It's been ages since I last posted in my blog (shame on me) but its been a busy three week stretch for me. Not only did we celebrate the Fourth of July, but I also enjoyed my birthday and the very important occasion of moving into my new home. The closing for the home was on June 26th. For those unfamiliar with a closing on a house - it's basically the final hurdle in the long home buying process. You meet with the bank, sign a ton of papers, hand over down payments and other assorted checks, and then it's basically the handing over of keys and voila! It's officially you're own home. At least for me, I had to wait a day before the ex-owners were officially moved out. But with all things considered, that delay in ownership worked out for the best.
When I first started the process of buying a home, I had no idea how exhausting it could be. I mean, you can't simply pick out a home and buy it right then and there. You have to find a bank where you can acquire a loan, you need to have your home inspected by a professional to detect any potential problems that could hinder the purchase of said home. You also need to transfer utilities into your name or move utilities prior to closing. You need to find home owners insurance, especially if your plan on including it in an escrow account as part of the home loan from the bank. Then there's the whole packing and moving from the old place of residence. It's a whole whirlwind of activity that I'm certainly glad is over. However, I'm glad I went through it because I ended up with a really nice home.
I would say that since I moved into this home, I have found very few surprises left by the previous owners. One thing I was a bit surprised to find out was how much stuff they decided to leave behind. Mind you, it's not tremendously a lot. But there were a few treasures here and there that were pretty awesome. And obviously the home is not perfect - there are things that I'd like to change eventually. But considering the age of the home (it's 40 years old this year) and how good the previous owners took care of the house, there's not really any major work that needs to be done to the place. A lot of the work is cosmetic and minor. I am very thankful I was able to find a home such as this because many others I went and saw on my first initial tour were pretty dreadful. And they wanted a lot of money for them, too!
So there you have it folks, I am officially a home owner. It's nice not needing to worry about paying rent at the beginning of each month and being stuck with a place you absolutely cannot change. Sure, you can change around the furniture from time to time, but with the way my old apartment was set up, it was very difficult to do that. So from the time I moved in three years ago this month at the old apartment to last month, the furniture was in the exact same spot as it was when I initially moved in there. In the new house, I have the freedom to do whatever I want. If I get sick of my current bedroom, I can move to the one across the hall or into the room next door. I can paint, wall paper, and completely gut rooms if I wanted to. But at this point in time, I'll just stick to painting. And with me being involved with re-siding my parents house this summer, I probably won't be able to get to many of the improvements on my home until this fall. And I'm okay with that, because actually I'm pretty happy with the stauts quo at this point in time. But I'm sure in time, that'll change. After all, doesn't that come with owning your own home?
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
One Last Stroll Through the Neighborhood
A little while ago, I just got back from a walk around my current, but soon to be former neighborhood. It has its charming characteristics, yet some things are left to be desired. This is the basic layout of the neighborhood: to the east and south is the business and commercial district. You have a bunch of apartment buildings directly east of my building, then kiddy-corner to the building, you have a dairy. Then, due south is a commercial building that comprises a variety of offices. To the north and west, it's all residential (except closer to the highway). Due west, there are some very beautiful homes located along the street - and if any of those homes were for sale while I was looking, I would've considered relocating here. But that never ended up happening. North of my apartment building is more residential, but not far down the street is township jurisdiction.
When I first moved into this building nearly three years ago, I definitely found the atmosphere much better than the apartment prior. It was newer, for one thing, and the rent for being in this city was the lowest I could find. It also provided me a bit more space. However, the exterior and the lot around the apartment is basically comprised of concrete and asphalt. There's no physical lawn, if you will, to really sit out and enjoy the weather. The landlords here have not provided a public green space for its residents and that is kind of a detraction to the place. Don't get me wrong, the landlords here have been nothing but kind and considerate. But I just think they could do more to make it more tenant-friendly, if you will. Sure, there's a small parcel of land in the back of the apartment, but it's only a little more than ten feet in width. I would rather go to the park than spend some time out back there.
