what room just yet, so we got time to rock-paper-scissors it out. Moving on-“

Up ahead on the dirt road, a lonely-looking house with a tree along the side of it pops into view.

“There’s a nice sized kitchen, and while there isn’t a dining room, Lewis was thinking of converting some of the space into a dining room? I mean- he actually ordered a table online but it hasn’t shipped yet, so for now we’re going to be using my table. So get ready to be sitting on the floor for a while.”

Arthur rolls his eyes with a small laugh and nods, just as Vivi pulls into the driveway and into the backyard. Her eyes glaze for half a second as she parks the van.

“And... that’s it I think! There’s going to be a lot of setting up, but I think we can make it all work.”

“Yeah, besides we can always just eat in the livingroom amongst a sea of boxes while we figure things out. Although Lewis might flay us for suggesting that.”

Vivi chortles and nods, “Yeah! Yeah you aren’t wrong. But c’mon! Let’s get your stuff inside, I think Im hearing thunder.”

“Already?” Arthur glances up at the sky as Vivi throws open her door. She makes a mad dash for the back door, propping it open for them and waving to Mystery who was just out of sight. Arthur slinks out after her and carries Galahad inside.

“Okay so-“ Vivi doenst kick off her shoes but wipes them off on a mat that was placed at the back door, “since we haven’t chosen any rooms yet, Lewis and I agreed to put all of our stuff in the livingroom. Is that cool with you?”

“I - I mean it’s not like I have a choice, now do I?” Vivi winces and nods, and Arthur sighs. “Okay, we can leave the bigger stuff in the van for now then, but then let’s get the little stuff.”

“Good idea,” Vivi hooks his arm and pulls him further down the hall, passing two doors on either side of them and a stairway.

“Besides! If we have to camp out in the living-room then we can just pull out the bed in the couch and a couple of futons...”

Vivi freezes in the entrance of the living-room, jaw falling.

Arthur stops glancing around at the floorboards and then wallpaper and joins her, “Something wrong?”

Oh, something was wrong alright, and it hits them both like a bag of bricks the second they step in.

On the couch, Mystery was curled up and lightly chatting to a heavy set ghost. A ghost who drapes their arm across the couch snd sneers at them. ”Welcome to my humble abode.”

...

“What the fuck?”

Vivi flinched as she nearly feels Arthurs glare digging into her neck. Her own mouth went dry as it hits her all at once.

“I didn’t know- Arthur, I swear to god I thought there wasn’t a single ghost here. I promise.” Arthur’s face is still twisted in dismay, and she couldn’t really blame him. Twisting, Vivi points at Mystery and the dog jumps to attention.

“Back me up here! We both investigated this place top to bottom, he-“

”She.” the ghost hisses

”she- my bad- wasnt here, right?”

Mystery nods, folding his paws on the couch’s arm. “It’s true, Arthur, we had done the best we could and we honestly believed that there was no one else residing in this territory.” Mystery then casts a cursory glance back at the spirit, who nonchalantly drank from a a darkened glass, hardly sparing them a glance. “However, you know that experienced spirits can be excellent hiders. She merely concealed herself until now.”

Arthur let’s put a heavy breath that Vivi didn’t notice he was holding, before gently setting down Galahad’s cage. A stark contrast to the rapid twitch in his eyelid.

“Great! Fantastic. So why did she decide to hide?”

”Im right here.” The ghost suddenly says, casting a dirty look that both spoke profanity and exuded grace.

“Okay,” unaffected, Arthur side steps until he was able to face her himself, “then I’m sure you don’t mind telling us why you’ve been squatting here.”

Her eyes snap open, before her face twists with menace and she unfolds her crossed legs, slamming her glass down with a sharp clink. Arthur flinches as that sound shoots through him.

”’Squatting?’ My, those are some awfully bold words for someone who started trembling the second you entered my domain.” She rises, and despite how short she was compared to Arthur, she trapped him in her shadow. ”This is my home, and no bank can simply give away my property to measly little rats.”

“He-hey now, ma’am,” Vivi steps in front of Arthur, who’s hands immediately latch onto her shoulders, “look, this is a misunderstanding on our part. You see- my friend here is a medium, and he’s been ... tormented by a lot of spirits. So he agreed to live here under the assumption that there were no spirits. You can understand why he’s upset, right?”

”And you can understand that so am I, correct?”

Groaning lightly, Mystery hops off the couch and also stands between the two groups, lazily guarding as if nothing was really wrong.

“Of course! This is your home... can you describe to us how? So that way we can respect your boundaries and ensure no other issues occur?”

Arthurs fingers tightly grip Vivi’s shoulder, and she reaches up and pats them lightly.

Thankfully, the ghost seems pleased with the pseudoapology, and their shoulders relax by a fraction. ”I built this house, a ways away from my old home so that way I can have the luxury of peace and quiet. It was an expensive project, but one I carry pride in. I simply couldn’t leave my home to just anyone after I perished.”

Arthur creaks, “S-so you.. stick around?”

”Precisely. I ensure that no punks come in and try to take claim to what isnt theres.” That is marked by a pointed glare at Arthur, who shrinks back behind Vivi further. Regretting his choices up until now.

Blowing out the breath she was holding, Vivi forces a smile and claps lightly. “Alright! Then, what can we do to show you that we mean no harm? Or will we be thrown out regardless.”

With this, she chuckles, voice getting low and almost purring. ”You will have to prove yourself, and earn a place in my hearth. If you cannot do so by the end of the month, then I will make your lives a living hell until you run for the hills.”

”Great..”

“Awesome!” Vivi claps again to hide the bemoaned muttering. Taking a few steps forward- and incidentally dragging Arthur with her- she holds out her hand to the spirit.

“Well I hope you wish us luck. My name is Vivi, and this is Arthur.” Arthur coughs lightly and nods a greeting, but keeps his mouth shut.

