Rebuilding a Life One Room at a Time

[muirford]

In the light of the other forum threads about making the move to life as an innkeeper, I thought I'd post this link to a book dealing with exactly that, and dealing with the unexpected when it happens. I'll be checking with my local library as to when they might be getting a copy so that I can read it.
"When Rizzoli and her husband, Hugo, decide to open a bed-and-breakfast inn on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, they realize the travelers who visit them will expect “an idealized kind of home, more homey somehow than a real one.” What they don’t expect is that Hugo will have a major stroke soon after they’ve opened for business. ...That’s not quite the case, but it won’t spoil anything to reveal that Rizzoli and her husband are even now presiding over their three-bedroom establishment..."
Here is a link to the complete review from last week's NY Times Book Review, the Travel Section of Summer Reading.
PS - I not suggesting that eyevea change her mind about innkeeping; I think keeping her day job is the best advice.

 

[Mary at Bridgewater Inn and Cottage]

Oh !... thought you might be writing about an Inn like mine. Did start with one cottage and still have my day job.. looks like good reading though ! Mary in Bridgewater

 

[eyevea]

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted.

 

[eyevea]

Just to clarify....I didn't change my mind about innkeeping...just the uncertainty of the particular move I was about to make.

 

[Morticia]

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted..

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted.

Other than being close to your job, you need to understand why anyone else would want to go there. Before we moved here I lived in a former B&B. It was close to my job but for the life of me I have no idea why anyone would ever have stayed there. And this was 15 miles from a large university in one direction and 15 miles from a major ski slope in the other. Not to mention 5 miles from the largest employer in the state.

 

[JBloggs]

THE HOUSE AT ROYAL OAK: Starting Over and Rebuilding a Life One Room at a Time
Is the title.
I would love to read this! Thanks so much for sharing.
I can't wait!

 

[eyevea]

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted..

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted.

Other than being close to your job, you need to understand why anyone else would want to go there. Before we moved here I lived in a former B&B. It was close to my job but for the life of me I have no idea why anyone would ever have stayed there. And this was 15 miles from a large university in one direction and 15 miles from a major ski slope in the other. Not to mention 5 miles from the largest employer in the state.
.

Of course. We've thought about that a lot. I work right next door to a major university. There are always people coming and going...visiting professors, potential students, graduations, etc. The property we're looking at is about 2.5 miles from that univeristy and about 6 miles in the other direction from another major university. There is only one B & B in the region right now and it has only 3 guest rooms. The town limits the number of rooms to 3.....so it wouldn't be out of control. My husband (who won't be working after the summer) would be the one running the place day in and day out. And we'd have a great house to live in. Since I'll be keeping my job and my health insurance, we won't have to worry so much about the income and the whatifs.
We looked at this place a year ago and thought it had sold. But, as luck would have it, it didn't sell and last night I found the owners. They don't live in the house but rather rent it to students. We also have rental property that we rent to students right across the street from this place. Anyway, we'll see what happens. I need to check with the town (I work for the town) to see how possible it is to do what we'd want to do.
I'll keep you in the loop.
An aside. Why wouldn't anyone want to stay in your house when it was a B & B with all those things going on around it? Were there other places to stay that were closer?

 

[egoodell]

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted..

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted.

Other than being close to your job, you need to understand why anyone else would want to go there. Before we moved here I lived in a former B&B. It was close to my job but for the life of me I have no idea why anyone would ever have stayed there. And this was 15 miles from a large university in one direction and 15 miles from a major ski slope in the other. Not to mention 5 miles from the largest employer in the state.
.

Of course. We've thought about that a lot. I work right next door to a major university. There are always people coming and going...visiting professors, potential students, graduations, etc. The property we're looking at is about 2.5 miles from that univeristy and about 6 miles in the other direction from another major university. There is only one B & B in the region right now and it has only 3 guest rooms. The town limits the number of rooms to 3.....so it wouldn't be out of control. My husband (who won't be working after the summer) would be the one running the place day in and day out. And we'd have a great house to live in. Since I'll be keeping my job and my health insurance, we won't have to worry so much about the income and the whatifs.
We looked at this place a year ago and thought it had sold. But, as luck would have it, it didn't sell and last night I found the owners. They don't live in the house but rather rent it to students. We also have rental property that we rent to students right across the street from this place. Anyway, we'll see what happens. I need to check with the town (I work for the town) to see how possible it is to do what we'd want to do.
I'll keep you in the loop.
An aside. Why wouldn't anyone want to stay in your house when it was a B & B with all those things going on around it? Were there other places to stay that were closer?
.