As for the neighborhood itself, it's a mixed bag, really. The row of houses due west of the apartment building are quaint and well-kept, except for one. Several old oak trees line the roadway and the leaves drape over the street and the lawns of the homeowners. Many of the lawns are well kept and the grass is a beautiful green; absolutely no weeds to be found. The people here really take great pride for their homes and it's truly a pleasure to walk along the street and to marvel at their properties. The apartment complex due east of my building is a well-maintained complex. They provide such a wonderful atmosphere for their tenants with park benches, plenty of green space, and even a fitness center within their complex. But then everything beyond that is pretty plain and city-like, complete with parking lots, busy streets, office buildings, and retail stores. It's definitely not a walkers or sight see-ers paradise to be sure. But having those businesses, particularly the retail store that close by has certainly been handy. I even lament the fact that I haven't taken advantage of going to the dairy just across the street from my building at all. I was there once when my sisters visited one time, but that has been it. They sell a variety of dairy products at their store and I can't tell you how many times I've kicked myself for not getting milk on the way home from work - only to realize later they sell it right across the street! Oh well, you can't always be perfect.
When I first moved into this building almost three years ago to the day, at first I didn't do hardly any walking. That first year I basically stayed inside my apartment or drove to other parts of the city to do my walking. But in the two years since, I've ventured out more and more and have grown accustomed to my surroundings. Where I'm moving, it'll be more of a country-setting. But the conveniences of the city are not that far away. I'll miss certain aspects about living in my current building, but all of the aspects about owning a home far outweight the prospects of renting. It's been an enjoyable three years here, overall. And despite some of the early drama about this apartment back in 2006, I'd say living here has been worth every month's rent I've been paying. But after this coming weekend, it's finally time to embrace a new setting, one that I can call all to my own.
When I first moved into this building nearly three years ago, I definitely found the atmosphere much better than the apartment prior. It was newer, for one thing, and the rent for being in this city was the lowest I could find. It also provided me a bit more space. However, the exterior and the lot around the apartment is basically comprised of concrete and asphalt. There's no physical lawn, if you will, to really sit out and enjoy the weather. The landlords here have not provided a public green space for its residents and that is kind of a detraction to the place. Don't get me wrong, the landlords here have been nothing but kind and considerate. But I just think they could do more to make it more tenant-friendly, if you will. Sure, there's a small parcel of land in the back of the apartment, but it's only a little more than ten feet in width. I would rather go to the park than spend some time out back there.
As for the neighborhood itself, it's a mixed bag, really. The row of houses due west of the apartment building are quaint and well-kept, except for one. Several old oak trees line the roadway and the leaves drape over the street and the lawns of the homeowners. Many of the lawns are well kept and the grass is a beautiful green; absolutely no weeds to be found. The people here really take great pride for their homes and it's truly a pleasure to walk along the street and to marvel at their properties. The apartment complex due east of my building is a well-maintained complex. They provide such a wonderful atmosphere for their tenants with park benches, plenty of green space, and even a fitness center within their complex. But then everything beyond that is pretty plain and city-like, complete with parking lots, busy streets, office buildings, and retail stores. It's definitely not a walkers or sight see-ers paradise to be sure. But having those businesses, particularly the retail store that close by has certainly been handy. I even lament the fact that I haven't taken advantage of going to the dairy just across the street from my building at all. I was there once when my sisters visited one time, but that has been it. They sell a variety of dairy products at their store and I can't tell you how many times I've kicked myself for not getting milk on the way home from work - only to realize later they sell it right across the street! Oh well, you can't always be perfect.
When I first moved into this building almost three years ago to the day, at first I didn't do hardly any walking. That first year I basically stayed inside my apartment or drove to other parts of the city to do my walking. But in the two years since, I've ventured out more and more and have grown accustomed to my surroundings. Where I'm moving, it'll be more of a country-setting. But the conveniences of the city are not that far away. I'll miss certain aspects about living in my current building, but all of the aspects about owning a home far outweight the prospects of renting. It's been an enjoyable three years here, overall. And despite some of the early drama about this apartment back in 2006, I'd say living here has been worth every month's rent I've been paying. But after this coming weekend, it's finally time to embrace a new setting, one that I can call all to my own.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Sale Pending
YAY! It finally says "Pending"!
