This is another ridiculous idea, because we already have a house. A perfectly fine house, in fact. I *like* our house but don't *love* it, a fact that truly seems to be the epitome of a First World Problem. One of my friends suggested making a pro/con list to staying and trying to fix up our current house, versus starting over with a new house. In the spirit of thinking positively, I have only made a "pro" list for each option.
Pros to Staying in Our Current House
5. Compared to moving, staying put saves a LOT of money. We don't have to pay 6% commission to sell our house...or closing costs on a new house....or the million billion fees involved with moving. And our mortgage is much lower than the obsessed-for house would be.
4. We will fully pay off this house in 12 years, just in time for Annika to graduate from college and for Daniel to start college (oh my gosh, our kids are growing up WAY TOO FAST!!).
3. Moving sucks. Staying in our current house requires no moving.
2. What sucks even more than moving is selling a house. When we sold our first house in Olathe, which I loved, I declared that I never, ever, ever was buying a house again because I did not want to ever have to experience the torture that is selling a house again. And we didn't, during the whole five years we lived in Florida. One way to avoid having to sell a house is to stay put.
1. Did I mention that we already own this house?? :)
Pros to Moving to a New House
5. Instead of our backyard backing onto an apartment complex with cars revving their engines at random times at all hours of the night in the parking lot, we could have views like this:
4. Instead of tripping over each other in the smallest bathroom that we have ever shared since getting married, we could have room to spread out:
3. This kitchen is dreamy:
2. We could access the backyard from the lower level:
1. Walk-out ranch, aka my favorite housing layout ever:
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Writing this up, I am struck my how materialistic this obsession seems. Our current house has enough space, is well-constructed, is conveniently located (except for backing the apartment complex...), and is Perfectly Fine. This new house that I have developed an obsession with is actually in our same neighborhood, less than a mile away, and still really close to our friends and Julie and Charlie and our neighborhood elementary school...just like our current house.
Of course, the most logical thing to do would be to make an appointment to actually see said house in person. I'm just afraid that it will be like the time that we stopped by the humane society to see what it was like, and, of course, adopted a cat. :)
11 comments:
But according to Collin, you already HAVE a fancy house. After all it does have 4 floors, which fits his definition of "fancy" in full. :)
For a long time, we've had a 'master plan', that involved moving before our oldest started Kindergarten. There are many things I have swooned over in a new house - much the same as your list. Just in the last 2 weeks though, we've come to the realization that we really like our house, that it has about 90% of the things I want and 150% of what I need. So we've decided to stay put for 5 years and then re-evaluate again. In the mean time, I'm going to do my darnedest to make this house as close to my dream house as I can!
Angela, Collin cracks me up!! I have been told you have an awesome backyard and the best toys ever ( because anything is better at your best friend's house!)
Terry, I love the idea of making your current home your dream home!! And I am right there with you with the 150% of needs. But gosh it is fun to look! :)
That house is beautiful. I want it too!
Thanks, Jenny! The outside looks just as good in person during my random drive-by visits, HA! :)
You have a true basement, all below grade where you are. Think tornadoes. That ranch with the walk-out doesn't. Its lower level will disappear with the main one. You sound like someone who moved a lot as a kid. Got in the blood, eh? :-)!
Good catch, Dad! Will thought of that too. We did end up seeing the house and decided it did not "grab" us - so we are going to try to make improvements to our current house instead. I feel like I know much more about moving. :)
Buying, selling, moving. I think buying is the only fun part.
OBTW: After the Andover tornado in the early 90s, builders there began offering safe rooms built under the concrete porch: concrete walls, floor, and ceiling, with a steel door entry off the regular basement. Bomb-proof. I'm told only 10-15% of buyers opt for the $1500 option. Huh???
Only $1500?? That seems like an insanely good price. Sign me up!
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