House Hunting

I flew to Georgia to house hunt in person with a wonderful realtor who is also a horsewoman. We checked out the house from my last post that looked like the perfect artist retreat and creative space. I was so excited and nervous about how I would be able to afford this seemingly perfect property that came furnished with a style I liked. It had charm, space for my animals, and a huge barn that could be a studio space. When I got there, I saw the up close and personal details that would not work for me. There were repairs that the family had lived with, perhaps they considered them quirks and learned to ignore them. I saw how the things in the home, hid the flaws and how I would be burdened with cleaning and fixing when they were not there. I knew almost immediately that this was not the property for me. Sure I might have the energy at first to tackle the challenges but how long would it be before the challenges were tackling me? I needed to be realistic. I didn’t want to be owned by my house. The relief I felt as we drove away was alarming. I didn’t know it was stressing me out so much. A weight lifted knowing I would not have to pay more than I really wanted to for the “perfect” property.

Onward with the realtor! We crossed homes off the list after looking at the locations in person. We went in one that I was sure had a major crime happen there in the past 20 years. It had some seriously bad vibes even though it was physically clean. It scared me and I could not get out fast enough. The benefit of meeting in person with my realtor is that she could talk with me and discover what my priorities are. To be honest, I am not sure I knew my priorities until we saw some properties. When I bought my current Texas home 13 years ago, I was coming off of a divorce and it was the best and most affordable of my choices. Then there were three that I liked and I chose well because two of the three were destroyed in the the Bastrop Complex fire in 2011. I have been happy in my Texas home that is just under 1600 square feet. It is small but has a wonderful layout. My neighbors on my street are all wonderful and better than anyone could ever hope for. There is a sense of community there.

Community. Turns out that is important to me. I love my privacy but I like helping people and being able to ask for help. I’d like a little more space in my house. I’d like a yard with easy maintenance. I don’t need to have my horses at home. The freedom of boarding them somewhere would be huge for me. I could travel, I would have people to share horse activities with and I would not be alone working for the horses and rarely riding. Moving to where my sister already lives, will create insta friends for me and community.

So my geographical wish list is as follows: A good community, affordable home preferably no mortgage, job opportunities, and a good place to board my horses.

My house wish list is 3 bedroom (master, room for my son when he comes home from college and guest room), 2 bath minimum, room for an art creative space/studio, good sized kitchen and living area, nice yard for the dogs, preferably fenced, good storage. Things like countertops can be changed, bathrooms can be updated and fixtures can be replaced. I’d prefer no carpet but it is not a deal breaker especially if it is new. What worries me most is being able to get something on a contingency sale and not have someone with a cash offer swoop in and take my next home from me. Then again, if that happens, maybe it was not meant to be and there is something better that will come along.