TICK TOCK
Well, folks, the house I'm currently living in is under contract. Insert here "high stress and relief."
When I rented this house back in August of 2015, I knew the owners planned to sell it. At the time, I needed a place to live and fast. Same thing... the house I was renting went on the auction market and it sold very quickly. Not exactly the same story with this house but similar. I had a year of not having to worry about a sign in the yard. It was a relaxing and enjoyable year. I had the best time fixing it up, painting different rooms, and just putting my stamp on things. It was fun. I love this house. I just can't afford to buy it.
The house was built in 1920 and is registered on the list of "historic homes" in WS. It is located in a very desirable neighborhood. So close to Wake Forest Hospital and downtown. Many doctors and residents live in this area. It's just not "my" area of preference. I'm going to show you the pictures they took for selling purposes. You will see how great of a house it is. Anyhow, last August (2016) the owners put it on the market. At first, there were a bunch of showings then all of a sudden, nothing... for months and months. It was particularly crazy when a showing was requested for the day after Christmas! I got the house all spiffed up and we left. The showing was scheduled for 10:30 AM. Well, after we got back, we found out it was a "no show." Great. So nothing much happened until a few weeks ago.
The owners' contract with the realty company ended and they signed with another realty group. This new realtor is well, new. "New Realtor" definition: one who is extremely eager, hungry for the sell, slingin' guns, full of new ideas and creative ways to get the job done. All great qualities to have especially when trying to sell someone's property. I knew the heat just got turned up by a lot of degrees. However, I was completely unprepared for the invasion that was to come. Thankfully the "getting the house ready and keeping it show ready process" is now over, but there were times I honestly didn't think I was going to survive it. You think I'm joking. I'm not joking.
The first week was spent doing a "home makeover" of sorts. There were contractors here painting, fixing things, cleaning windows, painting porches and rails, chopping down bushes, laying pine needles and planting flowers in pretty window flower boxes. There were cleaner people, realtor people in and out; it was a week long event. I was at work for most of it. The next week was spent getting the house ready for professional pictures and videos. What they failed to tell me was that they planned to pretty much pack up all my stuff. I came home one day and it looked like thieves had broken in and taken off with a bunch of loot. I was overwhelmed, to say the least. Just know it has been "something else." Here are the house pics after all was said and done. The home really is beautiful. Click here.
The good news for the homeowners is that the house went under contract in just over a week. Yes, it did! Ok, now I am in full out "WHAT NOW?" mode. I have until May 9th at my current residence. Holy Smokes! It was time for my realtor and me to go into high gear with trying to find a home for me to purchase. I am so done with renting. This will be my third move in three years. I've consulted with financial advisors on whether to rent or to buy. All have said buying a home is a good investment. I'm not gonna lie, it scares me... a lot. I will be the sole responsible one. Me and only me.
We looked at houses nearly every day. If we weren't out physically looking at houses, we were online looking. We lucked out and thought we found the perfect house. We put in an offer immediately. We found out the next day that there was a total of 7 offers on the house. SEVEN! Mind you, this happened in the span of 48 hours! I did not get that house. I was OK with it because after we put in the offer, I just didn't feel good about it for a lot of reasons. I was actually glad my offer was not accepted. The house was not meant to be mine. The next morning I was looking online and I found a house that I thought we should go see. My realtor made the appointment for that evening. Let me just say here that the housing market is ON FIRE here in WS... for Sellers (within a certain price range--my price range) so that means when a nice house goes on the market, it gets snapped up very quickly. Realtors are practically begging people to sell their homes because they are in such limited supply. The demand is much higher than the supply! Several times I've found a house only to look the next day and it's already under contract or we've made an appointment to go see a house but it gets canceled because someone put in an offer just ahead of me. Keep in mind that I am under a time limit gun so we are feeling the pressure.