The woman blinks calmly, taking in Vivi’s hand with a surprised consideration, before smiling herself and taking it in a firm handshake.

”The pleasure is mine. Address me as Lilith Primrose.”

“Oh~ that’s a lovely name you have there!” Vivi offers, smiling brightly.

”Thank you. I picked it myself.”

Vivi nods and release her hand, stepping back. “So.. I know we got off to a rough start, but do you mind if me and Arthur bring his stuff in? It’s going to rain soon and we still will be moving in-“

A crack of thunder fills the air, Arthur and her both flinch, before turning to Lilith for confirmation. Who then rolls her eyes and shoos them away.

”Like I said, you all have a month to come into my good grace. You better get started now.”

“Thank you.”

With that, Vivi grabs Arthurs wrist and pulls him down the hall, lightly scolding him and apologizing at the same time, but also letting him do the same back.

It’s what she deserves honestly...

Within fifteen minutes, the rain had started to sprinkle. They decided the best thing to do was to get the largest items - the mattress- inside first so it wouldn’t get drenched, but that left the cork boards and the bed frame, which they decided may be better to keep in the van to protect the integrity and quality. Then they spent the next half an hour racing back and forth with various boxes that they decided to dump into what was now Arthurs room- the bedroom closest to the back with a bathroom. Vivi opted to stack his boxes on the mattress while Arthur simply tossed them onto the floor- claiming he knew they weren’t going to break as easily.

After an hour, it was pouring in sheets. The last of the boxes were quickly abandoned in Arthurs room, and both of them tore into one of the boxes to fetch towels to dry themselves off.

“Jesus Christ..” Vivi huffs, ringing out her skirt into one of the incredibly damp towels. “I feel bad for Lewis, he still has to drive home in this.”

“Yeah, poor fuck.” Arthur groans lightly and rubs his eyes, “brace yourself, turning on the light,” Palming the wall until he hit the light switch, Arthur prays that they’ll be given just one thing.

Only... for the room to remain just as dark.

Vivi looks at him for a moment as he stares in befuddlement at the switch, which he rapidly flipped on and off. Muttering to himself, ”oh come on...”

“Hold up, maybe the wiring is funky?” Vivi offers, stepping over boxes and opening the bathroom door, and she quickly flips the switches herself.

Nothing.

“Fuck.”

The power was still out as the storm persisted. Even when Lewis came home drenched from the walk to the porch from his car.

Of course, that wasn’t going to stop them. They were plenty prepared with gas canisters, spare batteries, flashlights, candles, and a gas stove.

Lewis made a remark on how glad he was that they only seemed to have meats in the fridge, but those comments slowly dwindled as he got to work making spaghetti by candle light. Vivi set out to line the kitchen’s low table with several of her unscented candles. As much as she wanted to bust out her various sweet smelling ones, the boys asked her to refrain so not mess with their senses.

Which wasn’t an issue by any means! Vivi didn’t want to dig them out anyway...

“Alright, that should do it.” Lewis murmurs to himself as he turns off the burner and grabs his tongs, pulling out the cooked noodles and layering them on three separate plates. He calls over his shoulder, “Arthur, Vivi! Dinner is ready.”

A distant “Coming!” And then frantic footsteps fight against the sound of the rain outside, and Lewis covers the noodles in their sauce before turning and placing them on Vivi’s low table. Vivi comes in with flat pillows and places them in their respective spots before kneeling and taking her spot.

“Thank you Lewis~ this smells really good.” She says, wafting in the garlic and onion at her face with a dramatic sniff. Just in time for Arthur to trail in with Mystery at his side.

Mystery scans the plates, before frowning at Lewis.

Lewis raises an eyebrow and smirks, “What? You can’t eat this, remember.”

“You and I know very well that I can eat more than all of you combined.” The dog shoots back, plopping down beside Vivi who scratches his ear.

“Well it’s not good for you.” Lewis points out, before reaching beside him and pulling out a plate of Mystery’s gourmet doggy dinner. “Now are you going to keep complaining or eat?”

“Oooh~” Vivi grins and pats mystery’s head, “Youre this close to missing out on greatness, boy! Better shut your trap.”

Mystery did indeed shut his trap, quickly scuttling over to Lewis’s side to retrieve his bowl- licking his lips to avoid showing how much he was salivating at the smell.

Arthur takes his seat on his bottom than his knees. Rolling his fork through the noodles slowly, but not saying anything, even as Vivi and Lewis chat as he grabs drinks.

It’s only when Vivi shoves a heaping of spaghetti into her mouth and moans in delight does he realize that they need something else. Lewis froze in his tracts, wincing the smallest bit as Vivi chews. She’s been hungry all day, so it makes sense that she would rather dig in- Mystery too.

Poor guys misophonia has got to be going crazy.

“Hey, do you guys want to watch howls moving castle? Or - uh.. spirited away?” Lewis and Vivi both shoot him inquisitive looks, although Lewis relaxes the smallest bit at the distraction. Arthur adds on, tapping his earlobe, “I can also grab your ear plugs, Lew. So that way the ... sounds don’t bother you too much.”

Lewis’s lips tighten. Oh shit, he probably didn’t want to embarrass Vivi-

A loud gasp and smack grabs both of their attention. Vivi stopped chewing, a hand over her mouth as she realized. Swallowing everything down in one gulp, Vivi gestures frantically in apologize. “Shit- Lewis I’m sorry. I can grab your ear plugs if you want? It totally slipped my mind.”

He lifts his hand, smiling sweetly. “It’s okay, I’ll go grab them. But yes, Arthur, I certainly wouldn’t mind a movie.”

Still flushed, Vivi nods too, “the rain will be a nice backdrop to a beautiful Ghibli movie. Do you need the disk?”

