Boulder to London

When I started my MBA a year ago, I was a little bored with pure academia.  One of the things I did to keep things interesting was invest in a home that was being remodeled by the owner.  The home was a historic home in a good neighborhood.  The owner was an aspiring designer/builder/architect that was working on his first solo project.  By the time I met him, he was out of cash and needed someone to help him get through the next few months until the permits were approved and the first draw on his construction loan could be made.  While my money kept going out throughout the fall of ‘07, there was actually nothing happening on the house.  The permits that were required were being reviewed by the city and not moving fast.  Finally in November, the permits were approved and construction started.  The process was very interesting and involved tearing down most of the old house except for the front corner and the second floor which need to be supported on stilts.  With the house overhead, a crew was hired to dig a new basement and pour the foundation that would support the newly expanded home.  By spring of ‘08, the house had walls and the second floor was off the temporary structure.  I just got this picture yesterday of the house with a finished roof.  The project is way behind schedule, but it has been fun to see the progress, learn the process and invest in an individual that is determined to make his dream a success.