Today's closing went off without a hitch, just like I knew it would!! HAHAHA! Yeah, right! I couldn't sleep at all I was so anxious about things. I don't think I was expecting anything crazy but my mind wouldn't stop playing with furniture layouts, paint colors, accessories, moving plans... etc, etc, etc! I tossed and turned most of the night and I think I finally fell asleep about 2 hours before my alarm went off!
Anyway, I was very quiet (scared the hubby I think) as we showered and dressed to go to the attorney's office. A brief delay as we got turned around a little with our directions but we still arrived about 15 minutes early for the closing. Our realtor was already at the office. (I think I'd show up early for that check too since this is only the second time we've met with her!!!) She made out on this transaction ~ not much work involved on her side. We had initially contacted her about a house she had listed and we wanted to see. Once we met with her and found out that the house already had several offers on it, we continued our search. I found our house (model) and subdivision online, hubby and I went to investigate and when we finally made the decision to buy, we contacted her again to have her help with the negotiations. Other than that, today was the only other time we met with her!! But, I digress...
The actual closing went quickly and without me vomiting (which, of course, is the most IMPORTANT fact of the day!) and once the final papers were signed hubby handed me the keys and he pocketed the CHECK! What's up with that???? LOL. Yes, you heard correctly, we got a pretty nice check at closing because we had excess prepayments so of course now I'm ready to do some furniture shopping!!
We have a "mixed household" as I like to call it. Both of us have been married before and the furniture we have is a his & hers mix and almost NONE of it matches. Honestly, I HATE IT!! Other than some accessories and bookshelves from IKEA that we've bought together, everything else is a mish-mash of yard sale finds and baggage from previous relationships. There is nothing better, and NO better excuse than a brand new house to shop for furniture that reflects us BOTH and has no memories attached but our own. :)
Because of our work and school schedules we won't be able to actually move in completely until next week, but that gives me time to buy and schedule delivery of the furniture and washer/dryer!! That's the easy way to move! Donate all this old stuff and have the new furniture delivered to the new house. I think I'll drive down tomorrow and take some little things, maybe stop by Lowe's and get some paint samples... pack and clean some more here (we have a LOT of boxes of "stuff" that I don't know where it came from!!). Friday the hubby and I will pick up my fabulous consignment finds and all the boxes we have packed already and go ahead and move them to the new house. Then once school is finally out (on the 8th) we will move all the "essentials" that we can't move from the house just yet. I'd like to paint before furniture gets delivered. Hmmmm. Too bad I have to work for a living.
Good luck to all the rest of you. I never thought I would own a home, it's like I've been living someone else's life. Here we are not even 90 days since they broke ground and we're moving IN!!! Sorry for rambling. It's been an
exciting day and now it's time for my FAVORITE part ... decorating!!
I'll keep this updated with all my fantastic (at least in MY mind)
decorating ideas and pictures!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
...aaaaaand, we're clear underwriting!!
We got the official, final call from Michelle at NVR earlier this afternoon. After all the hoops and paperwork they got the clearance necessary from underwriting to go ahead with closing in SIX DAYS!!!! What a load off of my mind, but wow am i anxious now ~ this is REALLY going to happen isn't it? Better kick the packing thing into overdrive, denial has been a wonderful excuse for delaying ...
Just one thought, does it always take this long (even though they "approved" us before breaking ground) to get final approval? I just thought that less than a week til closing was cutting it a little close and giving me unnecessary anxiety attacks!!!
Just one thought, does it always take this long (even though they "approved" us before breaking ground) to get final approval? I just thought that less than a week til closing was cutting it a little close and giving me unnecessary anxiety attacks!!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Patience... NOT one of my strong points...
These next two weeks are going to be torture! I'm not good at waiting for things, especially things I really, really WANT!! Like my gorgeous new house! Now that I know it's completed and we've done our final walk through, I'm ready to MOVE! Just 14 days til closing (and it's not like I've got our current house packed ~ it's a work in progress...) but I can't focus here, I want to start moving in and decorating! I also think it's my "glass half empty" mind set creeping in on me sometimes too. I guess until we have signed on the dotted line and have our keys in hand, I won't actually believe that this is happening! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to be able to purchase a home, especially not one this extravagant. When we first started entertaining the idea of buying a house, our price range was about half of the sale price for this house. After crunching numbers and realizing that our house payment will only be about $100 more per month than we've been paying in rent for the past 4 years, we went for it! Now I'm freaking out again. It's not about the money either, just change. We can easily afford the new house payment, I'm just not one who likes a lot of change. The good side of this I suppose, is that it will be the LAST time I have to move!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Final Walk Through!