“No,” Arthur pushes himself up, “I got it downloaded on my computer. I’ll go grab it.”

He and Lewis both leave the kitchen, and he turns to go to his room, a small flashlight in hand to light the way.

It was already unpacked, plugged into a battery pack and charging for the past few hours. Arthur whisks it up and ambles back to the kitchen, where Lewis and Vivi were talking again. Good! Lewis is situated, now time to pull up the movie. Holding it one arm, Arthur input his password, searches through his hard drive...

But before he steps back into the kitchen, a soft flow catches his eye.

Lilith is sitting on the couch still, possibly had been for a while now, but either no one noticed or no one choose to bother her in the dark.

He watches her for a few moments, filling with guilt and momentary fear over earlier...

Then he sighs, resigning himself, and he steps into the kitchen and sets the computer down. Instead of getting back in his spot to turn on the movie, Arthur shuffles to the cabinet and fetches another plate.

“What are you up to, Artie?”

“Going to feed some raccoons?” Vivi jokes, even as Lewis makes a disgruntled noise at the thought.

“No, just give me one moment, okay?”

Arthur can feel them watching him, but he sucks in his breath and layers noodles and sauce onto a plate, before fetching a fork.

And then leaving the kitchen again, this time making a beeline for the couch.

Lilith hears him coming and gives him a cursory glance. Her eyes widen as she takes note of the plate as it’s set down beside her.

Clearing his throat, Arthur grips his hands together anxiously and forces himself to keep eye contact. “A-about earlier.. I’m sorry that I snapped on you. It... I hope we can get along.”

Lilith doesn’t say anything, looking from him to the plate.

She stands, nods, and turns on her heel to go to the basement door, vanishing before she even touched it.

...

Well fuck you too then. Arthur scowls lightly, huffing the smallest bit after she was out of sight. There’s nothing he can do now, and it’s up to her to decide if she wants to accept his apology.

Whatever, just go and eat dinner.

He takes his spot. While he was offering the meal, Vivi had found the movie and paused it before it began to play, and Lewis had already plugged his ears. He sends Arthur a thumbs up and a thankful smile. Arthur nods in return and grabs his fork to eat.

The movie started, and the atmosphere was both warm and comfortable, especially with the four of them enraptured in the unfolding plot. Spouting small ideas and pointing out little details, along with memories and theories.

The conversation only came to a halt when someone else clears their throat.

Vivi pauses the movie in an instant, and all four of them look up to see Lilith standing before them. Her face contorted in worry as she grips... a wine bottle. Lilith shrinks a bit at the sudden attention, but she clears her throat a second time and holds the bottle out a small bit.

“C... congratulations you four, you passed my test. I am looking forward to living with you all, and to celebrate, I wanted you to have some of my aged wine.” She stammers a bit, shifting anxiously from side to side, before setting the bottle down with a hefty clank. After doing so, she turns to leave.

Vivi, however, jumps up and latches onto her sleeve, pulling her back the smallest bit and earning a wide eyed stare.

Vivi beams back at her, “We’re watching some movies, would you like to join us?”

Lilith blinks rapidly, glancing between all of them, and being met with gentle smiles and affirmations.

”I... of course, I’d love to. Let me grab my plate! Oh- and some glasses. What are we going to be watching?”

Lilith shuffles beside Lewis, and the five of them all continue watching, sipping some tasty wine and eating their food peacefully.

They didn’t even notice that the rain died down and the power was back on until they were heading to bed

#mysterymarch2021 #mystery skulls animated #mystery skulls headcannons #vivi yukino #lewis pepper #Arthur kingsmen #sooooooo I totally didn’t use this prompt as an excuse to write a story that’s been on my mind for a while now nope #fun fact homes in Texas usually don’t have basements #also I have no idea if the flash flood thing happens typically in Texan basements #I could totally be showing my northernness from it

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meteorit3737 · 5 years ago

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They decided to celebrate Christmas foursome. This year no one wanted a noisy holiday, a note of sadness mixed in a cheerful mood. There were gifts under the tree (Donna secretly peeked in there and made sure that they were all packed beautifully), Christmas songs were heard in the speakers (Cam winced at a couple of songs, but was surprised to find that all the other songs were in full accord with her mood), on the table there was Donna’s special salad (Joanie admitted that although she likes to tease about this, she really likes it) and the favorite dishes of those present (Haley insisted that there was a cream pie, like the one she threw at her father in Comet).

They ate and chatted naturally, when they were all full, the girls more and more often glanced under the tree, and Donna could not stand it:

- And let's break the tradition this year and open gifts now, and not in the morning?

- Yes! Let's! - shouted Joanie and Haley and together rushed to the tree. Donna and Cam got up with smiles and joined them.

The girls have already managed to open one box.

- Built-in CD-ROM drive for computer! 8x speed! - Haley screamed enthusiastically. - But Cam, it have not yet appeared on sale! How?

- Howe is my last name. - Cam smiled, - It has already appeared in Japan.

Joanie gently held her present in her arms:

- Mom, how did you realize that I was dreaming of such a camera?

- It was easy, - Donna shrugged. - You said so often, “If I could take a picture of it and show you” when you talked about your journey! And, of course, the fact that you drowned your old camera in the lake just before returning home ...

- It was an accident! I bent to look, and he slipped off his neck under the influence of gravity. By the way, there is something heavy for you.

Joanie handed Donna a box, on the side of which with Cam's uneven handwriting, it was written "for Donna", and a little lower "carefully, don't drop." Donna looked at Cam, who was discussing with Hayley the question of connecting a CD-ROM to a computer, opened the box and found 10 mugs under layers of rustling paper. They were all different - on one was the Texas state seal, on the other a picture of the famous San Francisco bridge and the inscription "We just had a coffee machine broken," on the third there are two boxes with the words "IBM XT" and the text "Partners for crime”, on the fourth and fifth - pixel drawings of Donna and Cam from chat rooms of the time of Mutiny, both had these funny antennas, on the sixth it was written “Save my BIOS?”, and on the seventh there was an anchor (@theresebelivett, sorry, I couldn't resist). Donna's hands trembled, she almost dropped the mug and hurriedly pressed it to her.