There it is, folks - my new home. After about a half-month of searching, I located the home that I will be purchasing. Last week I submitted an offer, which was counter-offered by the owners. They came down only $500, yet, I still felt it was too good of a deal to pass up. What might have complicated things was someone else submitting an offer only one day before I did, meaning I had to compete and didn't have the luxury of submitting an offer at least 1o% lower than the asking price. I didn't want to insult the current owners, either, who've been described to me as cautious and stubborn when accepting offers on their home. With that being said, in a competitive bidding process, you have to go with your gut. And that's exactly what I did. Am I a bit disappointed I couldn't land this home at a bit lower price? Sure ... but only a small fraction because I feel I got a tremendous house for a great price. When I toured six houses including this one, this was by far the best that I had seen. Important updates were made on the home meaning all I have to do is move in and it's all set. Eventually I'd like to do a few small changes to the place - but really nothing dramatic because I feel it's good the way it is. Now all I have to do is wait until the end of this month for my deal to close.
Tomorrow is a pretty important day regarding my new home as I get it professionally inspected. The current owners are still there - they are not scheduled to leave until the end of the month. However, as a buyer, I have the right to have the home inspected during the sales process. I have been told I will learn a lot about my home this way - which makes it very necessary for me to be there in case the inspector comes across something significant to the structure where repairs may be needed. This is my "out" clause, if you will. If I find something structurally deficient, I can cancel my sales contract or require that repairs be made prior to me moving in. There is no fault against me if I wish to move away from this home. However, I have a good feeling that won't happen as I saw nothing out of the ordinary the previous two times I went and saw the house. It'll take about two to three hours to go through the home, which sound pretty lengthy. But in the end, I think it'll be worth it.
That's not to say I don't feel a tad bit sad about leaving my apartment. It was strange as I entered the building where I currently reside. I began to feel sentimental about things; you know, I've grown to like my apartment. Its become my home away from home, if you will. But I am running out of room and when you pay rent, it's basically like throwing your money away. It's time for me to move on. I have a stable-enough job at this point where I am able to buy a home and not have to worry about a foreclosing. So at the end of this month, I will be packing up and moving about 10 miles south of town. I am sure I'll have mixed emotions about everything - but in the end, it's all for the better. I am getting a great home and moving into a place that's relatively maintenance-free. How can it get any better than that?
Monday, April 09, 2007
A New Neighbor
Nearly two years ago, I wrote a blog on my TAIC message board about the passing of our next door neighbor in my hometown. Here is an exact copy of that blog:
April 28, 2005
You know, there's a certain song re-made a few years back by the Counting Crows called "Big Yellow Taxi." There's a line that goes "you don't know what you got 'till it's gone." Well it seems to me that line couldn't ring any truer yesterday and today. Our next door neighbor of 30 years (ever since my parents lived in our house) passed away yesterday morning. I wouldn't say we were extremely close neighbors, but we did help her out a lot and she was always kind and courteous to us whenever we saw her. Ever since I can remember, I've seen her mowing her lawn, hanging clothes, driving her car in and out of the garage, shoveling snow off the roof, walking down the driveway to get the newspaper, sitting on her front porch...and the list goes on. But suddenly, it's no more. Needless to say, she was old (83) and had increasing health problems over the years. In the last year, she had too many health problems that ultimately lead to her death. But it's not easy saying goodbye. Our faithful neighbor of so many years will no longer be there next door. That person to call in case we ever had any problems. Eventually we'll have to get used to the idea of having a new neighbor living next door; and it's completely unfathomable right now. So is the thought of that house staying empty until we get a new neighbor. There's so a lot of uncertainy, a lot of anxiousness, and really lots of reflextion. Our neighborhood is changing by the years and there's nothing to stop it. People move in and out; people die and people are born. It's actually the story of life, and it's occuring within my neighborhood. At least I can say I hold a lot of memories of my neighbor - all of them happy ones. At least nobody can take my memories away.
I bring this up because nearly after two years, it appears we are finally getting a new neighbor. I remember how empty and quiet the house next door and its yard seemed during that spring and summer after the neighbor lady died. It was an awkward time - and an even more startling thought then was fathoming us having a new neighbor. It just seemed totally impossible! But as the months went on, my family grew accustomed to it. Now, we are used to not having a neighbor and the adjustment period will once again begin. But the nice part is, I know the individual that is buying the house. He and his wife will be moving in during the next few months and he's someone that I hung out at school with - most notably during my senior year of high school. He's a good natured, honest individual that I know will take care of things over there. I know that he is not really a confrontational person and I have never seen him get very angry at anyone. Knowing this, it pleases me that he will become the owner of the property next door. He'll be someone I can visit (besides my parents) whenever I make the trek home on my days off.
