tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7351270461857534232011-12-22T19:43:49.088-05:00Follow us as we go through the trials and joys of selling one house and building another!Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.comBlogger591100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-15908684205391411292008-12-07T22:05:00.002-05:002008-12-07T22:08:03.042-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-24242375134743845982008-10-07T08:26:00.003-04:002008-10-07T08:33:20.828-04:00

It's no secret that I love the fall season.This time of year always makes me smile.So while there may be tons of unpacking to be done, I did find time to decorate outside.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-59990792580374561512008-10-03T00:59:00.000-04:002008-10-03T15:02:05.685-04:00

This may be my favorite room in the house.Dad2Amara freehand part of the castle and stenciled part of it.But no matter what, it's a great little girl room.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-86897936114162088992008-10-03T00:03:00.002-04:002008-10-04T22:01:38.363-04:00

The new washer and dryer have been running literally nonstop since we moved in.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-16482359575868155322008-10-03T00:01:00.002-04:002008-10-03T15:05:26.239-04:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-24891817681747054982008-10-03T00:00:00.001-04:002008-10-03T15:01:39.589-04:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-48337459243464285942008-10-02T23:59:00.005-04:002008-10-04T22:00:41.809-04:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-15978550417066049582008-10-02T23:59:00.004-04:002008-10-03T15:00:48.963-04:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-42172889799601119762008-10-02T23:57:00.002-04:002008-10-03T14:58:40.842-04:00

We have a long way to go decorating. But it's ours.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-40248059524376562672008-09-17T23:13:00.002-04:002008-09-17T23:25:42.819-04:00

5 days until we do our final walk thru with the builder.9 days until we get our keys.12 days until we are officially moved in.I haven't posted lately because I no longer have access to the inside of the Grey House. And that means no pictures.But here's the quick update.My lighting fixtures are in.The garage door openers have been installed.I have bought our new washer and dryer.We picked up a new

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-21239405673028453662008-09-01T20:58:00.003-04:002008-09-01T21:12:39.894-04:00

I always knew I wanted subway tiles.This is the view from the kitchen into the family room. I love the view. I love the hardwood floors.And no, this isn't part of the kitchen but it's the half bath next to the kitchen. And I love how the flooring looks with the wall color.Yeah, I love a lot about the Grey House.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-73904684498584738642008-08-26T22:21:00.003-04:002008-08-26T22:25:33.328-04:00

We're still not in the new house. But the school bus picks Amara up from there. So while hanging out, we took a peek into the construction process.They have started our flooring in the Grey House.I am infatuated with our hardwoods.And the tile in our master bath looks better than I expected.But I will admit, I am not loving the bathroom countertops.The subway tile for our kitchen backsplash are

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-3206309492463748392008-08-25T21:53:00.002-04:002008-08-25T22:03:22.705-04:00

Dad2Amara and I attended the first of our final two walk throughs.And when I heard "final," I thought that meant we were nearing the end of the construction process.Not so much.The site superintendent informed me we were 6 to 8 weeks away from completion.That's two weeks after what I had always hoped would be my move in date.So now we must extend our lease on our temporary housing.And my dream of

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-87544718493333410192008-08-11T22:39:00.001-04:002008-08-11T23:12:56.393-04:00

We got inside the house.I can't tell you how until after we have possession of the keys. But let me tell you. I'm amazed at how easy it was.Here's the kitchen. As much as I complained, I do like my Cardell cabinets.I couldn't get a good look at the fireplace from the outside. But from the inside, I love it too.Amara of course loves the beginnings of her pink castle-themed room.And her love of the

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-14618266375349415132008-08-09T10:00:00.003-04:002008-08-09T10:16:03.941-04:00

The stone's up. We have a driveway.The doorway they had to rip down and rebuild because I hated how it looked. (And it wasn't done according to Dad2Amara's blueprints.) The development's landscaping is going in. And while it's fuzzy because I couldn't use a flash taking the picture through the window, here's the start of my kitchen cabinets.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-72201619319395298362008-08-05T15:00:00.001-04:002008-11-17T05:34:56.779-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-18534916753501547672008-07-27T22:30:00.004-04:002008-11-17T05:34:57.175-05:00

The Grey House is starting to really come together.The siding is nearly complete. We're just waiting for the stone.And I love the copper above my front door.All of our inspections have been given the "green" light.(We were let into the house by the painter this past weekend...just in case you're wondering how I got in.)

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-32928304119398794532008-07-27T22:29:00.002-04:002008-11-17T05:34:57.567-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-13164728847152247862008-07-27T22:28:00.000-04:002008-11-17T05:34:57.842-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-69997527993177011732008-07-20T17:55:00.001-04:002008-07-20T17:56:05.342-04:00

...because we can't break in. (We tried.)But apparently we now have most of the house drywalled.We're getting closer...

