Homeowners??

God's timing always amazes me.  Matt and I were literally days away from booking a Caribbean cruise for this January when we got word that our living situation will change next summer.  Now we're thinking about saving the cruise money for a house.  I think that would be a much better investment, and now's as good a time as any to start looking.  It wouldn't make much sense to move to an apt when we both want a house sometime soon.  Next June is probably as convenient of a time as any since Matt would be done with school but won't have started studying for the bar yet.  Plus it's definitely a buyer's market right now, and we've been good at saving so we'd probably have enough for a down payment.

I'm surprised by my own enthusiasm with the idea.  The idea of being a homeowner normally scares me - much more so that having kids, ironically.  I understand kids.  But neither of us are very handy around the house - painting and decorating sound fun, but I don't know the first thing about repairs or mowing the lawn or do-it-yourself projects.  But now I just feel anticipation.  I wish I knew what to do first - do you get a realtor to start showing you around?  How do you know big of a house you can afford, especially when we don't know where Matt will be working next year?  Or do you go to your bank and ask for a loan to see how much you can get first before you start looking?

Buying a house will come with extra complications - we'd get much more house for our money & there would be better schools if we lived further away from the city, but we'd probably have better access to public transportation for Matt if we lived closer.  We'd love to be near family and friends, but they're spread out all over the city so there isn't an "ideal" spot.  Still, despite all the obstacles, I'm starting to think it's something we can handle, and that's pretty exciting!

We've already talked a bit about what we want - two stories plus a finished basement (a house we can grow into), lots of counter space, at least 4 bedrooms so we'd have space for kids and a guest room, a backyard with lots of trees, hopefully at least one would be big enough to build a tree house.  And of course we'd have to have space for a hammock and lilac bushes.  And a deck out back with a porch swing where we could entertain and have BBQ's.  Sure would be nice to have our own bathrooms too (we have been so spoiled having our own bathrooms at the condo!)  We both like houses that have a lot of counter space, are built with brick, have a nice family room with a fireplace, and I can't wait to have place with windows that open.

It's a good thing I don't have to go to work tomorrow.  I'm way too excited to sleep...