A House

So, soon we will no longer be homeless. We signed a lease and will move in the first weekend in June. We actually ended up getting another house in the same subdivision where we first looked last month and found that first house that fell through. It's even the same floor plan, so super praise that we didn't have to spend the money to fly me up to check it out. (I'm also excited that we don't have to head up there right away; there are still so many things we want to do while we're here, and knowing that we have all of May makes me sigh with major relief!)

I really didn't think that we would end up with newer construction. Everything in our price range was fairly old, and not that that's bad; but we are just new construction people, if we have a choice. We've always lived in new, except for the house we just left. It was 20+ years old and certainly had the issues that come with age and - quite honestly - neglect from the owner. (I don't mean to sound snobby - we'd happily be all about fixing them up, if we were buying these homes; but since we're renting, b/c we don't want to get stuck where we don't want to settle, we just have to deal with all of the little problems, which actually makes it more irritating.) But this house is fairly new (2008) in a young subdivision that is just finishing being built-out, (quite a feat in MI - most new subs have just been left unfinished in the bad economy.) People *want* to live there! They're still choosing to build, which is just mind-boggling for that area. It's a neighborhood a lot like our beloved one in Georgia, that I wasn't sure we'd be able to get back into anytime soon. It has a neighborhood pool, (a reach feature I had only dreamed about for MI; they're just not as standard as they are down South b/c of the weather,) clubhouse, playground, and scenic walking trails that wrap around cool ponds.

The area elementary school is on the corner and backs right up to the neighborhood. It's one of the best elementary schools in the state, (super key for us!!! We would choose to live in a less-than-ideal home right now to get Will into the best school possible. He's starting 1st grade this fall, and the kids' education is way more important to us than any other location factor.) Just down from the school is a little shopping center that *is* over half empty, but what they *do* have in there sent me over the moon: a coffee/tea/soup/sandwich shop!!! It is adorable, and they even have relatively cheap prices. I asked if they served bubble tea when we were there last month, and the girl behind the counter said they were hoping to start this summer!!! Of course, I flipped into enthusiasm overload & told them if we moved there & they got bubble tea that I'd be in 3 times a week and would advertise all over for them. :-P

The house itself is great - same size we last owned (plenty big, although not as big as our 80's mansion we just left ;-)) with 4 bedrooms, (awesome, b/c we were fully ready to sink down to 3 to get into this school district; so yay for all you guests!) From the listing: 2-1/2 bath. Living & dining. Family room w/ fireplace. Master suite w/ huge walk-in master closet. Spacious open floor plan, 2 story foyer, kitchen w/ island and nook overlooking family room. Plenty of windows, great natural light. Granite countertops in kitchen. Large unfinished basement. [To store all of the boxes that we probably won't unpack at this house, either! Ha!]

So yeah, yay for having an address, and also yay that we don't have to go right this second. :-)