House Hunting - What Do You Think?

Here are the results of our house hunting last weekend. Out of all the homes we looked at this is the one we liked the best. It suits our needs [3 bedrooms, all on one level, minimal stairs in the front]. It is a lovely little home, very cozy and something I can take care of for my family - which excites me! Additional bonus - it is even closer to the Squirrel's college [and no, we didn't do that intentionally - it just happened that way!]
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The house is a 5 year old rambler. It is built over a full unfinished basement but the basement has a bathroom already built in, the electricity is in place and the insulation is in - so we would have to frame out a few rooms, drywall and put down floor if we wanted to finish it - not too shabby [thank goodness the electric and insulation is in, eh?] Upstairs has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen, small dining room with french doors off of the deck and the living room. As I said - just what we need and the right size that I won't be overwhelmed trying to clean and take care of it.

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The front of the home

The kitchen was a nice surprise. All the appliances are new and are the exact ones I would pick. The fridge is the one I have now [love it!] and the ceramic top stop is one I used to have in our old home and my first pick in stoves.

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It is a little tight on cabinet space but I figured we can put shelving in the basement and stock up there since there is no pantry in the kitchen. Wallene has young legs, so it would be her job to retrieve :D We do have enough space for our dishes, pots, pans and stuff.

OH! and a window above the sink - I love that! And the view is spectacular - all trees and yard...not another house to be seen. I am digging the built in microwave - nice touch. The doorway you see is to the basement.

Here is the basement. We would have to have someone drywall the ceiling but we can do the rest ourselves - especially since the handy dandy Brauns are coming east next summer and I just know they want to help us with our DIY project. HA!
Here is the view from the front yard across the street. It is all trees tadpoles - really pretty and quiet. We will have to get used to how dark it is going to be at night - no streetlights in this part of the world. :D And the roads are incredibly windy and gravel. It's the wilderness I tell ya! heehee - but we will be purchasing a four wheel drive pick up just in case.
I can guarantee you if it snows even half as much as it did this past year we will be snowed in for a few weeks at a time. Thank goodness Pooldad works in the business he does and it is slow during the winter. But think of all the snowdays with Wallene home with us? Awesome.
[And no, I am not basing this decision on snow day potential NMM, okay?]

I was talking to a friend about the house and she said that she didn't think I "loved" it and if I didn't love it we shouldn't purchase it because it is such a big investment. I explained that I do really like it and she seemed satisfied. After I was off the phone I got to thinking - and [no offense friend] but I am not looking for a home I love - I am living in a home I love - but it doesn't work for me anymore. As much as I want to stay where we are our needs outweigh our wants - so really no, I don't have to love it - but it certainly needs to fit in the parameters of what works for us. Which this one does wonderfully.

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I can honestly say there are only a few deterents - but nothing we [um... I mean my lovely husband, love ya' honey!] can't overcome. His commute will double from 30 minutes to 60 minutes and there is no trash service for example - but it has more good points - with a bonus being the price - that we are excited to have found something that is really everything we want and need.

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We should be meeting with the realtor tomorrow to put a contract on it. Hopefully we will be accepted and then the dreaded paperwork circus begins, right? [Hi Rudee! Still fresh isn't it? :D]

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Hope everyone has a great day! Love ya!