- Our house hunt has officially begun, and we’re excited to dive into the search for a new home.
- Last week we met our real estate agent for the first time to go over priorities and logistics.
- We already like her—she’s personable, experienced, and straightforward about what’s realistic for our budget.
- We tried to be honest and practical from the start: it is what it is, and we want to stay grounded in reality.
- We discussed our wish list in detail: the number of bedrooms and bathrooms we need, ideal square footage, layout preferences, and neighborhood considerations.
- She entered our criteria into her search system and immediately pulled up potential matches based on our specifications.
- Six listings came up initially that fit the basic parameters we provided.
- I mentioned a recent house tour I saw of my niece’s home as an example of the style I love, but these listings were the opposite in many ways.
- To be blunt, the properties we’re seeing are far from the polished, modern aesthetic I dream about; they require imagination and a lot of work.
- At this stage, we’re trying to keep a sense of humor about the whole process; sometimes laughter helps when choices are limited.
- We were warned that the local housing market is very hot right now—demand is high and inventory is competitive.
- That makes it an excellent time for sellers, but it’s a challenging time for buyers who need to be patient and strategic.
- Buying a house feels, in some ways, a lot like becoming pregnant: everyone has a strong opinion, a horror story, or unsolicited advice to share.
- We’re hearing plenty of those stories and opinions from friends, family, and acquaintances, whether they’re helpful or not.
- Part of this process is learning to filter advice and keep what’s useful while discarding the rest.
- We’re moving carefully, weighing options, and trying to avoid getting swept up in emotion or pressure.
- There’s also a gamble element to it—choosing the right house at the right time can feel like a leap of faith.
- We went on our first official house tour the other day and came away with mixed feelings.
- The structure had good bones and real potential, which is promising if you’re willing and able to take on renovation work.
- However, the condition of the property was rough: outdated bathrooms with mold, holes in the walls, no functioning furnace, and a yard overrun with weeds.
- The place also carried strong odors from animals and smoke, which made it hard to evaluate the space objectively without imagining a full gut-and-remodel.
- For buyers who have deep pockets and a clear renovation plan, it might be a worthwhile project; for us, it’s a pass at this time.
- In the meantime, I’ve been keeping a Pinterest board called “Dream House” where I collect inspiration—it’s fun to dream and imagine possibilities.
- Pinterest is a great place to gather ideas, but reality and finances have kept our expectations more modest so far.
- We adjusted the wish list we gave our agent to be more flexible, and that change immediately opened up more realistic options.
- We’ll continue touring properties, refining our criteria, and staying patient until we find a good fit.
- I’ll share updates as we make progress and discover places that might become our future home.
PS. While we search, we’re enjoying our current rental—the comfortable “in-between” house that gives us time to consider every option carefully and savor a slower pace as we make decisions.
If you’re curious about the rental house setup and the latest room updates, check the rental house room tour on my blog for photos and a walk-through of the spaces we’re enjoying while we search for our next home.