I can't believe it's finally here! We had our walk through yesterday afternoon (after a particularly stressful 16 hour night shift, it was NOT my best day). I have to commend my husband and our project manager for putting up with my moody, cantankerous self as we checked out this beautiful property!
I would like to give kudos to our project manager Jared!! He's amazing. I was and am highly impressed with his level of attention to detail. We felt like he treated this entire process as though he were building his own house. Several times when we walked through the house before it was complete we noticed things that Jared had marked and left notes about fixing. Most of them were small, little items that we probably would have never noticed, but the fact that HE noticed them and did something to make it right just proves to me that we definitely made the right decision to go with Ryan Homes.
Many of our friends are quite skeptical as the construction of our home was completed rather quickly (63 days!). We have assured them that no corners were cut and no quality sacrificed during the building process. We were lucky in that we were the veritable pioneers returning to a ghost town and investing in a property. The builders who originally envisioned this subdivision have long since pulled out after the housing crisis hit, leaving 41 home sites complete in a neighborhood of 1000 lots! We took a chance and pulled the trigger as the first to build in this subdivision following RH's take over of the distressed lots. I'm sure that contributed to the quickness with which our home was completed as they had multiple crews available to work on the house. Now, however, there are 4 more homes in the process of being built and another 2 have recently sold! I'm seeing dollar signs already. Although I don't think I can ever picture myself willingly moving from this house, it's good to know that maybe it will retain its value.
We are closing on May 30th at 11am! I was supposed to work that night but I know there will be NO concentrating that evening. I think maybe Meghan and I will go down to the house with a few items and maybe paint her bedroom and the downstairs that weekend while Jeff works. Because of our work schedules and Meghan not getting out of her current school until June 8th, I think we are going to move June 10 & 11. I'll keep everyone abreast of the situation.
I would like to give kudos to our project manager Jared!! He's amazing. I was and am highly impressed with his level of attention to detail. We felt like he treated this entire process as though he were building his own house. Several times when we walked through the house before it was complete we noticed things that Jared had marked and left notes about fixing. Most of them were small, little items that we probably would have never noticed, but the fact that HE noticed them and did something to make it right just proves to me that we definitely made the right decision to go with Ryan Homes.
Many of our friends are quite skeptical as the construction of our home was completed rather quickly (63 days!). We have assured them that no corners were cut and no quality sacrificed during the building process. We were lucky in that we were the veritable pioneers returning to a ghost town and investing in a property. The builders who originally envisioned this subdivision have long since pulled out after the housing crisis hit, leaving 41 home sites complete in a neighborhood of 1000 lots! We took a chance and pulled the trigger as the first to build in this subdivision following RH's take over of the distressed lots. I'm sure that contributed to the quickness with which our home was completed as they had multiple crews available to work on the house. Now, however, there are 4 more homes in the process of being built and another 2 have recently sold! I'm seeing dollar signs already. Although I don't think I can ever picture myself willingly moving from this house, it's good to know that maybe it will retain its value.
We are closing on May 30th at 11am! I was supposed to work that night but I know there will be NO concentrating that evening. I think maybe Meghan and I will go down to the house with a few items and maybe paint her bedroom and the downstairs that weekend while Jeff works. Because of our work schedules and Meghan not getting out of her current school until June 8th, I think we are going to move June 10 & 11. I'll keep everyone abreast of the situation.
Friday, May 4, 2012
We're almost there!
I can't believe it! Here we are a mere 60 days after construction started on my beautiful new Venice home by Ryan and we have our final walk through next week!! We received our closing letter in the mail yesterday... 25 days from now we will have keys in our hot little hands (barring any catastrophe!!)
I am a wreck of mixed emotions! I'm excited but more than a little freaked out. I have to admit there was a little bit of comfort in being a life long renter, knowing that there was always someone ELSE who was ultimately responsible if the furnace died or the pipes burst... now it's all on US! Lucky me DH is such a handyman around the house ;) Of course I don't anticipate any serious or significant repairs being necessary any time soon but I don't plan to move EVER again either!!
Better run from here so I can get some packing and cleaning done :)
I am a wreck of mixed emotions! I'm excited but more than a little freaked out. I have to admit there was a little bit of comfort in being a life long renter, knowing that there was always someone ELSE who was ultimately responsible if the furnace died or the pipes burst... now it's all on US! Lucky me DH is such a handyman around the house ;) Of course I don't anticipate any serious or significant repairs being necessary any time soon but I don't plan to move EVER again either!!
Better run from here so I can get some packing and cleaning done :)
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