Just because your B&B is near a university does not mean that you will get business from it other than graduation day.
You have to see if the location you are considering is a Destination. Does this area get tourists on a regular basis? If not, who is going to book your B&B?
RIki

 

[Morticia]

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted..

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted.

Other than being close to your job, you need to understand why anyone else would want to go there. Before we moved here I lived in a former B&B. It was close to my job but for the life of me I have no idea why anyone would ever have stayed there. And this was 15 miles from a large university in one direction and 15 miles from a major ski slope in the other. Not to mention 5 miles from the largest employer in the state.
.

Of course. We've thought about that a lot. I work right next door to a major university. There are always people coming and going...visiting professors, potential students, graduations, etc. The property we're looking at is about 2.5 miles from that univeristy and about 6 miles in the other direction from another major university. There is only one B & B in the region right now and it has only 3 guest rooms. The town limits the number of rooms to 3.....so it wouldn't be out of control. My husband (who won't be working after the summer) would be the one running the place day in and day out. And we'd have a great house to live in. Since I'll be keeping my job and my health insurance, we won't have to worry so much about the income and the whatifs.
We looked at this place a year ago and thought it had sold. But, as luck would have it, it didn't sell and last night I found the owners. They don't live in the house but rather rent it to students. We also have rental property that we rent to students right across the street from this place. Anyway, we'll see what happens. I need to check with the town (I work for the town) to see how possible it is to do what we'd want to do.
I'll keep you in the loop.
An aside. Why wouldn't anyone want to stay in your house when it was a B & B with all those things going on around it? Were there other places to stay that were closer?
.

Tons of hotels much closer. No one wants to drive to see their kid at school or to get to the slopes. And back then biz people didn't want to stay in a house, they want to be in a hotel.
I stayed in a motel near where you live when my daughter was being recruited by that college. The college recommended it. So you need to be on their list of referrals to get the college biz.

 

[gillumhouse]

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted..

Thanks for this. We're actually exploring the possibility of converting a nearby house that was originally built in 1694 into a small B & B. The property is right down the road from my job. Lots of possibilities.....I'll keep you all posted.

Other than being close to your job, you need to understand why anyone else would want to go there. Before we moved here I lived in a former B&B. It was close to my job but for the life of me I have no idea why anyone would ever have stayed there. And this was 15 miles from a large university in one direction and 15 miles from a major ski slope in the other. Not to mention 5 miles from the largest employer in the state.
.

Of course. We've thought about that a lot. I work right next door to a major university. There are always people coming and going...visiting professors, potential students, graduations, etc. The property we're looking at is about 2.5 miles from that univeristy and about 6 miles in the other direction from another major university. There is only one B & B in the region right now and it has only 3 guest rooms. The town limits the number of rooms to 3.....so it wouldn't be out of control. My husband (who won't be working after the summer) would be the one running the place day in and day out. And we'd have a great house to live in. Since I'll be keeping my job and my health insurance, we won't have to worry so much about the income and the whatifs.
We looked at this place a year ago and thought it had sold. But, as luck would have it, it didn't sell and last night I found the owners. They don't live in the house but rather rent it to students. We also have rental property that we rent to students right across the street from this place. Anyway, we'll see what happens. I need to check with the town (I work for the town) to see how possible it is to do what we'd want to do.
I'll keep you in the loop.
An aside. Why wouldn't anyone want to stay in your house when it was a B & B with all those things going on around it? Were there other places to stay that were closer?
.

Tons of hotels much closer. No one wants to drive to see their kid at school or to get to the slopes. And back then biz people didn't want to stay in a house, they want to be in a hotel.
I stayed in a motel near where you live when my daughter was being recruited by that college. The college recommended it. So you need to be on their list of referrals to get the college biz.
.

So you need to be on their list of referrals to get the college biz.
And at some colleges and universities this is not easy to do.

 

[user 26]

i feel the need to say this even though it's a downer.
when one part of the innkeeping couple is keeping an outside job for income, insurance and security .... please do keep in the back of your mind that layoffs and closings and relocations happen ... and secure jobs sometimes disappear ... jobs that seemed like you could stay in them for a lifetime. we have witnessed it here in our little innkeeping community.
okay ... i've said it.

