Lee looked at his wife and asked her again, “Are you sure you want to do this? We’re probably never going to get the money back if we go for it.” She wasn’t sure what she wanted at that point, but she knew that she loved him. For her, that was all that mattered – nothing else.
Mi Jung, the wife, loved her husband so much that she would go to extreme lengths to make him happy. Still, none of them would expect that what they were about to embark on would soon leave the whole neighborhood shocked.
An Unlikely Idea
Lee and Mi Jung have been dreaming of owning their own home in the heart of Seoul ever since they started dating. For them, having a house that they owned and built themselves was a no-brainer. This was something that they wanted and worked for quite hard.
One day, Lee called his wife at work, “I found the perfect location for the house we’re going to build. It’s smaller than we anticipated, but we can afford it.” Mi Jung wasn’t sure what the actual size of the land was, but if they could afford it, they should probably go for it. She said, “If you think it’s going to work, then let’s do it.”
Was it Going to Work?
The first time the couple visited the plot of land they wanted to buy, they were underwhelmed. It was much smaller than expected, but it explained why the owner’s asking price was dirt cheap. Mi Jung asked her husband, “Don’t you think that this is a bit too small?”
Lee just gave his wife a reassuring smile and told her, “I have an idea, but I’ll only do it if I have your permission.” Mi Jung was put on the spot, and she had no idea what he expected of her. She thinks that it’s not going to work, but she believes in her husband’s vision, so she agreed, and they started working towards the house of their dreams.
A Young Couple
Lee and Mi Jung were an ordinary couple living in the capital of South Korea. They were living modestly, but they weren’t thrifty at all – all they wanted was to save money so they could get one thing off their plate: buying a home. This was their ultimate goal, and they worked so hard to reach it.
The young couple met in school when they were both in their late teens, and it was as if it was love at first sight. From the very beginning, Lee and Mi Jung knew that they would end up together. So they wasted no time and married each other as soon as they finished their courses in university.
Living in the Capital
While living in South Korea’s capital seems like a dream for most people, it comes with a price tag. Seoul is considered one of the safest yet most expensive cities in the world, and these are things that make this city so sought after. The young couple knew that they wanted to live in Seoul, so they moved there after marriage.
For the first few years of their marriage, Lee and Mi Jung went from rented home to rented home. This wasn’t their ideal situation, but buying real estate in Seoul wasn’t something that a young couple starting in their careers could afford. So they had to wait and save up and wait some more before they found what they were looking for.
They Wanted a Home
One night, Mi Jung told her husband, “I hope to own a house one day. Someplace we can raise our children in and call our own. Isn’t that the dream?” Lee simply looked at his wife and smiled at her. He said, “Yes, that’s my dream too. Not long now before we finally get our own house.”
The young couple worked so hard to achieve this dream, but looking at the real estate prices in Seoul, it looked like they would have to work a bit longer than expected. Although, Lee and Mi Jung didn’t mind. So they kept on working and saving to afford a decent home to raise their family in.
Saving Up for Their Dream
The couple agreed that they wouldn’t have children unless they were finally settled in their own home. They think it’s too much of a hassle going from one house to another if you have children, and all the move might even disorient them. So they put off their hopes of having children until they’ve found the perfect house.
For years, Lee and Mi Jung have worked hard to afford a plot of land in Seoul. However, the real estate market kept on rising as the years passed, which meant that they had to work harder. Although Lee would often look through real estate listings, he couldn’t find something that they could afford just yet.
They Kept Looking
Even though the young couple knew that they still couldn’t afford a modest home in Seoul, this didn’t stop them from dreaming. They also kept on looking through listings – they hoped they would stumble upon something. “These are all just too much,” Mi Jung would tell her husband.
In his spare time, Lee would patiently read through every listing on the real estate market. He hoped that he would find something that they could afford. Then one day, Lee thought he saw something quite unusual, so he decided to see it for himself…
Finding a Plot of Land
In one of the real estate websites that Lee was looking at, he saw a small plot of land within their budget. He knew that the space wasn’t big at all, but they could afford it with their combined savings. So he decided to talk to his wife about whether they should take the leap and purchase the property.
“It’s quite small, but we could figure out the space situation later on. The important part is that we pay for it now so we can secure this land,” Lee assured his wife. Mi Jung wasn’t sure, and she wasn’t as taken at the piece of property as her husband was. Although, when Lee finds something he wants, he has to have it.
Was it Worth the Money?
Mi Jung told her husband, “Maybe we should take a few days to just think about it. I know it’s a property we can afford, but it’s too small. I don’t think we can raise our children in that space.” Lee was frustrated at his wife’s decision. He couldn’t understand why she wasn’t as excited at the place as he was.
