Bittersweet Excitement
Feb 6th, 2008 by Laura
It’s done. We’re agreed all around on pricing and all the other contingencies are signed off. In the end we sold our house for $5k under asking. We’re very happy with that price and as far as we can tell so are the buyers. Nice to know that we got the price right - our goal was to set a fair, reasonable price on our house to facilitate a quick sale.
We’re moving on February 29, just 23 short days a way. Wow. There’s a lot of packing and preparing to do around here, but at least while we’re dealing with that our more than competent realtor and finance guys are taking care of the rest.
I’m more excited that I can say about the fact that we’re really doing this. We’ve been talking and dreaming about it for years (as our family and friends can attest) and it’s almost surreal that we really did it. And that it only took 8 weeks from the time we started to look again to get to this point. All of our evenings now are brimming over with plans and ideas and “can’t wait until’s.”
But at the same time it’s a little bittersweet to be leaving our little home in the city. We’ll have lived here for exactly 7 years and 1 day when we move later this month. And in that time we’ve changed this house to the point that it’s almost unrecognizable as the house we bought in an estate sale. When we first moved in it was still very much Walter’s house (first and only other owner, lived here 50 years). Now it’s our house and it’s hard to imagine another house reflecting who we are so perfectly.
I look around and I’m surrounded by memories of our work, our relationship, our dreams and plans. Each room and space has a personal story to tell. There’s the one about how we ripped out the bathroom on a whim 3 months after moving in with no plan for how we were going to put it back together. The one about the day I decided to see what was behind the awful formica back splash and another about doing the same to the floor and how those were really bad ideas. And memories of how friends help us put in segmental retaining walls, pathways and pavers.
We spent hours in this little house discussing paint and furniture, doors and knobs, fixtures and floors. Each decision the result of our learning more about each other and negotiating to find the style or option that was not just me or just Mike but both of us together.
I’m sure the new owners will treat it with the love it deserves - they’ve already asked after lists of paint colors, teak oils, trees and perennials. All positive signs that they’ll keep at least some of what we’ve done.
But while they get to enjoy the fruits of our labor and taste, we have to start all over in a house that’s suffering from serious overuse of white paint and wallpaper. Once again we have to negotiate fixtures, paint colors and furniture placements. And we don’t have nearly enough furniture for this new house that’s much larger so we’ll have to navigate furniture styles, finishes and sizes again.
And while part of me can’t wait to get started another (much smaller) part of me is shrieking “but I don’t want to give up my perfectly decorated and renovated home!” Of course that voice is loudest when I’m considering how much packing is left to do and quiet when I’m contemplating gardens and horses and chickens and goats.
Congratulations! I can’t wait to hear about the not-so-urban hennery (and stables, and pastures….)
That is fantastic!! While making it yours is a lot of work the new place sounds like a place you will be happy for a long time.
Congrats! It’s a good time of the year to be starting over fresh. Can’t wait to read about all the fun.
How fun!!! While I really can’t say I envy your packing and moving, I do hope you enjoy the process of making the new house your own (along with adding all the new memories there). What a fun spring you will have!
What fun to be looking forward to your dreams coming to life. All the memories you take with you. All the experience you have had will blend into what you will experience in the the next step of your lives. It will be so much work!! But what joy!
I have really enjoyed your blog. I live in a small town outside a large city (Portland, OR) with three chickens, a dog, cat, husband, and two children still at home.
Eating local is something we try to do. The fresh markets, at this time of year are on the other side of Portland. Thankfully I have quite a bit in the freezer and canned. At this time of year I’m looking forward to spring and fresh greens and early peas.
I would love to add you to my blog roll at www.amakedolife.blogspot.com
Have fun with all your planning! Debbie
Laura, your story sounds so familiar to me… it was almost six years ago when we decided to do the same thing, and leave the perfectly restored 1950’s cape in the suburbs (one previous owner) (many “I wonder what’s under there” moments) and found our farm. Like you, it all happened so fast, and also like you we got within $5k of our asking price. There were a few moments (luckily fleeting) after we got here where I asked myself, “what did we get ourselves into??” but I haven’t looked back.
Of course, six years out, and I *still* don’t have my goats, but I know I will, and I’m enjoying getting to that point. The best of luck with everything having to do with your move and the dual closings!
Thanks Anita, Jasmine, Farm Mom, Kim and Debbie - I meant to come back and comment before, but totally forgot
We’re very excited to be moving and starting to live the dream. We came “this” close to compromising and buying a 1 acre lot in the city instead and are already glad that we didn’t.
Liz - it means a lot to hear you say that it mirrors your journey. Your stories are part of the reason that we finally got it together to make this happen. The One Local Summer Challenge was really the tipping point in our decision to go for it!
An article from Mother Earth News entitled “How to Find and Finance a Farm” just popped up on my Google Reader (I have an alert for “washington farm”). I thought you might find it of interest, though it’s a little late for your venture — or anyone else’s given the publication date (Nov/Dec 1970!)
Hmm, that link didn’t show up as I’d hoped, I’ll try again, though you may need to copy and paste:
How to Find and Finance a Farm or
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/1970-11-01/How-To-Find-and-Finance-a-Farm.aspx