 

[Copperhead]

i feel the need to say this even though it's a downer.
when one part of the innkeeping couple is keeping an outside job for income, insurance and security .... please do keep in the back of your mind that layoffs and closings and relocations happen ... and secure jobs sometimes disappear ... jobs that seemed like you could stay in them for a lifetime. we have witnessed it here in our little innkeeping community.
okay ... i've said it..

i feel the need to say this even though it's a downer.
when one part of the innkeeping couple is keeping an outside job for income, insurance and security .... please do keep in the back of your mind that layoffs and closings and relocations happen ... and secure jobs sometimes disappear ... jobs that seemed like you could stay in them for a lifetime. we have witnessed it here in our little innkeeping community.
okay ... i've said it.

But as with any cloudy day, the sun does finally come through! On the flip side, it is nice having this security while you are building your business. If at some point this cloud does make it's way over your head, you have this to fall back on. We opened our B&B while both working full time, mainly a weekend bus. at first while our name was becoming known (well for locals it still hasn't happened). We left employment on request when a major layoff was to take place - it saved someone else their job as we were not on the chopping block. We were fortunate that the timing was right as well. DH was given retirement medical through the company, so we are still covered under their umbrella.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Just to clarify....I didn't change my mind about innkeeping...just the uncertainty of the particular move I was about to make..

eyevea, this sounds like a very plausable plan B! The fact that not only is your rental house nearby, but that this possible new house is rented by students currently, it means that even with the worst case scenario, you'd be able to rent the house if the B&B wasn't what you wanted or expected. When considering this new house, make sure that there are no shared baths for the guests and that there is enough personal space for you/innkeepers.
Please, so keep us informed. I'm impressed that even with an onslaught of negative (most justified) comments and eye opening posts, you haven't given up your desire to continue forward toward being an innkeeper. You do have determination! Now you really need to take an aspiring innkeeper course. They may cover much of what you already know, but there will also be gems of information which could really make a difference.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

i feel the need to say this even though it's a downer.
when one part of the innkeeping couple is keeping an outside job for income, insurance and security .... please do keep in the back of your mind that layoffs and closings and relocations happen ... and secure jobs sometimes disappear ... jobs that seemed like you could stay in them for a lifetime. we have witnessed it here in our little innkeeping community.
okay ... i've said it..

i feel the need to say this even though it's a downer.
when one part of the innkeeping couple is keeping an outside job for income, insurance and security .... please do keep in the back of your mind that layoffs and closings and relocations happen ... and secure jobs sometimes disappear ... jobs that seemed like you could stay in them for a lifetime. we have witnessed it here in our little innkeeping community.
okay ... i've said it.

But as with any cloudy day, the sun does finally come through! On the flip side, it is nice having this security while you are building your business. If at some point this cloud does make it's way over your head, you have this to fall back on. We opened our B&B while both working full time, mainly a weekend bus. at first while our name was becoming known (well for locals it still hasn't happened). We left employment on request when a major layoff was to take place - it saved someone else their job as we were not on the chopping block. We were fortunate that the timing was right as well. DH was given retirement medical through the company, so we are still covered under their umbrella.
.

But as with any cloudy day, the sun does finally come through! On the flip side, it is nice having this security while you are building your business. If at some point this cloud does make it's way over your head, you have this to fall back on.

Very good point.

 

[eyevea]

Just to clarify....I didn't change my mind about innkeeping...just the uncertainty of the particular move I was about to make..

eyevea, this sounds like a very plausable plan B! The fact that not only is your rental house nearby, but that this possible new house is rented by students currently, it means that even with the worst case scenario, you'd be able to rent the house if the B&B wasn't what you wanted or expected. When considering this new house, make sure that there are no shared baths for the guests and that there is enough personal space for you/innkeepers.
Please, so keep us informed. I'm impressed that even with an onslaught of negative (most justified) comments and eye opening posts, you haven't given up your desire to continue forward toward being an innkeeper. You do have determination! Now you really need to take an aspiring innkeeper course. They may cover much of what you already know, but there will also be gems of information which could really make a difference.
.

