12/5/2000

Yet another WaSP Press Release, this time expressing hope for the future.
posted 3:21 PM

12/3/2000

So, Heather and I have been house hunting for about six years, in one form or another, but only recently we got serious about it: hired a home buyer's agent, spent the past two months driving around Raleigh looking at some beautiful (and some not-so-beautiful) houses, and generally despaired of ever finding what we wanted. Basically, we wanted a Victorian with fireplace and usable porch, a big kitchen, and enough bedrooms to put up guests (our parents, siblings, and any other visitors from among our online friends). The rest was pretty much optional, but we figured hardwood floors and a clawfoot bathtub would be nice touches.

Anyway, as the last event of what has been a hellacious month, we walked through a house (number four of six that day) that was just what we wanted. An 1871 Victorian in the Federal style, well-maintained, two stories, three bedrooms and three and a half baths, cedar closet, fireplaces in every bedroom and formal rooms (they don't work but we're going to see about fixing them so they do), huge kitchen, wrap-around porch, new screen room on the back, decent sized yard, off-street parking, etc. And it's only two blocks from the Krispy Kreme in Historic Oakwood, in downtown Raleigh.

We went ahead and made an offer, at about 5% below asking, and it was accepted, much to our surprise. We just have to rent the house back to the current occupant for the next month, until her townhouse is ready.

So, needless to say, we're pretty excited. Not to mention amazed at the prospect of becoming property owners after so many years of renting. I was doing the math yesterday and we've already spent more in rent in the past six years than my mother spent on her house in 1974. And what do we have to show for it? A fridge with a broken icemaker, a leaky bathtub enclosure, and worn out indoor/outdoor carpets. Heh.

But no more! Soon, any and all who visit our lovely home in the heart of the South will be greeted by an amiable old fella in seersucker, rocking on a porch and sucking back a mint julep. At least, once it stops snowing and returns to normal around here. :)
posted 1:29 PM