We finally found a house!! Yeehaw! PTL!! It isn't in my first choice location, but it does have nearly all of the things on my wish list. Nearly. When I walk into a home I feel certain feels. It either feels good or it doesn't. It feels happy and loved and fun or it doesn't. I needed my new home to have all these Feels. This one does. I could tell just walking into the house it was well loved and a family had made wonderful memories here. I always tend to second guess myself. (actually, 3rd, 4th, 5th, guess myself on really big decisions) OK, so this is really a huge deal for me. I've NEVER done anything so "giant" financially by myself before, so this is nerve wracking on a whole other level. I did buy a car all by myself a year ago, but this is way more. I do feel good about surrounding myself with competent people who have my best interest at heart. I really believe it. My realtor is my good friend. My loan officer is a smart, caring and dedicated to his job and clients individual. My financial advisor is a really good guy. He is honest with me and very communicative and I know he is on my side. All of these folks tell me I should be feeling confident. Be happy for this big step. I am happy and beyond thankful that I am able to even buy a house. I worry too much. I worry about all the tomorrows instead of concentrating on the todays. I have never been full of self-confidence. I doubt my abilities many times. When I do something brave it's because I've had to do it. I don't feel courageous as I begin it or do it; I just do it and hope for the best. Life is a learning process and life for me has changed so drastically in the last few years. I am starting over, beginning a new, doing things I never thought I would do and learning to navigate this New World all by myself. It's scary and rightfully so.
The kicker to this whole thing is that I have to be out of my current house by May 9th. I cannot move into my new house until June 15th. That's a period of about five weeks that I have to put all my belongings in storage and find somewhere for Jacob and me to live--relatively cheap. Needless to say, my stress level is at Defcon 5 right now. Stress does a number on one's body and health--just sayin'. I will be soooo glad when this whole thing is over and I am in my own house. It will still be chaotic for awhile but at least all the uncertainties will be over and done. I've got 74 days until closing. These 74 days are going to be an adventure for sure. I am trying to trust and believe that everything is going to work out and we will find a temporary place to live that will be "just right." I've already started packing things up, selling things, taking tons of stuff to Goodwill or just throwing it away. I'm trying not to take so much to the new house. It is difficult when I've inherited furniture, very nice furniture from my grandmother and my aunt. Basically, I have three houses piled into one. It's crazy how much stuff one can accumulate over the years.
I will get there one step at a time. Say a prayer for me as this house process continues. Pray it all happens the way it is meant to happen. I need to rest in His promise, "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope."
Jeremiah 29:11 That's right... a future with hope. I am leaving the old behind and beginning again with confidence, determination, faith for good things to come and a life filled with love and joy.
Thanks for coming along with me,
D~
When I rented this house back in August of 2015, I knew the owners planned to sell it. At the time, I needed a place to live and fast. Same thing... the house I was renting went on the auction market and it sold very quickly. Not exactly the same story with this house but similar. I had a year of not having to worry about a sign in the yard. It was a relaxing and enjoyable year. I had the best time fixing it up, painting different rooms, and just putting my stamp on things. It was fun. I love this house. I just can't afford to buy it.
The house was built in 1920 and is registered on the list of "historic homes" in WS. It is located in a very desirable neighborhood. So close to Wake Forest Hospital and downtown. Many doctors and residents live in this area. It's just not "my" area of preference. I'm going to show you the pictures they took for selling purposes. You will see how great of a house it is. Anyhow, last August (2016) the owners put it on the market. At first, there were a bunch of showings then all of a sudden, nothing... for months and months. It was particularly crazy when a showing was requested for the day after Christmas! I got the house all spiffed up and we left. The showing was scheduled for 10:30 AM. Well, after we got back, we found out it was a "no show." Great. So nothing much happened until a few weeks ago.
The owners' contract with the realty company ended and they signed with another realty group. This new realtor is well, new. "New Realtor" definition: one who is extremely eager, hungry for the sell, slingin' guns, full of new ideas and creative ways to get the job done. All great qualities to have especially when trying to sell someone's property. I knew the heat just got turned up by a lot of degrees. However, I was completely unprepared for the invasion that was to come. Thankfully the "getting the house ready and keeping it show ready process" is now over, but there were times I honestly didn't think I was going to survive it. You think I'm joking. I'm not joking.
The first week was spent doing a "home makeover" of sorts. There were contractors here painting, fixing things, cleaning windows, painting porches and rails, chopping down bushes, laying pine needles and planting flowers in pretty window flower boxes. There were cleaner people, realtor people in and out; it was a week long event. I was at work for most of it. The next week was spent getting the house ready for professional pictures and videos. What they failed to tell me was that they planned to pretty much pack up all my stuff. I came home one day and it looked like thieves had broken in and taken off with a bunch of loot. I was overwhelmed, to say the least. Just know it has been "something else." Here are the house pics after all was said and done. The home really is beautiful. Click here.