This all has been very interesting. If anyone read my original post, you would see that I wasn't looking for advice at all about what it would be like to own and run this kind of business. I have known for a long time how hard people have to work and that never scared us. My husband just finished cooking school and has been planning and practicing breakfast recipes for months, I have a good head for business. We have a lot of avenues for advertising that hadn't been pursued by the place, and their books indicated that we could live pretty comfortably.
I can't say that any of the posts were "eye opening." More like confirmation of what I already knew to be true.
We also knew that we'd have to plan vacations and time to visit our kids who live all over the place. We also have income from our rental property and both will have small pensions when the time is right.
We were ready in all ways except the emotional lack of security. My original post asked if anyone else had ever experienced cold feet and how they handled. it.
Thank you all for your advice. Only a couple of you addressed the actual question in my original post....but it has been interesting seeing what you all think and how you got to where you are.
None of you would be posting here if you really didn't like what you do and everyone needs a chance to vent to people who can identify with what you're doing.
I'll hang around because I think you're all great and full of experiences and information. Thanks to all of you.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Just to clarify....I didn't change my mind about innkeeping...just the uncertainty of the particular move I was about to make..

eyevea, this sounds like a very plausable plan B! The fact that not only is your rental house nearby, but that this possible new house is rented by students currently, it means that even with the worst case scenario, you'd be able to rent the house if the B&B wasn't what you wanted or expected. When considering this new house, make sure that there are no shared baths for the guests and that there is enough personal space for you/innkeepers.
Please, so keep us informed. I'm impressed that even with an onslaught of negative (most justified) comments and eye opening posts, you haven't given up your desire to continue forward toward being an innkeeper. You do have determination! Now you really need to take an aspiring innkeeper course. They may cover much of what you already know, but there will also be gems of information which could really make a difference.
.

This all has been very interesting. If anyone read my original post, you would see that I wasn't looking for advice at all about what it would be like to own and run this kind of business. I have known for a long time how hard people have to work and that never scared us. My husband just finished cooking school and has been planning and practicing breakfast recipes for months, I have a good head for business. We have a lot of avenues for advertising that hadn't been pursued by the place, and their books indicated that we could live pretty comfortably.
I can't say that any of the posts were "eye opening." More like confirmation of what I already knew to be true.
We also knew that we'd have to plan vacations and time to visit our kids who live all over the place. We also have income from our rental property and both will have small pensions when the time is right.
We were ready in all ways except the emotional lack of security. My original post asked if anyone else had ever experienced cold feet and how they handled. it.
Thank you all for your advice. Only a couple of you addressed the actual question in my original post....but it has been interesting seeing what you all think and how you got to where you are.
None of you would be posting here if you really didn't like what you do and everyone needs a chance to vent to people who can identify with what you're doing.
I'll hang around because I think you're all great and full of experiences and information. Thanks to all of you.
.

This all has been very interesting. If anyone read my original post, you would see that I wasn't looking for advice at all about what it would be like to own and run this kind of business.

The reason you got so much advice that you didn't ask for is that it was quite obvious to us by your responses to us that you thought you didn't need advice, but it was clear you did (and still do).
Best of luck to you.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

Just to clarify....I didn't change my mind about innkeeping...just the uncertainty of the particular move I was about to make..

eyevea, this sounds like a very plausable plan B! The fact that not only is your rental house nearby, but that this possible new house is rented by students currently, it means that even with the worst case scenario, you'd be able to rent the house if the B&B wasn't what you wanted or expected. When considering this new house, make sure that there are no shared baths for the guests and that there is enough personal space for you/innkeepers.
Please, so keep us informed. I'm impressed that even with an onslaught of negative (most justified) comments and eye opening posts, you haven't given up your desire to continue forward toward being an innkeeper. You do have determination! Now you really need to take an aspiring innkeeper course. They may cover much of what you already know, but there will also be gems of information which could really make a difference.
.

This all has been very interesting. If anyone read my original post, you would see that I wasn't looking for advice at all about what it would be like to own and run this kind of business. I have known for a long time how hard people have to work and that never scared us. My husband just finished cooking school and has been planning and practicing breakfast recipes for months, I have a good head for business. We have a lot of avenues for advertising that hadn't been pursued by the place, and their books indicated that we could live pretty comfortably.
I can't say that any of the posts were "eye opening." More like confirmation of what I already knew to be true.
We also knew that we'd have to plan vacations and time to visit our kids who live all over the place. We also have income from our rental property and both will have small pensions when the time is right.
We were ready in all ways except the emotional lack of security. My original post asked if anyone else had ever experienced cold feet and how they handled. it.
Thank you all for your advice. Only a couple of you addressed the actual question in my original post....but it has been interesting seeing what you all think and how you got to where you are.
None of you would be posting here if you really didn't like what you do and everyone needs a chance to vent to people who can identify with what you're doing.
I'll hang around because I think you're all great and full of experiences and information. Thanks to all of you.
.

