Key in Hand

As of August 24, 2016, it is now officially on record that I am a homeowner. Yaaaaay!!! And it was on that day that I received my keys. 

On Friday night, I took a few things over to my house to get started on the move. I spent the night there. All I heard were the sounds of crickets, the trees as the breeze blew through the branches and leaves, and the windchimes playing light tunes. It was incredibly peaceful. I kept thinking to myself, there's no one above me, no one below me and no one on either side. I hear no one. And no one hears me. That's the difference between life in a house and life in an apartment. No shared space.

I decided to place one picture on the wall to make it less empty. As I pounded the nail, I smiled realizing that I'm not disturbing anyone. It's also MY wall. I don't need permission to make changes. Here's the result:

I know it's a slow start, but it's a start. I can't wait until I have all my antique furnishings moved in. Stay tuned...

Half way there...

I'm now half way through the escrow period! 

I thought the search for a house was a stress, but it doesn't compare to the process of a home purchase.

I did the home inspection and was surprised to learn of the problems it has. It needs improvements in the following: plumbing, electrical, new waterheater, and a few other cosmetic issues. I thought, "this is a flipped house! How can it have these issues when the whole idea of a flipped house is to make upgrades and improvements to its infrastructure?" I was really bummed out about it.

That afternoon, I went to my friend's housewarming party and told her what happened. She, too, bought an old house and said that her home has the same issues. Then other guests chimed in saying that when you buy an old house, it's expected to come with electrical and plumbing issues; they also had the same experience. It made me feel a little better. They encouraged me, though, to negotiate with the seller and tell them to repair it. I made a list of requests, and to my surprise, the seller agreed to make all the repairs. One less stress. 

Meanwhile, I'm having very mixed emotions: excitement, nervousness, fear, etc. My parents have been my strongest supporters in my decision to buy a house. What I'm going through is absolutely normal, especially when it's your first home. "You're a homeowner!" That's what my mom cheerfully tells me. It's definitely a great accomplishment, especially to buy a house in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's a tough market.

Everything seems to be falling into place. Not only is my home loan approved, but due to my high credit score, the interest rate was reduced; the homeowners insurance quote was reduced because I have a Master's Degree. 

This American Dream is becoming reality. 

Stay tuned for the "before and after" shots.