- I just thought that since I am constantly taking all the mugs, I need to replenish your supplies, - came the soft voice of Cam. She awkwardly waved a cozy sweater that she held in her hands, dropped her T-shirt, began to pick it up and dropped the second one. Donna laughed and helped her collect the fallen.

- Thanks, - Cameron said. - And thanks for the gift. This is my favorite! - She unfolded one of the T-shirts and put it to herself so that the words “Ignore alien orders” could be seen. - Great minds think alike, eh?

Donna did not understand at first, then she took out the eighth mug - with a phoenix drawing, then the ninth “I have an idea”, and finally the tenth - “Ignore alien orders”. Donna thinks she never smiled so wide.

When all the other gifts were unpacked and thanks expressed, Joanie suggested watching a Christmas movie. But Haley looked imploringly at her mother:

- Mom, Cam, let's first connect the CD-ROM to my computer, please! I so want to experience it!

- Good, honey, I don’t think it will take much time. Have an instruction?

- There is. But only in Japanese, - Haley winked at Cameron.

- Product for the domestic market. But you're in luck, you have a translator, - Cam waved the instruction twisted into a tube. - Let's go to?

Haley picked up a box of CD-ROM and the three of them went into her room. Joanie sat on the couch and shouted after them: "And I'll start watching the movie! Join in!"

Working together, Cam and Donna quickly pulled out a 5" floppy disk drive from the system unit, plugged in a CD-ROM drive and joyfully looked at the happy Haley, who turned on the disc and enjoyed the music. She went up to them and hugged both at once, wrapping Donna in one hand, and another Cam.

- Hey, you know what? - Joanie appeared at the door. She froze for a second, assessing the situation, then quickly walked up and hugged everyone she could reach. - We look like bats.

- What? - Donna was surprised at the comparison.

- Yes, I once saw a colony of bats, they hang upside down, flap their wings, cling to each other and squeak.

- We don't hang upside down! - Haley said indignantly.

- And we don't squeak! - added Donna.

- And we don't cling, - Cam said.

All three pointedly looked at her, tightly wrapped in their hands.

- What? - raised her eyebrows Cam. - We just ... Well ... (Joanie and Haley giggled, Donna smiled) Well, watch out!

And Cam began to tickle everyone, which caused squeals and laughter in the room.

***

A week later, Joanie flew to Tokyo.

- I did not learn Japanese in vain! - She said after she showed Donna her travel plan across Japan.

- Yes, your knowledge of Japanese is comforting, at least you won’t die of hunger and you can always buy food.

- Cam says that this is a Tokyo dialect and is understood almost everywhere, but I may not understand some dialects, but if a problem arises, I can communicate in hieroglyphs.

- Then write on paper with the hieroglyphs "I need a phone to call my mother" and put it in your pocket. Please, Joanie, do not forget to call.

- Don’t worry, mom, I will. I promise that I will not be lost in Japan for 7 years. In fact, I want to return to Easter. So you have time to buy a tent and stuff.

- A tent? - surprised Donna. - Oh yes, I remembered. Okay!

- Good, - Joanie smiled.

When the three of them returned from the airport, everyone was a little sad. Cameron and Haley went into their rooms and sat at the computers. Donna walked around the house, turned on the dishwasher, which she forgot to turn on after dinner, and decided to sit at the computer too.

She waited for the system to load, decided to find out what the weather is like in Japan, and started connecting the modem. Suddenly, a pixel figure appeared in the lower left corner of the screen, walked to the center, stopped and waved to Donna. It was her own avatar from the Mutiny chats.

Little Donna went to the right corner of the screen, folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the right border of the screen. Donna began to work on the computer, constantly checking what her small copy was doing. But she didn’t sit still: she walked around the screen, sometimes ran with a butterfly net behind the mouse pointer, pulled a computer from the edge of the screen and worked behind it, smartly examined the text that Donna was typing, and when Donna checked the mail, painted Donna opened envelopes, read letters and threw part of it behind the screen, part of it in her pocket.

All this was very fun for Donna and the sad mood was forgotten. She did all the planned things, but she was sorry to turn off the computer. She gently ran the mouse pointer over the drawn hair, then again, and little Donna smiled and a red heart appeared over her head, which slowly turned pale to transparency.

- Cool, yeah?

Donna jumped up in surprise, she was so carried away that she did not notice how Hayley approached her.

- Very cool! I like it so! So you already know this little miss?

- Yes, Cam showed me her when she wrote, I even told her a couple of things that she could do.

- She's wonderful!

- Cam or little miss? - Haley smiled.

- Both! - Donna answered without hesitation. - I'm even sorry to turn off the computer. She will not be lost, right?

- No, she will be at autorun until you get her out of there.

- Never!

Donna sent the computer off and managed to see how her small copy took the pillow and went to bed. Joyful emotions filled Donna. She hugged Haley:

- Are you hungry? Maybe we order takeaway food?

- Yes, I really want pizza.

- Pizza? - asked Donna. - Are you sure?

- Yes, I'm sure. So will I order? You and Cam as usual?

- Of course. I'll go tell Cam how I liked her surprise.

