Tuesday, August 16, 2011

How It Began

After being divorced in early 2010, I moved into an apartment complex. For several reasons I felt like this was the best place for me at the time. It was around other people (close but not too close) and it was very near my work. Fast forward through alot of trials and tribulations and suddenly I found myself realizing that a house payment would actually be cheaper than my rent, I could have my own place, I wouldn't have to worry about confidential things being left in an apartment where the staff come and go as they please without warning, and most importantly, I would get away from the issues that have been arising as some less than ideal people were moving into the complex.

One afternoon I decided to play around with the idea of buying a house and began looking at realty websites. In doing that, I found a house that was ADORABLE. I decided to drive out to look at the exterior and then the following day I could contact a lending agent to see what I could qualify for. On the way to that house, another one caught my eye. There was a for sale by owner sign in the front yard, had a cozy little vintage feeling to it, and somehow I just had a nostalgic feeling when I looked at it. I called the number on the sign to find out pricing and more information about it after I returned home. While the house I went to look at was a beautiful, move in ready, bungalow style house...the other one had my attention because I could take it and make it into what the other one was...and then some because it had more character as well. When I called the sellers, they told me the price and that it was in need of desperate attention as it had been a rental property for several years and then had sat empty for a year. The sellers are a super nice couple and honestly I couldn't have found anyone better to work with, as they've been so relaxed and laid back during this process. I truly feel blessed to have had this house and those people put into my path. They told me I could go out and look at it the following day....so here's what it looked like that day- July 24th:

This house is a 2 bedroom, 1 bath cottage style house built in 1959. It's in an older, established neighborhood. It has a sweet dining room, kitchen, large living room and a laundry room. The interior (not counting the garage) is a little less than 900 square feet. There's a nice porch on the front and a large detached garage to the right in the back. The acreage is less than 1/2 an acre.

As far as the outside of the property and the first exterior task, there were briar bushes with vines full of briars that trailed onto and around the wrought iron handrails and decorative trim, across the steps and up the side of the house.  Those are completely gone now as seen here:

So far so good...every day there's progress and one less thing to do each and every time something is completed. My cottage adventure has begun....can't wait to see how it ends :)
Rhonda


2 comments:

  1. every journey starts with the first step

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  2. So true, yes it does...and I so plan on this being a beautiful journey :)

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