It All Begins....

So, We got the word. We can begin to move in. We ended up going with a lease to own contract for the house. Since we don't quite qualify for a home loan yet. Hopefully in a few more months we will be able to purchase it.  In the meantime our rent payment will lower the purchase price of the home. We have already agreed on the price of the house, so if the market changes then they can't raise the cost of the home on us.
My husband took the time while I was at work yesterday to sanitize the kitchen so that I could start buying groceries to stock the house. Of course We took over a few of the essentials, a box of toys per child, a few rolls of toilet paper, and a bottle of soap for each bathroom.We took a very small load of our stuff out of the attic today. Also along the way we picked up my elliptical and treadmill. They were awfully heavy to move in.We are hoping to get more stuff moved on Saturday and Sunday.

Does anyone have one of these we can borrow?

I thought that I would be very excited to get all moved in, after all it's a great house. But the more I have to do the less I want to do. We just moved. I haven't even finished unpacking yet. Which is a good thing, one less box to pack. I have all these ideas running around in my head of what I want to do with each room. However, it dawned on me that I don't get to do any painting or decorating until we do repairs and buy some of the essential furniture pieces. Too bad money doesn't grow on trees. We could just go out and pick a basket full today and then go spend it. When it all runs out just go pick some more. Well, since money doesn't grow on trees, Kendal is working lots of overtime and we are grateful that jcp is scheduling me more hours than usual.

All That's Left is the Waiting Game

The week has come and gone already. On Tuesday night we received word that the sellers were willing to do repairs and drop the price as requested. Yeah! So with only three days left all I had to do was not talk myself out of it. It wasn't too hard since I didn't even have any time to even think about it. Busy week at work, with inventory going on, Play practice for the kids, and a swimming party. Anyways... Finally a moment to relax and it's after five on Friday. So I guess we are in for good. We received sellers disclosures and lead base paint disclosures from the current owners earlier this week and on Friday afternoon signed the last of the paperwork. So, We will be moving in July! Very excited for that part. We still didn't have enough down to buy the home, so we worked out a lease to own deal. We put down what we have and laid down all the terms for the rental agreement along with the purchase agreement. So we will be paying rent to the owners until we can qualify for the loan. Hopefully that will be in November. So in the meantime we move in and work... work... work, while we save... save... save! At least we can look at this as our last move. We can enroll the kiddos in school. Also, I can start planning for the fun part, the remodel and redecorating. Hopefully I can get started on some of the furniture too. Since the home isn't "ours" yet, we won't be doing a whole lot to it. So for a few months we can just move in and get the feel for the house.

What's a Girl to do?

So, the inspector came out to look at the house today. He did his inspection and then did a walk through with my husband. Kendal didn't make it sound too bad. Said it was fixable, which it is, but after how much money? His report came to us a few hours later by email. It says things like,

• Some of the siding has dry rot (Painting and repairs, not too bad, but replacing it? Yuk!
• Roofing appears to be at the end of its useful life (Two layers of shingles including wood ones to take off, Sounds like a lot of work!)
• There is no attic ventilation (Coslty to fix? What about until then, how much heating are we losing?)
• There is improper framing supports (This was said twice, don't really know what it means but it doesn't sound good!)
• There is inadequate or no ventilation noted in the crawlspace  (Sounded like this can cause mold, and how do I find out if there is already mold in the house?)
• There are several open junction boxes and improper wire splices, outlets that have been upgraded from the original 2-prong outlets to modern 3-prong outlets without upgrading the wiring to the outlets (We were told that 75% of the hosue was updated. Really, Can you update a plug without the wiring to it? Sounds Scary!)
• The flue connection for the fireplace is incomplete. This can allow flue gasses and carbon monoxide to enter the house while the fireplace is in use (Absoluetly has to be fixed before we can use the fireplace, I know, I know, Not necessary but would be nice to be able to use it. After all isn't that why you have one?)
• The garbage disposal has seized (I know easy fix, but we were lead to believe it worked. Makes me wonder about other appliances!)
• There are several loose/damaged tiles in the tub surround. It appears that moisture is getting behind the tiles.(Another fix? Plus more mold?)

Wow, Huh, That is exactly what I was thinking too. Now I am not so sure this is the perfect home. Well, We have a friend who is an electrician. I think we could coax him into helping. Still there is a lot more things that will need to be fixed. We knew it was a fixer upper. Question is, How much is too much? I love the floor plan and location. I was wondering how to go about getting quotes from a plumber and a roofer to figure out how much fixing up we are really talking about here. Then you add the list of things that we want to do to he home that aren't necessary according to my husband(But they are the things that will make my house a home).Can we really put a price tag on this and still be able to afford the home?
And the worst part. We only have a few days to figure it all out. By Friday at five we have to send notice if we want out of the contract. Not very many days to figure it all out. Especially considering Kendal and I work opposite shifts and never get to discuss things with each other. Also it's inventory next week at work. So in preparation I am working several extra hours . Which are great for the paycheck, but no so great when it comes to getting anything done during business hours. (Sigh) Nothing I can do at almost ten at night. So goodnight!

~A Fresh Start~

We have owned two prior homes and are ready to start over again. We have been living with relatives for a few months so that we could set aside money for a down payment. We love being with our family, but our family of three little girls need more space to run, play and grow. So we have started looking. We found several homes that we really love. Most of them are out of our price range. The few we have found, we don't have quite enough of a down payment saved yet. We have endlessly searched on the internet for the perfect house. My husband says I have a VERY STRICT list of "wants" in order to make the house perfect, but I insist they are actually "needs":

• Large Kitchen and Dining- Plenty of room for the three little girls to help me bake. Also I love to entertain and invite people over which means a dining area too.
• Big Windows- Because after working several years in window coverings, I have elaborate window decor going on in my head.
• Large Bathrooms- After all I will have three teenage girls at the same time. So there will need to be room for a large mirror and a double sink. Plus, I need room for the perfect jetted tub.
• An Extra Bedroom- I am tired turning the couch into a bed for my husband and I when guests come to visit and take over our bedroom. This extra space won't be wasted when we don't have visitors. I plan to put it to good use with a hobby I have been aspiring to... crafting! Although if you ask my husband it is a computer room or a home gym. Who says my sewing machine can't be on a table hiding his barbells?
• A Family Room and a Living Room- So that I can have a toy-free zone.
• A Master Suite- Who doesn't want the perfect retreat at the end of the day?
• Close to Town- I hate the drive to town. I just want to be there quick and get my errands done. I like being able to head to the store on a whim - or when I forgot to get something we need for dinner.

We combined our lists and gave them to our Realtor Lisa Udy with Platinum Real Estate Group in Logan, Utah. Six months ago the search began!