Last week we thought we would look around to see what was in our price range and what neighborhood we liked so we would be ready to move in January.
Yesterday we bought a house in the city. It was one of those love-at-first-sight things. Hopefully not a love-is-blind thing.
It's a house like Grandma's house. Like The Little House. It's a friendly house and it likes us. We like it.
It has a big attic to play in on rainy days while the rain patters on the roof. It has a big basement with a workbench and a storeroom and a big open area to play in on hot days and maybe turn into a school room someday. It has a small but quite useable backyard to play in on all the other days and grow tomatoes along the fence. It has a deck and a front porch with room for two rockers for the parents to sit on and sip lemonade while the kids run around the front yard, chasing fireflies. It's in a neighborhood of other little houses where kids ride their bikes and people stroll down the sidewalks.
On a more practical standpoint, it has just been completely remodeled with new furnace, air conditioning, floors, paint, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. It is, we know, more frugal and proper to get one of these houses before it is fixed up and do the work ourselves. We also know, from experience, that we have not the time, energy, skill, or patience to do such a thing, and the extra amount charged for the work done sounded quite reasonable.
We are not entirely blind to its faults. The closets date from the era when one had an everyday dress and a Sunday-go-to-meeting dress. There is no garage. The attic stairs would daunt an Anasazi Indian. Perhaps worst of all, it is green. Mint green.
But we love it.
Now we just have to find a way to get out of our lease, in which we agreed to give our right arms and our first-born child if we left before January. D1 objects to this arrangement, as she wants to go climb the stairs.
7 comments:
Queen of Carrots, I found you at Meredith's site. I HATE to shop too. Esp. for clothes. This is where stockpiling comes in handy. I keep a pantry that I cook out of. Rather than making a menu of specific meals then shopping for those items, I buy tons of stuff when it is on sale. For example, I got a ton of hamburger and chicken for next to nothing recently. I bought 20 lbs of each and put it in my freezer. So now, with the other items in my pantry, I can make a zillion meals, and therefore have to be in the grocery store less. It's quicker when you're not wandering around, trying to decide what to get. I zoom in knowing that I want 20 lbs of .99/lb hamburger, go get it, and I'm on my way. Same with clothes. I keep inventory of what I need, and look only for those items. So if I need a black skirt, I zoom in to Goodwill, look at the black skirt rack, them leave if no black skirts suit. It takes me less time than wandering the mall, or wandering the grocery store without a plan, or in a panic because I've avoided shopping.
I also love yard sales, and I do like to wander around Goodwill and see what weird things are there, but actually trying on clothes? Loading groceries, only to have to drag them home? Hate. But the savings are so, so worth it, esp. for clothes. I don't even go to the mall anymore.
Just another note to say that your house is very nice! It looks just like an enchanted cottage or something. I like what I see in your blog- I'll be back!
OH WOW! That is AWESOME, R & K! Congratulations on discovering a home that loves you back! It's so exciting. That's how I felt when we walked into our home. I had to keep from letting anyone see me grin least they up the price. =) So I know the feeling you are talking about.
VERY happy for you and extremely envious of the whole "large attic to play in on rainy days" thing!
Congratulations! I love older renovated homes.... And it is not necessarily wise to buy a fixer-upper when you have two little ones! Maybe someday when they are old enough to paint. It looks lovely. Good luck with the lease. rlr
It's a lovely house, even if mint-green. I've enjoyed living in a neighborhood and wish you friendly and respectful neighbors. Glad you found something you like so much!
-- SJ
It's a very friendly looking house : )
Isn't love at first sight thrilling?
What a beautiful and charming home! Don't worry about the mint green - that's the best part about paint, it's paint and can be covered up. I'm feeling impatient myself about getting a fresh coat of paint to cover up the ugly avacado green color that our house is. Congrats!
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