Feeling little butterflies

I had posted that we were officially house hunters last. Having a tight timeline, we moved quickly and spent several hours online compiling a list of homes that met our requirements of space and function.

The funny thing?

None of the houses I picked to see would have worked for the way our family lives. At all. Amazing what a difference seeing the layout and size of rooms in person can do.

Our wise agent, however, had pulled a house that was more than our budget from the lender and smaller than I thought I needed. This was the only house out of the ones that we looked at before we moved last year and the numerous ones online, or the other 4 we saw in person, that felt like home! The kitchen space is perfect for me and includes space for all of my cake decorating pans and paraphanelia, the dining room fits our table. There is an actual laundry room and not closet in the hallway with bifold doors that like to try to break when children run down the hall!

The huge storage shed out back makes up for the smaller closets. The wood burning stove with stone surround gives me a mantel for decorations.

And the best part?

It's on an acre of land. A whole acre! A yard for the kids with a playhouse in the mental works for next summer. A produce garden tucked away in a corner. The covered patio is going to be perfect for sitting and watching the boys play without mommy frying in the sun. Or grilling and enjoying dinner outside on the table I can make. Plus ample room for Mark to practice his landscaping design classes to make a truly welcoming front garden space.

Updated enough that I don't have to do major work inside, but just enough cosmetic stuff needs done to keep me happy. Like painting the pink room a nice shade of green/blue/yellow/gray (Still not sure!). Or ripping out the carpet in the master bath. And the hideously modern light fixture in the kitchen that will make way for a more traditional style but not stuffy pendant/chandalier thing. Maybe even updating the towel racks in the bathroom!

With some juggling and special permission from the lender, we were able to meet his counter offer, and got him to agree to our closing terms and leave the fridge. The seller really struggled with the idea of making a little less and having to help with closing costs, but realized that he wasn't going to get a better offer in this market. And may have likely gone several months before getting another offer at all.

So if all goes well and there's nothing major on the inspection on Monday... we should be closing on the 9th of December! And Mark gets to tell all his friends that he bought his wife a house for her 30th birthday. :-)