This all has been very interesting. If anyone read my original post, you would see that I wasn't looking for advice at all about what it would be like to own and run this kind of business.

The reason you got so much advice that you didn't ask for is that it was quite obvious to us by your responses to us that you thought you didn't need advice, but it was clear you did (and still do).
Best of luck to you.
.

The reason you got so much advice that you didn't ask for is that it was quite obvious to us by your responses to us that you thought you didn't need advice, but it was clear you did (and still do).
Best of luck to you.

Ditto.

 

[muirford]

Just to clarify....I didn't change my mind about innkeeping...just the uncertainty of the particular move I was about to make..

eyevea, this sounds like a very plausable plan B! The fact that not only is your rental house nearby, but that this possible new house is rented by students currently, it means that even with the worst case scenario, you'd be able to rent the house if the B&B wasn't what you wanted or expected. When considering this new house, make sure that there are no shared baths for the guests and that there is enough personal space for you/innkeepers.
Please, so keep us informed. I'm impressed that even with an onslaught of negative (most justified) comments and eye opening posts, you haven't given up your desire to continue forward toward being an innkeeper. You do have determination! Now you really need to take an aspiring innkeeper course. They may cover much of what you already know, but there will also be gems of information which could really make a difference.
.

This all has been very interesting. If anyone read my original post, you would see that I wasn't looking for advice at all about what it would be like to own and run this kind of business. I have known for a long time how hard people have to work and that never scared us. My husband just finished cooking school and has been planning and practicing breakfast recipes for months, I have a good head for business. We have a lot of avenues for advertising that hadn't been pursued by the place, and their books indicated that we could live pretty comfortably.
I can't say that any of the posts were "eye opening." More like confirmation of what I already knew to be true.
We also knew that we'd have to plan vacations and time to visit our kids who live all over the place. We also have income from our rental property and both will have small pensions when the time is right.
We were ready in all ways except the emotional lack of security. My original post asked if anyone else had ever experienced cold feet and how they handled. it.
Thank you all for your advice. Only a couple of you addressed the actual question in my original post....but it has been interesting seeing what you all think and how you got to where you are.
None of you would be posting here if you really didn't like what you do and everyone needs a chance to vent to people who can identify with what you're doing.
I'll hang around because I think you're all great and full of experiences and information. Thanks to all of you.
.

This all has been very interesting. If anyone read my original post, you would see that I wasn't looking for advice at all about what it would be like to own and run this kind of business.

The reason you got so much advice that you didn't ask for is that it was quite obvious to us by your responses to us that you thought you didn't need advice, but it was clear you did (and still do).
Best of luck to you.
.

The reason you got so much advice that you didn't ask for is that it was quite obvious to us by your responses to us that you thought you didn't need advice, but it was clear you did (and still do).

My thoughts exactly. And if eyevea still hasn't figured out that she needs to go an aspiring innkeepers seminar of some kind, she will need that luck. Forewarned is forearmed.

 

[YellowSocks]

