The perfect house

[DawnM]

doesn't 't really exist......sigh.

We have been looking for a while.  We have found some very doable houses, but nothing perfect.  So, there will be some settling.  It's ok, I just need to get over it.

So, we are going to make an offer on a house later today.  

Love:

location

pool

privacy 

two rec type rooms for kids....one with pool table! and room to hang out/play games.....one with more of a media room type space.

Plenty of bedrooms

New appliances

Roof and HVAC within the last 3 years replaced

Don't love:

Kitchen......ARGH!  

But in all seriousness, the only houses where I have liked the kitchen end up having other major things I don't like about them.

The kitchen isn't horrible, but the layout of the kitchen is just bugging me.  the island is too big for the space and some of the barstool area is only 30" or so from the fridge so if anyone sits there, you can't get around or into the fridge.

[Momto6inIN]

My DH went through this 16 years ago when we were looking for our current house. I kept telling him the perfect house doesn't exist, there are only nice houses that will work that are in our price range 🙂 And now he loves our house.

Don't worry, soon it won't be a house with a list of pros and cons, it will just be "home" ❤

[Laura Corin]

At some point you can think about rearranging the kitchen.

The things that were a problem about our current house (which we bought fast ten years ago for good reasons) are still a problem and are a factor in our wanting to sell it next year.  Yours sounds like a good choice.

[DawnM]

4 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

At some point you can think about rearranging the kitchen.

The things that were a problem about our current house (which we bought fast ten years ago for good reasons) are still a problem and are a factor in our wanting to sell it next year.  Yours sounds like a good choice.

 

Well the new house doesn't have the GLARING issues our current house had 13 years ago when we bought it anyway!  So there is that.

[Storygirl]

Yes, I know what you mean. We originally said no to this house, because of the kitchen and a few other things. But we had been looking for the perfect house for 11 months and finally had to buy an imperfect one. I will need to replace the kitchen cabinets and counters (horrors!!! --- but they are bad enough that they will be a real turn off for buyers whenever we sell), and we already replaced the appliances.

What we can't do is change the layout, because we aren't willing to invest the amount of money it would take to do that. So the layout will always bug me. And the problem is also the placement of our island. Our kitchen looks very big, but when two or more people work in there, they constantly bump into each other or have to circle the island to avoid each other. And opening the fridge or the dishwasher or ovens blocks the whole space.

I also don't have a pantry at all. When we change the cabinets, I'm hoping to put in some pantry style cabinets.

I really won't ever like this kitchen. And I hate that we're having to pour money into this house to update it. But it has some other nice features. I do still see the pros and cons. I try to focus on the pros, but the cons do still bug me.

 

[Storygirl]

Did you get an offer on your current house, Dawn? You may have said in another thread, but I missed it. I know you were hoping the one couple would come through with one.

Oh wait!! Now I see it in your other thread. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Edited May 27, 2019 by Storygirl

[DawnM]

2 hours ago, Storygirl said:

Did you get an offer on your current house, Dawn? You may have said in another thread, but I missed it. I know you were hoping the one couple would come through with one.

Oh wait!! Now I see it in your other thread. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 

Yes, and it looks like we are making an offer on another house now too.  The owners have moved out (husband moved out 2 years ago for separation/divorce, and wife moved out a couple of months ago), so I am hoping maybe we could work something out to put our stuff in there or the garage instead of renting another storage unit.

The storage unit we have now I have to pay for June at the first of the month, so we will just keep that until the end of June.

[SpecialClassical]

4 hours ago, Storygirl said:

Yes, I know what you mean. We originally said no to this house, because of the kitchen and a few other things. But we had been looking for the perfect house for 11 months and finally had to buy an imperfect one. I will need to replace the kitchen cabinets and counters (horrors!!! --- but they are bad enough that they will be a real turn off for buyers whenever we sell), and we already replaced the appliances.

What we can't do is change the layout, because we aren't willing to invest the amount of money it would take to do that. So the layout will always bug me. And the problem is also the placement of our island. Our kitchen looks very big, but when two or more people work in there, they constantly bump into each other or have to circle the island to avoid each other. And opening the fridge or the dishwasher or ovens blocks the whole space.

I also don't have a pantry at all. When we change the cabinets, I'm hoping to put in some pantry style cabinets.

