That one time I bought a house

Alright everyone! It's been ages since I've blogged. It's been ages since I've had anything exciting to blog *about*. But this is a story I want to remember.

I have a new job. I work for HCA. I've been with the company for nine years as a registrar and Team Lead. I love my job and I'm not super excited to leave my job- but being rather independent it's difficult to depend on others to live. So I had to improve my job situation so I could afford to support myself. I'm literally middle aged. It's time to stop living like an aimless noob.

I applied for a couple of different jobs but the one that worked out is still with HCA, but instead of working in registration, I will be working as a trainer for the corporate education team. I'm really excited for this job! I think I'm a natural teacher so I should be right at home.  I just have a TON to learn. 

The biggest change about this job is that it is work from home. Hard to do when you don't have a home from which to work.  Though it's not a huge raise, it's enough that I should be able to finally get a house.  I decided on Caldwell area because it's a more affordable market.  Also- I have family there. I have been collecting things for years to have in my "auntie closet". Stuff that I wanted my nieces and nephews to come over and read and play with and enjoy. All of those books have never been read, the games never played, the coloring books never colored.  Half of my niecephews are grown up now and are not into those things.

As soon as I became and aunt- I moved away (not because of that, haha!) and I've never really been near them when they're little. This is my chance. These littles are still young and naive enough to think I'm cool. Best to get my time in with them before they grow up and wise up.

So I started looking for houses. I hate house hunting. I've been looking for years. Always disappointed and frustrated. It depresses me and makes me want to sleep.  A lot. But I called my realtor group in Idaho and got them on the job. I'd been looking to move there last year and it didn't work out.  They made up a search for me and the suggestions started rolling in. I collected a bunch that were my favorites- but how are you supposed to pick a house from pictures? I needed to get there and look for a house in person. I took a day off of work and drove to Idaho. I told myself this was the only day I had to find a house. This was my only chance. It had to be today!

The immediate goal was to get a house in my brother's subdivision. I wanted to be close enough that the kids could safely ride their bikes to my house when they just felt they needed to run away. It quickly became apparent that it wasn't going to work. There weren't many houses to choose from in my price range- so I agreed to look in the surrounding cities. A 30 minute drive to auntie's is still better than the 5 hour drive it is now, right?

We looked at seven or eight houses. The first one was gorgeous on the inside but the neighborhood was terrifying. I need a neighborhood that is safe enough that my littles can play outside in safety.  Nope. The next one was really nice. It was huuuuuge. It needed a little love- but it checked off all my boxes. it even had a kitty door ready built in. And the most amazing covered deck I've ever seen in my life! We looked at the others- but when it came down to it, I decided that the second house was the one I was going to go with. It was about 25-30 minutes away from family.

We went back to realtor's office and wrote the order up. I was so nervous I wanted to die. We got it all signed and done. The offer was lovely. And accepted later that night. By then I was already back in Utah. I'd done what I'd set out to do. Bought a house in one day...  That was the goal! right?

I'd had a chat with the Lord. I explained to him that I am far too dense to pick up on subtle promptings. I needed to know for sure if this was the right house for me. I needed to know. A house is just a house- but I want a house in the right neighborhood where I can fit in and make friends. Be by people who will change my life- and hopefully I can have a similar effect.   I asked Him to help me feel peace if this was the right house.

Everyone said it was exciting. I wasn't excited. I just wanted to puke and go to bed. The next day I showed the house to a few coworkers. Not excited to show them. Didn't care what they thought. Tried to do it with a smile... but just felt sick. I wasn't sure if it was crippling fear of commitment, or the Lord telling me it was not right for me.

I remembered what I asked. "Please help me feel peace if it's right." I did not feel peace. That was my answer.  I'd gotten an email earlier in the day asking for money for an inspection. That was kind of what triggered the anxiety. I knew if I put any money into it- I would not get it back. So if I was going to back out- it had to be now. I called realtor and told him I couldn't do it. He wasn't very pleased with me. I can't blame him. He put a lot of work into it- spent an entire day with me driving all over creation and looking at houses (that alone should earn him a medal) and then I just big, fat chickened out. I felt so awful.  But I felt immense relief after that conversation. 

A week or so came and went- we took the rest of the week off to deal with the holiday- which was good because I had guests in town and didn't have time to deal with it anyway.

The next week though I got back into looking at houses. I was trying to plan another trip to go look at houses. I am transitioning to my new job- so it's not like I can just take time off and go. 

Yesterday- Thursday- I was talking to a coworker and telling her how I needed to get back out there because I refused to buy a house I'd never seen. Sure, my family is there and they were willing to go look at houses for me- which my sister did go with me when I was there- but how am I supposed to know the feel of a house through pictures and videos? impossible. I needed to be there in person.

