the money pit

Tuesday Project Roundup: Planning, Pergolas

By in the money pit, the precious

The three days I had off last weekend were also the warmest days of the year so far (above 60!) so I didn’t spend a lot of time inside sewing. (I need to–I want to wear my tunic at the end of the month and I realized Skyler has a birthday coming up–but I needed to recharge more.)

Anyway, all that sitting on my tiny back deck got me thinking about the outdoor improvements I want to make this year. It will be my third summer in the house so I’ve had some time to play with ideas, and the idea that’s  stuck is “pergola.” And “slightly less tiny deck.” Check out the ideas I’ve been collecting on Pinterest:

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My House, Let Me Show You It

By in the money pit, the precious

I went over to my new house this weekend and let myself in to check it out. In all the confusion of which model to get, I had only visited “mine” once and was having a hard time visualizing the layout–and after dealing with an awful mortgage broker last week, I wasn’t 100% convinced I needed to buy it at all, if it was going to be that difficult.

Well, I like my house. (And I’d better, because the construction deposit check has cleared.) There were birds in the trees outside and space for a garden and it was so! fancy! inside! Plus, it wasn’t drafty. Incredible!

Here is the kitchen half of the main floor. I think the kitchen goes in this week, which means I can finally get that sink out of my car.

And here’s looking down from the second floor (Toby is going to love these stairs.)

There’s even a real entryway, with an actual coat closet!

So in dealing with brokers this week, I just have to remember that it will be worth it. And that there’s no going back now.

Tuesday Project Roundup: House Projects

By in the money pit, Tuesday Project Roundup

Even though I got a lot of sewing time in yesterday, I don’t have anything finished for today. (I forget how long it takes to make actual sleeves with a cuff.) But I have started buying things for the new house. The first thing, of course, was fabric:
This will be a shower curtain for the second bathroom.

I also bought a kitchen sink. It’s now in my car, waiting for the kitchen to go in. And wow, could I have bought a lot of fabric in exchange for one sink. I’m going to have to get used to buying home items, I guess.

Mine At Last

By in the money pit, the precious

I like to announce important things on a Wednesday in December, it seems, so here’s the big news for this year: I’m under contract to buy a house!

The search was long; the houses were many. I wondered if it was worth it. I wondered if I could go on. I was disappointed and then I was indecisive and then grim determination set in. In the last two weeks of wrangling over offers and addenda there have been innumerable setbacks, but I have emerged triumphant with a signed acceptance on new construction that is only nine blocks south of my desired area.

A new house! That’s still being built! That has no upstairs neighbors! That has two bathrooms and room for Toby and modern conveniences like an attached garage! And I am buying it for myself–no one is buying it for me, no one is buying it with me. It’s mine…

My own…

MY PRECIOUS!!!

And The Voice Said, "Master Suite," And I Listened

By in the money pit

As you know, I’ve been looking at houses for many months now, telling myself that I’ll let go of things like new construction, a second bathroom, a finished basement, and lately even a garage in order to live in my preferred area–close to downtown and easily walkable and bikeable.

That area features houses ranging from 1890 to about 1940–and I’ve seen the whole range, with different degrees of upkeep. I was looking at one from 1919 a couple weeks ago and the voice of reason in my head spoke up.

It said, “Karen, keep your life from turning into Grey Gardens in 20 years. Buy a house that won’t immediately fall apart around you.” And then it said, “You don’t walk or bike that much anyway–and it’s not like you’re moving to Daybreak.”

So that’s why I’m checking out two houses built in 2007 tonight. They’re south of 21st South (gasp) but they have things like powder rooms, and insulation, and bathrooms that are attached to your bedroom (!), and garages that are attached to your house (!!).

Did you know that most newer houses have ALL of those things BUILT IN? Can you imagine?

I Guess Only Men Buy Houses?

By in the money pit

I got really close to making an offer on a house last week, but then I didn’t–the house still had the original 1939 knob and tube wiring and a fuse box.

In the course of finding out about the wiring, my awesome agent forwarded me the emails she got from the seller’s agent, in which I (the buyer) was always referred to “he.” For example: “If the buyer wants to call the guy who inspected the wiring, he can reach that guy* at…” and “If the buyer wants a house with updated wiring, he might need to look at new construction.” (That one’s an actual quote.)**

My realtor is a woman so I haven’t had to deal with any of the “Buying a house all by yourself, little lady?” attitude that you get in a conservative state. I just thought it was interesting that the default for the (male) seller’s agent was “he.”

So the house hunt continues, even though I am not a man.



*That guy was described as an “Army electrician and jack of most trades.” Um, shouldn’t that job description have been “licensed electrician”?

**For the love of god. I don’t need NEW wiring; just wiring that isn’t a fire hazard.

House Angst

By in the money pit

I have been gingerly wading into the deep scary world of the housing market. I have a real estate agent, I got a loan application (which made me throw up in my mouth a little), and tonight I’m looking at a bunch of likely homes.

I’m sure most people have anxiety over house purchases, but mine isn’t necessarily about mortgaging my life away–it’s about how on earth I’ll maintain a house. In the area where I want to be, new houses are scarce and expensive, so I’m looking at age ranges from the 1920’s to the 40’s. Which means that there’s a lot more maintenance to keep on top of. (It also means that when it’s paid off in 30 years and I’m 60, I’ll be in a hundred-year-old house. Along with my 15 cats.)

I know how to maintain the inside of a house, and I suppose things like cleaning out gutters and lawn mowing and winterizing and fixing holes in the roof aren’t rocket science, or most people’s homes would look a lot worse than they do. A reasonably intelligent person who’s good at following instructions and reading diagrams should be able to learn as she goes, right?

Right?