HouseNoob

I can't believe its already been 10 days since I have posted. School has been a whirlwind with 2 tests and a paper in that time frame with another test and paper in the next 10 days to boot. But, things are moving along nicely!!! Well sort of, there is one last thing we are holding our breath for.  Last weekend we completed the inspection. We found some stuff we weren't expecting, some small, some medium, some big deal.  Some stuff needs to get painted because of chipped/peeling paint, but we expected that. Thankfully it isn't much: 2 interior windows, the deck, and the shed in the backyard.  Cast iron waste pipe needs to be replaced. We weren't expecting that. The cost to replace it is more labor than anything, because it gets replaced with PVC. Not sure if the seller is planning to do this himself or hire this out.  Missing gutters. This is important to me because I/we can't DIY that. I mean maybe my dad could, but, eeeehh no thanks. Reason its important i

This morning, my agent let me know that the seller was going to accept our offer minus a few appliances, and that we should have the contract by end of day! So basically exactly what they asked for. We are getting the regular electric stove and the coal pellet stove. She let me know around 7:30/8 this morning and even though the girls had a two hour delay there was no way I was going back to sleep! Waiting the rest of the day wasn't too bad. Got the girls off to school. bought the money order for the earnest money deposit, and went to my good friend's house where I spent most of the afternoon, talking and drinking wine. We may or may have not taken a drive past the house in a bit of a stalker mode.  However, it is now almost 11 PM and my agent hasn't received the contract yet. All I can hope for is that we get it some time tomorrow, because I schedule the inspection for 11 AM Saturday! I must remember to bring the tape measure with me.  I'm stuck between elation,

Ugh, I am so behind on life. School got cancelled for Sunshine and thank goodness for me too. I was supposed to be doing prepwork for nursing school last night, but I instead was scrolling through Pinterest on searching for ideas and inspiration. Yep, on a house that I do not yet have. I have SO many projects planned for this space already, I can't even decide what's first. So, the lender approval we were waiting for came through yesterday!!!! I managed to half pay attention in class, and while I was on the computer looking up information I got the call. When I was done I literally did a happy dance in my school hallway. No one was watching though. It was the exact loan product we were looking for. Conventional loan, only 3% down, 3% seller assist, and a 2nd loan to help pay for closing costs!! Our total out of pocket costs are less than $2500, and at least half of that will be prepaid in between the earnest money deposit, the inspection, and the appraisal. Unfortunately, t

We just got back from seeing the house again. This time, everyone was there. My dad, my brother, Bella Bear, and Sunshine. I wanted my dad to come because, if I haven't already mentioned this, he is basically an unlicensed contractor, and I wanted his honest opinion.  My dad HATES the bathroom, well, he didn't quite say that outright, but I think it was his biggest issue with the house, and it's nothing urgent. He feels the same about the kitchen. They are both gut jobs for sure. But on the positive side, these are gut jobs that can only increase the value of the house.  I was very pleased to find out that it looks like the drop ceiling was simply a matter of cost/time. The actual ceiling above it looks like its in good condition and can simply be dry-walled down the line. AND there looks like there is sheetrock behind the wood paneling!! HALLELUJAH. In time I know we should be able to remove the paneling and mend and paint the sheetrock. Whether it is an impulsive

OK  lots of blogs posts in one day, I know. But I am filled with so much anxiety I need somewhere to express all this energy. I don't want to blurt this out all over Facebook because well, if this fails, I don't really want all of my business out there.  "Hold up Jen, you don't want to put all your business out there yet you are writing about this on a blog?" Ridiculous I know, but hear me out. No one is reading this right now. This blog, for now, is just my personal journal. And probably by the time I decide to start sharing my blog with friends and Facebook, the home purchase will be complete and it will be more of me cataloging my DIY stuff and house updates.  Back to the post. Our original goal date for closing was April 15 right? So we started looking at houses for the 1st time yesterday. Due to our meager budget, our choices are pretty limited. Before we actually went out, literally a few DAYS prior, there was this one seemingly great house that went on

As I mentioned in the previous post, we had originally wanted to buy a house and move in early June, so that I would be done with school, but for tax reasons, we bumped up the goal date to April 15. F it right? I know that because of our budget, whatever house we buy is going to require some loving attention and updates. So, whatever, Ill move stressfully during the my semester so that I can have more of the summer updating my house (DIY heart of mine be still!!). So, I started sending out paperwork right after New Year's for preapproval. It hurts my heart a little to keep seeing my credit score take small dings because of all the credit checks, but if there is anything that is important to shop around for its a mortgage right? Due to the location we were originally looking at, we were going to go with a lender that offered 0% down. But that house got sold and our other target areas were not eligible for that loan. So far I had really enjoyed my experience with that lender. She d

Hi! I am Jen. Along with my hubs Tony, we have 2 girls, B-Bear and Sunshine. At 30, my life is no where, I mean NO WHERE I imagined I would be. Back in school and living in a small 2 bedroom apartment and hosting my brother for an indefinite amount of time.  Tony and I have always wanted to buy a house since we moved to PA in 2014. First, we were going to buy a 2 family house with my mom but that went sideways very quickly. Then we were going to wait until I finished school. And we still might have, but my girls are getting bigger, and my brother moved in with us. He currently lives/sleeps on the sofa in my living room. My living room which is open to both my "dining room" , my laundry closet, and my kitchen. Plus I work from home, and my "office" is also in my living room, which is also where my kids play 90% of the time. So, as days have gotten colder here in lovely Northeast PA and my kids spend ZERO time outside I have been feeling increasing claustrophobic. W