Later that day I got a couple of new listing alerts and took a look at them. One was super cute. One ridiculously affordable and the other was butt ugly but in the right price range.  It will be at least another week before I can get out there to look for houses. So I decided to just bite the bullet and have my sister go look. No harm in that. So I text realtor and asked if he could go with her that day. Sure... so they met up and looked at the first house- the cute house. I was at work so I couldn't watch the video they sent me until after I got off work.

The second house- the super cheap one- I took the virtual tour with them. It was a decent enough house. It needed a LOT of fixing up- but with as cheap as it was, I could totally do that. The layout was weird and it had a laundry closet instead of a laundry room- and it was in the kitchen. I HATE laundry closets. Especially when they're in such a stupid place. But- sometimes beggars can't be choosers.. What clinched it was the neighborhood. It was a total dive. Nope Nope Nope. I would not feel safe walking down that street and I would not let my littles out to play unsupervised.

The third house we'd ruled out because there were already several offers on it driving the price up and I didn't really like it that much anyway. So I just got to see the two.

When I got off work I watched the video of the first one. Guys. I loved it. How do you fall in love with something you've never seen in person? I don't know how it happened. It's totally perfect for me. It's a flip house so everything is recently updated. It's so pretty. The yard isn't much to look at- but even that is a bonus because I can make it my own without being intimidated by someone else's landscape ideas. And bonus bonus- it's about TEN minutes from my family!

Enough talk. Are you ready to see some pictures?!

This is the outside. It's BRICK! Not long ago my mom was telling me that her dream home was a red brick house with white mortar. When my parents built their house in Salt Lake that's what they ordered. When they came to inspect the house- the contractors had used my parent's brick on the other house they were building across the street- and the other house's brick on my parent's. They were so disappointed but it was too late. So I love that it has brick.

It's a twin home. I was not looking for a twin home, but honestly, it's not a big deal. Looking at the home from above, you can see that the only place they are conjoined is a small part of the garage. Other than that they share no walls. How awesome is that?

As you walk in through the garage, there is a little pantry and laundry area. So like a mud room. Which is awesome!My washing machine gets a little overenthusiastic and it will be nice to have it on the other side of the house when I do laundry at night. Then into the kitchen.

I love the subway tiles on the wall- and the dark sink.

I love that there are electrical outlets all over. The cruddy apartment I was in before only had like two outlets in the whole kitchen. I'm already trying to plot out where things are going to go.  I wish the appliances were black- but that is not a big deal at all.

These pictures don't really show much- but I like that the kitchen is kind of closed off. I'm not a huge fan of open concept- and this makes it feel a little more concealed.

The sliding glass doors lead out to a small patio and then around the corner to the back yard. Seriously- the yard is ugly. Which is why they didn't post pictures of it on the website. haha! But there is a nice durable shed in the back corner where I can keep shovels and stuff... you know, because I'm so green thumby.  (I'm gonna try! I've been taking notes of lovely gardens)

Can you spot the kitty door? Ok, it's probably actually a doggie door- but I don't have doggies at this time. My girls are indoor cats- but I would like to eventually get- or build- a cat cage that they can go out and sun in- for that outdoorsy- yet controlled safety- feel.

The master bedroom has a ceiling fan, walk in closet and en suite bathroom. It's not a very big bathroom- but I am not that concerned. It's just me, after all. I don't need duel sinks. That's just one more sink to feel guilty about not cleaning.

The main bathroom is bigger and has this heated towel rack. That is so weird to me- but I hear they're all the rage in Europe... so I guess I'll give it a whirl.

The two smaller bedrooms are similar in size. One will be my work from home office. So I guess I'll pick the one with the best view for day dreaming. Probably not the one that looks at the shed.

And our tour ends back at the beginning...I believe they call that "full circle". Look at this garage! Shelves already there- a work bench!? A place to store all my crap! I have like, three Christmas trees and I'm already mentally organizing where everything is going to go.

So there you have it.  We wrote up the offer last night and it was accepted almost right away. We had to wait for one of the sellers to sign so it wasn't official until this morning- but we are under contract. And this time there is no anxiety. I'm so freaking excited I can't stand it! I just want to get moved in and get life going as soon as I possibly can.   It will be a few weeks before we close. The sellers want a quick close- which I'm totally amenable to- and then moving day!

I hate moving. But luckily I have an awesome family who will help me with it.  

Seriously though- no anxiety. Just pure giddiness. This is what it should be like. I see the stark contrast between this offer and the last. The other house was nice enough- and I hope the sellers were able to get the next highest bidder to take it- and I hope they're very happy in it. But I just needed to wait a liiiiiiittle bit longer. Because this house- which I haven't even met yet and I've already named- is the one for me.  I feel like I've met my true love and we've had the whirlwind-est of romances.

I look forward to our life together!