You know when Jay got out of the Navy after World War II housing was in very short supply. Even renting was a problem for newly weds. We found a furnished apartment before we married. I believe I may have written about that. New Housing was part of the Post War boom and we were like others who looked forward to the GI Bill that would help us get into a home of our own. The first of the areas to really open up were farther out of town than we were use to living, but the only place where there was enough land to accomodate the vast Tracts of Housing that were going to be needed. Norwalk was such a place. Formerly it had been Dairy country and Farm lands. Now these acreages were being bought up and sub-divided into house hold lots. I am not sure now how Jay found out about where we looked, but the houses were priced right, we could get in for $1,000.00 down payment and have payments that included the taxes which were well within our budget. Jay had decided before he got married that he didn't want his wife working, especially after Paul was born. So I became a 'stay at home Mom', and he took over the responsibility of 'bringing in the bacon'.
Our home was on Gard Avenue. A two bedroom with one bath, a living room and kitchen/eating area. There was a small 'utility porch' where I had a wringer washer. We put up clothes lines in the back yard, and I hung the close outs. I am not sure if there were dryers at that time. I know there were no Automatic Washers available. My folks loaned us the $1,000.00 for the down payment and we had to quickly find furnishings.
They weren't first rate, but they were enough to make our home comfortable. The bedroom furniture was some that my Grand Parents had left. We bought a mattress and box springs. In Pauls Room was a Crib and small dresser with lots of room left over. There were hardwood floors and no rugs. In the kitchen we bought a range and table and chairs. My folks had bought a new Fridge so we inherited their old one which met our needs just fine.
This was our first, but unfortunately not our last experience with crooked Contractors. We were faithful in making our payments and felt we were doing fine. One day we found out that the payments had not been put to the proper account - we were going to lose the house. After a lenghty bit of bargaining we learned that if we would sacrifice, the Loan Company would be able to save the other home owners, one of which was one of our best friends who we had talked into joining us in the Tract. The Veterans Administration was quick to admit they had not followed up on this particular Contractor, so they didn't charge the loan against Jay. In fact they went out of their way to find another home, in another area, they were willing to give us a loan on. That is how we ended up on Cord Avenue in Rivera. Some time after we moved there the name of the area was changed to Pico Rivera.
This particular Tract of houses was in an Orange Grove. Every house had at least one Orange Tree left on the property. Ours was rather a sad example, but it was an Orange Tree. Again a two bedroom, one bath living room and kitchen. There was no Laundry Porch, the washer was next to a laundry tub in the two car garage. On the Norwalk home all we had was a car port. No garage. I guess the trade off of a laundry porch was a better deal. Things went well here at this house. We lived in this 'flat topped' home until we moved to Taft, California in 1965.
Paul was a Senior in High School and Dawn was in the 6th grade. Which ment she was ready to start in Junior High School when we made this move. (As I have covered this in Pauls History, I will not go into again here.) Work had become difficult in Southern California for Jay, who by now had gone into business for himself with an 8 yard Transit Mixer (Cement Truck). He and a group of 'Bandits' (what the independent drivers were called), went North to find work for their trucks.
Jay and Uncle Mack McCann found a place in Taft (which I believe I have covered elsewhere), which ment we would have to move. Jay found a home on Irene Street that had been bought by a Minister, but before the house was finished he decided not to take the position in Taft and so the house needed a new buyer. Jay heard about it and put in his bid, which was accepted. Now to sell Cord Avenue. Which at the time was to be a bit of a problem. Not many people were buying older homes with so many new ones available. Apparently the Lord wanted us to move to Taft. One day in the midst of my sorting, and packing a women walked up on the front porch and asked if it was true we were going to sell. I assured her that was true. We hadn't listed the house at that time. She had a realtor who was looking for her. The house was listed, she made her bid, we accepted it and that is the name of that tune!
We lived on Irene Street until Dawn graduated from Taft High. Again work had become lean and Jay was looking back in the Southern California Area. He found a new broker who needed more 'Bandits'. Jay moved to Orange County and I was back to sorting, packing and getting ready to move. Dawn had been hired at the Telephone Company and was well pleased with her job. She would live in the house until we could sell it, so that would be taken care of. Pauls 'bride-to-be' offered to move in with Dawn, so we felt pretty safe with leaving.
