Love The Home Buying Process! It’s In My Blood

Do you like the home buying process? I admit that I really do love it. I know we moved a lot when I was a child and I hated it at the time. But my Dad was what is now called a House Flipper. The only difference is that he “flipped” the house we lived in. It was not flipping for investment and selling. He flipped to get a newer and better home, fixed it up while we lived there, then sold it for a profit. Sort of the same thing, right?

As for me, maybe in my younger days my husband and I could have flipped some houses. But that is just no longer the case. Don’t we all know that hiring it to be done mostly defeats the purpose for the most part. So as we shop for a new place, it needs to be ready to go. Mostly….maybe move a wall…maybe re-do the kitchen someday…Hey, I can write a check!

Of course, I am interested in what the land and possible garden area would be in any new house. I have so many hypertufa pots to place, but I do want to have a smaller garden this time. We have looked at several that had breath-taking gardens, but too elaborate for me to handle even with my daughter’s help. Then there are the ones that have a rock garden that I could only dream of…..but a small kitchen. If I could take pieces of each house and create my own little “puzzle pieces” house, that would be awesome.

(And before you advise to build and create one of my own, I don’t really like that idea. I want something already established so that I can move in and just strap on the garden apron and grab my hat and get going. Not waiting a year to get a lawn established, plan and plant all trees, etc…..too old for that!)

What is Frustrating About The Home Buying Process, You Ask?

As a seller, this time in the market is great. Houses are selling so quickly that you can be pretty sure that yours will have a contract soon.  The interest rates had dipped pretty low and a lot of people are scrambling to purchase a home now since the payments can be better than renting in some markets. I know rent prices around here seem outrageous!  I don’t know how people can afford it.

But for the buyer? Better take your nerve pills and plan on an extra bottle of wine!  All I have to do is say ” Oh, don’t you just love this one! It’s perfect!”……as soon as I say that, here comes the Realtor slapping a Pending sign on the property. 

Buying property is such a big decision and I feel like a savvy buyer has to think on it and discuss over dinner, even sleep on it. My daughter and I run the numbers like crazy, trying to be really sure it fits the budget planned. The guys are easier. Show my husband a barn or a big garage….all he wants to know is “Where do I sign?”…..

I do admit that we are all hard to please. We want at least a three car garage. A large Yard. Four bedrooms. And if you have 4 bedrooms, there had better be 4 bathrooms or room to put one in!  That seems to be the hitch. It seems in a lot of houses, there’s No room anywhere to add a bathroom. Seriously? In this area, I have seen homes that have the most elaborate Master Bathroom. But the rest of the house has one bathroom to share. Oh, hell no!  And that powder room is just not going to work. We need to have one for guests, but that is not one of the four needed bathrooms.

This one above was in a great area with great fire department services, huge kitchen, great bedrooms/bathrooms…. It went under contract after we went for the second visit. Sigh! It had such a pretty paver courtyard off the deck.  I even got quotes for the insurance since we liked it so much. But it wasn’t to be for us.

So we continue to look and try to make a decision about what is right for us. Meanwhile the interest rates keep rising…………higher and higher.  Keep an eye on the interest rates at Bankrate.com .  I have to feel that one Special Home is out there for us somewhere…

Great garden area, places for a lot of tufa pots, wide window sills for plants, cute potting shed all ready to move in….

Stay tuned.