A House They Love to Call Home

The homeowners weren't in the market for a new home when they decided to check out a Clayton home already placed on land in Keenesburg, CO, on a whim one day. What was supposed to be a simple birthday celebration turned into celebrating a new house they now love to call home.

"(Perry) bought me a dirt bike for my birthday," Abbi said. "Since I'm a real estate agent, I'm always looking at homes around the area, so when I saw this Clayton home on the MLS listing on our way back (from the dirt bike track), I wanted to see it."

At first, Perry wasn't as interested in checking out the house because they already owned a home, but as Abbi read the details, he realized it checked almost all their boxes. After they visited the house, they called Perry's cousin, who is also a real estate agent and is familiar with the quality of Clayton homes and how the company works with homeowners. They ended up making an offer that night.

"(After speaking with her), it was another reassurance that this home was a good fit for us," Abbi said.

Abbi and Perry always dreamed of owning a home with more space and land to ride around on their vehicles. Perry is a mechanic, and working on cars is his passion. Together, they own five vehicles, four dirt bikes and a tractor, so the home and land had plenty of room for him to set up a shop and work on cars; something their previous home didn't have. When they first moved in, Perry worked on his own cars and his buddies’ cars as a side job from his day job as a mechanic. But since moving in, he quit his job and opened his own diesel truck business at his shop.

“Everyone was super excited when he made the jump,” Abbi said. “People drive from hours away because they know he’s the best. One thing about Perry is his passion is working on cars," Abbi said. "When it was just a job at our old house and he couldn't work on his own stuff, you could see the passion dwindle away. Seeing it reignited at this house has been so cool to see."

Not only are the house and land perfect for Perry, but Abbi loves it, too. "I grew up on a small farm with animals, and I just love being outside in the quiet. It's our own little piece of heaven."

Her favorite parts of the house are the kitchen and primary bathroom. She loves having a large bathroom with her own vanity.

"This home is the perfect size for us," Abbi said. "The fact that we have four bedrooms and no stairs; we could live here forever."

And Abbi's experience in interior design is also evident all throughout their home. Their home's interior is perfectly curated with a combination of her eye for style and Perry's family's love for collecting vintage items.

"His dad and grandpa are big collectors of anything they can find," Abbi said. "Our walls are all stuff we've gotten from them because they find cool pieces of art. It’s their thing."

One of Perry's favorite collector's items is a vintage gas pump tucked away in their new game room.

"My dad was really into tinkering. On my 21st birthday and my sister's 25th birthday, he restored a couple gas pumps for us. He took out all the internals, reserviced it, repower coded it, and fixed all the wiring. It looks good (in our house)."

They redesigned one of their rooms into a game room, which is the perfect blend of both their styles. They spend many nights there with family and friends.

Life has blossomed for Abbi and Perry in many other ways since moving in, from getting married in their own backyard to rescuing two horses.

Perry proposed in the sunflower field behind the house, so it only felt right to exchange vows in their own backyard. On August 10, 2024, they said “I do,” surrounded by family.

“His (Perry’s) cousin cooked all the food, and my dad married us,” Abbi said.

They haven’t taken their honeymoon yet, but they both don’t feel the need to right now because they love spending time at home and on their property. For now, they’re focused on expanding their pasture and caring for their newest family members - two rescued horses, Blaze and Andi.

“We don’t really need a vacation,” Abbi said. “It’s so peaceful out here, and we want our money for more horses, a pasture, and fencing. Maybe one day (we can go on a honeymoon), for our five-year wedding anniversary.”

Sunset photo by Abbi Thompson