Donna climbed the stairs and knocked on Cam's room. There was no answer, but she assumed that Cameron was just listening to music on the headphones. She knocked and opened the door. She was right - Cam was sitting at the computer in the headphones and quickly tapping the keyboard. She was wearing a shirt “Ignore alien orders” and for a few seconds Donna seemed to be back in time - basement of Cardiff electric, Mutiny, moving to California, Cam lives with them ... At that moment, Cam seemed to feel Donna's gaze and looked up. Donna had a thought in her head that she never managed to discreetly watch working Cam for more than a few seconds, she always found out about her presence and raised her head, or Donna herself simply did not wait for these seconds and involved Cam in solving urgent problems that Mutiny had enough.

Cam stopped typing and took off her headphones. Donna stands in the doorway of room and shines with such a joyful smile, as if she had heard the best news in the world. Or maybe she discovered ...

- Cameron Howe, you are a genius! - exclaimed Donna, interrupting Cam's thoughts.

- May I have a certificate about this? - asked Cam with a smile.

Donna entered the room and went to Cam.

- Do you have a minute?

- Of course! - Cam removed the headphones from her neck and laid them on the table. Donna leaned back against the table and leaned her hands slightly on it. She tilted her head slightly to one side and looked at Cam with strange intensity.

- Sometimes I think what is going on in your head? Where do you get your ideas? And how do you find the time to implement them?

- You want to say that you liked the electronic version of you? - Cam asked hopefully.

- Of course I liked her! I am absolutely delighted! She was painted, but at the same time so lively, sometimes it seemed to me that she was about to speak.

Cameron saw Donna's enthusiasm and it warmed her heart.

- Well, I had such a thought, but for the talking version your computer needs to be upgraded.

- When did you manage to write it? You were constantly busy with a working project, I saw how much you are doing.

- In fact, it did not take much time. I invented everything while I was engaged in some domestic things. So then it remained just to sit down and write down the code. It is in some way a descendant of my operating system.

- Your OS was ahead of time. I did not believe in the success of the Giant until I launched a prototype in the garage and talked to your OS. It said I had good manners, - Donna smiled tenderly.

- You decided to go to Komdex after talking to a computer? Cam shook her head in disbelief. - You know, if you had not come with us, the Giant wouldn’t even have started.

- And if I did not communicate with this villain Hunt, the Giant would be the star of the exhibition, - Donna lowered her eyes sadly.

- Hey, don't blame yourself! If Joe hadn’t taken off my OS ... Although, in some ways, he was right, if one reasoned rationally.

- Sometimes we are too rational, - Donna said decisively. - And speaking emotionally, I’m ready to upgrade my computer even tomorrow to see what you came up with for ... By the way, what is her name? My electronic version?

- When I wrote the code, I thought of her as a mini-Donna, - Cam confusedly confessed. - And I do not think that she will speak out loud, rather, it will be a text.

- Can I write something for her? - Donna asked.

- Yes, I want to make a small window for entering text, which appears when you poke the mouse into the miniDonna.

- You know, she often did actions corresponding to what I did, for example, email.

- The program responds to system calls. So far, only a few, but I still have thoughts on this.

- God, Cam, I’ll just watch her for half the time, and if she starts to talk too ... - Donna waved her hands and laughed. - But you have to write a lot of phrases!

- Therefore, miniDonna will first be a boring interlocutor. But if you regularly update the database of phrases ... Can you imagine if she knew how to learn and remember everything that you write?

- And if she was not alone, but on each computer there were such characters? - continued the thought of Donna.

- With a common database! - finished Cam.

They looked at each other, excited about what they had just come up with.

- Do you think it would be artificial intelligence? - asked Donna.

- Are you afraid that Skynet will capture us? - smirked at Cam.

- Well, if this happens, then messengers from the future will surely come to us to prevent the creation of artificial intelligence, and now I absolutely do not want to deal with them.

- Donna! Are you going to argue with messengers from the future? - Cam was indignant.

They both laughed merrily. At that moment, Cameron's stomach decided to enter into conversation and growled loudly. Cam shrugged shyly.

-I think I'm hungry.

- Let's go down, Haley ordered pizza, she will be brought soon.

- Good idea! - Cam enthusiastically jumped up from her chair. - The last one makes coffee!

And rushed down. Donna did not hesitate for a second and ran after her. They rushed shoulder to shoulder along the stairs, ran to the kitchen, collided with each other at the door and laughed. Haley looked at them from the living room and twisted her finger at the temple.

- Cam, you're crazy! - Donna fell on a chair, continuing to laugh. God, how good it is to laugh! She laughed more in a few months than in the last few years.

- You too! - Cam poured water into a mug and took a couple of sips. Then she took another mug, filled it with water and handed it to Donna. Donna gratefully accepted it and drank it with pleasure.

- So we make coffee together? - asked Donna.

- It's strange that you asked ... - Cam said mysteriously and turned her mug, showing the words “Partners for crime”. - What about you?

Donna looked at her mug and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Anchor. She showed it to Cam and nodded: - I will clean the filter, and you pour water.

When the coffee was ready, the pizza delivery man arrived.

#theresebelivett #they don't obey me #I thought I would write it quickly and briefly but they started talking a lot and doing different things #and I still don't know what Donna's idea was #halt and catch fire

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rgvhaulingjunkmoving · 4 years ago

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revjasielhern-blog · 5 years ago

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“Come and Stay at my Home”

Scripture Text: Acts 16:9-15

I wish I had more of Lydia’s conviction.

This modest dealer of purple dye, worshiper of God, recently baptized, and faithful listener of God’s Word exemplifies the kind of conviction we must have when welcoming the stranger into our intimate spaces.

We all have these intimate spaces. They are the places in which we find shelter and protection, warmth and love, creativity and discernment. These intimate spaces are so unique because they are carefully selected based on personalities and what we like the most. Perhaps it is your office space at work; or the corner with all the windows in the public library; or your man-cave in the basement of your house; or your favorite state park in the country; or even your most beloved pew here at the church.

