With the possible exception of the snake that dropped into their toilet the day they moved to Taos, N.M., not much scares Holly Scheib and Paul Wisneskey in a new house.
The couple’s third home, for example — a New Orleans Victorian they bought in the early aughts — came with a termite infestation and plumbing leak, but interestingly, no kitchen or bathroom. Now, seven houses and five states into a 25-year marriage, they have perfected a pattern: “moving into a home that needed work, fixing it up and building sweat equity,” said Ms. Scheib, 49.
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“They can walk into a house and, even though it may not be a perfect fit for them in its current state, they can easily see what changes they could make to turn that property into their dream home,” said Cyndi Gonzalez, an associate broker with Berkshire Hathaway, who helped the couple find a home after Ms. Scheib accepted a job in Taos that required relocation from Santa Fe, 90 minutes south.
That fixer-upper mentality and an $800,000 budget afforded them ample choice in Taos, the mountainous high-desert town known for its Indigenous culture, thriving art scene and alpine Ski Valley. But there were a few conditions: Having just been named director of community development for the UNESCO-listed Taos Pueblo — home to some of the oldest continuously inhabited buildings in the United States — Ms. Scheib wanted a reasonable commute. Mr. Wisneskey, 55, needed a space for his remote work as a software architect for BigBear.ai, and considerably more space for the pinball machines he repairs and collects.
Another collection requiring its own real estate: the Mardi Gras paraphernalia the couple keeps on hand for their yearly pilgrimage to New Orleans (most conspicuously, the motorized recliner that Mr. Wisneskey built to ride in the Laissez Boys parade).
For any house to be a serious contender, it also had to have space for the couple’s two children, though neither would be living there full-time. Will, 21, is a dancer with the Grand Rapids Ballet, and Kate, 19, is a rising sophomore at Goucher College in Baltimore.
Aesthetically, the requirements were pretty simple: a traditional Taos vibe — an adobe or adobe lookalike with the exposed wood ceiling supports known as vigas and latillas — and gorgeous high-desert views.
Even if the key elements were not entirely there, the couple could refashion the rest. “The design is all Holly,” said Mr. Wisneskey. “I just do the work.”
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