Why the Park House
How the Park House came to be
I first lived in Oak Park Village in 1991. The condo was in the same cluster this Park House is now. We backed to the seasonal creek and shared one kitchen wall with our wonderful neighbor. It was quiet, serene and a wonderful place to throw a blanket out on the grassy common areas and enjoy time with my husband, baby and dog. We regrettably had to move as our family grew but I never stopped missing the place. It was like a living in a park that I didn't have to keep up with. As years went by my thoughts and heart just kept going back to the little village of condos.
In 2004 I finally decided it was time to go back to this quiet little community. I bought a 2 story 3 bedroom condo on the School St side and lived there until being relocated to Northern California in 2007.
Even in beautiful bay area I could not find the quiet enjoyment of the mature trees, bird singing, creek, pool, grassy grounds and private open home with low upkeep for a reasonable price.
When I returned to Visalia to visit friends and family I longed to stay in the Village again. I had wished that we kept the condo when I moved north but at that time it was not financially feasible.
Eventually the fad of short term rentals started booming.
As executives ourselves, this home away from home concept became an appealing option.
The idea came to me one day that we could have a place of our own in the condo village and share it with those lucky professionals who need a short term rental when we are not there.
It wasn't long before we found this little jewel in raw, unimproved form. We bought it from the original owner. It had never been updated since it was built in 1978. We gutted 90% of the home and remodeled it over a one year period. There are still finishing touches we will continue to improve on in-between tenants but we are very happy with the results.
The name Park House came about because our little Frenchton Dog hates car rides. When we stayed at the condo we would tell her "let's go to park" and she would bolt out back door to the backyard gate which leads to the beautiful grassy area. She was never happier.
One day getting ready to head back to Visalia we used term "we are going to the Park House" and she willingly got into the truck knowing we were going to her favorite place on earth. Hence, the beautiful condo in Oak Park Village was lovingly named "The Park House."