The big news: Our New House

So for those of you who don't already know by now, our big news is that we're moving (again!). We've been trying to find ways to save money and get out of debt (cuz there's a lot now!) and so a couple of weeks ago I decided to look in the local paper for rentals. I didn't really expect to find much because when we got here a few months ago, there were only 2 three bedroom homes for rent in the whole area. We took the more expensive of the 2 because it was actually in town (the other one was about 20 minutes outside of town) and we figured by the time you factor in time on the road, gas, and wear and tear on the cars we would end up spending just as much on the cheaper house. Did that just make sense?! Anyway, I looked and you won't believe what I found!
There is this neighborhood that we knew about and thought "someday when we can afford it, we'd love to live there." It's just a great place. It's not on the hill so the HUGE 1/2 acre yard is flat. There are a lot of couples our age there meaning that there are a lot of kids in our kids' age range as well. It's quiet with lots of places for our kids to ride their bikes and be perfectly safe. There are common areas behind a bunch of the houses where the kids all congregate to play. We're talking big enough an area for them to play baseball if they wanted! Plus, all the houses are newer and nicer than a lot of them on the hill. I'm not trying to be snobby, but MANY of the houses on the hill are really old and need so much work. There are newer houses mixed in all over the place, but they all cost too much cuz they're newer and most are really small due to the fact that they had to squeeze them in between two existing houses! The point is, we already knew we liked the neighborhood. So imagine my surprise and excitement when there was a house in the neighborhood that was for rent!
I read about it and thought it would be perfect. The only problems were that it was only $50 a month less than what we're paying now. Not really enough to justify moving. Also, they said no pets. But, I looked again the following week and there it was, still advertised and the rent had gone down $100 a month! I took the initiative and called the owner to see if maybe they would let us have Marmalade there and if they'd take $50 less a month than the advertisement (so that it would knock $200/month off what we're currently paying). By golly it worked!!! ;o) (I just said "by golly!" Wow. Anyway, I talked to David when he got home and I was so excited I was coming out of my skin! He, being less emotional and more level-headed than I, said we would look into it before we got too excited. Whatever!
Super long story shorter, we saw the house and it's fabulous! We gave them a rental application and waited by the phone for a few days. Then we got bad news. They have been trying to sell this house for the past 2 years with no luck. Just as we applied to rent it, someone called them who was interested in buying it. :o( He said he would show it to them and let us know the next week if they got an offer or not. It turns out, not! So we get to live there!!! We are moving in the week of Thanksgiving and I'm not even really bothered by that cuz I'm so excited about moving!
Here is the quick overview of the house. I know this is getting really long but promise there are pix at the end to make it more intersting! It's a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with a 3 car garage. It has a living, dining, and family room as well as an eat-in kitchen. A beautiful staircase in the middle of the house winding around the the second floor. The bedrooms are SO much bigger than in our current house and so are the closets. The girl's bedrooms even have walk-in closets! there are lots of other great closets and storage areas, too. The master bath has a jetted tub, lots of counter space, and 2 sinks! YEAH! Room to breath! Also, of course, a stall shower. The kitchen has an island and I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting. I'm just so stoked!
I'll shut up now and share pix with you. We don't have access to the house yet so these are just of the outside. I'll send inside pix as soon as I can! Enjoy! Ruth Obviously the front of the house! It was just painted outside a year ago. Good news in case we do love it there and decide to buy it!The front. I love this super high front entrance. I think it looks elegant.Another shot showing how high it goes!The side gate to the backyard.Our back lawn. The owner apparently used to have a gorgeous yard here that won some awards. Sadly, the last renters didn't take care of it so now it needs to be nursed back to health. I'll try! Plus, there's a garden plot as well as an apple, pear, cherry, and plum tree. And grapes growing on the gazebo. Nice! She said you have to be careful, though, cuz the deer like to walk through and eat the garden!Another shot of the backyard with the view of Wallooskee river and Young's Bay. So pretty! And then the back of the house. There is a deck on the left side of the picture that would be great for a picnic table or for the girls to perform! The gazebo is covered with ivy and grape vines and used to have a hot tub in it. They said it's still all wired and all you have to do is set a new one in there. That's probably not going to happen anytime soon! But, there's a bar and stools in there now and I think it looks like a great place for David to stay dry to barbeque any time of year and for the girls to sit to have picnics. I can't wait!