Housing update...

First, I apologize for dropping the ball on the housing blog, but things have been CR-A-ZY!!!

So the offer on the house was accepted, GREAT!!!  There were a few things left to be done.  In the contract the seller agreed to purchase a fridge and update the counter tops, JACKPOT! 
Now with an accepted offer, I needed to get an inspection and set a date for closing.  One thing I learned very quickly, is that you have to be present for everything!

The inspection was scheduled and I was ready.  The day of the inspection, I took a few hours off work, had cash in hand and headed to my new home.  I walked the behind the inspector the whole time, and learned a lot about my new home.  I walked through every detail, except the roof.  I was happy to find that the inspector had a hard time finding much wrong with the house.  While I knew the house had been rehabbed, I was not sure how well it was done.  Much to my satisfaction, it was done very well.  At the end of the inspection, the inspector printed out a copy of the report, put it in a notebook and went over it with me.  It was helpful, he told me the major as well as the minor things that needed to be taken care of, what the expected cost would be and even offered to come back out and reinspect once the work was done. 
I also got a termite inspection since, it was an additional $50 and well worth it to know that there was no sign of the mites!

After the inspection, I put in a request to the seller to fix the things that came up in the inspection, and what do you know, they agreed!  The biggest thing that needed replaced was the electrical panel and that would have cost me a few thousand dollars to get done.

Finally, it was time to schedule closing, April 4, 2012!

It is such a great feeling when things work the way they are supposed to, except when they dont.

I ran into a snag with the financing.  There was an old debt that had not been taken care of and now I have to push my closing back.  A new date has not been set, but I will update you as soon as I know when it is. 

I will do a special blog, with many picture on: THE PACKING PROCESS....

Hampton's Home-buying Happenings --We have a decision...

So I was at work as usual when I remembered I scheduled a meeting to sign papers about the house.  I raced out of the office to the place I should have been 10 minutes before I actually arrived.  While checking in I missed a call from Mikki, so I gave her a call back.  She had been trying to get in touch with me since the night before.

She had something important to tell me, they reviewed the offer and accepted it!!!  Yay, one step closer to owning a home!  Now the important details...financing...I have a lot to say about this and cannot do it just right now...I will update in the next few days...this process is exciting which leads to exhaustion!  

Hampton's Home-buying Happenings Placing an offer..

So Tuesday was a really big day for me.  My kid had a performance at school, and she was awesome.  Beyond that, it was the big day.  It was "Make an Offer Day".  I met Mikki at Subway none the less, (I love that she is so accommodating) to sign the offer.  We had talked earlier in the day and decided to offer $1000 above list and ask for a new fridge, counter tops and closing costs.  It was a little nerve racking.  We gave until Friday at 5 PM for them to make a decision on the offer.

I was not worried about them accepting or countering the offer.  I believe this is my house and I guess I don't feel like things will be anything but decent and in order when it come to the whole situation.

I have since had to sign many papers and prepare many documents that reflect income and such.

So I waited to hear back on Wednesday...

I heard on Wednesday that the listing agent had no issue with putting a Fridge in the house...Uh yeah, a good sign!

More to see--Hampton's Home-buying Happenings 2/28/2012

So I started this whole home search process a few months ago and have viewed many homes.  I must admit I have grown slightly anxious about finding the home that had everything I wanted and did not require me to compromise.  After what felt like looking at a billion homes online, avoiding house hunters for a few months (ill explain why later) and taking my lunch hour to view homes.  I believe I found my jewel.

Not that I am a professional or anything but here are somethings I found helpful along the way.

1. Finding an amazing Realtor, Mikki Armstrong is by far the greatest at what she does.  My Realtor made it a point to make me know I was a priority.  I mean there was one night I was up until the wee hours of the night looking at homes online, I texted Mikki to ask if she could include one of the houses in our Saturday viewing.  (Mikki had given me permission to text her at ANY time)  I sent her a text at 11:30 thinking she would see it the next morning, however, about 10 minutes later she replied letting me know the game plan for the next day and continued working on the details that night, or should I say morning.

2. Know what you want and be willing to reconsider.  I went in knowing I wanted a 3 bed 2 bath, finished basement and garage.  Anything else was a bonus, anything less was not acceptable.  However, I also knew my price range and quickly learned that in my price range what I wanted was definitely possible I just had to decide if I wanted more in terms of space or upgrades.  Going in I wanted both.  I was being unrealistic.  That is another place my awesome Realtor stepped in and explained to me the differences in what I wanted verses what I could afford.  She was very knowledgeable and was able to find a place that gave me both and was less that what I budgeted!  JACK POT!

