We saw, what, nine houses today?  Well -- 8 plus a B&B.  We're not buying the B&B.

I think we've narrowed it down to three.  Two are older houses; of those two, one has had substantial renovations (and a price to match).  The third is brand new -- the sort of home we didn't expect to find in Cape Breton, but maybe it's the home we need to start out.  Here's the dirt...

FIRST, there's an older house in Sydney that doesn't have an MLS listing yet.  The elderly resident has gone into assisted living, and the daughter is trying to sell it from Ottawa. She doesn't know much about the condition of the house, but it's easy to see that work needs to be done, starting with the roof, and possibly ending with a new furnace.  Some things are in good shape, particularly the double garage.  The backyard has a huge, gorgeous Japanese maple tree.  Its layout is also very nice, especially the dragon-chi runaround on the main floor, and the island kitchen.  Of the three bedrooms, none of them screamed "office" to me, but any would be serviceable.  Basement games room and moth-proof cedar closet.  They're asking $144,900, but Leijsa thinks they'll go down by at least $10,000 -- or even agree to terms including a new roof.

SECOND, Glace Bay's snazziest 75-year-old house.  The main floor is a big, open-concept sprawl with shiny hardwood floors; big kitchen; entertainment room, and two staircases up.  The upstairs is a little blockier, but it has 3 nice sized bedrooms, a reading nook, and a laundry room -- yes, washer and dryer right across the hall from the master bedroom.  Why didn't I think of that?  The backyard is nice (a cherry tree, among others), and the wraparound deck leaves plenty of room for a hot tub.  The garage is really more of a shop building than a car hole.  Drawbacks?  Well, the low-ceilinged basement betrays the age of the house.  Although it's not nearly as scary as some other basements we saw, it certainly isn't a place I'd want to spend much time.  But I guess the old coal backup furnace might be a plus, if we get snowed in and the power all goes out... $149,900.

FINALLY, an 11-year-old split level open concept in Glace Bay.  It looks like somebody took a nice condo and sort of stretched it.  The kitchen is huge...everything's huge.  But open -- the only partitions in the house are the bathroom and master bedroom doors.  Fun for a couple who don't need to hide from each other.  It also has a nice garage, a garden with fruit trees, and the back fence overlooks a tiny creek.  $143,000.

Tomorrow, we'll try to inspect at least the first two a bit more closely.  And then...an offer? I welcome feedback in the meantime!