Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Hunting of the House: Day 3



Ever notice how house hunting is like speed dating?

I've never really done either, but they seem essentially the same. Trying to make a long-term commitment decision based on a 3 to 8 minute physical assesment.

You've got your pre-reqs, of course. Must be at least four bedrooms. (At least 5'10".) Prefer an office and dining room. (Have a steady job and good manners.) Basement would be ideal, allowing room for family growth. (Good with kids, Mom must like him.)

But seriously? The house can meet every bullet on your list, and still be wrong. But you won't know it til you move in. (No one ever tells you on the first date that they are incapable of putting dirty laundry in the hamper.)

Maybe there's a bully across the street. Or a meanie teacher at the elementary school. Perhaps there's scorpions burrowing in the backyard (eek!) or the local ward needs a new bishop (ahem.)

They just don't put the REALLY neccessary information on the MLS listing sheet.

Because buying a house isn't just about where you're going to sleep at night. This decision will determine your social circle, your children's friends and education, and can even affect your health.

All crammed into a week of frantic in-and-out-of-the-car, taking pictures of everything and reading between the lines on the listing sheets.

No pressure or anything.

(And incredibly, amazingly, miraculously - I really did marry the right guy. I didn't even really know it at the time. Not like I do now. And I do. Know. He was custom made for me. And I get him for much longer than a 30 year mortgage.)

37 comments:

Head Nurse or Patient- you be the judge said...

AWESOME ANALOGY! I love it! Hope you find that match made in House Hunting Heaven- Wish you were moving to Utah- though-

Jan said...

Glad you got the right guy. It makes life so much sweeter. He must have matched the sofa, right?

Kristina P. said...

Finding the right guy is pretty much 90% of the battle.

Lara Neves said...

Any house works as long as the right guy is living with you, right?

But seriously, I am totally with you. I hate looking for a house because so much more matters than just the house!

gina said...

So funny; my hubby and I were just talking about how strange it is that we purchase a house after looking at it for a few minutes. I mean, you spend more time in a car you are thinking about buying! How odd. Too bad you can't do the whole sleep in the house for a night thing like they do on tv.

Erin said...

We had exactly 48 hours to look for, find, put an offer on, and purchase a house (ie sign on the dotted line). And we did it! Thankfully, the Spirit was involved. Once we were guided to know which house we should purchase, the rest of it was so much easier. Good luck!

Melonie said...

You know, that cartoon really speaks to me. My first husband didn't match my sofa. That should've been a clue....... muahaha

That said - good luck with the house hunting. It's never easy....but hopefully you'll find a wonderful home.

charrette said...

I can SO relate to the harried house-hunting. I think we saw 30 houses in four days! But I'm sending you this link to remind you there's a light (and a clear answer) at the end of the tunnel. Wishing you guidance...

http://divergentpathways.blogspot.com/2008/10/ghostsin-three-acts-iii.html

Kathy P said...

You will find it... dont' worry. How is Mr. Squishy holding up???

Deb said...

If you've got the right guy, you can totally overcome the bad house. Or anything else.

Liz said...

That's where prayer comes in. You pray that the Lord will lead you to the right house and then you move forward in faith! (says the person who's husband has been commuting for 8 months, 4 hours each way, every weekend, from another state!)

Lana said...

agony! Hopefully you'll find a great fit!!

janae said...

Oddly enough, I'm completely jealous of you right now. House hunting is no fun, I know it. I've done it before. But right now I'd give almost anything to be in your we-got-a-job shoes!! :)

Kazzy said...

So true... it's all about the environment. When we bought our first house we were coming from life in downtown LA and the main thing on our list was a neighborhood where the kids could run outside and play. The house we could make our own.

Best of luck. Love the comic!

Rachel H said...

How this for a good hubby- mine agreed to buy ours without EVER stepping one foot into it...only seeing pics on the internet (we house-stalked it online for at least 6 months!)!! I saw it ONCE. That fact that it turned out to be the PERFECT house for us was- basically- a divinely guided miracle.

Unknown said...

Buying a house is a BIG deal...so much to consider. It's all about location...from what I hear...:)

Tobi said...

I never could bring myself to buy a house. Too much commitment. My honey bunches of love was a no-brainer. Of course I want this man for time and all eternity.

Whitney R said...

Isn't that great that they really are custom made for you? What a great way to put it. It's so true.

I hope you find the house for you in the next week! Throw yourself into the looking! It will be tyring,I'm sure, but hopefully out of the 50 you see one of those will feel right.

Wonder Woman said...

Pray, pray, pray. God knows where He needs you to be. And chances are there is more than one home that is a good fit, and that you could have a happy life with. (Kinda like men.)

But there is *one* that will make you especially happy. I hope you find it soon!

