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Habitat for Humanity took my house away!

My childhood home has been gone for almost a year. Soon a spectacular new home will be finished on the site where my parents lived for more than 35 years. We were the only family to ever live in that home.

My mom found a yet-to-be completed spec home in 1969, they bought it, and she watched every day as the builders finished. Two years ago my parents sold the home to another builder, who saw great potential in their lot on Quarton Lake in Birmingham, Michigan.

Though my parents were happy to move on to their new home, my mom kept thinking about the windows and carpetting that she had just installed a year before moving. Dmitry and I told my mom about Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, and she asked the builder to donate the windows before the wrecking ball arrived.

Please finish reading this on MiOaklandCounty.com

Posted by Maureen Francis & Dmitry Koublitsky, SKBK Sotheby's - Metro Detroit on 09/10/2006 09:57 PM

Comments (33)

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Originally posted at: Dmitry & Maureen: Moving Metro Detroit: Habitat for Humanity took my house away!

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33 Comments on Habitat for Humanity took my house away!

SEP

2006

I think of you every time I see the new house in the MLS. You were very lucky to grow up in such a beautiful location. The views from your old home of the lake are very special. I hope that you get to sell the new house. It would be perfect irony!

Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful organization, but I guess I never realized they recycled items from homes scheduled to be demolished. My husband works for an environmental construction & demolition company, I'm going to let him know about this. As I'm sure there are many opportunites Habitat for Humanity could salvage many items from some of his projects, especially the larger ones.

SEP

2006

Maureen, I'd love to see a photo of what the views of the lake from the house were. It looks like you included a photo of the front of the old house in your post, but not the views, which is likely what makes the lot so appealing and the new house so expensive! It must've been at least somewhat difficult to see your childhood home go "poof".

Leanne, I will have to look on Dmitry's computer to see if we still have a picture of the view there. The view is what we were selling, not the house. We had a picture of the view as the main photo on the MLS. We knew it would be torn down. The land value was in the high 6 figures, so the builder paid a lot for dirt.

We have no regrets about it being torn down. We had many happy memories there that are still with us. Our old house, even the day it was built, was never worthy of the lot. The builder did nothing to take advantage of the views, among other things.

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your childhood home. I have done community service work for habit for humanity its a great experience.

Maureen, isn't it nice knowing that your home is still giving others joy, but in a different way. I am glad you found ReStore for your parents.

does anybody else find it funny that we are talking about habitat and a 3 million dollar house in the same blog. They seem so far apart. I work through habitat whenever I can. With My Branch, we are involved, My CRA is involved and I do it personally through my church as well. All in All I can't think of a better program. Ty Pennington has nothing on the wonderful volunteers who make this program run.

I'll keep my eye open for your 3,000,000 buyer!

Maureen,

I hope your parents made a lot of money. :- )

There must be a lot of memories in the house you grew up in. Location! Location! Location. I hope you sell the McMansion.

SEP

2006

Thank you for this post, i had never heard of them doing this and will add a link to them on my site. I also will suggest other agents to it also, it really does go out to a good cause.

The ReStore concept is an incredible system. Habitat does wonderful work and deserves all the help they can get.

Fantastic Post. I am so glad I found it. My father works extensively for Habitat for Humanity in CA and was only slightly informed on the program.

In my work with investors who rehab houses across the Midwest, I will be trying to link them up with the ReStore program prior to closing so that Habitat can get in and take any valuable items that are available.

Thanks again for the post.

As an "Air Force" child, I moved from one home to another, time and time again. I learned very young the concept that home is where your heart is.

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