Home Stuff

We’re loving our new home! It’s so quiet and peaceful, despite the fact that we’re right next door to a group home for “troubled teens.” When I first heard that (a week after closing), I hit the roof. I came unglued. I lost it.

Now I feel like a major prick. I was judgmental, mean-spirited, and for no good reason. Imagine how humbled I was when I got the smack-down from the “man upstairs.” Yeah. We haven’t had a single problem, except a small amount of trash in our backyard. Hopefully it stays that way. I went and talked to the director of the group home, who was very understanding, and above all, honest.

I support what they are trying to do, and while I intend to protect our interests (like fixing the fence between the two properties) I think we’ll be fine.

Meanwhile, we’ve gotten new windows, and I’ve completed a number of projects. So far:

• New Kitchen Faucet
• New Water Line to the Ice Maker
• New Locks
• New Garbage Disposer
• New P-Trap in the Kitchen Sink
• Replaced the Ceiling Fan in Erich Jr’s Room that Threw Sparks/Smoked
• Reprogrammed the Garage Door Opener
• New Garage Door Remote
• Motion Sensor Light Above the Garage Door
• Yard Light in the Backyard
• New Curtains in the Master Bedroom
• New Programmable Thermostat

So far, so good. More updates to come soon!

We’re buying our first home! In fact, we’re closing tomorrow afternoon. We are, obviously, really excited about it. I’ll be posting more here at my blog about it, in the hope that I can help other first-time homebuyers navigate the maze I just went through, as well as the journey that we’re about to embark on.

One of my first articles will be about the loan process. What I just went through was complicated, nerve-racking, stressful, infuriating, but still well worth it. Let me summarize: the stack of documents I’ve sent to involved parties, and those I’ve received throughout the process, is almost five inches thick. And we haven’t even closed yet.

To be blunt, it sucked. But the other side of that coin is that because my lender was diligent, I know that they are professional, that facts have been stated correctly, and that things are on the up-and-up. The other reason I know that is because I was equally diligent, but that’s for another post.

Anyway, we’re moving this weekend, and we can’t wait to be in our new home!