So You Want to Buy a House...

If you've been reading, you know that I purchased a house last month, August 8th to be exact.  It was the result of my roommate moving back to Chicago and the rent in my area being a giant money pit I could no longer afford to play in.  So I went house shopping and made an offer on the 2nd one I saw.  After all the crazy that's been the past month, I still think I chose the best option I saw.  I like the layout, I enjoy the neighborhood, and the location is perfect for me from work.  No one could guarantee I would have the same or different issues at another place.  This one was the best price for the area to keep the mortgage at an amount I can afford on my church salary.

So I cleaned it that first weekend - just preparing the house to be moved into and it looked like this!

1. The Blue Bedroom
2. The Amazing Kitchen, 

3. The Purple Living Room
4. The Wood / The Tile Floor.

Then I moved in with the help of my amazing friends and stayed the first night in my new house!  The following day my friends brought in the best part, my brand new big girl bed!

Then on Thursday evening MG and Mer were coming over to help me official decide between these three colors in my living room.

The one on the far left is the winner - Betsy Ross House Blue!  BUT instead we ended up cleaning up sewage that had come up the toilet in the downstairs bathroom.  The following day this was more like what my house looked like!

Yeah, that's right - what used to be beautiful was then torn up!

But now the new paint is up, the floors have been delivered, and we are almost ready to go!  I even primed my bedroom and am prepared the paint the real colors on tomorrow and Monday!

1. New Dining Room Color "Spun Honey" - Looks BEAUTIFUL!

2 & 3. Bedroom has been primed!  The blue is gone!

4. Dining Room Curtains - handmade

5. Gray Hallway - do those two walls look different?

6. Living Room - Betsy Ross is coming through!  AMAZING Color!

7. Bathroom is an orange called "Morning Sunrise" - very bold!

8. Floors have been delivered!

9.  They look so fantastic with the blue living room!

However, I think my house still hates me a little bit.  At about the fourth brush stroke over the blue, all of the lights upstairs went out.  SERIOUSLY? Why does my house hate me?  First it basically throws up on me and then takes away my light!  How can all of this actually be happening?  Good thing I know how to use a breaker box - and got it squared away pretty quickly!  Still not sure what tripped the breaker though since all I had on were the lights, a ceiling fan, and a radio.  I should remember to always blow dry my hair in the dark!

I am enjoying the ability to do a lot of DIY stuff.  These things aren't really possible when you're in an apartment or at a rental.  I just didn't think that it would all be happening so quickly.  After priming the bedroom today, I am grateful that the downstairs was painted by professionals.  I don't think any ladder would have been tall enough to make me a happy painter!

What can be done to avoid some of these problems - that are going to end up costing about $15,000.  Thank God for Insurance to cover more than 85% of the entire disaster.

1. Don't delay in having an inspection done - be sure to call the inspector ASAP after making an offer and see what you're getting in to with the house.  If you're using a housing program to help with closing costs, call this inspector as soon as you decide so you can get going - you don't have to have the loan package submitted before you do this (FYI).

2. After that, call a plumber to come take a camera down all of the drains and inspect all of the connections.  This way you'll know if you have the proper water pressure, good connectors, or even a blockage down below the foundation or front yard.

3. Have a guy come look at the HVAC system and water heater to determine if things have been cared for in the past or not.

Only the first one was advised to me - no one told me about having a plumber.  The inspector found things like the Carbon Monoxide detector didn't have a battery in it - but that didn't end up being a problem I had to deal with right after moving in last month.  I haven't had any issues with the HVAC system, but with the hatred this house seems to have for me, I will not be surprised if it needs to be replaced in the next 3 to 6 months.  Hopefully no more disasters!

Off to paint more tomorrow, then I'll be ready to really decorate.  I think that's been the hardest part - now I'm getting settled living with the twins and their amazing parents.  My house doesn't feel like home yet - and nothing is on the walls, frankly nothing is even on the floor as you walk around on the cement slab downstairs.

Riley

Landon

Those two really are the cutest!!!

In a few months, I'm sure I'll feel differently ... but today I'm still in transition and it doesn't feel real yet.  I'm eager to feel at home in my own house!