MEET THE HOUSE

As of this afternoon, I have a contract on this house.  It’s in Springhill about 15 minutes away from Jennifer and probably close to 35 or 40 from Avery with Michael somewhere in between.  If all goes we’ll close around July 31 and I’ll be moving in shortly thereafter.

Keep in mind these pics (compliments of realtracs) were taken in late fall or winter.  Now there are leaves on the trees, greener grass and lots of colorful plants—all of which add to the curb appeal.  This was one of the first houses I looked at a good while back and one I really liked from the get go.  It was also the last house I took a second look at and when I did, I knew it beat out all the others, even though I had found two others I really liked before taking a second look here.  It just sort of fit when I walked back in the door and all of a sudden the other two contenders didn’t shine nearly as brightly.

 

This is the entry – the steps you see take you up about 4 or 5 steps to the bonus room.

 

The windows let in lots of light – just the way I like it.  The wall between the kitchen and den (where the piano is) does not go all the way to the ceiling – in case you couldn’t tell.  It really adds to the open feel of the place.  The fireplace is gas.

There is no dining room – just an eat in kitchen  with room for a nice size table to seat six or eight and when there are more, we’ll just spill over into the den.  You can see the bi-fold doors where the washer and dryer reside along with some extra storage and also the door to the garage.  There is also a nice size pantry on the other side of the refrigerator.

More pics of the kitchen

 

The bonus room is very big and you can see that it is pretty open to the den – notice the red wall – that is looking through to  the den.

The master is great – a real relaxing place to go when the going gets tough and just chill.  It will definitely hold my “stuff”.  Whoever is taking the picture is standing in a little alcove where they have a desk on one wall and a computer table/desk on the other.  I’ll probably have it fixed up as a cozy reading spot.  The door on the right is the master bath.

It has a garden tub and a separate shower and a “water closet”.  Kind of cool:)  I’m not in to lilac so I know the color in this room will definitely change at some point.  The closet is a walk in and is located on the wall across from the shower.

One of the two extra bedrooms.  They are both the same size – 11x10.  Not huge but big enough to do the job.

This is the koi pond.  Now it is filled with all kinds of aquatic flora and fauna on the upper part and some lily pads and big old goldfish in the lower level.

The yard is big but the angle of the camera lens makes it look kind of the size of a football field and its not.  The swing set is staying so maybe the grands will come visit occasionally:)

Well, that’s a tour of my new place (hopefully).  I can’t wait to get in it but I guess I’ll keep myself busy enough between now and then by visiting my mom and my TX kids after the baby comes and whoever else I can squeeze in since time seems to pass so quickly.

THIS IS IT

Tonight will be my last time to worship here – as a citizen of Cleveland – I will definitely be back to visit.  They are having a “send off” for me after church.  Please bring Finger Foods.  (That’s what the announcement said)   I’ve lived here 37 years.   That’s a long time.  These people are definitely family if you know what I mean.

My sis will be here any minute too.  I had told her not to come but she called yesterday afternoon and asked “Are you sure you don’t want me to come?”  No, I replied I want you to.  That’s all it took.  She left this morning and will be here shortly.  The moving guy came by – brought me my bill – wanted to look one more time at all the stuff.  He’s concerned that one big and one smaller truck may not be enough but I think after looking again he’s feeling somewhat better about it.  Now if they just get the stuff together and we close in the morning or right after lunch, all the hard part will be over.

I may not blog much over the next few weeks but will do my best.  Bye for now.

PS  Happy Father’s Day to my three favorite dads.  Michael, Billy and Matty.  You are terrific and I love you!!

CHECK THIS OUT

I have a local friend who sews – if she had a blog I’d link to all her gorgeous quilts and embroidered (machine) stuff.  Anyway, recently she celebrated her birthday with her family and this is the cake they had someone make for her. 

Is that not awesome!!!  Every part of it is edible.  The detail is incredible – don’t you think?  The needle on the machine is even threaded.

On another note, it’s now iffy whether or not we will close on Monday.   We WILL close but the buyer decided to make a bigger down payment (this was several days ago) and of course the bank had to redo all thousand pages of whatever they do and it hadn’t gotten here by the end of today.  But, if it gets here anytime Monday, everything else is ready to go and we can get it done.  Otherwise I guess it will be Tuesday.  Anyway, that all I know for now.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I promise this is not criticizing Nashville or anywhere else for that matter but the housing market is a crazy place.

For example – in one part of Nashville, this 1007 square foot house costs $190 per square foot.  Now in fairness, their is a lake  oversized pond in the subdivision but it is not right outside this house. No garage

This house is a short sale is and only $82 dollars a square foot for 2065 square feet.  Now that’s what I’m talkin’ bout.  I love all the trees too.

Then there is this house – built in ‘79 with 1736 square feet – that means it sells for $126 per sq. ft.  but it has 500 sq ‘ of basement that could be finished out so if someone wanted to put in the effort it would definitely add some room.

This house also has basement space – almost 1000 square feet of walkout basement that could be finished and maybe made into a studio apartment or something – would that be a good investment?  It starts out with over 1900 square feet so it would still be roomy without finishing out the basement.

This is another older house – 1700 sq ft – selling for $134 a square foot.  Hardwood floors, built ins in the den but a high price tag. It does have a carport.

Decisions, decisions.  Hope my sister real estate assistant takes good notes.  I have pared my to look at list from 25 down to 12 and 7 of those are ones I haven’t see up close and in person so that means I did pretty good paring down the ones I did already see to just 5.

