When Mark was offered a job in Nashville in 2017, we saw a rare opportunity: to know exactly where we would be living two years before we needed to live there.

We had also spent enough time in Nashville to know a little about the available housing stock, comprised of “tall skinnies,” luxury downtown condos, McMansions, and ranch homes from the 70s—all of which were priced way above what they were worth in terms of location, style, and livability.

So, we decided to act on our unique timeline and instead find a vacant lot where we could build the exact house we wanted. The land we found was actually comprised of two lots side by side in a cul-de-sac. Called a “critical lot” by developers, the property is a two-acre slope of woods that resembles my own parents’ land. From the road, it looks like we just bought a cliff. But when you're down in the woods, it is hard to believe that such a lush, quiet spot existed undeveloped in a Nashville zip code in 2017.

We partnered with a local architect and designed our “forever home”; when we got the bid back for construction, and the cost was more than $100,000 above what we could reasonably afford, we decided forever could wait a little longer. Instead, we took advantage of our two-lot purchase and decided to build a small guest house on the lot opposite our future home. At 800 sq. ft., the planned structure is indeed small but not “tiny” like the unlivable shacks-on-wheels you see on HGTV. Given its size, I have jokingly called this project “the dog house.”

This blog is a way to share updates on construction and my thoughts on building a house in the 21st century. The past two years have led me to think a lot about what types of residences we should be building today (if we should be building them at all), what makes a home valuable to its owners, what Mark and I want our future to look like, and how to invest our time and money in things that matter most. This project has encouraged me to be more creative, patient, deliberate, curious, and considerate. Through writing about the process, I hope to share what I am learning.