Hunting and Gathering

So, we've decided to move.

Well, we always knew we were going to move eventually, because having a condo is great and all, but we both want our kids to have the yard and neighborhood experiences that we had. But neither of us were expecting to decide to move now. As in, within the next few months. The calls have been made to the handyman for painting and minor repairs, our Realtor has been hired, and the house should (ohpleaseohpleaseohplease) be on the market by the end of the month. Holy cow.

I've always been a real estate junkie, searching for homes in the areas that I wish we could live (darn you, Davidson County schools) and in the areas where we will end up (Hello, suburbs!). But knowing that we are going to actually buy a house has made this hobby turn into an obsession. I spend hours every day on websites, changing my search criteria to see if something different will pop up, scouring pictures, tax records, plat maps, and deed histories. I feel like that C (or a D, I can't remember) in my college real estate class means nothing anymore. If only I had known then that I would be able to afford real estate someday, I might have paid more attention. That was the only class I ever got less than a B in, but as my friend Lauren said to me at the time, "You might do better if you actually tried, you know." No one has ever accused me of being an over-achiever.

So in all this hunting, I have gathered quite a few houses that I want to see. Some are just for curiosity, others I see as true potential homes for us. And typically I am surprised by what I see. The ones I love on paper turn out to be disappointing, and the ones I think are just ho-hum end up blowing me away. I have seen quite a few already that I could totally live in, but my husband is much harder to please. That probably has something to do with the fact that he's the one actually paying the mortgage, but who knows. I'm just grateful that he loves to look like I do and that we have a Realtor (hi, Josh!) who is the husband's best friend and therefore will take us to see whatever we want. It also doesn't hurt that he's a teacher and can spend his whole afternoon with us doing nothing but driving and walking through houses.

Today, Josh and I are headed over to see what I think could quite possibly be the house I've been looking for all this time. At least, that's what the pictures tell me. It's one acre, in a great school district, with all the things I want (open floor plan, nice bedrooms, and a fence) and the things the husband wants (media room, great chef's kitchen). I'm trying not to get emotionally involved in this house before I even see it, but I think I have already failed. Wish us luck!