As if I hadn’t had enough change this year; what with a big move, a wedding and a new job; the divine Mrs. V and I are buying a house. So far, it seems like an expensive (ad)venture. I look forward to it.

The house sits on a beautiful tree-lined street in Huntington Woods, Mich., just a couple miles from the rental we currently occupy in Royal Oak. It’s a four bedroom, two and a half bath brick model with room for improvement. As we see it, buying a house that needs work in a neighborhood that doesn’t is a good strategy. It means that even if we end up selling it in five years, our investment is safe.

So, if you know good contractors in the area, click the link and email me. We need recommendations. You name it, we need it: plumbing, electrical, drywall and plaster. Hey, if you just want to grab a paint brush and lend an hour, we welcome that too.

We expect to close at the end of August.