House Hunters

We always knew we didn't want to be perpetual apartment dwellers. The apartment has suited our needs during these first years of marriage, but we prayed that the Lord would allow us to own a house someday. Occasionally we've looked into it. It was more of a casual affair, knowing we couldn't afford it, yet dreaming of the day we could. Some might call it window shopping. Now that we have Matthew and plan to continue to grow our family, the apartment seems to be shrinking, and we need a bigger place to live.



We began by researching house builders. We love the idea of building a new house, and the market is great right now. We found these certain builders through a couple of Josh's co-workers, and they offered a great floor plan and other benefits. The neighborhood we'd like to build in is young and offers parks and ponds on the grounds. We even sat down with the builders and priced out the type of house we'd build and what we'd want included. That way we'd have an idea of how much the final price would be. It was within our range, but some things we didn't like was the small lot and appliances wouldn't be included.



Though this route looked good, we decided we should get a realtor so we could look at existing homes. We didn't want to rule out that option until we gave it a fair shot. But how to pick a realtor is an interesting dilemma. We know a couple church-going people in real estate, but I was afraid if something went sour, friendships would be strained. Josh found a site online called the Exodus Network. You fill out your information, and they choose a realtor close by who can help you. It's a Christian website, and those affiliated with it are honest and trustworthy. This site introduced us to Nancy, our real estate agent. She's a sweet older lady who isn't afraid to talk about the Lord. Although being a Christian wasn't a requirement for picking a realtor, it is very nice to have someone who's on our side in more than one way. It makes it very easy to talk to her, and we know she's coming from a similar background morally and spiritually.



Last night we met up with Nancy to look at three houses. The first one was our favorite. A decent size and price range, and minor negatives. We both could picture ourselves living there. The second one was a disappointment to all three of us. It looked nice from the outside, but once we got in, we saw the damage. Someone had come in and stolen everything. There was no kitchen, no cabinets, nothing. The place was trashed from top to bottom, and inside I felt sorry for the house. It had once been beautiful but now had the scars of vandalism. The third one was cheerier, so it was nice to end on a happy note. This house was nice like the first one, and again, had some minor negatives. It cost a little more though, and there were already two bids on it.



We keep thinking about the first house we saw, but we are hesitant. Could the Lord really have brought us to our home on the first try? Well, He's God, and He can certainly do anything, but we are still praying through this process and plan to look at more houses. We know that if the Lord has a house out there for us, whether it be the first or the last one we look at, He will save it for our little family.

The search hopefully continues this weekend. I'd love it if, when you think of us, you'd pray for guidance and wisdom as we look at homes. It's a process that can become overwhelming and even a little scary, but it's also exciting. We see it as another chapter in this adventurous book we call Life.