I know that you don't have a lot of time, but my parents looked for home for THREE YEARS before their perfect home came on the market. And it *didn't meet* all my mom's requirements. But we walked in and knew it was where we were supposed to be.

It will happen for you, too. Good luck, girlie.

Head Nurse or Patient- you be the judge said...

HEY! My sister's inlaws are selling a house in Apache Junction. It has 4 bedrooms and a den/office. It is about 20 min from Phoenix if that is the neck of the woods you are in- email me!

Megan said...

Best wishes for a smooth process!

We just bought our first home in November. It was the last item in the owners' divorce so we had to fight to get it (to end their marriage, their struggles, etc). We had to offer full price and jump through their hoops... but we got it! And it's been wonderful! When I walked in, it was my home. I knew it. And I couldn't let it go. Even though the floorplans in the neighborhood are the same, this one felt like home. (If you want to see it, you can search the blog for it... "Welcome" might be a good keyword.)

J. Baxter said...

For some reason house hunting always sounds really fun to me.

Maybe that's because my house is almost one hundred years old, and it's showing - despite EIGHT YEARS of remodeling!!!

Becky said...

So true. When we were looking, we really liked the house at the end of our street. It was perfect. Good location, good size, had a garage, new-ish... And on and on. It was a little pricey, so we passed, and I'm so glad we did. Apparently, the local high schoolers are ALWAYS using the yard as a shortcut - we'd have had unwelcome visitors all the time. Whew.

jess said...

Sometimes you just have to trust your instinct... I met my husband, got engaged, bought a house, and got married (in that order) in 4 months time.. Thank goodness the Lord answers our prayers when we need it the most ;)

Elizabeth said...

Not that you need more advice or anything, but here's mine (:P): 1. Don't buy it if you don't get the Spirit's okay. 2. Don't look for something you're totally in love with. Look for a good buy (this is advice from my Realtor friend.) Will it do? Will it hold resale value? You don't have to live in this house for the next 30 years (although you can.) Think how long you want to be there. Go over that with your mortgage broker, too.

Good luck. The Lord's got the right house, neighborhood, ward, schools, and social network all lined up for you. You just have to do the legwork to show Him you're willing to work for it. He'll drop it in your lap when it's time. (Maybe he already has by now.) *hugs* (If you can, call me while you're still in the country, or something. Maybe.)

The Motherboard said...

What a fun adventure. You get to reinvent yourselves! (great analogy!)

Rachel Sue said...

Continuing (sp?) on with your analogy, I would have to say that renting is really like dating. You're in a house and learning what to like and what not to like about homes and features, but you're not committed. YOu can still get out of it pretty easily. That way when you go in to the whole house hunting/speed dating experience you know what to look for.

We are in what I would call a starter marriage with this house. I don't hate it, but there are so many things that I would change about it. Things that I could have never realized by just looking at a house. At least it's not as bad as our first apartment. *shudder*

Good luck finding a home.

Jocelyn Christensen said...

You are such an A-MAZ-ing writer!

elesa said...

I love the comparison. Sometimes it seems like everything is a metaphor for getting married.

Sharon said...

I don't know where you're looking in AZ, but I have to tell you that this is the BEST time to buy an Arizona home in the history of house-buying. You should get a totally smoking deal. So go in with that expectation, because any seller would know that, too.

Shawn said...

I can imagine that it is also hard finding a house in a desert, after you have lived in a jungle? :)


Good luck!

Stephanie said...

House hunting is exhilarating and exhausting. My only advice is to pay close attention to your gut instinct. When a house just feels right, it probably is. :)

Katrina said...

very clever, you are. nice analogy. long distance house hunting (and relationships) are the worst.

Brittany Ann said...

PERFECT! You are a crack up! House hunting is extremely hard, we had such a hard time with it. But we were so blessed, 'cause just like our marriage (and yours) our house is a perfect fit. Happy House Hunting!

nikkicrumpet said...

I know your pain. When I moved to New England I had exactly 5 days to find a house. 5 DAYS! Like it's even possible to find the perfect house that fast....and we didn't lol. Had to find it 4 years later and sale the lemon house. Good luck I hope you find your dream boat!

Melanie Jacobson said...

I'm commitment phobic which is my husband's all in a tizzy to buy a bigger house and I'm dragging my feet as slowly as possible. For the exact reasons you mentioned.

Anonymous said...

Comparing speed dating and house hunting made me chuckle, but it's true. The problem with most people is that when they see some glamorous house for the taking, they quickly jump on it and buy it, only to find out that there's something wrong after a couple of days. Making a list of specifications and enforcing a budget cap would help ease these problems and make house hunting easier. Also, seeking out professional help isn't a bad idea either.

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