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-30599741968836806402008-07-14T21:33:00.003-04:002008-11-17T05:35:00.359-05:00

My luck must be changing.After a few weeks of feeling like the world is pitted against me, today we literally opened a new door.When building, the construction site is technically off limits.But Dad2Amara turned the knob to our side door and found it was unlocked.And in walked all three of us to see the progress on the Grey House.Here's the view from the kitchen into the family room. See my

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-4343134467853408152008-07-09T22:08:00.004-04:002008-11-17T05:35:00.622-05:00

We're building a house. Yet I went two weeks without even visiting the construction site.And that would be why I haven't posted here for a bit.The last few days have been filled with our move out of the Yellow House and into the new apartment.I hadn't seen Amara's bedroom empty since we had first moved into the Yellow House. It seriously brought tears to my eyes. It was the only emotion I felt

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-70725792413984616092008-06-30T23:56:00.004-04:002008-11-17T05:35:00.929-05:00

Ask anyone. Amara's excited to move to the new house. Even if it means a pit stop in an apartment.But that doesn't mean the move has to be easy on a child.Amara has her moments where the term "moving" means nothing.Last night I packed up her bookcase. And she cried because she believed she'd no longer have books for a bedtime story.So I've come up with a few tips that have helped us get Amara

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-54864558368720376412008-06-22T22:53:00.003-04:002008-11-17T05:35:01.311-05:00

Our realtor put this up this weekend. Good thing considering this is what my living room looks like. We're swimming in boxes for the upcoming move.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-47874864341508113992008-06-21T01:17:00.002-04:002008-11-17T05:35:01.758-05:00

It actually looks like a house now. Our front door. The kitchen.The staircase off the family room.Amara and Dad2Amara standing in her bedroom closet.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-12542912271376756402008-06-14T13:55:00.001-04:002008-06-15T00:49:25.547-04:00

No one should ever expect the home building process to be a smooth one.Like any other large project, there will be bumps in the road.Once the strong winds knocked down the framing, I knew that opened the door for more issues to arise. We got the call that my master bathroom tile has been discontinued. The tile that helped guide my decision on countertops and cabinetry. The tile that was the

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-48465460463399343532008-06-12T08:50:00.002-04:002008-11-17T05:35:02.364-05:00

Well, as my friend Susan put it, the big bad wolf came.He huffed and puffed and blew part of the new house down.Earlier in the week, a very excited Dad2Amara called my cell. The builder had framed out our second floor. The house was moving along.So that evening after dinner in a rainstorm, we drove past the house only to find that the winds had knocked down the second floor framing.But our

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-42038773420873475612008-06-09T08:16:00.002-04:002008-11-17T05:35:02.837-05:00

Because we had the entire family together to celebrate Amara's birthday, we made a stop at the new house to show off the progress that's been made to date.Lola and Lolo2Amara joined us. So did Grandma and Grandpa2Amara.The builder is really moving. They've finished framing the first floor.Too bad for them Dad2Amara is an architect. He already found a mistake with the framing (the space above the

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-24205618478389639292008-06-05T21:53:00.001-04:002008-11-17T05:35:03.396-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-14407446252895171562008-06-03T06:14:00.000-04:002008-11-17T05:35:03.762-05:00

They haven't even framed out the house. But I was already asked to choose our lighting.It's difficult to choose what fixtures I'd like in each room when I haven't picked out color schemes yet.One day I like something more modern. Other times, I want a traditional look.So I was left to choose something that can encompass both styles.And I think I did OK.Our builder allows us to choose fixtures all

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-65260547307975783672008-06-02T05:46:00.000-04:002008-11-17T05:35:04.005-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-338322331533444982008-06-01T08:51:00.000-04:002008-11-17T05:35:04.093-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-71814116545416510232008-05-31T19:09:00.002-04:002008-11-17T05:35:04.233-05:00

Building the new house is exciting.But since it won't be completed until September, selling the Yellow House this week meant having to find temporary housing for a month and a half. Maybe longer.The Yellow House has just about 1900 square feet.Our living quarters between the Yellow House and the new one? Take a look -- Our living space has been cut nearly in half.We're cramped to begin with. Too

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-62907567277076518562008-05-29T01:35:00.000-04:002008-05-29T01:46:12.711-04:00

After several rounds of offers and counter offers, Dad2Amara and I are pleased to announce that we close on July 11th!While we still have a few steps to go to make it final, I've learned many things during this whole house selling process.One, I didn't hate the Yellow House. I started to cry when I heard the realtor on the phone say the counter offer was accepted. All I think of were images of me

