If these halls could talk, they’d tell Mustard to buy this house.
Supplied
This shed was moved onto Janice Wiebe and her husband Billy McIvor’s property.
Ok, so I may haul home a few pianos and organs (and maybe a few other things), but I’ve got nothing on Janice Wiebe.
She hauls home buildings — houses even!
The Austin resident caught my attention with the following ad:
"House for sale for restoration. 100-plus years-old, super solid and straight. Woodwork intact, including pocket doors between dining and living rooms. Lots of closets, farmhouse style sink, and so much potential. Hate to let it go but I won’t live long enough to finish all my projects! On I-beams and blocking, sitting level, ready for a mover to slide under and go. $8500. Located at Austin, Manitoba."
At first, after scrolling through the pictures, I thought, "Wow, great old house. Might make for an interesting column."
It wasn’t until after I got chatting with Janice on the phone and heard the rest of the story that I realized I’d found a kindred spirit, a member of my tribe!
Know one fills up a yard like Janice!
Helps to have a lot of room, and she does. Janice and her husband Billy McIvor own a half section of land, on which they run a hay farm.
No question she has an eye for potential. When she bought the farm originally, pre Billy, Janice decided the little old bungalow that had been sitting vacant for 15 years, following a little dusting and vacuuming and probably critter evicting — would make an excellent home. I bet the raccoons didn’t think it was such a great idea.
But you need more than an old bungalow to run a farm, and the yard had no other buildings so they also brought home an old abandoned lumber yard building from Treherne. An unused old concession stand is their garden shed.
Oh, did I mention there’s also another big old house in her yard that she had moved in, from her mother’s yard, who’d originally had said house moved into her own yard? True. She’s not selling that house. They built a big porch around it and made it their garden party house. These people definitely know how to have fun.
Now, the house she’s selling. Formerly the old Stratton family home in McGregor, Janice’s cousins bought the lot it was sitting on, with no plans for the house other than someday to get it gone. Then along came Janice.
She had Anderson Moving haul it to their farm yard, where it was put on blocks and beams and laser levelled for Janice to work on.
The plan to renovate it and attach it to their bungalow turned out to be more work than it was worth, so their loss will definitely be someone else’s gain.
Janice says she’s shocked at the response she’s getting. There’s a line up to check the old place out. It is a charming home, very welcoming when you walk in the front door and look down the hallway to the kitchen, and up the beautiful old wooden staircase.
If you want to contact her about it contact me and I’ll pass your query onto her — if it’s not already sold by the time you’re reading this.
Personally, I’d love to redo an old home like this when I eventually downsize from where I am, on at least a 10 acre lot, where I can host a herd of animals — especially racoons.
lmustard1948@gmail.com
