Home sweet home
Nov 24th, 2006 by Accidental Thinker
For years, our family has been telling us that we’ve outgrown our starter house, and it’s time to trade up. They are more than right, but we’ve grown accustomed to our low payments and the security of knowing the house is safe if either of us were ever out of work.
But…
The advice is finally starting to sink in, and today for kicks, we did some research online to see what’s on the market, then drove around sightseeing just to get a feel for the potential neighborhoods in our area that might fit our budget. Our standards are high, because we want to remain in our current zoned schools if at all possible, and it has to be enough bigger than what we have now to be worth the hassle of moving. From the outside, at least, we saw a couple with real potential.
Of course we know better than to fall in love with anything now, since we have some work to do on our own house before we can consider putting it on the market. We’re starting to think about it seriously, though, with a stop at Home Depot on the way home for some home improvement odds and ends. Our first small project of replacing the molding under our kitchen and bathroom cabinets has already been started and completed. In the coming weeks and months it looks like we’ll be busy cleaning grout and touching up paint and doing some long overdue caulking. Not to mention sorting through and disposing of 10 years’ worth of clutter.
Some of the bigger projects will require a handyman, though. Does anyone wanna come help hang drywall? Or tile a shower? Or lay some carpet? We’re hiring.
I can stand around and watch eveybody and tell them what a good job they are doing, lol.
Hope you had a happy Givethanksing Day.
Sorry, my own house has been waiting for me to get around to all that stuff for years already!
The drywall and tiling are a cakewalk, but the carpeting isn’t usually a DIY project. I just posted about these experience. Anyone who has done this a few times learns that the simplest projects can take on a life of their own and lead to another- another- another project$$$. It’s fun though and very satisfying.
I love looking at new homes. We recently moved into one ourselves. Good luck with finding your dream home!
The best thing that ever happened to our old house was us putting it on the market. All of a sudden all those forgotten projects were once again remembered and finally completed. Good luck on the house hunt and the selling. It’s so fun. And a little stressful.
It’s a dead giveaway that somebody’s thinking about a move when they start fixing up!
Monique ~ I house is measured by square footage but a HOME is measured by how much LOVE you can fit into it! ~ jb///
Well, I could use a job and I have some experience in the building trades but the commute could be a deal breaker.
Now is a good time to buy. Prices are down. If your house is a “starter house” it will sell quickly. There are so few houses for people just starting out.
I’m a good painter BTW. Slow, but good. But, too lazy to be for hire. I paint for free.