House Hunting

I've dropped the ball on so many updates lately, but perhaps the biggest is that we have been house hunting! We knew we wanted to look into home ownership so that we could stop throwing money away each month on rent, and figured the beginning of the new year was as good a time as any to begin looking.  We had heard horror stories about this DC market, how competitive it is, how little inventory is out right now and how long some people have waited to have an offer accepted.  We we're too hopeful our journey would be any different.

But, we found ourselves a wonderful and experienced relator, got pre-approved and began the hunt! Our short list of "must haves" included:

• At least 3 bedrooms 
• At least 1.5 baths 
• Dedicated parking: driveway or reserved spots 
• Fenced-in outdoor space (for Tuck of course) 
• A large kitchen (because we spend more time in this room than any other!)

We ended up finding what we thought was the perfect place for us and put in an offer on Super Bowl Sunday.  Well, apparently 16 other couples thought it was the perfect place for them too! We didn't end up getting that first townhome but tried not to get too discouraged.  Within 2 weeks of finding that place, we found another that fit our short list and more! We placed an offer on Valentines Day, had it accepted and since then have completed the home inspection.  All that stands in our way now is the appraisal (which is happening today)! Fingers are cross that these last ends get tied up so we can be ready to close on Good Friday.

We have learned so much along the way and added quite a few new acronyms to our regular vocabulary: MIP, HI, MI, ECTC and so many more! I feel like my brain is exploding with information about water heaters, insulation, duct work, and flooring.

So excited to share more about our (hopefully) new home once we're cleared to close and all the exciting plans we have in store for the property!  There's a few weeks of renovations in store for us before we fully relocate, but in the meantime we're making our reno-list and interviewing contractors.  

And constantly consulting our Homebook (thanks to our amazing Inspector)!