You get out of them exactly what you put in. A good solid foundation is crucial. You can't afford to cut corners if you want to maintain structural integrity.
It's what's underneath the exterior paint job that counts. You want strength, stability and warmth with clearly defined boundaries. Returns will vary depending on how much you invest.
You'd think the big, flashy showpieces would be the best but that's not always the case. Dollar investment is fine if you want a cold, soulless house that despite its furnishings, no one is comfortable in. Combine money with time and effort and the DIY attitude and you get a home that will be the envy of your neighbours.
Low maintenance, while infinitely better than no maintenance, can be risky. Be sure to keep everything as current and on trend as you can. Upkeep and even some remodelling may be necessary but it's better than the option of broken beyond repair.
As an "owner" of clones I once had the cavalier attitude that should something go wrong with one, I had a spare. Begrudgingly, even I have to admit that replacing one supporting with another still leaves me short a supporting beam and on the verge of collapse.
Still sceptical of my investment, I realise that I've made it this far and to abandon the property at this stage of the game would see me walk away with nothing.
Speaking of which, invest nothing and slowly but surely, over time, "the property" will take on that unloved appearance, neglected and forgotten. Those with a poor foundation may even be viewed as derelict and worthless. Some may be rescued, their potential realised as a "fixer upper" - a true labour of love. Others will be relocated, stripped of anything of value or demolished. Where does the blame lie ... with the "builders"? Not qualified to hold a hammer, cutting corners, papering over the cracks. The answer to that is about as elusive as an empty section in Auckland.
And so to returns for your investment. Well, I can only speak for myself ... in the early years they were constant and varied. Anything from a picture painted at kindy to an "I love you". Regular deposits were made into the Bank of Memories and there's a treasure trove of sorts, that houses the "forever" keepsakes, the baby teeth (fangs), tufts of fur/hair, confirmation from the Mother Ship that they were "birthed" in some manner, by me. Garlic, holy water and silver bullets, the usual.
In later years, however, the returns come more sporadically, as do the conversations, replaced instead by grunts and rude hand signals. Then there's the all too familiar open hand, closing only when the appropriate denomination of money is placed in it. It's a low interest investment in more ways than one but I wouldn't change it for the world. I know every Dr Seuss book off by heart and as a lover of laughter, the life forms will always cause me to smile loudly. They are priceless, is it any wonder I can't even give them away.
Money and time - I've invested both and ironically only time will tell if it's money well spent. It's their story now. investik8@gmail.com
Kate Stewart is an unemployed, reluctant mother of three, currently addressing the UN peacekeeping force and polishing off the cheesecake.
