Rajah
08-11-2002, 10:47 PM
WE JUST SIGNED ON A HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not a done deal yet because we still have to get the loan (we're preapproved but we're going with the builder's lender) and have to get closing costs, but I think it's going to happen!
I do not believe this! (If there are any typos in this message, please excuse -- I'm a nervous/excited wreck that is trying to stay calm ;) )
Anyway, I'm jumping ahead of the story...
Yesterday, DH and I met with our realtor for the first time (had talked several times, this was the first in-person meeting) and went to see several houses. I think we saw close to a dozen or maybe even more -- we were house-hunting for a good 7 hours! But we found *nothing* that fit everything we wanted. We did find one neighborhood that other than location was exactly what we wanted, but it was 25 miles from my work, about that from DH's, and so essentially in the middle of nowhere. (Those familiar with Sienna Plantation... this place was 6 miles down the street).
We decided to think on it over the weekend and that we wouldn't do any house stuff today because we were so discouraged with yesterday's hunting. Yes, that was just one day, but we'd thought we'd found everything we wanted in a neighborhood until we went to spend several hours there.
Anyway, when we came home, DH decided to run out to the park to do some astronomy and I stayed home. I intended to just stay home all night, but got started talking to my parents and they were trying to describe a neighborhood we should look in. I couldn't follow where they were saying to go, so they came and got me to *show* me.
While we were out, my parents and I ran by two other neighborhoods that I'd wanted to see that were in the same general area. DH and I hadn't gotten there yet. Well, we drove through and I really liked both and decided we needed to bring DH back down here tomorrow (which is now today).
So this morning, DH and I get up and decide to go check out these neighborhoods -- we wouldn't look at any actual *houses*, we'd just see if these were areas we needed our realtor to investigate for us. We'd decided we really wanted to build or buy inventory (meaning a brand new home that we just weren't able to pick our choices on), but after yesterday assumed we weren't going to be able to do that and would have to go with used.
Anyway, our plan was to check out these neighborhoods, then go look at the one we'd liked (other than it being so far out) yesterday, then go see a movie. We were neighborhood-hunting, not house hunting.
As we drove through one of the two neighborhoods, I noticed that Lennar (a builder that we like) had several inventory homes with "available" signs out front. I suggested we stop in and get a price list to give to our realtor when we talked to her tomorrow.
DH reluctantly agreed.
Well, when we walked in and asked about the homes, it turned out one floorplan (which we both liked in concept but hadn't ever looked at because in every other neighborhood it was out of our price range) had two inventory homes -- with $8k of incentives since they were inventory! That knocked it down from just out of our range to right into it!
So we checked them out and absolutely fell in *love* with one house. The one with the incentives. It has a great yard -- a little smaller than I'm used to, but larger than most homes around here nowadays and pleanty large enough for our actual *needs*. The brick color was one we liked. The interior was something we liked.
Shoot, even if we *had* custom built, almost all of the selections made were what we would have picked *anyway*!!
I insisted we get our realtor involved and figured we'd have to wait until tomorrow since we didn't have her number with us.
Nope, the salesguys found her number for us and paged her and she said she'd be there in 20 minutes!
So we went back to the house from the sales office and waited for her there and did a real in-depth look over everything. Liked what we saw. She arrived. Liked what she saw. She didn't find anything more than what we'd found. Called my parents next (couldn't reach DH's) and they came. Liked what they saw. *Everything* about this home is what I wanted, and almost everything is what DH wanted.
DH went back home to get the checkbook (we weren't *planning* on buying today after all) and our realtor, my parents, and I did even more inspecting. I also talked to one of the neighbors and liked him and his friends -- they're our age. Didn't meet his wife, but they were very friendly. We got to see our other neighbor and liked what we saw, though we didn't get to meet them. They're also about our age. So are two other couples down the street.
The lot is on a cul-de-sac street which is a major plus. It's within walking distance of the elementary school, which we don't need now but might in the future and even if we never do, it's a big plus for resale value. They're putting in a pool and rec center within walking distance, too.
