A house of dreams

To covet thy neighbour's home is a sin. I think. But in my neighbourhood, to not covet thy neighbour's home is impossible. So I sin often. Surely we all agree the desire to own something that belongs to someone else is quite human, hard to resist and innocent fun? Presuming, of course, one doesn't go too far down the garden path and steal the goods in question. I imagine that could very quickly end up not being fun. But I refuse to believe a sideways glance over my neighbours' fence hurts.

Almost every day – often twice – I walk past a particular terrace home that I adore. I look at it longingly and wish it was mine. Tucked away in Paddington's streets, it's painted a sublime shade of cream with a stylish and slightly bold olive green trim. It is framed by a sweet picket fence and manicured trees.

Each time I walk by I imagine what it would be like to live there. It is frustratingly discreet but I just know if – when! - I ever catch a peep behind its elegant façade, it will be as perfectly to my taste on the inside as it from the outside. And if I lived there, obviously, I'd love the very privacy that currently drives me to distraction.

It is my dream home. Which is convenient because it's just around the corner from where I live now so it will be a manageable move.
Realistically my life wouldn't change much if I lived in the terrace of my dreams. Well, aside from the fact, I'd be a wholly contented woman - smarter, more organised, better dressed, funnier - without a worry in the world. Only joking, Mum! Clearly I'd still just be me, but living in a really tasteful and cool space.

The point is, my lingering looks across the street make me wonder. Do you think the people who live in my dream home, covet someone else's home? Obviously, not mine. (Unless they have some perverse hankering to take part in a social experiment to see how the other half makes cramped apartment living work.) But is there a house they walk or drive past that they can't help but watch in wonder? Or do they love their own home so much their eyes never stray?

Sydney has its fair share of positively dreamy real estate so I suspect it's probably impossible for them not to, at least occasionally, succumb to the sinful act of fancying another's. I'm convinced it's out there so I now wander the streets consumed with the task of finding it. The sooner I find it, the sooner I can relocate them and the sooner we can inhabit their old digs.

Now am I the only person who finds fantasising about other people's houses quite fun? Do you have a dream home? Or do you live in your dream home? If you happen to live in my dream home would you like to swap?