Buying a House in New Beginnings

I’ve decided to buy a house. I was hoping to save for another year, but considering my dad’s health problems, I think it may be best if I bought a house now, so he could live with me. I spoke with my HR manager at work, and I think my job will work with me in terms of letting me telecommute a couple of days a week so I can attend to Dad. I’ll have to get a mortgage, so but I’ll still be able to save enough to be solvent within a year, and I’m already preapproved! Now, it’s just a matter of finding the right property to purchase. I’m scheduled to see the following properties tomorrow. My main requirements are 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, two car covered parking, and a private backyard.

http://s1258.photobucket.com/user/tkdrobbo/slideshow/House%201

This first house is the most expensive, but it also likely has the easiest drive to work. All the properties are about the same distance, but this house is in a location where I would have the most versatility in choosing my route. For instance, if one route is slow, I could likely find another one.

It’s on a fairly small lot, so think yard maintenance would be easy, but not the easiest of these three houses. It also has vinyl siding, which I’m not sure what to think of. I’ve read about siding options and how vinyl is a good combination of durable, easy to replace, and affordable, but the few houses with vinyl siding I looked at in the past seemed kind of cheap. If you can’t tell, the inside is GORGEOUS! Just look at the master bathroom. If I can put a TV and a refrigerator in there, I might never leave it. The master bedroom also has his and hers walk in closets. I don’t care much about closet space, but if I find a woman to marry, it would certainly matter. I might get an online dating profile and include a picture of that closet with a caption reading, “If you marry me, this is how much closet space you’ll get.” As I mentioned, the house sits on roughly a third of an acre, but the backyard is fenced in, private, and gives a nice illusion of size.

http://s1258.photobucket.com/user/tkdrobbo/slideshow/House%202

This second house in cheaper than the first one. It has a two car garage with a car port. The inside is also the least aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also 2,100 square feet just like house #1. My only dislike with the interior is two of the bathrooms, namely the yellow bathroom and the green half bathroom. I wonder how much of a project it would be to paint those, or, barring that, if the right décor could change the we they feel. Everything else is nice enough, but after looking at the inside of the previous house, this one’s interior looks a bit more drab.

However, if the interior is far inferior to the previous house, the outside certainly isn’t. All four sides are brick. The backyard is fenced in and gloriously private. I’d feel almost like I were in forest. Not to mention that deck and patio. It even has a sunroom, and I think the grass cutting would require even less than the yard of house #1. Unfortunately, it also has the highest property tax, but the property tax has declined each of the previous three years.

http://s1258.photobucket.com/user/tkdrobbo/slideshow/House%203

Finally, this last house is the cheapest. It’s also the smallest at 1,400 square feet with the smallest land plot. That’s not necessarily bad. That smallness also translates to the lowest maintenance yard and the cheapest energy costs. However, when my dad comes to live with me, that smaller space may not be worth the smaller price. My current condo has 200 less square footage, and the main reason I’m moving is to have enough space to take care of my Dad, and I’d rather err on getting too much space rather than not enough. The inside is attractive, though. I would rank it only slightly less comely than the interior of house #1. The master bathroom has a nicely sized tub and double sinks. The master bedroom also has a walk in closet, so even with it’s smaller size, it packs a lot of options into it’s limited space.

The outside is beautiful, too. It has mature vegetation, and the backyard is just as isolated as that of house #2. Location-wise, it has the least versatility in driving to work. I’d have to be sure and get on the road before a certain time each morning, or else I’d be stuck in traffic. Also, I think the siding may be wood, so that will require some regular maintenance.

So, that’s what I’m doing tomorrow. If you’re reading this entry and you have any recommendations or advice on house buying, I welcome your input.

Last updated June 14, 2015