These intimate spaces represent the location in which we feel most alive. We visit these places because we need to be reminded of all the goodness that is around us - of all the goodness that God has given us through these tangible experiences. And because of this encounter with goodness, positivity, and peace in these spaces, we are able let our guards down and be who we really are. We don’t have to act in a certain way or meet the expectations of society by trying to be something that we are not. In these intimate spaces we have the freedom to simply be ourselves - that person that we have always meant to be.

In these spaces, we have the freedom to enjoy the moment and savor God’s goodness in our lives.

That is why they are so important to us. That’s why we give a tremendous emotional value to these intimate spaces.

I have only been in Indianapolis for about ten months, so I am still trying to find this intimate space within the city. I have a couple of choices in mind: I really enjoy running in the West Clay neighborhood around all those lakes and pretty green areas; but I also really like writing sermons on my desk at home since it faces this big window allowing me to see the birds that come and chat on the trees.

But the place that I remember the most growing-up was actually during my time in High School. I went to a Presbyterian boarding school down south in the Texas valley, and as a boarding school, of course I was required to share a room with at least one more guy and that room would be connected to another room through a bathroom.

Obviously there was no sense of privacy at this school.

And as an introvert I needed to have an intimate space just for me; a place where I could retreat and find goodness again. As someone who loves nature and wildlife, the stables at the school became that place for me. And yes, of course we had a ranch inside the school - it’s Texas!

At first, no one wanted to work there with the animals because it was too hard and too messy - so, it was just me and a couple of other guys. I was able to just be myself and enjoy the goodness of the space.

But then, during my second year, the school announced that if you helped taking care of the animals, you’d get a stipend. Naturally, this meant that a lot more students now wanted to work at the ranch. It became crowded; it became louder; it became obnoxious and tiresome. My favorite place was ruined. This intimate space now belonged to a whole bunch of strangers - other students that I didn’t even know or didn’t like very much.

I wish I had known how to have Lydia’s conviction.

I wish I would’ve had this sense of sharing and welcoming other students into this space that was so dear and special to me. I wish I had known how to be better.

Right there is the main issue about our intimate spaces: we don’t really know how to welcome others into these places. Since these spaces are so dear to us and contain so many pieces of who we are, we become unwilling to open up and share them with others. It is really hard to share an intimate space with someone else - and that even includes the people that we know and love.

Perhaps this race weekend you are welcoming old friends or family members at your home. After all, this is the most important weekend in Indianapolis, right? Such visits bring us joy and excitement. We get to do fun things, eat delicious food, and have a great time creating new memories. For those days, you are willing to open your home, provide them with a nice place to sleep, cook them meals, and share with them many of your favorite things.

They are your friends. They are your family. Of course you want to be hospitable to them. You want to offer as much comfort and warmth as we can. And of all that is great for the two or three nights that they are staying with you.

Unfortunately, this conviction starts to fade away as the days go by. After spending some quality with friends and family, we start realize that perhaps it is time us or them to go back home. When differences begin to rise, this great time together starts to transform into a somewhat uncomfortable and stressful situation. It may seem that we are great at being hospitable and welcoming but only for a little while. In the long run, our likes and dislikes get in the way of harmony and fellowship.

That shows how hard it is to share intimate spaces - how hard it is to be vulnerable and friendly even with the people that we love. It is hard to open up ourselves for more than just a moment.

We want to be hospitable. We want offer a great welcoming experience to our friends and family. We want to share this piece of who we are with them because we love them. But what about the people that we don’t really like? Or the people we don’t really know?

Perhaps we don’t have the same conviction towards them.

Perhaps we need more of Lydia’s conviction.

A few years ago, my grandfather invited one of his first-year seminary students to stay at our house for the summer break. This student was an orphan. He didn’t have any family close by and did not have any plans for the summer. He was kind of worried about where he was going to stay for those couple of months. So, my grandfather offered him a place to stay and a place where he could have a meal. Of course, my grandfather didn’t really ask us about how we felt about that invitation. One morning he just showed up with this student and told us about his plan great for the summer. And surely, we were caught by surprise.

As you can imagine, at first it was very, very difficult. We didn’t really know what he liked or disliked. We didn’t know what kind of food he preferred or how friendly he would be. He was a stranger in our home. But after the first couple of weeks, once we started to know each other better by sharing stories, we began to create a friendship - my whole family and him. We would watch movies together. We would play soccer with other kids from the block. He would help us in the garden and even share with us some of his cooking with us.

After a few weeks, he was no longer a stranger, but rather a familiar guest.

My grandfather had that kind of conviction - Lydia’s conviction. He knew that hospitality meant extending to strangers a quality of kindness usually reserved for friends and family. He welcomed him into our home not based on how much he knew him or based on how much he liked him as a student or as a person. My grandfather welcomed him because he was faithful to God’s calling. Like Lydia, he knew that worshipping God included sharing his most valuable, his most favorite, his most intimate space - which on this case was his home.

But to have that kind of conviction, it takes courage.

Lydia welcomed Paul and his disciples into her most intimate space. She trusted them despite the fact that Christianity was being persecuted by the Empire. She offered them a place to stay in a foreign land despite the fact that she was just a dealer of purple dye. She could have hesitated about the credentials or the personalities of Paul and his people. But she chose not to. Instead, she remained faithful to God’s calling.

She extended to strangers a quality of kindness usually reserved for friends and family.

Here at Second Presbyterian Church, we have chosen to have Lydia’s conviction and courage as we welcome the stranger into this intimate space. Through our participation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network, we are able to open our facilities for a week four times a year to families who don’t have a home. As a church, we don’t really know much about these people before they come and stay us. Yet, we offer such kindness and such warmth welcome to each person. We provide them with various delicious meals - mostly cooked by our volunteers. We try our best to get to know them during our daily encounters - while driving the van in the morning or when staying overnight. We play with the young ones even if it is snowing outside - I have been a witness to that.

