House Hunting 7.10.11

Eventually I'll make a post about my specific house requirements, what requirements need to be met before we buy and our savings thus far.  But for now I'm just gonna focus on this GREAT house.

My momma and I go house hunting almost every Sunday. She was out of town this week so I went by myself to look at a few. The first one is a bit out of my comfort zone, price-wise, but it really is the first house I could actually see myself in. I love it! but it might be TOO much house for just the husband and myself.

Ain't it a beaut?

Photo courtsey of  Family Realty 

It has all our needs and wants covered. 2.5 baths, FOUR bedrooms, a formal dining room, mostly hardwood floors and a full finished basement.  Some of my favorite features are

• the 2 sets of stairs! One set is in the living room and the other is just off the kitchen. The 2 meet at a landing and then you follow a new stairway up to the 2nd floor. It's so cute! And the stairs aren't directly in front of the front door. I do not like the way that looks.  Plus, I think it's a no no in regard to fung shei. We must respect all cultures!
• that the main living area consists of the large living room, dining room and kitchen; it also has a half bath off the kithcen, which is GREAT for entertaining.  There is a full bath on the top and bottom floors, but your guests don't need to be all up in your bathroom bid'ness.  They can just use the properly named "guest bathroom" with its rarely used towels and nice smelling soap.  Plus, it's easy to keep a bathroom you never use clean!
• the hardwood floors on the main level that are beautiful, the carpet upstairs which is nice and plush and the basement because it doesn't feel all basement-y.  It's really nicely done with the block windows that let in a bunch of light. Perfect for my husband because that's where he's gonna have all his movie/comic book/regular book/sports randomness.  And he will love it!  He will.  
• I also like that there isn't much to do to it (and for the price there better not be) before you moved in.  Some new paint in the bedrooms, natually. I am personally not a fan of Peyton Manning (it steams from my college years spent just miles away from where he played college ball) and the little girl motif is really not my style but I could deal with the paint color in the main floor for a while.  And even though that half bath isn't very impressive it would certainly do for the time being.

The yard is very small but it does have a large garage and plenty of off street parking.  It's in a great neighborhood, centerally located and I am pretty sure I could get that house for less than the asking price. But alas, we won't be ready to buy til at least next year. 

But that's okay. For now, I just love going window shopping for houses!

What about you? Are you thinking of buying in this buyers market? Or have you been burned by the housing crisis? I'd love to hear your story!