3. Do your homework.  I researched different home buying programs that are available in my area, and ones that gave the biggest benefits since I am a first time home buyer.  With the help of Mikki, we found a program that works for me.  It is amazing, it pays 20% down on my home as well as some closing costs.

4. Go home and sleep on it.  I did this after each showing.  I knew right away there were some homes that I had no interest in at all, but there were also some homes that I thought I would love to live in.  After getting home and having a chance to go over the practicality of the homes, I often found that the houses I REALLY liked were not always the best option for me.  I had to consider things such as utilities.  While I would love to have a HUGE sitting room, with vaulted ceilings, how much would it add to my monthly expenses to heat and cool those rooms?  These are things to think about, even when you get an AMAZING price on the home.

5. Consider your visitors.  For me this was a very important aspect because I love to entertain and just have people over.  I had to consider if having a home without a large driveway would work for me.  I wanted to find a place where people could park on the street and not cause me to be hated by all my neighbors.  I did not want a place with too many stairs for several reasons. It was also to have a place with sidewalks out front because I am know as the "kid house".  I have a young daughter and am a Children Ministry Teacher so I always have a kid running around some where.  Sometimes thinking about the smallest details will make or break a deal and save you headache in the long run.

6.  Go with who you know.  One thing my Realtor did for me was recommend people to me that she had also used.  She told me at the beginning that she has worked with lots of people in the profession and has lenders that she prefers to work with.  She even went a step further to say, I recommend people that I have had to work with on a personal level first.  She recommended people that she had her own children use, and that made me feel so much more at ease.  I must admit that all the people she has put me in contact with have been AWESOME!!! They work with me as if I am the only person they have to deal with and that make me feel like a Queen!  I love it!

Where has the time gone...

So I am not so great with this whole blogging thing, but I continue to try my hand at it.  I have started another blog about my journey to fitness entitled: Feeling for Fitness.  I am in the early stages, and enjoying ever minute of it.  I will soon be blogging here about the home buying process!

Things in life are going well!  I am in the process of buying my first home!  It is both fun and frustrating at the same time.  I think this will be a large part of my blog focus! 

Well this is it for the moment!

Back to doing better

So, its been more than a few months since my last posts.  I make no apologies but I have had the urge to blog so here I am.  I've been listening to poetry this morning, so I thought I would try my hand at it.

Changes

Are things that happen over time
Often necessary, but rarely embraced
Causing the worried look to rest upon the face
If only it was a different time or place
I mean, I would if I could, and yes I understand that I should
However right now, the time just isn't good.

Sometimes I fear it, but pray that God bring me near it
I want to adjust and be different but it just might hurt
I pretend to be void of strength when i am really just lazy and don't want to do the work

It requires me to deny the things that seem sweet like pie
Makes me face the truth and escape the lie
That everything is okay and life is just fine
But really I know that is just the enemy's favorite line
Convincing me to flee from God and his perfect love for me

Change is a blessing and from it is taught a real true lesson
God came and made a change, sinners like you and me still think its strange
He gave his only son, to save us from our sin
The funny things is despite my lifestyle He would do it again
 Thank you Lord, that through your change in me, I've read the back of the book, and I know I win!

When you enter...

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise. ¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
 ² Worship the LORD with gladness;
   come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the LORD is God.
   It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise;
   give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
   his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Yesterday's worship was nothing short of amazing.  It is so true that when you enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with Praise that the Lords shows up and shows out.  Just to give an indication of how the Lord worked in our worship services yesterday...We started service at 11 am...and are normally dismissed from service about 1:15, 1:30 at the latest.  Well yesterday, the Minister didn't get up to minister until 1:05ish!

The presence of God was truly in that place.  Healing, deliverance, restoration, forgiveness, was abounding yesterday.  I don't really have the words to express the atmosphere accurately. 

Worshipers came in with a mind of worship.  No one was looking to the left or the right, but had their minds on Christ and was able to enter into his presence.  It was truly a beautiful sight.  Ministers were humbling themselves and were kneeling at the alter, confessing their situations to the Lord.  This was awesome, it opened the door for others to come and come boldly to seek Christ.  It was truly a place of healing.  Bondage was set free, and yolks were broken. 

Intercessors moved through the congregation without limits, praying and laying hands on people.  Petitioning Christ on behalf of others.  You could see the burdens being lifted.

I've not experienced anything more amazing, than what I did yesterday.  I am thankful to be apart of God's Kingdom.  Apart of something so miraculous.  I am grateful for my spiritual gifts, prayer is a beautiful thing!