we're being super picky because this is the house we plan on being in for 15-20+ years. neighborhood & schools are a huge factor & since we are hoping for a pretty specific area, waiting for potential houses to come on the market is about as exciting as watching paint dry. slooooooow.
in a perfect world, we find a house in the right neighborhood that hasn't been updated yet... and that may be the only way we get one in our budget. but the dreamy part is that we would get to do all the fixin' up & remodeling to our tastes & that gets me pretty dang excited. if this happens? pinterest wouldn't know what hit it.
it's crazy to think the right house could come up tomorrow or it could be six months! no matter how long it takes, we're holding out for the one that makes us fall in love the second we walk in the front door. i'm thinking it's gonna require a lot of work... a lot of painting, probably some floor refinishing, fixture updating, kitchen remodeling, pipes & wire updating, maybe even basement finishing. can't wait.
so for all of you out there who have bought a home recently {we bought our current house over seven years ago & made lots of rookie mistakes} tell me, how long did it take for you to find "the one"? what was most important to you in a house & did you get it? did you buy it & then see something come on the market later you liked more?? i worry about that. but i also worry about unrealistic expectations... ya know, hoping something will come up that just doesn't exist.
so that's where we're at! and i'll just keep on hashing it all out on the blog every now & then until the day that house comes along, if it exists... ha! only time will tell.
Buying a home is a huge deal. First, we looked at neighborhoods and school districts. Maple Valley was voted the #1 place to live in WA, so that's why we immediately started looking there. We also found out that the school district are top 3 in the state. So once we knew that, we were basically sold on the idea of moving to Maple Valley. From there... it was just finding the perfect neighborhood and house. We looked for a couple of months, and even put in several offers (some that fell through). But my heart kept pushing me back to this one neighborhood in particular, and we put in an offer on a short sale (against the advise of everyone I knew! lol). Long story short, we ended up getting the the house and I'm so so happy we waited and went through that difficult process, because I know for a fact that we are SUPPOSED to be in this house right now. This won't be our lifelong house, but it is where we are meant to be in the children's early years.
ReplyDeleteSo basically what I'm trying to say, is that I really feel like you will have that little nudge in your heart and you will just know. Ya know? ;)
yeah, buying for the neighborhood & schools is definitely our game plan too. It's so hard though... if only I had a quarter for every time I wished I could move an amazing house into the right neighborhood! Of course, it'd probably increase the price $50-100k though too. I wish I could look into the future & see what happens! :)
DeleteWe are planning to sell our home and start searching for a new one in a different state....let me tell you how much I am looking forward to that with 2 kiddoes in toe. We've been in our house since we were kids ourselves and are thinking of buying that "long hall" home as well --- probably not for another year (omg Market.....catch up already) but I am excited/dreading it all at the same time!
ReplyDeleteyeah, it's totally fun & agonizing all at the same time! It'll be worth it once you find "the one" right? that's what I tell myself, anyways. good luck to you!!
DeleteFeeling the same! If Jonathan gets out, we want to do everything to stay in WA. But looking in Auburn is hard! Schools, neighborhoods all a huge factor. lol. When Braiden started Kindergarten I never knew how involved I would be as a parent, I'm volunteering at his school monthly and wont have it any other way. You also can have a wonderful school ONE year and the NEXT it goes down. We have found that out too. Thing is...parents have to be a FULL part of their kids education. Main reason we have him in a private school is we have a lot of kids lol. We needed time with them all and Braiden a good education. When he starts public schools after 2nd grade, I will be there daily advocating for him if I need too. I want the best for my kids. I feel you Amy! It will happen soon!!!
ReplyDeleteoooh, I grew up in Auburn & graduated at Auburn High School! I hope you guys stay local :) I completely agree about the school stuff, parents MAKE or break the school & I definitely want to be a big part of my boys' schools. you're such a good mama, Nicole!
DeleteSo exciting! and SO frustrating. I'm in the process of buying my first home for myself and the kids, and schools/neighborhoods ALWAYS come first - especially with it just being me. I'm on a time limit and honestly don't have a whole lot of time to wait, and on top of that, there's not much in my budget. I saw a few houses - wrinkled my nose, turned away, and started wondering if I'd even find a place.. would I be stuck with out of budget rentals forever? Good news! After digging around and hopeful thinking, I found a house. A foreclosure that's in need of rehab (kind of what you're looking for). My bid was accepted out of 3 others - thank God! Inspection/ and rehab consultation come Wednesday (EEK!), but as long as it passes - which I have every hope it will - I'm golden. Don't be afraid to look at the house 2-3 times, and follow your heart. When I saw the home and it's potential, I jumped. The agent and I were standing in the kitchen nosing around and I blurted out, I want it. Others would probably look at me weird and go.. really, claire? but I excited exclaim "just wait". I am ecstatic over picking out floors, hardware, sinks, and more. Frustrating and overwhelming process - especially while dealing with special loans and outdated houses, but it's going to be SO rewarding. When you know, you just know.
ReplyDeleteooooh, I hear ya! I am SO excited for the renovation stuff. I know exactly what I want my house to look like & hope so badly that it comes together like I picture it in my head. Congrats to you!! Will be crossing my fingers your inspection goes well. And big ups to you for doing it on your own! Mad respect.
DeleteYou already know my story! We knew the minute we walked in the front door (actually, before that really when we saw the backyard first). One thing I had to come to realize after seeing probably 3-4 dozen homes was there is "dream home" and then there is "dream home for our current budget." We've found our dream home for our budget and you can't ask for much more than that! The right one will come along for you...I just know it!
ReplyDeleteyeah, it just seems like it happened so quickly for you guys & was perfect! so happy how it all just worked out. Can't wait to watch you guys settle in :)
DeleteYour dream house exists, Amy. I’m sure it’s just waiting for your visit. Hehe! Kidding aside, house hunting is exhausting since you’ve got lots of competitors, who are willing to pay any price for their dream home. I’m sure you’re up for some competition, aren’t you? Good luck on your house hunting! May the best house hunter win! :)
ReplyDeleteSteve Jamieson