Back to packing the sewing room.

FEELING RENEWED

Ok, yesterday was kind of a bad day for me.  I was very tired from lifting and moving boxes and a little furniture too.  I guess my hormones were acting up too.  Anyway, long story short, I decided it was kind of dumb on my part to end up having to pay someone to move my stuff to storage here and then pay someone to move me to Nashville when I buy a house.  Why not pay one time to move to Nashville and then let my kids and their friends help me move into my house whenever that is.  After all, that is what family is for.  So, I’ve found a storage place right in Franklin (so it should be reasonably close to whereever I buy). I called my realtor and she is checking on the closing date so I can set a move date with the mover. Now I just need to finish packing the house without moving anything else out.  Yes the truck will have to stop at the storage place but they would have to anyway since I already had a storage unit full of stuff. – mostly boxes so it shouldn’t mess up the overall packing of the truck. 

Later:

I’ve just talked to my realtor and then the moving guy and it looks like a go for packing the truck on Mon the 22nd and heading to Nashville on the 23rd.  I’ll close on the house on that Mon. and the owners will take possession on the 23rd(or the evening of the 22).  Anyway, things are moving pretty quickly now.  But I can finish the packing in plenty of time.  Especially if I can find enough boxes.

On a different note, you probably know I get a massage once a month.  Been doing that for about 9 years now.  The lady that I go to is  a retired nurse (but still younger than me).  She is such a nice sweet person.  Even though we don’t do things together, we’ve become very good friends.  She’s one of the people I was making a quilt for.  You should recognize this:

I finshed the top, pieced the back, sandwiched and pinned them back around Christmas.  I never got to the quilting – just ran out of time.  Yesterday I was going for my last massage.  I thought about taking the quilt and showing it to Susan or just sending it to her after it was finished along with a note.  Well, taking it with me won and I’m glad I did so I got to see her reaction.  I’ve taken projects to show her before.   Here’s the conversation --  (Susan) What’s that you have with you?   (Me)  It’s a quilt I’ve been working on.  (Susan- as she opens it up) Oh Vail, this is beautiful.   I just love red and yellow together!    (Me) Do you like it --- cause I’m making it for you!  

It was great to see her reaction.  I was glad I showed it to her – now I know what my first sewing project will be!!!

Well it’s back to packing.

MOVING BOXES

UPDATE : TUES. 10:10 AM

The only thing worse than moving boxes and furniture and feeling muscles you haven’t used in forever is getting up the next morning and doing it again.  I am soooo sore!  But …… on the bright side, there are no boxes in my dining room and the table and rocking chair that were in the shed along with my dining room table and chairs are in the storage unit.  Now I have plenty of room to put the rest of the boxes I’ll be filling.  Hopefully I have enough boxes on hand and won’t need anymore (or at least very few) 

 

I got my neighbor to help me empty out the metal shed in the back yard that had all my Christmas stuff in it (Thanks Buddy).  We moved it to storage.  Hope I don’t wait til August to move my stuff up to Nashville.  It was hot out there!  He’s coming back at 7:15 tomorrow and we will probably have time to make two trips full of boxes – maybe even three before I have to go get my last Cleveland haircut.  Yikes – I’ve had the same haircut person for 30 years.  Hope I can find someone I like in Nashville.  I spent a little time tonight packing the notebooks I have in my sewing room and putting some of the stuff that was laying out like sewing machine feet, bobbins, etc. where they belong so I can get that stuff packed up.  I’m so looking forward to the time when I can sew again and sew whenever I feel like it.

Needless to say I am very stiff and tired tonight.  Think I’ll head on to bed now since I have to get up at 7 and throw on some clothes so I can heft more boxes into a trailer and /or pickup. 

Night all.

HOUSES AND MORE HOUSES

 

This house is a short sale ---- 2065 square feet – all one level except for the bonus room over the garage.  It’s a good price if I can get it.

A house right in Franklin that I really like – it’s older but immaculate with really nice hardwood floors.  They enclosed the garage so there’s no sheltered parking for the car.  But the neighborhood is established with nice shade around the house.  But it’s a Franklin price so if they don’t like my offer, I’d be ready to walk away.

A little over my price range but it’s been on the market for a long time so they may be ready to negotiate and I think I like this kitchen.   Haven’t actually looked at this one yet – I just found it but I've added it to my list.

This house is one of my favorites.

The bonus is big and you can see the living room (the red walls) so it kind of feels more connected.  There isn’t a dining room but the living room is big enough to be a combo.

Another new one (new find not house)  I really want to see.  All one level except for the bonus and …. it has a basement of over 930 sq feet – unfinished but has all the insulation and stuff – just needs drywall.  It also has a big window and french doors to the back.

Like this kitchen too and it says it has a dining room

part of the bassement

Last of the new finds.  Only the bonus is upstairs

Has a really open plan

Kitchen looks nice

I think I’d have plenty of space for entertaining family and friends.

So much to choose from.  Can’t wait to go back and look with my real estate advisor  sister.

 

And for your viewing pleasure – Micah drunk on Mommy’s Milk

Kates eating pancakes by Jammie

Watching a show – It’s A Bug’s Life!

MORE NASHVILLE FUN

We are enjoying our time in Nashville.  Here are more pictures.  Enjoy!  At the end I’ll link to my three fav houses ---- so far.  I’m looking at some more tomorrow.

    

At the zoo with Jammie and Papa