We had to let it go.
We had put in a bid on a home of a scale and from a time that I have long appreciated. We did due diligence on the house and property and learned more about regional history, architectural styles, and what it takes to be more than a homeowner, but also a caretaker or conservator.
Making the leap would have been exciting in all the right ways, save one: it would have tapped all of our resources and left little for the future. Despite all of the modernization we could have hoped for and a house in extraordinary condition, we would have needed half again the purchase price for remediation of issues on the property.
This leaves me grateful that I could have even considered the change. I am glad for what I learned. In the end I still own a lovely home in which I will continue to invest.