I know you all love houses as much as we do. So, we couldn’t hold out on you. Ryan and I have been leisurely looking for another home. As in, our next home.
((collective gasp))
It’s really nothing personal against our current home. Actually, we love our home. When we moved in, I swore we’d live here forever. My parents just laughed and rolled their eyes.
Aside: Have I mentioned my parents lived in 9 homes from birth to college graduation? That would be an average of 2.5 years/house. So, we moved a lot. And, it wasn’t because they were fugitives of the law or anything…. my dad just liked houses, I guess. They were all within a 30-mile radius. And, while my mom disputes this (I swear it’s true)… I once came home for college and had to call from the Interstate exit… BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE OUR HOUSE WAS. They had literally moved and I didn’t know where they lived. It was actually kind of hilarious.
The reason we are looking is that our house is in town, and we would both prefer to have something a little more peaceful with a little more land. Less traffic, less noise, more green grass and more trees and more sky. Did I mention less noise?
So, we’ve been looking, like I said, leisurely. No rush… We’re actually considering existing homes or building, if we find the right land. This process is so different than how we looked for our current home. So different. It’s not really been stressful. Or quick. Anyhoo… I thought you may also enjoy following our progress. But, don’t expect this to go super fast..
This is one house that we both liked, but it just doesn’t work for us. (I’ll explain why.)
It’s a fixer-upper. We love fixer-uppers. Makes my heart beat a little faster, cause this could be gorgeous. And, it’s on 9 acres of land, right outside of town. 9 acres…. that’s pretty great, right?
It’s really quite huge. Probably bigger than we want. But, gorgeous, right? Great wraparound porch. Built in 1907.
And, oh, dear Lord…. the woodwork. The leaded glass. The built-ins.
Hello, gorgeous. Ryan and I have already had lengthy discussions about the sin of painting this woodwork. As in, he wouldn’t paint it and I would. I would paint it white with grey in the middle panels, in case you are wondering. I know you are.
The parlor, living room and dining room all had this lovely detail on the floors. This is unique, don’t you think? It would look awesome refinished. It looked like the floors are still thick enough to sand and refinish.
And, the woodwork was actually in pretty great shape. Much better than when we purchased our home.
I have a thing for leaded windows. As in, I really want leaded glass windows in a home someday.
It also needed a lot of work (which you could probably tell). This actually didn’t scare us off, as most of it was similar to what we did in our home, but it’s worth noting.
Windows
Walls, ceilings, floors, lighting (This was the master bedroom – don’t you love it? The size and shape was lovely.)
And…. the kitchen?
It needed a little work, me thinks.
Don’t forget the bathroom.
It looked like someone had started gutting the house, but didn’t get too far. The plus side is that the buyers won’t have to do all of the demolition and clean-out.
So, if it wasn’t the work, what kept us from putting an offer in on this house?
While this home sits on 9 acres, it is right next to another house. (The house was right on the other side of the left tree.) It looks like the owner sold part of the acreage to someone, which means we’d be living as close to a neighbor as we are now. It was also relatively close to a main highway/road. While it didn’t seem extra loud, there was the potential of noise.
So, that kinda defeated our purposes – more quiet and less traffic. Even though we both actually like the house, and even found ourselves talking ourselves into it, and thinking of all we could do, we finally got to the bottom line.
It wasn’t perfect for us.
And, we moved on.
Which, is kinda a bummer. But, also kinda exciting. Like… we know that something perfect will come.
What were/are your non-negotiables for a home?
This house exudes so much potential and charm. But so does your current one!
Location is so important. We bought a smaller house than we anticipated but we just couldn’t pass up the prime location (privacy, located on a green belt, mountain view). So crucial!
Love that house-I want it.
How fun to be on the HUNT.
I also wanted to let you know that my blog has moved. Yep- we are now at http://www.itssoverycheri.com
Cheri
HOLY COW my heart skipped a beat when i saw that home!!!!! how gorgeous!!! sad that it wont work out for you 🙁 i would leave my tiny island and come live with you if you had that house. so pretty! hope you find another fixer-upper – i know you like that and plus it gives you another challenge 🙂 happy house hunting!
our non-negotiables are a little different b/c we’ll be renters for a long time being in the military…. but if we were looking for something permanent, i would say we desire: modern/renovated, 3 BR/2 BA would be the minimum, wood floors, large/open living room/dining room floor plan, big kitchen that looks in to entertaining area
That house is beautiful and just ooozing with potential. It must have been difficult to decide that it wasn’t perfect. But the hunt is so much fun when you have no time constraints so I am sure you find something even more amazing. And then we will be reading every post about how amazing you will make it. Good luck!
It is absolutely stunning! But those same things would be our deal breakers; a close neighbor and a busy street. Ironic that we ended up with a quirky fab home right on a busy street!! We talked ourselves into it when we shouldn’t have.
Oh yay! Please continue sharing as you go through this process… we’ll be in our little ranch for awhile since we JUST bought last July, but that doesn’t stop me from keeping an eye out.