So the couple waited for a few more days before making a move. Lee would often tell his wife, “It might not even be there tomorrow. Who knows? This is why we have to buy this property now.” His wife found this annoying, but she had no other choice.
The Wife Was Hesitant
The wife had one condition if they were going through with the process. She said, “I want to see this property so I can decide once and for all if we’re going to take it.” This was a promising start, and Lee couldn’t have been more excited at this little excursion to their future home.
What they saw made Mi Jung’s doubts grow because the property was a simple shack that the neighbors used as a garage for their cars. The place looked hopeless, but she could see the vision and the excitement in her husband’s eyes. Eventually, she gave in and said, “Sure, we can take it. I trust you and I know that you have a good plan for this place.”
Beginning the Work
As soon as the contracts were signed, the couple hired a group of architects to redesign their new land into a liveable space. They had no idea whether it would work, but it had to because they had just spent all their life savings on that project. “I can’t wait to see the finished product,” Lee said as he hugged his wife.
Mi Jung was still hesitant, but it was now or never. She said, “I’m going to leave the planning and the designing to you. I also can’t wait to see what our new home will look like.” They stood at their new land with a dream that one day, this space would be the home of their children.
It Was Slowly Taking Shape
The couple decided that since their land was so much smaller than the rest of the homes in Seoul, they would build a different kind of house. Instead of a standard bungalow, they would create a five-story townhouse. It was an unusual design choice, but they had to make do with what they already had.
As the weeks progressed, the house was slowly taking shape, and the couple couldn’t be more excited. Lee said, “I’m so glad we took this chance because this house is going to be beautiful.” The couple watched as their new home was slowly being built.
An Unusual Design
The first floor of Lee and Mi Jung’s house was actually going to be their garage because they needed a place to park their car. Then it was going all the way up to five levels so each of them could have their very own space where they could unwind and entertain their guests. “This is looking great,” Mi Jung smiled at her husband.
Even though the plot of land they had was small, this didn’t stop them from building a beautiful home. Yes, the design was a bit unusual, but the architects they hired helped them with everything in the process. Their house was also a sight of wonder for most people passing through it daily.
People Were Amazed
Whenever people would pass by the construction site of Lee and Mi Jung’s home, they were always staring in amazement. How could a five-story home stand on such a small plot of land? Well, this was all thanks to Lee’s vision and Mi Jung’s trust in her husband.
A passerby said to the couple, “I can’t wait to see what your house is going to look like in the end.” The couple smiled, and they simply continued with their building project. Their house was almost done, and it seemed that it wouldn’t take the construction more than a year to finish.
One Year Later
After a year of building, Lee and Mi Jung’s house was finally standing on solid ground, and it was finished. “I can’t believe we did it. I can’t believe that this is our home,” Mi Jung told her husband as the couple walked into their new house. It was a dream come true for the both of them, and they couldn’t be happier.
The five-story building was perfect, and they never imagined that it would turn out as beautiful as it already was. “This is unreal,” Lee told his wife as they both looked around. Everything was painted white, and each level served a different purpose.
Home Sweet Home
Lee and Mi Jung’s home has five levels, and each level serves a different purpose. The first level is their garage, where they could park their car, while the second level is their dining room, where they could entertain their guests. The third level was where they worked.
The fourth level was their private bedroom, and they said it was their favorite level. At the same time, the fifth level had its closet, a bathroom, and a balcony. Everything they ever needed to survive was in that house, and they were so proud of their beautiful creation.
Putting Down Roots
Now that Lee and Mi Jung had a home of their own, they were finally ready to put down their roots. They even realized that maybe it was time to add some members to their family. It was the perfect house, and the couple was at their happiest state.
Lee asked his wife, “Can you believe that this land used to be someone else’s garage? Now it’s our home.” The couple still couldn’t believe their luck. They were so amazed that this cheap piece of land ended up being one of their best investments.
People Wanted to Buy Their House
Some people reached out to the couple, asking whether their five-story house was for sale. However, they would simply smile at these people and say that it wasn’t for sale. Their home had become one of the best properties in their neighborhood, and people wanted to take a look inside.
No matter how much the people offer them, they said they’ll never sell their house. It has a special part of them, and it was their first investment as a couple, so they’ll never give it up. Not to mention that it was the perfect distance to everything in Seoul, from the metro to the old walls.
Great Design is Vital
When you take a look at Lee and Mi Jung’s house, you’ll never know that it was once a dilapidated shack. This shows that great design is vital, and it proves that if you have a vision, you must stick with it. We wonder what would happen if the couple didn’t buy that land.
Today, Lee and Mi Jung still live in Seoul, and they have no plans of selling their house. It’s the perfect place for their family, and they will never trade it for any other place. Who knew that a dilapidated shack would have so much potential?