Are we Drifters? Renters? or First Time Home Buyers?

Here is a super quick back story for you. Within the span of about 6 years.

Nate and Mat are rugby buddies. Nate buys a town home and Mat is going to move in as a roommate. Nate gets an awesome job and the project is out of state. Abby and Mat are serious right from the gate and get married. Abby and Mat move into the townhouse and rent from Nate. Nate is the best guy out there (besides Mat) and allows us to rent for a VERY good price and allows us to make home improvements in lieu of rent. Abby and Mat make a home and fix the place up. Nate gets another great job opportunity and will be living not just staying in his next location. He puts an offer on a house in Cali. He is going to sell the townhouse in Co. We start looking for something else.


So, clearly there is a great deal to think about in a short span of time. Our Fairy God Father, aka, Nate has been so good to us and we have been so lucky to live in his town home for such a long time. Now, we are fastly approaching the end of one good thing to begin another adventure.

The important thing for us is to make decisions quickly because the adoption papers need to be updated, approved, home study again, etc. since our address will change. And the decision needs to take place sooner than later because we do not want to be put on hold as we near the referral. We are also within our 90 days of some of our paperwork being expired. We need to update the I-600A and our fingerprints...but do we do it now because it is free 1 time only extension or wait until we have a new address? The cost of these changes keep piling up but I suppose that goes with the territory and we knew of these possible scenarios.

This week. We got a call from Nate. Fast forward, things are moving fast and we need to get on the ball. Mat calls his sister Yvette who is a broker, we get numbers and start calling. We now have a realtor, have been pre-approved and should start to see some listings trickling in today. WOW! Our hope is to see some we would like to check out in person and go look at tomorrow.

Our Adoption Garage Sale has now evolved into an Adoption / Moving Sale and I see everything in our home with new eyes.

Keep. Pack. Sell. Pitch.

Our journey is never ending and our love for each other is the same. It is somewhat sad to say goodbye to the pace we have called home. The place we have made into a home. You should have seen it from the get go. The place where the first 6 years of our marriage started and the place we thought we would bring our kids home to.

This new adventure will be very exciting and scary. We hope to stay in the same area, the parks and trails are now a part of our workout routine and where we see us as a family. Realisticallyy. Anyone that knows me well would know I would move to a 1900 old farmhouse where you have to take a bike ride to get the neighbor's house in the South of France... in a heartbeat. Or a nice place in PA with lots of land for the kids to explore and a garden. For now, until we win the lottery or retire, we will stay here.

We are walking into this... looking for our first time home... thing...with conservative and realistic eyes. We know our budget and are planning to take necessary steps for how our life and salaries will look when the kids are home. I am cutting my hours, 11 most days will go to 6. And the Nanny/Household Manager title moves to Nanny/Mom. Which means I will be paid by the hour and no longer salary. The pretty new VW Tiguan, goes as well.

So, like I was saying- we are not looking for the beautiful move in ready 5 piece master bath and walk in closet house with the big yard. We are looking for what we can handle for the next 3-5 years as we adjust to owning a home, a fixer upper most likely and creating some equity.

Be smart. It's a business deal. It's not forever. Try not to get emotional. Have fun, it's an adventure. ~My new mantra.

All for now, Abby