I really won't ever like this kitchen. And I hate that we're having to pour money into this house to update it. But it has some other nice features. I do still see the pros and cons. I try to focus on the pros, but the cons do still bug me.

 

I totally get this.  My last kitchen was huge, but the island was so big that it made the work area into a galley kitchen.  It was a spec house and I think the builder thought cooks would love that island.  Nope!  We actually bought the house in foreclosure because he couldn't get it sold.

[SKL]

Sounds like a pretty good house.  You don't have to put barstools there just because someone designed it that way.  🙂  What if you repurposed the space?  Sounds like a good place for the trash containers ....

[DawnM]

23 minutes ago, SKL said:

Sounds like a pretty good house.  You don't have to put barstools there just because someone designed it that way.  🙂  What if you repurposed the space?  Sounds like a good place for the trash containers ....

 

Oh no, it is completely visible from the great room, so that wouldn't be attractive.  They have a pull out trash thing.

 

[DawnM]

And I should add......we found lots of fantastic houses OUT of our price range! 😂😏😂

But within our (what I thought was a generous) budget.....not as much.

[Carrie12345]

Even when I play If I Win the Lottery, I can’t find the perfect house.   Great ones, for sure, but not The One!

[PrincessMommy]

It sounds like a winner to me.  I get it about the kitchen.  It's the central part of the house... but it is fixable.  

But, I so agree with you that there isn't a perfect house.   It think it's a good perspective to have.   I had a friend who once built her own house... she did love her "perfect" house, but within a year or two her husband lost his job and they had to move away for a new job.  So, perfect was fleeting.  

 

 

[lmrich]

It is always a compromise. Our new house has more compromises than I would like, but it has really good stuff, too. Best of wishes moving!

[Garga]

Can you get a smaller island?  I don’t have one and don’t know how much they cost, so maybe it’s a huge expense and hassle.  But it sounds like if you got a smaller island, you’d have it good.  

[KidsHappen]

I think we have recently decided that we are already in the perfect house at least for awhile still and we are just going to renovate it. 

[klmama]

I was looking at houses online today, and I think I really did find the perfect house.  Of course, it cost over $2 million, but I guess perfection has its price.  😁  Since that's not in the budget, I need to get back to doing what I can to make this place meet our needs better.

[Liz CA]

I don't really expect to move into a place and not have to change a thing - except for the time when we built and even then you sometimes realize years later that you would do some things differently.

We just got done replacing flooring throughout the new house and there will be other changes as soon as we can move again without pain.

 

[DawnM]

7 hours ago, Garga said:

Can you get a smaller island?  I don’t have one and don’t know how much they cost, so maybe it’s a huge expense and hassle.  But it sounds like if you got a smaller island, you’d have it good.  

 

I am sure someday, but that will require ripping up the tile flooring and redoing it, etc.....so it won't be any time soon.   Honestly, I think if they got rid of the island and just put a long counter at the end of the kitchen, in between the kitchen and great room, it would open up the space and allow for more flow, but that is a huge task and not one I am going to tackle any time soon, if at all.   It is also where the gas line is for the cook top stove and the place where the vent hangs down from the ceiling, so it would be a big task.  I am guessing the island is 4' by at least 8'

 

[DawnM]

And we bought the house!  Back and forth quite a bit last night and FINALLY SOLD around 10pm.  I didn't sleep well.  DH was hyperventilating 🤣 . 

But it is DONE and I think we got a huge bargain, and in my head I am already making changes (DH is cringing!~) . 

Bigger than we thought we could get.  2016 new HVAC systems and new roof (year her EX moved out and agreed to keep paying the bills! 😜) .  $9k worth of new appliance s in the kitchen, literally never used.

Pool in the decent sized backyard (not our current 2.5 acres, but it backs up to a private airstrip so very private).

July 1st baby!~

[PrincessMommy]

Wonderful!!  

Send us photos when you move in. 

[Liz CA]

6 hours ago, DawnM said:

And we bought the house!  Back and forth quite a bit last night and FINALLY SOLD around 10pm.  I didn't sleep well.  DH was hyperventilating 🤣 . 

But it is DONE and I think we got a huge bargain, and in my head I am already making changes (DH is cringing!~) . 

Bigger than we thought we could get.  2016 new HVAC systems and new roof (year her EX moved out and agreed to keep paying the bills! 😜) .  $9k worth of new appliance s in the kitchen, literally never used.