We offer the same quality of kindness usually reserved for friends and family. As part of a community of faith, we know how to welcome the stranger into this our intimate spaces. We have witnessed such hospitality through this church or through other people. We are aware that part of our calling as Christians is to extend kindness and goodness to all people.

But, are we, individually capable of sharing our intimate spaces with strangers?

Do we have the conviction to share our intimate spaces with all people, even those that we don’t really know much about or those that we don’t like as much?

I hope each one of us holds on to Lydia’s conviction. The conviction to open up our homes regardless of the inconvenience. To share our desk at work with the coworker that we are not friends with. To invite other people go hiking to our favorite state park even if we don’t get to hike as much as we wanted.

The conviction to listen to each other’s stories without any prejudice or hostility. To say hi and show kindness to the new family sitting next to us in the pew this morning. To welcome all despite our differences, backgrounds, race, and personal agendas.

So, are we ready to show that kind of conviction? Are we ready to say: “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home” AMEN

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davidoespailla · 6 years ago

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Top 15 Home Features That Will Sell Your Home Fast—and for More Cash

iStock; realtor.com

It’s one of the (many) high-stakes gambles of homeownership: that awesome new feature or design improvement you’ve been wishin’ and hopin’ (and of course savin’ for) to add for your family might ultimately hurt, not help, your place’s resale value. After all, times and tastes change, and eventually most homeowners will become home sellers. So how do you know that today’s sleek, new quartz countertop won’t become tomorrow’s eye-scorching popcorn ceiling on the open market?

Relax, we’re here to help you suss it out. Realtor.com®’s data team searched to find the home features that can help folks sell their home the fastest—and for the best price. We narrowed our list to the items found in homes with the highest list prices that went under contract the fastest. It’s a high-value sweet spot.

There’s plenty on the line here. Homeowners spent more on upgrading their homes in 2017 than in any year since 2006, according to the most recent Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University study—an average $12,361 in discretionary spending. Much of that went into upgrading kitchens and bathrooms, the top room remodels, according to home design website Houzz.

“Anytime a buyer can walk into a house and see it already has the features they want, that’s a huge bonus for the seller,” says Anna Maria Mannarino, who runs her eponymous interior design firm in Holmdel, NJ. “If buyers feel they need to add key features or designs, they’re going to calculate how much it will cost and then lower their bid.”

To figure out the top home features, we dug through more than a million single-family home listings on realtor.com in February. We calculated a median price and days on market for each abode with one or more of the 70 popular features we evaluated for this ranking. Features in homes that took longer than 84 days to sell, the national median, were cut from our list. We also eliminated amenities, such as high ceilings, that are difficult—and expensive—remodels.

So what are the most profitable home features for sellers hoping to close quickly? Here are the big 15:

Chef’s kitchen/gourmet kitchen

Theater room

Home gym

Three-car garage

Solar panels

Quartz counters

Exterior lighting

Tennis court

Home office

In-ground pool

Mudroom

Security system

Fireplace

Smart home features

Walk-in closet

OK, let’s take a closer look at trends that could help you make bank when it comes time to cash in and sell your home.

Kitchen makeovers bring in the dough Kitchen

Tony Frenzel

Once upon a time (say, when you were growing up), most kitchens were drab, unsexy spaces that folks didn’t spend much time in beyond preparing and consuming dinner. But as the open kitchen trend has exploded, they’ve become centerpieces of the home—way more visible, personalized, luxurious, and important to buyers. Homeowners have upgraded to chef’s and gourmet kitchens (No. 1 on our list), making them glamorous showpieces where they can entertain their friends.

These days, trendsetters are choosing dark and moody color palettes, like black and navy, over the more bland white, gray, and neutral shades. They’re opening the rooms to the outdoors by installing walls of windows or double doors that open to the yard. And open shelving (versus the classic kitchen cabinets) is gaining more traction.

“Even if you don’t consider yourself a big foodie or a master chef, higher-end kitchens have a huge appeal,” says Jamie Novak, a Los Angeles–based professional organizer and author of “Keep This Toss That.” She works with homeowners who are planning to stay put as well as those getting ready to list their properties. “When the appliances are pretty and functional, it’s a win-win.”

Homes with chef’s kitchens sell for a median $599,000—more than double the national median of $295,000. Chef’s kitchens generally feature an open layout big enough to accommodate plenty of cooks in the kitchen, a large island, a gas cook range built for larger, hotter flames, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, and multiple sinks and ovens. Popular brands include Viking ovens and ranges, Bosch appliances, and Kohler and Moen faucets and sinks.

The average kitchen overhaul cost $12,300, while major kitchen overhauls usually cost upward of $40,000, according to the Harvard University study.

“People look at a kitchen, and if they don’t like it—they’ll often pass on the house,” says Lori Wellman, owner of Lincoln Cabinet, a Lincoln, NE–based remodeler.

Quartz counters (No. 6) are also in high demand. The engineered variety (a fancy word for enhanced) doesn’t chip as easily as the natural kind, doesn’t require much upkeep, and is difficult to stain or damage. Plus there are hundreds of colors, patterns, and textures to choose from.

It was the material of choice for home renovators, rising from a 41% market share in 2017 to 48% in 2019, according to Houzz data.

“[Engineered] quartz is a very, very versatile material,” says Nino Sitchinava, the site’s principal economist. “You can control palettes and colors and textures really, really well.”

Specialty rooms: Why go out when you can stay in? Rooms

Tony Frenzel

Properties with dedicated specialty rooms, like theater rooms (No. 2) and home gyms (No. 3), showed up in only a small percentage of listings (1.5% and 1.1% respectively). And while they’re not as popular as they once were, say design experts, homes that come equipped with such rooms sell for about twice as much as the national median of $295,000. They’re fun to enjoy, too!