This neighborhood is easy enough access to a major freeway to be convenient, but it and the house are both set far enough back from the freeway to not be a crime attractant.
Literally, I can't think of *anything* bad to say about this house or the neighborhood that I wouldn't also complain about anywhere else we lived (like taxes).
The only problem -- we close at the END OF THIS MONTH!!! :p :p :p
We were able to apply some of the incentive money toward closing costs, and if we're approved with their lender that will cover some of the closing costs, so we hopefully won't have to bring much to the table in the way of closing costs.
There are only two real barriers between now and being able to say we own a house in less than a month's time...
Qualifying for the loan.
And obtaining the remainder of the closing costs.
I don't think we're going to have a problem on the latter (DH is worried, but he's always worried when it comes to money matters). It's the qualifying for the loan that makes me nervous because there's no control at all over that from our end. I think we can do it. We prequalified for enough to cover the cost of this house so there shouldn't be any problem. But something could always fall through.
So if y'all have any "qualifying and closing cleanly" prayers and/or pixie dust to spare, we'd really appreciate it! This is essentially our dream home in our dream neighborhood -- we just found it about 2 months earlier than we were planning on doing so.
Anyway, here are some photos:
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/front.jpg
This is the front of the house as viewed from across the street.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/entry.jpg
Here's what you see as you enter the front door.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/kitchen.jpg
This is from the breakfast area looking through the kitchen out to the staircase.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/kitchen2.jpg
The rest of the kitchen (complete with appliances that come with)
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/game.jpg
The gameroom upstairs.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/living.jpg
The living room as seen from the bridge/"captain's walk"
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/back.jpg
And the back as viewed from a corner of the back yard. (Notice, it even comes fully landscaped)
I don't know if I'm going to get any sleep tonight! And those of y'all who recommended getting a realtor even if we were working with a builder -- *thank you*!! Our realtor is *wonderful* and was invaluable during the entire process so far!!
It's not a done deal yet because we still have to get the loan (we're preapproved but we're going with the builder's lender) and have to get closing costs, but I think it's going to happen!
I do not believe this! (If there are any typos in this message, please excuse -- I'm a nervous/excited wreck that is trying to stay calm ;) )
Anyway, I'm jumping ahead of the story...
Yesterday, DH and I met with our realtor for the first time (had talked several times, this was the first in-person meeting) and went to see several houses. I think we saw close to a dozen or maybe even more -- we were house-hunting for a good 7 hours! But we found *nothing* that fit everything we wanted. We did find one neighborhood that other than location was exactly what we wanted, but it was 25 miles from my work, about that from DH's, and so essentially in the middle of nowhere. (Those familiar with Sienna Plantation... this place was 6 miles down the street).
We decided to think on it over the weekend and that we wouldn't do any house stuff today because we were so discouraged with yesterday's hunting. Yes, that was just one day, but we'd thought we'd found everything we wanted in a neighborhood until we went to spend several hours there.
Anyway, when we came home, DH decided to run out to the park to do some astronomy and I stayed home. I intended to just stay home all night, but got started talking to my parents and they were trying to describe a neighborhood we should look in. I couldn't follow where they were saying to go, so they came and got me to *show* me.
While we were out, my parents and I ran by two other neighborhoods that I'd wanted to see that were in the same general area. DH and I hadn't gotten there yet. Well, we drove through and I really liked both and decided we needed to bring DH back down here tomorrow (which is now today).
So this morning, DH and I get up and decide to go check out these neighborhoods -- we wouldn't look at any actual *houses*, we'd just see if these were areas we needed our realtor to investigate for us. We'd decided we really wanted to build or buy inventory (meaning a brand new home that we just weren't able to pick our choices on), but after yesterday assumed we weren't going to be able to do that and would have to go with used.
Anyway, our plan was to check out these neighborhoods, then go look at the one we'd liked (other than it being so far out) yesterday, then go see a movie. We were neighborhood-hunting, not house hunting.