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-4834452129505632692008-05-28T21:31:00.002-04:002008-05-28T21:35:10.369-04:00

The buyers hit us with an offer.Our listing price meant we weren't even breaking even. But I could pretend to be happy.Dad2Amara and I dropped our original price $10,000 Thursday. So now we're in the hole.The buyers hit us with an offer $7,000 less than the current price.So we countered.They've come back with another offer.And now Dad2Amara is crunching numbers. I'm just hoping we won't lose too

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-54493868149198911722008-05-28T19:21:00.000-04:002008-05-28T19:22:38.239-04:00

I don't know what it is yet. But Dad2Amara is on the phone. And it sounds better than the last couple's bid.((Fingers crossed!))

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-62265377411645639032008-05-27T15:08:00.001-04:002008-05-27T15:23:30.208-04:00

I look like a homeless person in need of shelter.I got a call three hours ago, asking if the couple from Saturday could see our house a second time.Sure. No problem. Let me just drop everything, leave work, and get right on that.So I make it home with an hour to spare. I vacuum. I dust. I put away laundry. I run the dishwasher.With 15 minutes left, I decide I could scrub the hardwoods. That was,

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-85834138988335626312008-05-27T06:40:00.000-04:002008-11-17T05:35:04.630-05:00

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-59952528580984841442008-05-26T06:35:00.001-04:002008-05-26T06:35:01.477-04:00

Who knew we'd ever get to this point.After impatiently watching the Yellow House sit on the market for 51 days, we have received numerous offers.Two offers.We kinda expected the first offer. It hasn't come through yet because they're still shopping around for a mortgage. But their realtor assures us we'll have one soon.I was so surprised though when after Sunday's showing we were told the

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-76640528019543613812008-05-25T11:39:00.002-04:002008-05-25T11:50:41.903-04:00

Dad2Amara may have disagreed at first to reduce our listing price. But I think he may be singing a different tune now.We dropped the price Thursday.We got two requests for showings Friday - one Saturday, the other Sunday.The realtor called this morning.The first couple wants to make an offer.I knew the Yellow House was pretty. I knew someone would like it.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-72776005739446730082008-05-23T11:12:00.001-04:002008-05-24T11:45:34.043-04:00

Ouch.Housing sales in April dropped 18-percent compared to the same month last year.Couple that with the fact the Yellow House has been on the market for what feels like ages -- Dad2Amara and I agreed to drop our house price $10,000.Dad2Amara fought me on it. He wanted to wait to drop the price. He also only wanted to drop the price $5,000.But I disagreed.There were many things I considered

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-70273257523760658622008-05-21T21:24:00.003-04:002008-11-17T05:35:05.193-05:00

Not only did the good home builders keep their word on our dig date.But they also wasted no time in filling the foundation.When we built the Yellow House, let's say it wasn't the smoothest ride with our builder. We were given promises that took several weeks longer to fulfill.So with this new builder, Dad2Amara and I can be nothing but happy.Hopefully this means only good things to come.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-30080674927977879512008-05-19T05:34:00.001-04:002008-11-17T05:35:05.312-05:00

It's a big day for Amara's family.See the excavator?It can only mean one thing: we're breaking ground on the new house!

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-17101842028933409982008-05-18T09:57:00.009-04:002008-11-17T05:35:05.565-05:00

Our family spends a lot of time in the kitchen. It's the hub of our household. So I have a pretty good idea as to what kind of kitchen I want in our new house.When the cabinet folks told Dad2Amara that our appointment would take two hours, I laughed.Dad2Amara and I knew what type of cabinets we wanted. We even had the color down pat. All we'd have to consider was the cabinetry for the bathrooms.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-44973235218383949042008-05-15T19:32:00.001-04:002008-05-15T19:38:24.982-04:00

Dad2Amara called with some disappointing news.A house on our street sold.And it wasn't the Yellow House.We realized that the Yellow House has now been on the market for 40 days. A lot can happen in 40 days.It rained on Noah.Josh Hartnett abstained from sex.And the Yellow House sat on the market.Why don't people like our house? I'm starting to take it personally.Is my house just designed with too

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-73431437721181331832008-05-10T15:22:00.002-04:002008-05-10T15:22:59.405-04:00

What do you think about cabinets and flooring this color for our new kitchen?

