Waiting for approval on a mortgage can be excruciating. Now that Covid has affected so many people, trying to get a mortgage when you’re self-employed is, seriously, worse than doing your taxes. I have spent the past six weeks sending documentation not only on myself, but on the business, too. And, they kept asking for more. This morning, finally, the closing documents came through. Yea! Now, we get to start the fun job of PACKING! Ugg!!

The last three times we moved, I swore each one was the last time. Unfortunately, overcrowded suburbia, a pandemic, protests, hurricanes, and a terrifying funnel cloud proved me a liar after the fact. This time, I double dog swear it will be the last time.

We’ve spent the past few months traveling back and forth to Georgia, and looking at a variety of houses. We made offers on two of them, and lost out on the final bidding. The real estate market is NUTS right now! And, there was always the risk of bidding on a house, and finding out later, after you signed a gazillion forms and contracts, that the appraisal would be far below the offer price.

After those disappointments, one night, when I was up way past my bedtime, I accidentally changed the search parameters in realtor.com and a certain house popped up. And, it had everything on my “want” list:

• On a mountain but with great Internet (VERY difficult to find)
• At least 5 acres
• Lots of wildlife
• Natural water source nearby
• Master bedroom on the main floor (my knees aren’t getting any younger!)
• And, unlikely to be in any hurricane cones!

The Backyard

Yes, I’d be very happy living the rest of my life looking at that view!

I had, at that point, resigned myself to the fact that we’d probably be renting instead of buying but, when I stumbled upon this house online, I once again texted our realtor, David, and said, “Here we go again!”

The house had been on the market for 122 days (meaning no price war!) because, according to the realtor, “part of the road up the mountain is not paved.” I have a four-wheel drive. Dirt roads don’t bother me. In fact, I prefer them. They’re way more fun!! I was far more concerned about the Internet, which is below-ground fiber. Yea!!

We did a Facetime walk-through with the realtor, made an offer, and traveled there two days later for the inspection. I’d been burned by a realtor-recommended inspector before so I hired my own. The inspection found no major issues and we talked the sellers down on the price by $2500. Yes, only that.

This week, the appraisal came back and the value was quite a bit more than we offered on the house!!

Over the past month, we’ve saved every box and all the packing material we’ve received from incoming orders. We are making our moving-schedule spreadsheet today. For the last two weeks we’ll be in Florida, we’ll be living out of duffel bags and toiletry bags…and probably ordering lots of pizza. We’re going to hire some local muscle to help us pack a UHaul truck. Closing is supposed to be in mid-April. We are planning to do the final move the first week of May. That way, we will miss another hurricane season! Yea!!

I have to admit that I am most excited about growing some pumpkins!! When we lived in Maine, we would have family pumpkin growing contests. Those don’t grow so well in Florida. I am going to grow THE biggest pumpkin EVER!!

The house already has peach trees, and raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry bushes. We plan to plant a LOT more edible plants. I LOVE gardening but I had to stop doing it in Florida. In the hot summers here, I had to water twice a day while being eaten alive by mosquitos.

We are super excited right now! Except about the packing part…. 😉

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• Things are Crazy Nuts Here!
• House Hunting Kinda Sucks!
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