Our Next Chapter: We're Moving!

See that sweet southern porch we’re all hanging out on, half of us barefoot?

That’s our next home! And our next big project!

One day last spring, we got a baby-sitter, went out for sushi, and crept past a house that wasn’t for sale yet. We had heard through friends that the owner of the home had just accepted a job out of state. We had also been told that the bones of the home were beautiful. Character, charm, and 6 bedrooms!

When I saw the larger yard, the mature trees… I immediately wanted to see inside!

But Why Move?

On our part, it wasn’t totally unexpected or reckless. We had plans to move one day in the future. The things that came up for us were:

The girls sharing bedrooms was getting old for our oldest daughter.It worked out so well… until it didn’t. IYKYK.
The idea of a 3rd car garage is sooo appealing, we wish our primary bathroom was larger, and a few other first-world ideas!
I would love a dining room and a home office at the same time. I would enjoy and use both.
We don’t have a guest room, which is okay until Jose’s parents visit. They cuddle up in our son’s bed and it’s a tight fit.

When you write out a list like that for the world to see, it can come across as if I’ve lost perspective. But where we live housing is still somewhat affordable. There are actually homes that check off all these boxes that are available to us in our price range. And Jose, being a Realtor, sees these homes all the time.

We initially were hoping a 5 or 6 bedroom would come on one day in our own neighborhood. This would allow us to stay close to my parents and make for an easy transition for the kids.

It’s a LOT of home, over 7000 sq ft., and it’s been well taken care of but… nothing is up to date. Jose and I are chasing a dream with this one! Honestly, we fell in love with the opportunity it holds inside!

I was very careful about wanting to give the owners an offer before it was listed. I didn’t want them buying fresh paint or new carpets if I was going to change it all. About 6 weeks after our initial drive-by, the owners were kind enough to allow us to walk through the home.

The house was a custom build 16 years ago, but it hasn’t been updated since. When we walked through the home for the first time it actually had us hesitating. Not because it wasn’t well taken care of or lovely on its own. The sheer size of it (it’s more than double our current home) is great for us in so many ways… but there is some serious updating here!

The new living room:

Our old living room:

After our offer was accepted I was restless at night, anxious for my kids, feeling nervous about how a large scale project will effect our family. But after selling our own home (in two days – this market does have its perks!), we’re feeling confident and excited.

That room above with the little sink/ beverage fridge is a sitting room off of the primary bedroom. I am so excited about this space!

So What’s The Plan?

We are moving in.

We plan to tackle the second floor on our own because it’s more managable. We are in the process of getting quotes. I want to tackle paint, hardwoods in bedrooms, lighting, 2 fireplaces to redo and a small coffee/cocktail bar in the bedroom to spruce up. The kids bathrooms and our primary bath will have to wait for another year.

Regarding the kitchen, with appliances 7-8 months out, and cabinets past Christmas, this is very much an “order everything as soon as you can and wait” game.

Want to see all the details/pics about projects as they unfold and hear more about the direction we are going in? Join my once a week newsletter group here to receive regular updates!
I’ll be posting a video tour on Instagram and saving it to highlights today

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