A House vs. A Home….. My First Post!!
Written by: Lauren Campe, Broker – The Zahn Group
It all started with a dream. 1 expensive DC condo, 2 children, and 1,000 hours of commuting later, we needed a change. 10 years ago, we handpicked Charlotte to be our home. It was close to family, had an affordable cost of living, strong job market, lovely weather, and a great place to raise a family. I have met so many people over the years, from all over the country, that have picked Charlotte for this very reason.
We bought our house, sight unseen, and took the plunge. We left all of our friends and familiar rhythms behind for a new chapter, just our belongings and memories in tow. I didn’t know if we were going to fit in Charlotte… we were city people that had moved to the suburbs. Our first morning we woke up to the sounds of lawn mowing, a totally foreign noise. I guess we needed to get one!
Luckily as fate would have it, Charlotte completely accepted us with open arms. We have made lifelong friends and our children have thrived. When you’ve found a home, it’s different than finding a house. I was clearly reminded of that recently…
This week, as I watched my girls play out back with friends, I told my neighbors to send their kiddos down to play in the gorgeous weather. Of course they show up with kids, baby, wine, within minutes …. I would expect nothing less. Our next door neighbors grabbed their drinks and met us out back to toast a birthday in the group.
It quickly turned into throwing what we could find in the oven for all the kids for dinner (as it usually does) and a smorgasbord for the rest of us. They ran down and got the birthday cake they had planned for later and we all sang happy birthday as one big happy family. Impromptu moments that you could never plan are regular for us.
Now, I understand not everyone wants to be as close with their neighbors. An open-door policy isn’t for everyone! But, for us, having young children, it has been incredible to have the love and support. We are a community, raising our children together, backdropped by lemonade stands, touch football, and skinned knees.
After our spicy 3rd blessing came along, we felt the need for more space. We have looked and almost put in offers many times, but just couldn’t pull the trigger. The community we have built here in our little section of our neighborhood just won’t allow us to. I have found a home here in Charlotte and I am excited to showcase that here.
I hope this space is a fun resource for what’s going on in this vibrant, remarkable city, from my point of view. I don’t claim to be a young hipster, in the know of the latest club opening. But, I do feel there is a world of entertainment for moms, families, and couples in Charlotte. I hope this is a way for me to decompress from some of the more heavy things real estate and life can bring. But most of all I hope you will see the heart of this city and my love for all of the things it has to offer.
A house is four walls, a home is the people you fill it with and your surrounding community. All the space in the world will never fill spaces in your heart. Your home is your heart, it needs to be nurtured and protected.
I would be honored to find your home.
Wonderful first blog post, Lauren! Best of luck to you and Molly- you are a great team! Xo Liane