House Hunting: Origins

It happened. I am an official house hunter. Minus the torrential downpour, it was exactly what I imaged. And on a positive note, I did find out that my new trench coat is water-resistant as promised. High five!

Despite the rain, Ike and I enjoyed walking through 5 houses on Sunday afternoon. We immediately eliminated 3 for major deal-breakers:

1. A half bath in the master (I would KILL Ike if we had to share that…)
2. A steep driveway on a busy street (I would never be able to leave!)
3. Tiny living room, no place to entertain

There were a couple that caught our eye. Here’s the good and and the bad from our top two.

Option #1: Cute Kitchen, Charming Living Space

Source: zillow.com via Alexis on Pinterest

Source: zillow.com via Alexis on Pinterest

Source: zillow.com via Alexis on Pinterest

The Good:

• The price is right! We could put an offer on this one without moving up our range or changing our mortgage plan, and I think we’d still have enough space.
• It has a formal dining room.
• The living room and sunny kitchen speak for themselves!
• And you can’t see it in the photos, but the floors are a rich dark wood.
• The back yard is really big. Lots of room for Buster!

The Bad:

• The master bath only has a single vanity (I might HURT Ike if we have to share).
• The laundry hook ups are in the garage (which is insulated, but has plastic walls, what is that?)
• The driveways are all steep, so most people were parked on the street. It felt a little crowded.
• The backyard is really big. Lots of work for Ike.

Option #2: (Nearly) The Complete Package

Source: zillow.com via Alexis on Pinterest

Source: zillow.com via Alexis on Pinterest

Source: zillow.com via Alexis on Pinterest

The Good:

• Hardwood floors throughout.
• Great Master Suite: Double vanity in bathroom, HUGE bedroom with 2 walk-in closets.
• Great living room, love the vaulted ceilings.
• Manageable yard with cool deck.

The Bad:

• The kitchen flow was a little cramped (and that is a major factor for the Peters’ fam).
• The guest bathroom could use some updating.

The bottom line: For now, we keep looking. We decided to move up the price parameters on our search to get a wider look at the market before making any decisions. Aren’t we responsible adults?

I’ll be back talking about something new next week! Be excited (that’s an order).

I’m Baaaack*

*And yes, it is best to read it with creepy “They’re Heeeere” sort of inflection.

I know. I’ve been gone for 10 months. But (for a while) I had a great excuse.

1. Head-on car crash (beware the left lane on Cantrell road, Little Rock folks)
2. Internal Injury
3. Fractured Spine (yeah, I’ve milked the “I broke my back this year” line, don’t worry)
4. 2 Major Surgeries
5. 35 Days in the Hospital

I don’t dare you to try to beat that one. Long story short, Ike and I were in an accident on our way to work. What followed was not fun (understatement alert) but from the ambulance ride to FINALLY coming home, I was constantly reminded of my family, friends and co-workers’ kindness and love.

And if I haven’t told you recently — thanks again for everything, I will never forget it! You helped me realize what is important and real in life, and I try to remember that everyday.

Why am I back now?

1. I missed sharing things with you!
2. Exciting things are happening (more on that in a sec)
3. You deserved more posts (right?)

No, this is not some sort of long drawn out WE’RE PREGNANT announcement. But we are getting close to one of our major goals…..drumroll…..
We’re (almost) househunting! We will either buy a house before the end of the year or next spring! If all goes according to plan, which I’ve learned to be a lot looser on these days.

So come back for (weekly-ish) updates on:

1. Our favorite houses
2. Stuff we’ve learned (you may actually need a credit card, there I said it)
3. And some random thoughts on what I’m reading and watching, favorite fall looks and any delicious recipes I find.

I hope with those tantalizing topics that you’ll be back begging for more. Have a good one! See you soon.