Where to begin?
We are in a university town and it does bring in business. Not just on graduation day, however not year 'round either. And you want to be as close as possible. We are 2-3 blocks away. The B&B only 2-1/2 miles away has a much harder time getting the university guests. I could walk there, but it's "south of town!" Two blocks in the other direction is a seminary which brings us a very large amount of business. When they have a four day seminar I get a lot of calls "are you walking distance?" Guests will stay with me before the other B&B's because I'm the closest.
I just scanned all 104 posts on the other thread. You're asking about giving up your security. This is a valid thing to be concerned about.
There is no security.
You just don't know what's going to happen.
It could be wonderful, or it could flop. You could love the life or you could be exhausted and sell it for a loss. That is the nature of being a business owner, I think. Lots of people work hard. But we owners take on the risk, and therefore we deserve the rewards.
I know an innkeeper (in her 60's) that had to have emergency heart surgery, had a stent put in. I don't know how much longer she'll be able to stay in business. She had to turn away rooms, which just made her sick.
We were living in a dingy house on a crappy street in a very charming and historic town in Maryland. We sold before the housing bubble burst, used equity and my inheritance to buy and renovate a nice house in a wonderful town. I figured even if the B&B went bust, at least we would be living in a place we like, near family, in a nice house. It wasn't that hard of a jump for us.
We had a five year plan that dh would work in the factory, providing health insurance. 3-1/2 years into it he got laid off. COBRA is picked up by the government just now, so we're only paying $350 in insurance... for now. Soon I'll be paying over $1000 a month.
Then a few weeks ago dh decided to chase a midlife fantasy and move to another state and now I'm running my B&B alone. Well, with the help of my twin boys (the ds6x2). On that other thread, where they talk about long days... well... my first year I worked 15-18 hours a day all summer. Last year I swore I'd take at least Monday afternoons off. Last Monday I sat at the lake and I was too tired to fish. I'm back to 15-18 hours a day when guests are here.
And I have a LOT of support from friends and family.
But full house last week, breakfast at 7 a.m. for six days straight. Then they all left... The laundry yesterday took me ALL day (and yes, I have a high efficiency dryer that dries loads as fast as the washer washes them.) Time wise, so what, it's all day? But I find laundry to be especially exhausting... something about all that ironing and standing and carrying that wipes me out.
But I love what I'm doing. I love my B&B, my house, my guests, my life. In the summer I work my buns off. In the winter I go ice skating every Thursday and work hard when the guests come (weekends!). I am frugal and don't need to earn a ton, and I only have the mortgage and line of credit, so I am able to make a decent living at this.
Was it a risk? Yes!
Worth it? Yes!
Do I have any idea what's going to happen next? Nope! (And now that dh is gone I really need to get that emergency plan in place.)
No risk. No reward. Your choice to make.
=)
Kk.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

Where to begin?
We are in a university town and it does bring in business. Not just on graduation day, however not year 'round either. And you want to be as close as possible. We are 2-3 blocks away. The B&B only 2-1/2 miles away has a much harder time getting the university guests. I could walk there, but it's "south of town!" Two blocks in the other direction is a seminary which brings us a very large amount of business. When they have a four day seminar I get a lot of calls "are you walking distance?" Guests will stay with me before the other B&B's because I'm the closest.
I just scanned all 104 posts on the other thread. You're asking about giving up your security. This is a valid thing to be concerned about.
There is no security.
You just don't know what's going to happen.
It could be wonderful, or it could flop. You could love the life or you could be exhausted and sell it for a loss. That is the nature of being a business owner, I think. Lots of people work hard. But we owners take on the risk, and therefore we deserve the rewards.
I know an innkeeper (in her 60's) that had to have emergency heart surgery, had a stent put in. I don't know how much longer she'll be able to stay in business. She had to turn away rooms, which just made her sick.
We were living in a dingy house on a crappy street in a very charming and historic town in Maryland. We sold before the housing bubble burst, used equity and my inheritance to buy and renovate a nice house in a wonderful town. I figured even if the B&B went bust, at least we would be living in a place we like, near family, in a nice house. It wasn't that hard of a jump for us.
We had a five year plan that dh would work in the factory, providing health insurance. 3-1/2 years into it he got laid off. COBRA is picked up by the government just now, so we're only paying $350 in insurance... for now. Soon I'll be paying over $1000 a month.
Then a few weeks ago dh decided to chase a midlife fantasy and move to another state and now I'm running my B&B alone. Well, with the help of my twin boys (the ds6x2). On that other thread, where they talk about long days... well... my first year I worked 15-18 hours a day all summer. Last year I swore I'd take at least Monday afternoons off. Last Monday I sat at the lake and I was too tired to fish. I'm back to 15-18 hours a day when guests are here.
And I have a LOT of support from friends and family.
But full house last week, breakfast at 7 a.m. for six days straight. Then they all left... The laundry yesterday took me ALL day (and yes, I have a high efficiency dryer that dries loads as fast as the washer washes them.) Time wise, so what, it's all day? But I find laundry to be especially exhausting... something about all that ironing and standing and carrying that wipes me out.
But I love what I'm doing. I love my B&B, my house, my guests, my life. In the summer I work my buns off. In the winter I go ice skating every Thursday and work hard when the guests come (weekends!). I am frugal and don't need to earn a ton, and I only have the mortgage and line of credit, so I am able to make a decent living at this.
Was it a risk? Yes!
Worth it? Yes!
Do I have any idea what's going to happen next? Nope! (And now that dh is gone I really need to get that emergency plan in place.)
No risk. No reward. Your choice to make.
=)
Kk..

Then a few weeks ago dh decided to chase a midlife fantasy and move to another state and now I'm running my B&B alone.

YS, I am so very sorry to hear that.