“At the high end there’s real cachet in having those specialized spaces,” says Jenni Lantz, manager of DesignLens, a design resource for developers, builders, architects, and interior designers. “Of course you need to have the space for them.”

Folks without big bank accounts can also create these spaces on a shoestring, DIY budget. Dark basements can become theater rooms, for example, with the addition of an oversize screen, wireless speakers, and a comfy couch. Popcorn makers are a bonus!

Unlike theater rooms and gyms, mudrooms (No. 11) have been gaining in popularity in recent years, say design experts. These small rooms are where coats and dirty shoes are kept are typically located toward the front of homes, and more homeowners are retrofitting them into their abodes. They’re becoming more stylish with rustic, wood benches to store those muddy boots under and fancy coat racks.

“Mudrooms are a fantastic transition from an outdoor space to your indoor living [space],” says organizer Novak.

They cost an average $12,000 to install, according to Fixr, a company that connects owners to home-related services.

Home offices (No. 9) have also become increasingly sought-after as more people work remotely or go freelance. The key is natural lighting, perhaps a window view for the desk, and doors that can shut out the clamor of the kids playing in other parts of the home.

Outdoor features are in Outdoor features

Tony Frenzel

The trend today may be all about indoor-outdoor living. But it wasn’t beautifully inlaid patios, outdoor kitchens complete with pizza ovens, or trickling fountains that came out on top for outdoor features. That honor went to three-car garages (No. 4).

“Americans love their garages,” says Rick Foster, a managing broker and license partner at Engel & Völkers Annapolis, in Maryland. He’s sold more than 10,000 homes during his career and has seen buyer preferences change with the times.

Buyers aren’t just looking for a place to park their cars. “Having extra storage space is a big benefit,” adds Foster.

Certainly prestige comes into play—for many, bigger is indeed better. But unlike some outdoor features, this one is difficult and costly to add after the fact. Buyers want one already in place.

Other popular outdoor features on our list include solar panels (No. 5), tennis courts (No. 8), and in-ground pools (No. 10).

Solar panels are hot (yes, really) thanks to demand from both climate-conscious buyers and those simply hoping to cut down on their electricity bills. Homes with these features sell the fastest of all of the amenities on our list, at a median 51 days. About 2% more homeowners undergoing remodels have been installing them each year from 2015 to 2017, according to Houzz data.

But be warned: They’re not cheap. Installing a 5-kilowatt system, the standard system of about 20 panels, costs around $25,000 to $35,000, according to https://ift.tt/1VRVXo9.

“Solar is a very regional preference,” says Sitchinava of Houzz. They’re particularly appealing in places that get a lot of sunshine but have high AC bills, such as California, Arizona, and Texas. “The long-term payoff is pretty phenomenal.”

Tennis courts are also appealing, but they can set homeowners back more than $50,000, according to Quality Court Industries, a tennis court construction firm that operates throughout the Southeast.

Even having a shared court open to residents of a community can boost property values. The same goes for in-ground pools, which can be private or shared as well.

Built-in pools are polarizing features in some parts of the country—attracting some buyers while repelling others due to maintenance or liability issues. The cardinal rule for this feature: Install it for your own enjoyment first, resale value second.

“They’re consistently popular,” particularly in warm-weather areas, says design expert Lantz. “People still like to lay out by the pool.”

Smart home features and other electronics can pay off Smart home features

Tony Frenzel

Smart home technology (No. 14) is a catchy umbrella term people use to describe everything from a few interconnected appliances or internet-controlled thermostats to fully wired homes. The expensive, built-in approach has waned a bit, but the more ad hoc approach is booming, thanks to smart devices that can be used as simple control centers, like Amazon Echo and Google Home.

“The convenience is unparalleled, and the technology is getting so easy to use,” says organizer Novak.

Security systems (no. 12), often smart ones integrated with mobile and other devices, are gaining traction as must-have features. Just 10% of homeowners undergoing remodels had a security system installed in 2015, according to Houzz data. By 2017, about 15% did.

Folks used to have to hire a security company to come in, assess the property, and then install a system that could run anywhere from $600 to more than $1,000. And that doesn’t include the monthly monitoring fees. Now, homeowners can pick up a simple, smart home security system from companies like Ring for around $150.

“People really like having an app on your phone and knowing if someone’s at your home and being able to speak to them,” says Craig Grant, CEO of the Real Estate Technology Institute, an online portal where folks can learn about real estate technology.

These classic indoor amenities have lasting appeal—and a new spin Indoor features

Tony Frenzel

Some things never go out of style. Fireplaces remain a highly sought-after amenity, although today’s sleek, electronic models don’t have much in common with the ashy traditional hearths. These newer fireplaces are often installed right into wall.

“No matter where your home might be, fireplaces are always welcome,” says Nancy Fire, the design and trend forecasting expert behind the HGTV HOME brand.

Other timeless features that boost home values are spacious, walk-in closets. Sometimes folks will even tear down an adjacent bedroom to build that massive closet with floor-to-ceiling shoe and accessory walls, a ladder to store and fetch rarely used items, and seating to make it easier for friends and family to share their outfit opinions, says remodeler Wellman.

Walk-in closets, while still popular, aren’t as in-demand as they used to be—and the decluttering movement (and its guru Marie Kondo) can partly be blamed.

“If you’re trying to pare down your clothing, then you don’t want a big walk-in closet to fill,” says Novak, whose clients prefer smaller, sliding-door closets. “It just becomes a big mess.”

Clare Trapasso and Rachel Stults contributed to this report.

The post Top 15 Home Features That Will Sell Your Home Fast—and for More Cash appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Top 15 Home Features That Will Sell Your Home Fast—and for More Cash

#TRUSTED LOCAL REALTOR #Top 15 Home Features That Will Sell Your Home Fast—and for More Cash

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gillespialfredoe01806ld · 6 years ago