The House That Almost Broke Our Hearts: Part 1

It all started on a Thursday afternoon at work. I was having one of those "I wish I had a house" days, and my boss suggested that just perhaps Mark and I could get a house sooner than we had originally planned (2 years from now) since interest rates are so low. He brought up the point that us saving 20% to put down might be totally not worth it if the interest rates are a couple points higher in two years. I did the math, and sure enough, if interest rates are up two points when we buy, our 20% would be totally negated. Hmm....

You see, Mark and I had started saving money a few months ago, so when my boss said that, the wheels in my head started turning. I had also been "looking" (really, creeping on for sale houses online and occasionally doing a drive-by) for several months... okay maybe for a few years. Not the point. The point is, I had been looking, Mark and I had a list of things we wanted, we knew what we could afford, and we knew where we wanted to live and where we didn't want to live. And we knew very specifically what we wanted and we were willing to wait to get everything we wanted. We had been praying that the Lord would prepare the perfect home for us.

So the next day I called the mortgage company that Dave Ramsey suggested to see what they thought about our chances of getting a house sooner instead of later. And I liked what I heard.

As soon as I hung up the phone with that company, I went down to the apartment complex office, got on my favorite real estate site, and checked out houses.

There I was scouring the internet, when I saw it. A house that made my heart skip a beat. A house that had everything on the check-list:

1. Curb appeal and character in an older neighborhood that is established, has big trees, is not directly off a main road, and is in one of three school systems I would consider: CHECK

2. Updated on the inside with all bedrooms upstairs: CHECK

3. Living room with fireplace and built-ins: CHECK

4. Room that could be used as second living area: CHECK

5. Updated Kitchen: CHECK (which happens to have recessed lighting, tile backsplash, lots of cabinet space, room for double ovens eventually)

6. Pantry: CHECK (I know this picture is kind of lame, but I really wanted a pantry, so I'm including it.)

7. Mudroom: CHECK 

8. Beautiful Master Bath that I LOVE: CHECK

9. Covered Patio: CHECK

10. Big Yard with Big Tree: CHECK (bonus trampoline - woo!)

Other Items:

Four bedrooms: CHECK

Around 2500 sq feet: CHECK (is actually 2512!)

Move-in ready: CHECK

In our price range: CHECK

Reporting Alarm System: CHECK

Nice landscaping: CHECK

Impressive, huh?

Bonus items:

New carpet in whole house

Quartz countertops (not granite, so you don't have to reseal it)

Close to pretty much everything that is cool in our town

Oh, and did I mention I LOVE it?

So, there I was, staring at my computer screen on a Friday afternoon. Loving that house. So I asked our apartment people how much it would cost if I were to have to break my lease just in case we were to move when it wasn't up. It would cost us around $2000. Ouch. 

I showed that house to tons of people, Mark and I did a drive by, and we decided that he would talk to a loan officer friend of ours that goes to our church on Sunday to see if he thinks we would be ready to buy a home soon.

I was anxious to see what he said!

TO BE CONTINUED...

~Kathryn