So it’s been a year since I last talked about buying a house on the blog, November 2013 to be exact. We have gone through a lot of ups and downs in our home search since then. In April, we thought we were buying a house until the deal fell through and after a number of offers, we were discouraged. The market was so competitive and I felt like we were being pushed into getting something too fast. We had started to send my parents out to look at houses during the week because if we didn’t put offers on them they wouldn’t be available by the weekend when we could go out and look. I also felt that prices were being inflated over what the value of the houses were. So after all that craziness, we decided to take a break.
I am SO glad that we did! When we started looking again, there were so many options at great prices! I am happy to announce that we are finally buying our house!! Everything is moving forward and looking great and we plan to close on December 15. John and I are thrilled that this is actually happening and very excited for the house that we ended up with. It is the perfect first house for us and we can’t wait until the 15th! I’ve created this fun little countdown clock so you can follow along with me:
In the meantime, I wanted to put together a move-in checklist so we can make the most of December before we have to move all of our stuff in. Here are the top items on my list:
Get the vents cleaned outClean the carpetGet the house deep cleanedChange the locksGet new toilet seatsReprogram the garage door openerTest the smoke/carbon monoxide detectorsGet fire extinguishers for each levelCheck light switches and bulbsChange our address at Secretary of StatePick out paint colors and tape the wallsContact the utility companiesStock the house with toilet paper, trash bags, paper towels and waterPop open a bottle of champagne to celebrate!
As we are first time home owners, I would love to get advice and tips from all of you to add to this list. Stay tuned for more details and pictures after we close!
So SO happy for you!!!! It’s such an emotional process and I know the relief you must be feeling to finally have found your home.
Val@ChickenScratch recently posted…Christmas Decor Tour
Thanks Val! We are thrilled!
Congrats hon! Wishing you tons of joy and new memories in your new house!
Sarah Muennix recently posted…HOLIDAY CD REVIEW: Idina Menzel ~ Holiday Wishes #O2O #HolidayWishes
That is so exciting! Congratulations!!
Crystal recently posted…Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Congrats! That is so exciting!
Betsy recently posted…Up Next: A Christmas Story Run 2014
YAY! Buying a house was the best thing that I ever did, I think you’re on the right track since you knew enough to take a hiatus instead of making an emotional decision! So congrats and I can’t wait to see pictures of the new place.
Nicole @Little Blog on the Homestead recently posted…Shelter in Place + Prescott Fire Bag Giveaway
So excited for you. My advice would be to save a few hundred dollars each month for an emergency fund, like when the water heater or furnace dies. And pay close attention when you get the home inspection. They will tell you the things that need to be fixed right away and things that you will need to plan for. Our home inspector was fantastic.
Congrats! That’s totally awesome!
Mary H. recently posted…A Fresh Look at Dearborn, MI with the adoba® Hotel #EcoTravelwithadoba
Congratulations! and oh, if you can, visit my blog for some of my moving tips and advice. 🙂
Congratulations! That’s fine. I felt so good when I bought my first house. You should thank to God for this achievement.
Once again congratulations!
Lukman Nulhakiem recently posted…How to Remove Carbon Monoxide From Your Home
That is so exciting! Where abouts will you be living now? Maybe we will be neighbors now 😉
We aren’t moving too far, just to Royal Oak now.
Congratulations on your incredible journey to finding your dream home! Your perseverance and patience through the ups and downs of the housing market truly paid off. It’s inspiring to hear how you navigated through challenges, took a well-deserved hiatus, and returned to a sea of options at great prices.