what makes a house a home?

Busy, busy, busy.  We have been scrutinizing every house we come across to see if maybe it's the one for us.  We reviewed our short list of homes and realized that they were not the homes for us.  So it was back to the drawing board. 

Friday night was date night with our realtor.  He took us into a small sleepy town in Main Street, America to show us a house.  The living quarters seemed a little tight in areas but overall was more than my husband and I actually need.  It had a very small yard but big enough for the terror with teeth.  It came equipped with a porch, small deck, first floor laundry, eat in kitchen, finished attic, basement and three bedrooms on the second floor plus your standard bathrooms, living room, dining room.  It was updated in the mid 80's and so perhaps the laura ashley floral borders need to be removed and the cheap bathroon fixtures.  Other than some minor cosmetic work, it looks to be in pristine condition on the outside which is much more important.  Yet, I wasn't in love with it.  It didn't feel like home.  So what makes a house a home?  Is it the feeling you get when you walk inside a house?  Or the feeling you get when you walk inside the home that actually belongs to you?  Is it the neighborhood?  The town?  The sweat equity of fixing up your own house to make it your home?  I'm left wondering....

In the meantime, I have been looking at the desirable qualities of the town and seeing if it is really someplace I could live.  Most of my answers are a resounding yes....

The town hosts an annual fourth of july celebration equipped with a parade, house decorating contest, greased pole climbing, river raft race, soap box derby and the list goes on and on.  I love a town that boasts good flavor and 1950's values!

Since the town is situated along the river, it is home to one of the country's oldest yacht clubs.  No great shakes to me personally but I suppose that the husband and I could always take up sailing or we could just watch from the shoreline.  I suspect the latter of the two.

It is also home to beautiful stone churches and victorian gas lamps.  My heart sings at the pictures below. 

It has a small main street but nothing that I love.  That area seems to be lacking in my opinion.  After much thought about the main street, I came to the conclusion that with less restaurants and stores, my husband and I had less opportunity to walk into town and spend money frivolously which is a bonus!!  It has a yoga studio that I have actually practiced at with two of my favorite teachers only a short walk from the house!  Yet with all of the benefits and bonuses of the house, the town, the proximity....I have reservations.  Reservations about the house?  The town? Maybe just reservations about the commitment that comes with buying the house?   I'm not even sure.  I suppose this is only natural though....