The American Dream?

This is our house in Chicago. Four bedrooms. Lots of space. Great neighborhood. Within walking distance to our town's little lake.

We lived here less than two years, but we felt more at home here than anywhere else we lived. The kids rode their bikes up and down the sidewalks. The neighbors gathered around fire pits on cool nights. And on hot summer days we headed to the swimming beach out our little lake.

It was really a great place to live and we made some great memories. Living the American Dream right??

Well, two years later we're selling our house we love for much less than we bought it. It breaks our heart and makes us bitter---even though we don't want to be that way.

Once upon a time, buying a house was the American Dream...an investment.....something everyone did. Growing up my dad stressed how important it was to stay out of debt and never waste money on rent. That mantra stuck.

Unfortunately times have changed. And, if you move as much as we have, buying and selling a house is more like an American Nightmare. Sounds dramatic, I know. But, it's true. It's stressful and you're never guaranteed to come out on top. In our situation, this is the second time, we  have lost money---a grand total of close to $50,000 on two different houses. Houses that we loved and took care of, and improved, and didn't want to leave.

So, for now, we are boycotting the real estate market. Instead, we're renting a modest four-bedroom here in the Atlanta area in a nice neighborhood. No frills. Less space. Not much of a yard. But, it's NOT ours and thank goodness for that.

We can't have our hearts (and our budgets) broken anymore.