We've waited a long time for this day. We did "break ground" a couple of weeks ago, but due to snarls and brambles and briar patches in the development (red tape, in other words), our builder was stuck in limbo for a long, long time. We signed our contract with him back in August, but the developer wasn't ready to sell the lots until December. Boring long waiting stuff ensued, but it's finally time to see a house rise from the dirt. The planets must be aligned this week, because it look...

We've waited a long time for this day. We did "break ground" a couple of weeks ago, but due to snarls and brambles and briar patches in the development (red tape, in other words), our builder was stuck in limbo for a long, long time. We signed our contract with him back in August, but the developer wasn't ready to sell the lots until December. Boring long waiting stuff ensued, but it's finally time to see a house rise from the dirt. The planets must be aligned this week, because it look...

I heard from my realtor yesterday with some feedback from the first showing. The buyer's agent works with my agent in the same office, so the feedback was plentiful. The agent thinks our house is adorable (hooray!). Her buyer liked the front porch, living room, fireplace, dining room, and breakfast room. But he hated (hated!?!) the kitchen and bathroom. I'm trying to not be emotionally attached to this feedback, but it kind of hurts my feelings, since my husband and I worked so hard on t...

I heard from my realtor yesterday with some feedback from the first showing. The buyer's agent works with my agent in the same office, so the feedback was plentiful. The agent thinks our house is adorable (hooray!). Her buyer liked the front porch, living room, fireplace, dining room, and breakfast room. But he hated (hated!?!) the kitchen and bathroom. I'm trying to not be emotionally attached to this feedback, but it kind of hurts my feelings, since my husband and I worked so hard on t...

We have our first "looker" today - they'll be looking at my house right before I get home from work. I'm trying hard to be non-anxious, but this really has me tied up in knots. Is the house clean enough? Will they hate what we've done? Will we get an offer and have to move before the new house is ready? My parents have sold at least seven houses, and they made it look awfully easy (except one, but that was the mid-1980's....). We have an open house on Sunday, and I've got my list of thi...

We have our first "looker" today - they'll be looking at my house right before I get home from work. I'm trying hard to be non-anxious, but this really has me tied up in knots. Is the house clean enough? Will they hate what we've done? Will we get an offer and have to move before the new house is ready? My parents have sold at least seven houses, and they made it look awfully easy (except one, but that was the mid-1980's....). We have an open house on Sunday, and I've got my list of thi...

Yikes! I drove up to my house after work yesterday and was welcomed by a "For Sale" sign. I don't know why it surprised me - we had signed the listing papers on Saturday - but it did. Now begins the parade of neighbors who didn't already know. "Where are you going? We'll sure miss you; you've been a good neighbor." Not to sound ungracious or unfriendly, but that conversation is already getting old. Mind you, I don't have anything against any of my neighbors (well, except one kid...but ...

Yikes! I drove up to my house after work yesterday and was welcomed by a "For Sale" sign. I don't know why it surprised me - we had signed the listing papers on Saturday - but it did. Now begins the parade of neighbors who didn't already know. "Where are you going? We'll sure miss you; you've been a good neighbor." Not to sound ungracious or unfriendly, but that conversation is already getting old. Mind you, I don't have anything against any of my neighbors (well, except one kid...but ...

We signed our contract with the builder this week. Everything has taken longer than I would have liked, but the developer ran into snarls getting the land appraised. As soon as we had a price for the lot, everything else slipped into place. The price is right where we want it, the mortgage is ready and waiting. The only wait now is for my builder's bank to approve his construction loan, which should happen by this time next week (or sooner). Once that's done, and he's closed on that loan...

We signed our contract with the builder this week. Everything has taken longer than I would have liked, but the developer ran into snarls getting the land appraised. As soon as we had a price for the lot, everything else slipped into place. The price is right where we want it, the mortgage is ready and waiting. The only wait now is for my builder's bank to approve his construction loan, which should happen by this time next week (or sooner). Once that's done, and he's closed on that loan...

I'm feeling a little better about this project now. The builder's bid came in almost exactly where we wanted it, and that was including some upgrades to the new house that I can live without. He and I shaved a little here, a little there, and I think we are now at the exact dollar amount I want to spend! He did tell me that he's giving us a better deal than he normally would, since we're the first to build in that subdivision, and he knows there will be a lot of publicity when we move in, ...

I'm feeling a little better about this project now. The builder's bid came in almost exactly where we wanted it, and that was including some upgrades to the new house that I can live without. He and I shaved a little here, a little there, and I think we are now at the exact dollar amount I want to spend! He did tell me that he's giving us a better deal than he normally would, since we're the first to build in that subdivision, and he knows there will be a lot of publicity when we move in, ...

Wow, I didn't realize how long it had been since I last wrote. I think I must have been waiting for something to happen to write about. That "something" hasn't quite happened, but I can at least report that we're still MOSTLY on schedule, though the new house hasn't started yet. My whole family, even the five-year-old and seven-year-old, has been working hard to make our house ready for showing. It's awfully cute to watch a child who hasn't started kindergarten when he wields a paint br...

Wow, I didn't realize how long it had been since I last wrote. I think I must have been waiting for something to happen to write about. That "something" hasn't quite happened, but I can at least report that we're still MOSTLY on schedule, though the new house hasn't started yet. My whole family, even the five-year-old and seven-year-old, has been working hard to make our house ready for showing. It's awfully cute to watch a child who hasn't started kindergarten when he wields a paint br...

Since we've decided to sell our house in a trendy Memphis neighborhood and build a new house in what currently is a several-acre vacant lot in a part of town that has been neglected for decades, a few people have been, um, curious as to what we're doing and why. The site of the new neighborhood was, until quite recently, home to a huge housing project in Memphis. Crime abounded, as the surrounding neighborhood crumbled. (Strangely enough, the surrounding homes look a whole lot like the h...