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-24342129394488488372008-05-10T08:31:00.003-04:002008-11-17T05:35:05.733-05:00

Seriously. The last thing I thought I would be stressing about during the entire home building process is what faucet should go with what sink.But I am.We decided to stay with what's standard for Amara's bathroom. It's from Moen's Eva collection.But I feel funny choosing something that's standard.Say "standard," and many clients may think that the features are made of the cheapest materials and

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-43512613527801740882008-05-08T20:38:00.000-04:002008-05-08T20:42:59.600-04:00

We may have not sold the Yellow House yet.But we have a dig date.11 days from now we will begin our journey towards completing the Grey House.But before that, we must make more decisions about cabinetry, floors, and paint. Nothing like moving at lightning speed.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-45465794552049694122008-05-03T21:59:00.002-04:002008-05-03T22:14:21.385-04:00

I thought I'd always be happy to hear that someone wants to see the Yellow House.But last night, I received a phone call from Centralized Showing, the company that takes care of scheduling our house appointments. It was 8:45. I ran but got to the phone too late. It went into voicemail.I immediately called them back.And you know what? No answer.What?!?!Apparently they close at 8 p.m. but they had

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-1701497215618419582008-04-26T15:31:00.003-04:002008-04-26T16:14:01.287-04:00

After weeks of silence on the home building front, Dad2Amara and I are finally getting into what I truly enjoy about house construction: the selection process.I believe one of the most important decisions a home buyer will make during the custom building process surrounds the exterior of the home.Guests will drive up to your home and will begin to formulate an opinion on your home based on its

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-16077569232950576122008-04-21T21:49:00.002-04:002008-04-21T21:57:10.180-04:00

So 72 hours after a second showing of the Yellow House, still no offers.Dad2Amara has an awful feeling that the potential buyers have passed on buying our lovely abode.Me? I'm still optimistic.Maybe they're still pondering exactly how they will make an offer.A buyer has plenty to consider when buying a house. Sale price. In this weak economy, how much should a buyer offer to buy? Note to buyer:

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-61675028356261492282008-04-20T17:35:00.003-04:002008-04-20T18:00:47.440-04:00

Our realtor reassures us every day that the market is taking a turn for the better. She says buyers are out there. And she insists that the Yellow House is the nicest one in the area. But I have my doubts. I've seen many houses sit with an MLS for months.So we put the Yellow House on the market way earlier than most people would suggest.Susan commented a few days ago, questioning what we would do

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-6348155315732331082008-04-16T16:30:00.000-04:002008-04-16T16:33:05.470-04:00

Even with me being out of town, the house selling show must go on.And I just got the request for a second showing of the Yellow House!!It's going to happen while I'm in California. But I have faith Dad2Amara will have the house in tip top shape.How exciting!

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-9496056763245077562008-04-15T08:59:00.001-04:002008-04-15T09:01:06.456-04:00

Two showings our first weekend on the market.And no offers yet on the table.I'm bummed.Unrealistic? Probably. But I'm still bummed.

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-48452706100746173852008-04-12T20:47:00.000-04:002008-04-12T20:52:41.367-04:00

With all the talk of recession and slow house sales, I knew for sure the Yellow House would be on the market forever.Or so I thought.I got a call this morning asking to show our house Sunday.Two showings in one day...six days after putting it on the market?Maybe it's Saint Joseph. Or maybe it's because our realtor used the same "for sale" sign in our yard that she used in my friends'. (They sold

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-83349420283122378032008-04-11T21:42:00.002-04:002008-04-11T22:20:47.289-04:00

The Yellow House has been on the market for less than a week.Saint Joseph has been in the ground for 48 hours.And I'm sick and tired of cleaning our house each night.But we've been asked to show our house on Sunday morning!After an exhausting week, the last thing I want to do is vacuum. Or dust. But I know I have to. Because you never know when a potential buyer will want to take a look.So I fuss

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-50151230734447062082008-04-08T20:35:00.002-04:002008-11-17T05:35:05.982-05:00

The financing papers have been signed.And the bank has sent over our appraisal information. All that's left is for us to sell the Yellow House!

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-89727967843929281522008-04-07T21:46:00.005-04:002008-11-17T05:35:06.337-05:00

My girlfriend, Susan just sold her house. And she credits the sale - in part - to Saint Joseph.With this real estate market, I'll try anything.So she gave me her Saint Joseph statue to bury.But I freaked out when I couldn't find the instructions for it.Was it supposed to be buried in the front yard? Or was it upside down in the backyard?I could hear myself cursing a religious statue. Not a good

Mom2Amaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735127046185753423.post-87912907054984281622008-04-06T20:23:00.003-04:002008-11-17T05:35:06.675-05:00

The house goes on the market tomorrow.And the home building process begins again.Five years ago, Dad2Amara and I built the Yellow House. Dad2Amara was convinced buying a home in a mediocre area would be better than plunking down another month's rent.So we signed the paperwork for a home in a neighborhood with an alright school district. But it was OK because we weren't planning on starting a

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