And as far as our non-negotiable’s, it would be location and space. Location so that we can easily resell should we need to for any reason and space so that we have the choice to stay ‘forever’ if we want! Gotta keep those options open 🙂
The thought of ever looking for a new house makes me want to puke…but this is LOVELY!!! 🙂 Wow, wow, wow. I have dreams about this one.
I vote for no paint, you can’t paint woodwork like that. Ryan and I could have a blast with that house.
It’s a beautiful home. I’m sure it will be perfect for someone else, and they will enjoy renovating it.
In the meantime, I’ll be living vicariously through you as you house hunt again!
Hey, I’ve seen that one before 🙂 Have fun finding the right house!
that is a great house! house hunting is so much fun!
house hunting is so much fun! We just bought a house in October, we settled and gave up a fabulous yard and ended up with a really horrible driveway. However, we absolutely LOVE the inside of this house and it was very worth making the other sacrifices! I love the house that you put pics up of. I can just imagine your creative touch on it! And the floors were fabulous! Though that kitchen is kinda scary! lol
That house is amazing!! I think I’d be on the “paint” side of the fence.
Real bummer about the proximity to the other house.
We aren’t seriously looking yet, but one thing we really want/need is a garage.
I am surprised how many homeowners have converted their garage to a den for extra square-footage. It’s a same because that is a major major deal-breaker for us.
LB
so exciting you are looking for a new home! i’m sure the perfect one will find you!
Oh my. That house is awesome.
My dream home would be on a few acres, have a wrap-around or 2 story deck/porch, and a side door. My house growing up had a side door and I’d love to have one again.
Kim…we were separated at birth I’m beginning to believe. 😉 The photos you shared could have been the ones we took when we visited OUR house for the first time….the details are almost EXACTLY the same….same shaped house, same detail in the hardwood, same leaded glass windows…oh my! It’s too bad this one didn’t work out for you! Can’t wait to see where you land! 🙂
I agree with Ryan – NO paint on the woodwork!!
Oh my word! That house is awesome! And NINE ACRES! Holy cow!
BUT, the noise and the traffic…we would’ve moved on too.
Can’t wait to see more pictures of other houses you’re looking at! House hunting (can be) so fun! I’m just going to live vicariously through you if you don’t mind 🙂
What a house!!! I see so much potential!!! But the noise from the highway, as well as possible danger from traffic to pets and kids can be a turn-off.
I’ve looked at like a bazillionee houses since college graduation and then always decide that I want to move or don’t want to commit or just chicken out and the house hunt ends.
But, the most important thing to me in a house is character. I would much rather have an original 1950 pink and green bathroom than a redone typical granite and travertine bathroom. While granite and travertine can make beautiful bathrooms it just doesn’t make a beautiful bathroom or kitchen for me.
And lead windows make me swoon!
I’m so excited to hear more about your house hunting!
Looks like a great house! I actually love it as well. However, I see your reasons for not getting the house. Definitely wouldn’t want someone right beside me on 9 acres. Good choice! Can’t wait to see more prospects.
Oh my gosh! That house has amazing features, but if you doesn’t work for you it doesn’t work. I really want to live in a beach town.
beautiful house. it has so much potential. i would be turned off by neighbors so close also.
I hear ya on the not wanting to be right on top of your next door neighbor. We lived in a townhouse for years and after having some not-so-lovely neighbors, we were ready for a little bit of privacy plus a little chunk of land. Ha, but what I mean by chunk is 1/2 acre! I can’t imagine 9 acres!! But this house is gorge and has so much character, which is my main must-have.
Oh. My. God. Those stairs are GORGEOUS!!! The porch? Awesome. The neighbor? Sad. Have fun searching!
AHHHHHHHHHH! That’s so exciting that you’re looking for a new house! Stay strong about the perfect location. Everything else can be changed. Good luck!
Holy crap, that would be an amazing house. I do think I would kill you if you painted all that woodwork, though. And I usually love white woodwork!
My ‘musts’ are all the things you love: molding, wood floors, built-ins, quiet street, away from main road. I don’t care about living close to neighbors – we are 15 ft from our neighbor and even share a driveway with them. We never have to shovel or snowblow because he is retired and does it all for us! WOOT
I have always wanted a fixer-upper. However, I want someone ELSE to do the fixing up. 🙂 I guess that kind of defeats the purpose, but I just want to walk through and wave my hand like, “I want THIS done, and I want THIS done …” and voila – it’s done. But not by me.
Guess I’ll be sticking to non-fixer-uppers.
What a beautiful house, though! That woodwork is to die for!
Very cool house!! I’m excited to see what you find. Good luck!
wow..that house is stunning. (wipes drool) I’m sure your heart will lead you to the perfect home. You’ll ‘know’ it when you see it!
So exciting! I can’t wait to see where this process leads you. Location is my deal breaker – you can change everything else, so I think you guys were smart with your choice to forgo this gorgeous house.
OH MY WORD. What a beautiful house!! I feel like we’re perpetually house hunting, and I love that because I could walk through old houses all day.
Good for you guys to stay strong and walk away from such a gorgeous house!
(I’m still drooling over the house)