Today I met our realtor to put our old house on the market. Goodbye to our starter home....It was bittersweet and a little bizarre.
To see the listing go to: www.dekalbcountyrealtors.com
Click on Property Listings and enter PLS #19194
Keep your fingers crossed for us that we'll get some offers!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
House hints
Even though I have no children of my own, I've come to the conclusion that building a house and having a child are similar. Everyone wants to tell you what to do and how to do it, but in the end it's yours to deal with.
My best advice for anyone who reads this is to remember that. People will intentionally and unintentionally try to live their own dreams through your experience.
They have ideas. You don't have to buy into those ideas.
You'd best remember that you will be living there, not them. Advice on ways to save money, where to find deals, and people who do good work should be considered and taken. Advice on design should go in one ear and out the other. Keep your own vision, but don't forget to ask for help/opinions when you need them.
Here are the best tips I have to offer at this point....
1.) Anything you can't go back and do later without major distruction, spend the money and do it now while it makes sense.
2.) Insulate well. You won't believe the difference it makes in your electric bill, comfort level and noise level. You won't miss the extra money and can save it easily finding deals on other items.
3.) Don't do the insulation yourself. It is an itchy and unpleasant experience. If you know someone that needs/wants the work and doesn't mind doing it, pay them.
4.) Go to home improvement stores every weekend (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.). You will be able to find amazing deals doing this by catching things at the right time. (Like ceramic tile for $.44/ sq. ft.)
5.) You need plenty of outlets.
6.) You need plenty of lights.
7.) Ask an experienced and well regarded excavator to look at your lot/land before you buy it (when possible). They can tell you its true value as they know how much work it will take to make it the best it can be.
8.) It doesn't matter what is 'in' if it doesn't work for your family or your budget. Don't compete with the Jones'.
My best advice for anyone who reads this is to remember that. People will intentionally and unintentionally try to live their own dreams through your experience.
They have ideas. You don't have to buy into those ideas.
You'd best remember that you will be living there, not them. Advice on ways to save money, where to find deals, and people who do good work should be considered and taken. Advice on design should go in one ear and out the other. Keep your own vision, but don't forget to ask for help/opinions when you need them.
Here are the best tips I have to offer at this point....
1.) Anything you can't go back and do later without major distruction, spend the money and do it now while it makes sense.
2.) Insulate well. You won't believe the difference it makes in your electric bill, comfort level and noise level. You won't miss the extra money and can save it easily finding deals on other items.
3.) Don't do the insulation yourself. It is an itchy and unpleasant experience. If you know someone that needs/wants the work and doesn't mind doing it, pay them.
4.) Go to home improvement stores every weekend (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.). You will be able to find amazing deals doing this by catching things at the right time. (Like ceramic tile for $.44/ sq. ft.)
5.) You need plenty of outlets.
6.) You need plenty of lights.
7.) Ask an experienced and well regarded excavator to look at your lot/land before you buy it (when possible). They can tell you its true value as they know how much work it will take to make it the best it can be.
8.) It doesn't matter what is 'in' if it doesn't work for your family or your budget. Don't compete with the Jones'.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Busy, busy bees
We have been extremely busy the past couple of months. And we've been without internet service at home for almost a month now. With limited time and resources available, I decided to postpone the blog until we could get moved and somewhat situated. Here is a time line of the past month of moving bliss (keep in mind that both parties have continued to work at their full time jobs throughout this experience):
Saturday 6/12- DirectTV installs satellite service at new house; Screen porch started
Sunday 6/13- Work day at new house, towel bars hung in bathrooms, etc.
Thursday 6/18- Estimate obtained for fence
Saturday 6/20- A major moving effort; screen porch completed
Sunday 6/21- More moving effort, all items of importance moved, first night spent in new house. Pets appear to be traumatized. I get approximately 2 hours of sleep.
Monday 6/22- More moving. Fatigue and irritability at a high point. Not a good day for socializing.
Thursday 6/24- Fence installed
Saturday and Sunday 6/27 & 6/28- Work days at old house
Thursday 7/2- Gutters installed, phone company connects service from pole
Friday 7/3- Work day at new house... hanging rods for drapes, ironing and hanging drapes, etc.
Saturday 7/4- Work day at old house, major cleaning effort; steaks grilled as reward at new house around 7:00pm (Hey, it is the 4th of July, after all!)
Sunday 7/5- Trip made in an attempt to find a suitable mirror for master bath, lamps, dog house, etc.- Purchased desk, doghouse and misc. decorative items; still unable to find a suitable mirror for master bath. Mase appears to be quite unsatisfied with the new dog house as he refuses to get in it and prefers to lie in the dirt.
Thursday 7/9- I wait for the phone company to show up all day and discover I am out of the loop. Wasted day and very frustrating. Father-in-law brings the tractor and the fellas begin working on leveling the yard.
Friday 7/10- Phone company comes and finishes jacks inside. Phone service & internet service works (amen!). Cleaned carpets at old house. More work on leveling yard. Mase gets a good brushing and is in serious need of a bath. Also gets a nail trim.
Hopefully there will be sufficent time available to tend to the blog now. I hope to get some more pictures posted soon, so check back with us!
Saturday 6/12- DirectTV installs satellite service at new house; Screen porch started
Sunday 6/13- Work day at new house, towel bars hung in bathrooms, etc.
Thursday 6/18- Estimate obtained for fence
Saturday 6/20- A major moving effort; screen porch completed
Sunday 6/21- More moving effort, all items of importance moved, first night spent in new house. Pets appear to be traumatized. I get approximately 2 hours of sleep.
Monday 6/22- More moving. Fatigue and irritability at a high point. Not a good day for socializing.
Thursday 6/24- Fence installed
Saturday and Sunday 6/27 & 6/28- Work days at old house
Thursday 7/2- Gutters installed, phone company connects service from pole
Friday 7/3- Work day at new house... hanging rods for drapes, ironing and hanging drapes, etc.
Saturday 7/4- Work day at old house, major cleaning effort; steaks grilled as reward at new house around 7:00pm (Hey, it is the 4th of July, after all!)
Sunday 7/5- Trip made in an attempt to find a suitable mirror for master bath, lamps, dog house, etc.- Purchased desk, doghouse and misc. decorative items; still unable to find a suitable mirror for master bath. Mase appears to be quite unsatisfied with the new dog house as he refuses to get in it and prefers to lie in the dirt.
Thursday 7/9- I wait for the phone company to show up all day and discover I am out of the loop. Wasted day and very frustrating. Father-in-law brings the tractor and the fellas begin working on leveling the yard.
Friday 7/10- Phone company comes and finishes jacks inside. Phone service & internet service works (amen!). Cleaned carpets at old house. More work on leveling yard. Mase gets a good brushing and is in serious need of a bath. Also gets a nail trim.
Hopefully there will be sufficent time available to tend to the blog now. I hope to get some more pictures posted soon, so check back with us!
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