Househunting

And so it begins....

Matt and I were planning to begin househunting the end of this month or beginning of next month to have the maximum down payment (i.e. include my final paychecks of the school year). But as I checked the FSBO (for sale by owner) webpage recently, I noticed a new house in our price range. The price was just reduced, but it's about 400 more square feet than the other houses we've noticed! And it has separate living and family rooms (an item on my "wishlist" for down the road when we have children and want a "child friendly" family room and a more formal living room for entertaining) AND a big eat in kitchen with a separate dining room. 1900 square feet, not including an amazing lanai. We drove by the outside and became increasingly intrigued. We had a showing last night, and our first impression is definitely growing on us. It would need a few things here and there--it was built in the 1970s--BUT with the market down here being as high as it is, we can either get new and small or older and bigger. We don't want to feel cramped just a year or two down the road, so this older but bigger home has us very excited!

I took digital pictures and got to email them to the fam in TN. It was great having more pairs of eyes help us spot ways to brighten up some of the rooms (2 have dark wood paneling we'd want to paint and dark kitchen cabinets) and help us envision it with our stuff and our style. It currently has a college student who rented rooms out to friends in it. It looks like college students live there--a few sparse pieces of furniture and could stand some cleaning. It's not cleaned like a housewife keeps a house clean. ;) But the yard is AMAZING--I feel like I'm in the secret garden out back. It's fenced in and has blooming bushes all along the fencing. It also has a kumquat tree! :) Matt's curiosity is already heightened--I honestly didn't know what a kumquat looked like until our showing last night.

Today we got pre-approved for a loan. We are hoping to go back and see the house Monday night and take measurements of the rooms and the kitchen cabinets (the rooms to know what size they really are--most are empty, so it's hard to make a good judgement, and the cabinets to make sure our dishes would fit in them). I have a certificate saying we're guaranteed for the money! WOW! It's pretty amazing and surreal. It's about 5 minutes from where we live now, on a quiet, quiet street, and the neighborhood is across from the library. How perfect is that?!?! I might get to live in a neighborhood across the street from the library!?!?! I can check out books all the time!! :)

Needless to say, we are excited and hopeful and amazed. Please pray for us as we go back for a second look, possibly make an offer, and possibly become more settled and rooted down here in Florida. It's a big step! So far we have peace, which is such a blessing. We are praying for continued clear direction and agreement as we consider moving forward. :)

We will keep you posted!

In the meantime, we're headed down to spend Easter with Uncle Randy and Aunt Janie. :) We live any minute when Matt returns from a Schutzenfest with some coworkers (basically, shooting to blow stuff up and be big, manly men). We'll be back tomorrow after brunch and visiting with our crazy and FUN aunt and uncle to the south. :)

We love you and we hope you have a blessed Easter! Shout out to the TN Guilfords who get to see Ariana's family this weekend, too! We wish we could be there!

Be back soon...

Love,
Becca

Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again!
Alleluia!