It'll be interesting to see what he does with the place. The previous owner took great care of the property while she was alive. The year before she died, my dad pointed out to her a maple tree that was severely rotted and had the potential to fall on her home and cause serious damage. Not soon afterwards, she had a tree cutting service come in and cut down not only that tree, but two others. One of the other trees was this ugly looking white pine that rose many feet in the air and was 15 feet from our house. We always disliked this tree and even though it was real close to the property line (still on her property though), it still posed a threat it we ever got a bad wind storm. So my neighbor agreed to have this tree cut down as well (my dad even said she didn't like that tree). She always maintained the home and the property around it, but the place is in need of additional maintenance. The house will need to be re-painted or re-sided, windows re-painted or replaced, and a new roof installed on the back garage. These are things you notice while a house sits vacant and remains up for sale for many months. I have no doubt in my mind he'll make the place one of the best looking houses in Chatham once again.
In the meantime, nothing has changed. The property next door still looks quiet and unassuming. And with two feet of snow on the ground, the new neighbors probably won't be officially moved in for awhile yet. However, it won't be long until my family gets accustomed to having a next door neighbor once again.
April 28, 2005
You know, there's a certain song re-made a few years back by the Counting Crows called "Big Yellow Taxi." There's a line that goes "you don't know what you got 'till it's gone." Well it seems to me that line couldn't ring any truer yesterday and today. Our next door neighbor of 30 years (ever since my parents lived in our house) passed away yesterday morning. I wouldn't say we were extremely close neighbors, but we did help her out a lot and she was always kind and courteous to us whenever we saw her. Ever since I can remember, I've seen her mowing her lawn, hanging clothes, driving her car in and out of the garage, shoveling snow off the roof, walking down the driveway to get the newspaper, sitting on her front porch...and the list goes on. But suddenly, it's no more. Needless to say, she was old (83) and had increasing health problems over the years. In the last year, she had too many health problems that ultimately lead to her death. But it's not easy saying goodbye. Our faithful neighbor of so many years will no longer be there next door. That person to call in case we ever had any problems. Eventually we'll have to get used to the idea of having a new neighbor living next door; and it's completely unfathomable right now. So is the thought of that house staying empty until we get a new neighbor. There's so a lot of uncertainy, a lot of anxiousness, and really lots of reflextion. Our neighborhood is changing by the years and there's nothing to stop it. People move in and out; people die and people are born. It's actually the story of life, and it's occuring within my neighborhood. At least I can say I hold a lot of memories of my neighbor - all of them happy ones. At least nobody can take my memories away.
I bring this up because nearly after two years, it appears we are finally getting a new neighbor. I remember how empty and quiet the house next door and its yard seemed during that spring and summer after the neighbor lady died. It was an awkward time - and an even more startling thought then was fathoming us having a new neighbor. It just seemed totally impossible! But as the months went on, my family grew accustomed to it. Now, we are used to not having a neighbor and the adjustment period will once again begin. But the nice part is, I know the individual that is buying the house. He and his wife will be moving in during the next few months and he's someone that I hung out at school with - most notably during my senior year of high school. He's a good natured, honest individual that I know will take care of things over there. I know that he is not really a confrontational person and I have never seen him get very angry at anyone. Knowing this, it pleases me that he will become the owner of the property next door. He'll be someone I can visit (besides my parents) whenever I make the trek home on my days off.
It'll be interesting to see what he does with the place. The previous owner took great care of the property while she was alive. The year before she died, my dad pointed out to her a maple tree that was severely rotted and had the potential to fall on her home and cause serious damage. Not soon afterwards, she had a tree cutting service come in and cut down not only that tree, but two others. One of the other trees was this ugly looking white pine that rose many feet in the air and was 15 feet from our house. We always disliked this tree and even though it was real close to the property line (still on her property though), it still posed a threat it we ever got a bad wind storm. So my neighbor agreed to have this tree cut down as well (my dad even said she didn't like that tree). She always maintained the home and the property around it, but the place is in need of additional maintenance. The house will need to be re-painted or re-sided, windows re-painted or replaced, and a new roof installed on the back garage. These are things you notice while a house sits vacant and remains up for sale for many months. I have no doubt in my mind he'll make the place one of the best looking houses in Chatham once again.
In the meantime, nothing has changed. The property next door still looks quiet and unassuming. And with two feet of snow on the ground, the new neighbors probably won't be officially moved in for awhile yet. However, it won't be long until my family gets accustomed to having a next door neighbor once again.
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