This is the most expensive thing that I have ever bought
Can you guess what I bought? =D Some of you probably can and have. hehehe. I'll just say it. I bought a house! =D
I have now been working in the US for 5.5 months (time flies WAAAAAY too fast) and when I first arrived, I chose to rent an apartment while I figured out where everything was in the city. As the end of my lease quickly approaches, I started looking for a more permanent home. Renewing the lease would have cost too much.
After a couple of weeks of attending open houses by myself and months of my mom researching online, I found myself a real estate agent/team to take me to more homes and to help me find listings that might be appropriate to me. We thought that we would spend a few weeks looking at tons of homes and then choose a few to put down offers for. Turns out that there is so much demand for houses, they could be off the market in a matter of a day. Of the ones that remained on the market, you wonder what's wrong with them such that it's still on the market. Kinda sad.
After two weeks of looking with my real estate agent, it was my mom's turn to come look. On this third weekend of searching (first one with mom here), there was a new listing (townhouse) that I thought looked really amazing and fit all my criteria. The location was great, the stuff looked new, the layout was nice. It looked perfect. We went thinking that this house might be "the one". When we got there, it didn't look so perfect. There were lots of things that we would have needed to renovate for it to be good. I was so upset.
There was another townhouse in the same community that was also on sale. We had seen the listing for it so many times before but the pictures didn't look very good. We weren't very enthusiastic about it, but we were already there so why not?
We were so lucky that we went to see it and that we went to the not-so-perfect one first. The pictures did not do the house justice. It looked WAY nicer than the not-so-perfect one, much better maintained, and it was the same layout with minor differences that I was originally thinking of doing for the not-so-perfect one. Other than some minor color issues (I don't like the carpet and my mom doesn't like the counter colours), it was perfect. This is "the one".
Here are a few things I love about it:
I am extremely excited about this. I'm looking forward to moving in and buying furniture to go with it. It's going to be a very fun project. =) You'll have to come visit me to see it. =D
I have now been working in the US for 5.5 months (time flies WAAAAAY too fast) and when I first arrived, I chose to rent an apartment while I figured out where everything was in the city. As the end of my lease quickly approaches, I started looking for a more permanent home. Renewing the lease would have cost too much.
After a couple of weeks of attending open houses by myself and months of my mom researching online, I found myself a real estate agent/team to take me to more homes and to help me find listings that might be appropriate to me. We thought that we would spend a few weeks looking at tons of homes and then choose a few to put down offers for. Turns out that there is so much demand for houses, they could be off the market in a matter of a day. Of the ones that remained on the market, you wonder what's wrong with them such that it's still on the market. Kinda sad.
After two weeks of looking with my real estate agent, it was my mom's turn to come look. On this third weekend of searching (first one with mom here), there was a new listing (townhouse) that I thought looked really amazing and fit all my criteria. The location was great, the stuff looked new, the layout was nice. It looked perfect. We went thinking that this house might be "the one". When we got there, it didn't look so perfect. There were lots of things that we would have needed to renovate for it to be good. I was so upset.
There was another townhouse in the same community that was also on sale. We had seen the listing for it so many times before but the pictures didn't look very good. We weren't very enthusiastic about it, but we were already there so why not?
We were so lucky that we went to see it and that we went to the not-so-perfect one first. The pictures did not do the house justice. It looked WAY nicer than the not-so-perfect one, much better maintained, and it was the same layout with minor differences that I was originally thinking of doing for the not-so-perfect one. Other than some minor color issues (I don't like the carpet and my mom doesn't like the counter colours), it was perfect. This is "the one".
Here are a few things I love about it:
- The kitchen is custom designed and has LOADS of storage. The fridge looks like all of the other cabinets. I didn't even see it at first.
- There is a Murphy bed (one that hides away against the wall), which is staying with the house.
- Outdoor hot tub. Need I say more?
I am extremely excited about this. I'm looking forward to moving in and buying furniture to go with it. It's going to be a very fun project. =) You'll have to come visit me to see it. =D