Pool in the decent sized backyard (not our current 2.5 acres, but it backs up to a private airstrip so very private).

July 1st baby!~

 

When you say "sold" and "bought" do you mean you already closed escrow? If so, congrats! I have not been here regularly lately and probably missed some in-between.

[DawnM]

Just now, Liz CA said:

 

When you say "sold" and "bought" do you mean you already closed escrow? If so, congrats! I have not been here regularly lately and probably missed some in-between.

 

I mean we have accepted an offer and the new house has accepted our offer.

Does that mean you don't congratulate me anymore? 😜

[JustEm]

8 minutes ago, DawnM said:

 

I mean we have accepted an offer and the new house has accepted our offer.

Does that mean you don't congratulate me anymore? 😜

 

It is just a different kind of congratulation 🙂 since the stress is not over yet

[DawnM]

1 minute ago, hjffkj said:

 

It is just a different kind of congratulation 🙂 since the stress is not over yet

 

Well, I already feel relieved.  Theirs is a cash offer, so barring any strange unforeseen issues, it is sold!

Edited May 28, 2019 by DawnM

[Liz CA]

3 minutes ago, DawnM said:

 

I mean we have accepted an offer and the new house has accepted our offer.

Does that mean you don't congratulate me anymore? 😜

 

No, it means I have not missed as much as I thought. 🙂 Hope the process goes smoothly for both, selling and buying.

[JustEm]

We found our perfect house, but it took 11 months, 8 of which were spent living in my parents house since we wouldn't buy a house until ours was sold. We had the luxury to be as picky as we wanted and just wait for the right house to come on the market.  This houses only con was that it has oil heat. But that was worth it for the price, number of bedrooms, multiple living areas, kitchen size, that it had a place for my parents to live, the amazing deck, yard, and backing up to woods.

[JustEm]

12 minutes ago, DawnM said:

 

Well, I already feel relieved.  Theirs is a cash offer, so barring any strange unforeseen issues, it is sold!

Yeah, a cash offer does bring more relief than dealing with a loan.

[DawnM]

2 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

Yeah, a cash offer does bring more relief than dealing with a loan.

 

DH and I still need a partial loan but we have pre-approval and will bring around 50% of the home amount to the table after the sale of our house.

[matrips]

13 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

I am sure someday, but that will require ripping up the tile flooring and redoing it, etc.....so it won't be any time soon.   Honestly, I think if they got rid of the island and just put a long counter at the end of the kitchen, in between the kitchen and great room, it would open up the space and allow for more flow, but that is a huge task and not one I am going to tackle any time soon, if at all.   It is also where the gas line is for the cook top stove and the place where the vent hangs down from the ceiling, so it would be a big task.  I am guessing the island is 4' by at least 8'

 

Dawn, any chance you have a photo of the kitchen?  Or can link me to it?  I currently have a counter at the end between the kitchen and family room and hate it.  It disrupts the flow and collects junk.  I want to take that out and instead have a good size island.  So it sounds like I’m trying to do what you want to undo 😂.  Thinking I better see a visual! 🙂

[lynn]

We had basic criteria and if those things worked we could work with the rest.

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, matrips said:

Dawn, any chance you have a photo of the kitchen?  Or can link me to it?  I currently have a counter at the end between the kitchen and family room and hate it.  It disrupts the flow and collects junk.  I want to take that out and instead have a good size island.  So it sounds like I’m trying to do what you want to undo 😂.  Thinking I better see a visual! 🙂

 

I will PM you a picture.

[matrips]

13 minutes ago, DawnM said:

 

I will PM you a picture.

Thanks!

[DawnM]

On 5/27/2019 at 7:39 PM, lmrich said:

It is always a compromise. Our new house has more compromises than I would like, but it has really good stuff, too. Best of wishes moving!

 

I am in the biggest compromise of a house right now.  My husband said we would be here "a couple of years."  Yeah, won't fall for that one again!  

[PrincessMommy]

10 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

I am in the biggest compromise of a house right now.  My husband said we would be here "a couple of years."  Yeah, won't fall for that one again!  

hugs..  I understand.  I was so unhappy at our last house.   We moved out after 7yrs but that was mostly because I pushed hard to move.  Dh tends to be happy wherever.