On a more personal note, things are depressing regarding our housing situation. We listed our house last summer, too late to get in on the full summer sales, and have had no real bites. Lots of potential offers that never materialize for BS reasons like, the yard is odd shaped. WTF, seriously? It’s a freaking rectangle! All our feedback is positive, fabulous school system, home is very clean, great shape, priced right and the reasons they don’t like it are sq. footage, gallery kitchen etc. Basically, things we can’t change. We’ve made several improvements such as all new energy star double paned windows with screens (in the south, screens are important), new garage door, electric water heater, dishwasher and stove, storm doors, carpets in 2015 and more. Nothing cheap (at least for our budget) but not the big modifications like granite counters or tiled floors some people expect. At this point, I’m not throwing more money into the house I won’t recoup.
Still, it’s depressing us because we aren’t finding homes that meet our needs on our budget or when we do, we lose them to other buyers because our current house hasn’t sold. 1/3 of our belongings are stored at my parents’ house which is very generous on their part but a drag as well. We’re dropping the list price $5,000, something that makes me very unhappy but will hopefully get us offers we can negotiate up. Our biggest thing was to break even on the sale, which sucks given the upgrades but lets us walk away into the bigger home we need. Yes, need because in our current 1,350sq ft home, my children are on top of me, and we have no place to be private or for them to run and play because we’re smushed. Most weekends I try to spend out of the house, running errands or visiting my parents with the girls because the alternative negatively impacts me.
If we were more outdoorsy people this probably wouldn’t be an issue but we’re home bodies. I like to spend time with my family playing dress up, arts and crafts, dancing, games; things we’ve bought and have already. The winter season exacerbates this issue because it’s too cold to venture into the backyard with the 14 month old and we don’t have a fence, which in the county means I need to be on high alert for coyotes, stray (wild) dogs and snakes, not to mention the random people I’ve seen cutting though my property.
I feel this has to do with my military brat upbringing, where I always had a space I could retreat to that was mine or where I could get away and unwind for a bit. Don’t mistake me, I love my daughters to death and the fact they cling to me and want to be with me 100% during their waking hours proves it, but for mommy’s mental health, I should be able to get away for a bit to have ‘me time’. I don’t have that at home anymore. My bedroom is 4’ away from theirs and the living room is about the same leaving the kitchen.
I know this is not the biggest problem to have; we’re blessed to have a home, food in our bellies money in our pocket and steady employment. Our kids are healthy, so are we (mostly) and have family nearby to share the love and offer space to play. Things could be hellavu lot worse, but it’s only natural to want and hope for the better. Thanks for reading my whiny rant; it helps my state of mind.
Still, it’s depressing us because we aren’t finding homes that meet our needs on our budget or when we do, we lose them to other buyers because our current house hasn’t sold. 1/3 of our belongings are stored at my parents’ house which is very generous on their part but a drag as well. We’re dropping the list price $5,000, something that makes me very unhappy but will hopefully get us offers we can negotiate up. Our biggest thing was to break even on the sale, which sucks given the upgrades but lets us walk away into the bigger home we need. Yes, need because in our current 1,350sq ft home, my children are on top of me, and we have no place to be private or for them to run and play because we’re smushed. Most weekends I try to spend out of the house, running errands or visiting my parents with the girls because the alternative negatively impacts me.
If we were more outdoorsy people this probably wouldn’t be an issue but we’re home bodies. I like to spend time with my family playing dress up, arts and crafts, dancing, games; things we’ve bought and have already. The winter season exacerbates this issue because it’s too cold to venture into the backyard with the 14 month old and we don’t have a fence, which in the county means I need to be on high alert for coyotes, stray (wild) dogs and snakes, not to mention the random people I’ve seen cutting though my property.
I feel this has to do with my military brat upbringing, where I always had a space I could retreat to that was mine or where I could get away and unwind for a bit. Don’t mistake me, I love my daughters to death and the fact they cling to me and want to be with me 100% during their waking hours proves it, but for mommy’s mental health, I should be able to get away for a bit to have ‘me time’. I don’t have that at home anymore. My bedroom is 4’ away from theirs and the living room is about the same leaving the kitchen.
I know this is not the biggest problem to have; we’re blessed to have a home, food in our bellies money in our pocket and steady employment. Our kids are healthy, so are we (mostly) and have family nearby to share the love and offer space to play. Things could be hellavu lot worse, but it’s only natural to want and hope for the better. Thanks for reading my whiny rant; it helps my state of mind.