The good news for the homeowners is that the house went under contract in just over a week. Yes, it did! Ok, now I am in full out "WHAT NOW?" mode. I have until May 9th at my current residence. Holy Smokes! It was time for my realtor and me to go into high gear with trying to find a home for me to purchase. I am so done with renting. This will be my third move in three years. I've consulted with financial advisors on whether to rent or to buy. All have said buying a home is a good investment. I'm not gonna lie, it scares me... a lot. I will be the sole responsible one. Me and only me.
We looked at houses nearly every day. If we weren't out physically looking at houses, we were online looking. We lucked out and thought we found the perfect house. We put in an offer immediately. We found out the next day that there was a total of 7 offers on the house. SEVEN! Mind you, this happened in the span of 48 hours! I did not get that house. I was OK with it because after we put in the offer, I just didn't feel good about it for a lot of reasons. I was actually glad my offer was not accepted. The house was not meant to be mine. The next morning I was looking online and I found a house that I thought we should go see. My realtor made the appointment for that evening. Let me just say here that the housing market is ON FIRE here in WS... for Sellers (within a certain price range--my price range) so that means when a nice house goes on the market, it gets snapped up very quickly. Realtors are practically begging people to sell their homes because they are in such limited supply. The demand is much higher than the supply! Several times I've found a house only to look the next day and it's already under contract or we've made an appointment to go see a house but it gets canceled because someone put in an offer just ahead of me. Keep in mind that I am under a time limit gun so we are feeling the pressure.
We finally found a house!! Yeehaw! PTL!! It isn't in my first choice location, but it does have nearly all of the things on my wish list. Nearly. When I walk into a home I feel certain feels. It either feels good or it doesn't. It feels happy and loved and fun or it doesn't. I needed my new home to have all these Feels. This one does. I could tell just walking into the house it was well loved and a family had made wonderful memories here. I always tend to second guess myself. (actually, 3rd, 4th, 5th, guess myself on really big decisions) OK, so this is really a huge deal for me. I've NEVER done anything so "giant" financially by myself before, so this is nerve wracking on a whole other level. I did buy a car all by myself a year ago, but this is way more. I do feel good about surrounding myself with competent people who have my best interest at heart. I really believe it. My realtor is my good friend. My loan officer is a smart, caring and dedicated to his job and clients individual. My financial advisor is a really good guy. He is honest with me and very communicative and I know he is on my side. All of these folks tell me I should be feeling confident. Be happy for this big step. I am happy and beyond thankful that I am able to even buy a house. I worry too much. I worry about all the tomorrows instead of concentrating on the todays. I have never been full of self-confidence. I doubt my abilities many times. When I do something brave it's because I've had to do it. I don't feel courageous as I begin it or do it; I just do it and hope for the best. Life is a learning process and life for me has changed so drastically in the last few years. I am starting over, beginning a new, doing things I never thought I would do and learning to navigate this New World all by myself. It's scary and rightfully so.
The kicker to this whole thing is that I have to be out of my current house by May 9th. I cannot move into my new house until June 15th. That's a period of about five weeks that I have to put all my belongings in storage and find somewhere for Jacob and me to live--relatively cheap. Needless to say, my stress level is at Defcon 5 right now. Stress does a number on one's body and health--just sayin'. I will be soooo glad when this whole thing is over and I am in my own house. It will still be chaotic for awhile but at least all the uncertainties will be over and done. I've got 74 days until closing. These 74 days are going to be an adventure for sure. I am trying to trust and believe that everything is going to work out and we will find a temporary place to live that will be "just right." I've already started packing things up, selling things, taking tons of stuff to Goodwill or just throwing it away. I'm trying not to take so much to the new house. It is difficult when I've inherited furniture, very nice furniture from my grandmother and my aunt. Basically, I have three houses piled into one. It's crazy how much stuff one can accumulate over the years.
I will get there one step at a time. Say a prayer for me as this house process continues. Pray it all happens the way it is meant to happen. I need to rest in His promise, "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope."
Jeremiah 29:11 That's right... a future with hope. I am leaving the old behind and beginning again with confidence, determination, faith for good things to come and a life filled with love and joy.
Thanks for coming along with me,
D~
Buying a home can be a lengthy and frustrating process, after recently purchasing our first home, here‘s a simple and effective tip that’ll help you get your foot in the door, no pun intended. Write the seller a personal letter introducing yourself and why you’d like to buy their house. It worked for us. Happy hunting!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I have found house now and guess what? That is exactly what I did! I wrote a personal note and it was the golden nugget. :) Congrats on your new first home!
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