What about another home? Well Jay and I looked, you could not believe what was being offered. Well, if you have looked, maybe you do know. Anyway, a clean and ready to move in was finally found. We made a bid and it was accepted. This place was on Alvy St. in Anaheim, California close to Disney Land. Again a two car garage, three bedrooms, two baths, kitchen and combined living and dining room. With a small laundry room seperate from the garage. There was a covered patio on
two sides of the house. By now I had a Automatic washer and dryer, but the covered porch made a keen place to hang out things when the weather was nice. The only problem was the fireworks from Disney Land had a fall out from the fireworks that made a mess if you had clothes on the line overnight. We lived here for 13 years. It was close to the Ward House and so I was happy. Jay did a lot of work out of town, so I spent a great deal of time alone here. When Jay decided to retire, we thought we might like to live closer to Dawn, Greg and the Grand Children. It was a debateable issue with Jay. He was not sure he wanted to take on another house, especially with all the work it would mean in getting it the way he wanted it. When Shayla was born, I went up to be there as back-up while Dawn got on her feet. It was while I was there I found the property and was able to decided on a floor plan of a house to be built, if I could convince Jay it was to our advantage. My Mother had passed away and left me enough money to pay cash for the property. Selling Alvy Street would give us the money to build the house. Finally Jay was ready to say yes to the move. In the mean time we found a Realtor who came to give us information on the saleability of our property. It wasn't good news. There hadn't been a house in the neighborhood sold for 6 months, and on our particular tract - little to no interest. She asked Jay what he wanted for the house. When he quoted her the price, she shook her head and said: 'no way'. Jay said he had some things he waned to do to the house. He was not working, and had the time to do it. She accepted the house for sale and set the date for April. In the mean time Jay painted the outside, and did some upgrading he had in mind. When she came to put the sign up on April 15th she found she had the wrong stake. She asked if it made any difference if she waited until the next day. Jay didn't care, so she said she would be back before the 'walk through' for the other Realtors took place in the afternoon. Jay kept himself busy out of the house. I was still working at the time. When we arrived home at a little after 5 pm all the Realtors were standing in the Street talking. Our lady came and asked if we could leave for another hour or so, there was one Realtor who wanted to go through it again. We changed and went out for dinner. When we came back, everyone was gone. At 9 pm we got a call from our lady and she asked if we might concider applying for the loan through another source. The buyer wanted to use their own loan company. We had no argument, so the 'unsaleable house' was sold in 12 hours from the time the sign was posted. With, I might add $1000.00 more than the asking price. I guess you never say never!
The house in Paso Robles was not under construction yet, so we had to rent an apartment up on Olive Sreet for the time we were under construction. As it turned out Dawn and Greg were building out in Paradise Valley at the same time, so Jay was kept pretty busy, while I worked.
Now here is the interesting part. Prior to Jay selling his truck, he talked to one of the Contractors he knew and was told: "if you are building and paying for it as you go, make sure you get 'lean releases' on each phase. So that is what Jay did. Fortunately for us, we were the only house in this
new Tract that did so, because we were paying cash as we went. Again we had run into a crooked Contractor. He was using our name to get supplies for his ventures. Taking money he was given to buy airplanes and do some other fun things. When it came down to the finish, some of the people who bought through regular lenders were stuck with paying double for some of their construction. If Jay hadn't have learned how to go about a cash as you build, we might not have had this house. The Lord provides!
This is our House History. There have been 5 in total with the renting of three apartments. One when we first got married, one while we waited for the house to be finished on Irene Street and one while we waited for the final on this house in Paso Robles.
None of this may be of interest to anyone other than myself, but I felt it was worthy of the time it has taken to make note of it. You pay as you go and hopefully learn in the process. I don't believe I would care to buy again. Especially without Jay around to guide me through the ordeal!
Written this 6th day of January 2012.
by: Eileen Rosenberg
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