After a long search that began over a year ago, we have officially traded city life for the peaceful Dutch countryside. Our journey had a few twists—we even missed out on one house we loved due to a closed bidding process—but everything happens for a reason.
We had a very specific vision for our dream (retirement) home. We wanted a modern house with a spacious garden (under an acre), and a ground-floor bedroom was on our wish list. But our absolute non-negotiables? Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, dining area, and kitchen, a big 3-meter kitchen island, plus an unobstructed view of green fields at the back of the garden.
When I spotted this house on Funda (end of October) the exact day it was uploaded, my heart skipped a beat. It checked every single box except for the ground-floor bedroom. Styled like a contemporary glass house, it features a stunning wrap-around balcony with movable shutters on both ground and first floors, and with glass railings on the first floor for added security. We spent days researching about the house, its neighbourhood and the direct surroundings. When we were ready, we booked a viewing (November), made an offer on the spot, and our bid was accepted that very same day. Within a few weeks (December), the deal was sealed, the contract signed, and our moving date was set for April next year. It went really fast! And we were absolutely elated.
As lifelong city dwellers now in our 50s, the post-Covid shift to working from home made us crave a slower pace of life and a deeper connection with nature. Our previous home in Utrecht sat beside a lovely medium-sized recreational lake, but our new surroundings take things to a whole new level. We are nestled at the edge of a small village, right next to a 250-hectare forest and a large recreational lake with an island, a beach and several ponds. Even better, a historic nature estate and nature reserve (more than 500-hectare all together) sits right alongside them, seamlessly connecting all these spaces and giving us easy access to endless walking paths. We used to have to drive just to go for a forest walk; now, nature is right on our doorstep. It is the absolute perfect place for us to retire, potter around, and enjoy daily walks.
The house has also received a glowing review from our precious Prins Timo, our Siamese-Ragdoll cat. He has settled in beautifully and is thoroughly spoiled by his new kingdom. Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, he can see as far as his eyes can reach. He loves exploring the massive garden, though our next big project is making it entirely “Prins Timo proof” with some netting near the front balcony to keep him safe from the street.
We are so incredibly grateful to have found this home. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be focusing on settling in and exploring every corner of our beautiful new neighbourhood.
With love from Jo