Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Move to Carnegie?

I have been thinking about buying my first home for quite some time now. Like some, just thinking about today's current values for a new home in Southern California can be exasperating. Then this morning I read in the Times that foreclosures are up to record highs, yet prices still inched up 4.6% in Southern California. Maybe the shoe will drop any second, but who knows? This market just seems so strange.

So that got me thinking. Maybe Carnegie, Pennsylvania should be my destination. Last night I was checking out the Lelands.com website for their latest auction and saw something I didn't expect. I saw the former home of Honus Wagner, "The Flying Dutchman." It is a 4 bedroom - 2 Bath abode with 3 fireplaces and it has an opening bid of only $130,000.00. You couldn't buy a one bedroom condo for that here. Imagine sitting in the den with a whiskey in one hand and a fine book in the other. The fireplace is blazing providing enough warmth to last through the night. You will glance around and wonder about the stories told in this room. Tales about Wagner diving for balls hit by some of Baseballs greatest players. He would entertain guest with stories about batting against Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson.

The auction states, "if the walls could talk they would tell some great stories, and if you buy this home you might just hear one." Is that a hint? Could this place be haunted? Imagine that. Your sitting in front of the fireplace and Honus comes walking out of the wall. I don't know if I'd scream or ask questions.

Unfortunately, I will never find out. I would have to move all the way across country and be without a job. I wouldn't have my friends around. My family would be impossible to visit with any regularity. Dodger games would impossible to watch due to the time difference. Oh well. I guess I'll be staying here. But I wonder? What kind of premium, if any, would the home of a famous sports star bring? How about a home haunted by that superstar?