As we drove through one of the two neighborhoods, I noticed that Lennar (a builder that we like) had several inventory homes with "available" signs out front. I suggested we stop in and get a price list to give to our realtor when we talked to her tomorrow.
DH reluctantly agreed.
Well, when we walked in and asked about the homes, it turned out one floorplan (which we both liked in concept but hadn't ever looked at because in every other neighborhood it was out of our price range) had two inventory homes -- with $8k of incentives since they were inventory! That knocked it down from just out of our range to right into it!
So we checked them out and absolutely fell in *love* with one house. The one with the incentives. It has a great yard -- a little smaller than I'm used to, but larger than most homes around here nowadays and pleanty large enough for our actual *needs*. The brick color was one we liked. The interior was something we liked.
Shoot, even if we *had* custom built, almost all of the selections made were what we would have picked *anyway*!!
I insisted we get our realtor involved and figured we'd have to wait until tomorrow since we didn't have her number with us.
Nope, the salesguys found her number for us and paged her and she said she'd be there in 20 minutes!
So we went back to the house from the sales office and waited for her there and did a real in-depth look over everything. Liked what we saw. She arrived. Liked what she saw. She didn't find anything more than what we'd found. Called my parents next (couldn't reach DH's) and they came. Liked what they saw. *Everything* about this home is what I wanted, and almost everything is what DH wanted.
DH went back home to get the checkbook (we weren't *planning* on buying today after all) and our realtor, my parents, and I did even more inspecting. I also talked to one of the neighbors and liked him and his friends -- they're our age. Didn't meet his wife, but they were very friendly. We got to see our other neighbor and liked what we saw, though we didn't get to meet them. They're also about our age. So are two other couples down the street.
The lot is on a cul-de-sac street which is a major plus. It's within walking distance of the elementary school, which we don't need now but might in the future and even if we never do, it's a big plus for resale value. They're putting in a pool and rec center within walking distance, too.
This neighborhood is easy enough access to a major freeway to be convenient, but it and the house are both set far enough back from the freeway to not be a crime attractant.
Literally, I can't think of *anything* bad to say about this house or the neighborhood that I wouldn't also complain about anywhere else we lived (like taxes).
The only problem -- we close at the END OF THIS MONTH!!! :p :p :p
We were able to apply some of the incentive money toward closing costs, and if we're approved with their lender that will cover some of the closing costs, so we hopefully won't have to bring much to the table in the way of closing costs.
There are only two real barriers between now and being able to say we own a house in less than a month's time...
Qualifying for the loan.
And obtaining the remainder of the closing costs.
I don't think we're going to have a problem on the latter (DH is worried, but he's always worried when it comes to money matters). It's the qualifying for the loan that makes me nervous because there's no control at all over that from our end. I think we can do it. We prequalified for enough to cover the cost of this house so there shouldn't be any problem. But something could always fall through.
So if y'all have any "qualifying and closing cleanly" prayers and/or pixie dust to spare, we'd really appreciate it! This is essentially our dream home in our dream neighborhood -- we just found it about 2 months earlier than we were planning on doing so.
Anyway, here are some photos:
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/front.jpg
This is the front of the house as viewed from across the street.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/entry.jpg
Here's what you see as you enter the front door.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/kitchen.jpg
This is from the breakfast area looking through the kitchen out to the staircase.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/kitchen2.jpg
The rest of the kitchen (complete with appliances that come with)
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/game.jpg
The gameroom upstairs.
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/living.jpg
The living room as seen from the bridge/"captain's walk"
http://www.stardustdreams.net/images/house/back.jpg
And the back as viewed from a corner of the back yard. (Notice, it even comes fully landscaped)
I don't know if I'm going to get any sleep tonight! And those of y'all who recommended getting a realtor even if we were working with a builder -- *thank you*!! Our realtor is *wonderful* and was invaluable during the entire process so far!!