We are currently working on the MOTHER OF ALL BIRTHDAY PRESENTS for Zane. Trust me folks, if all goes well, nothing should ever beat this gift...
That's right, we're currently trying to close on a house in the Hill Country of Texas.
Now, before you go off on a debt rant AJ, we understand what we are doing. We have very seriously considered your financial advice and weighed the pros and cons of this decision and I'd like to thank you for all of the advice you've given us.
As to the title of the post, we are currently in the "jump through the mortgage company's flaming hoops" stage of the process. It's down to clearing through the last of the paperwork, and we should be able to close by Zane's birthday on the 19th.
Unfortunately, we will be having to say goodbye to TinyVille if everything goes as planned. TinyVille is in the process of being crushed by unwanted development that is driving house prices to ranges well out of our means.
9 comments:
That is wonderful news! Yes, it's a bigger responsibility than renting, yes, you have to be ready for it, but it is sooooo worth it to own your own home. Congratulations to the TwoDragons household!! =)
How many of those cut-down A-frames are built around there? If there are quite a few, then there is some history for the strange design. If not, I'd talk to some builders to ask their opinion of the design.
From the photo, the house DOES NOT look energy-efficient at all. All that roofing over the sides and the top will build up a HUGE heat load (think of the heat that builds up under a roof in a more standard design).
Alarm bells are going off here...
Rivrdog: Seeing as the exterior surface read 136 degrees while the inside--with no AC on--read only 93? It's more energy-efficient than you think, hon. The house is VERY well-insulated. And we found one other house several blocks away that's shaped the same, but I haven't seen anything else. Methinks the orignal builder just wanted to be different, is all. The house is very well laid-out for such a design, though--the kitchen is on the second floor so I'll be able to bake a pie without worrying about whether I'm baking the bedroom as well.
Well, that depends on the time of day. If you viewed the house in late afternoon, after it had sun-soaked all day, you're right, it will do OK when the A/C is on.
However, if the inside of that house got to 93 degrees only about half-way through the rays of the day's sunshine, I would still be wary of it.
Of course, all closed up and shut up, it may never be cooling off at night, also. Here, in a recent heat wave which duplicated your temps, I had occasion to go into a shut-up house, and it was in the mid-80's after three days of the 100+ temps with night temps in the mid 70's.
I would make an effort to contact the residents in that other house, just to be sure. If they don't like the heat load in their place, they'll tell you, if they think it's super, they'll probably tell you that, also.
Actually RD, the house has been mostly vacant for several weeks. It was a vacation home for the owners.
When we went there, it was in the middle of a 100+ degree heatwave out here that had been going on for almost a month.
The inspection was at 4pm and the temperature was 104 degrees that day. As you can see from the picture, there is no tree shade for the house. It had been baking in that type of heat for quite some time, and was still only about 94 inside. Trust me, the insulation works WELL... even the building inspector was impressed.
You know, there's a house not all that far from us that looks juuuuuust like that. I mean, even the lot looks familiar.
We're not in hill country, though, so...must just be similar style.
You're about to undertake one of the most exciting -- and most frightening! -- adventures of your lives. :)
Yeah, it's a huge responsibility. I remember looking at that piece of paper they wanted me to sign and having the reality of it hit me: *before they even tacked on the staggering amount of interest* I was about to commit to paying someone a quarter of a million dollars. Holy batshit, Robin, have I lost my mind?! What am I doing?!
But you have no idea (yet!) of just how nice it is to get up one day and say "you know what? I hate this wallpaper, I'm taking it down." and the only person you have to clear it with is your spouse!
Congratulations, you guys deserve it. :)
Kate
Denita,
How far is this new house from Tinyville? Is it closer to me or further?
Mr Minority
Mr. M.
Unfortunately, it will be a bit further for you. We're heading about 30 miles north of our current position. Probably add 15-20 minutes of drive time for you (unless there is a back way you know of that will take you north without having to go the 290 route).
It will still be the same drive time for me to get to work, just along a different route. Bye-bye 290, and no more of "The Y" in Oak Hill for me!
For more info on the location and more pictures, friends of the TwoDragons family can e-mail me, and I'll point you to more pics, and send you a Google Map file that will take you right there.
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