Thursday, Eric and I are both at work, but we're still thinking about 'what could have been'. Obviously we weren't as okay with losing the house as I thought.
I get a call at about 5:30pm and it's the auctioneer.(call display). I actually have a fleeting thought, he's calling about the house, but when I answer he asks for E. Okay, he wants to talk to Eric about a furnace or a/c. I tell him Eric's not home so he said he'll call back after 6:30pm.
That feeling doesn't leave me about the house, though, and because of the area we live in, it's quite possible that he wants to talk to 'my man'.... (that's a whole other post!)
6:30pm rolls around, I answer the phone, again, he asks for Eric ~doesn't want to talk to me. Eric takes the phone, and I can tell within seconds it's not about an a/c. Eric's heart rate and breathing have changed.....
......we're being offered the house!
H.O.L.Y. C.R.A.P!!!
Turns out, the guy that bid couldn't arrange the money on Thursday and had to bow out. He's legally bound to the bid and could be out the 10% down, but they've called us to see if we want it. We panic! It's funny if it would have been ours Wednesday night, it would be done and final, but now that we're offered the opportunity, we are at a loss. The energy level -aka stress level- completely shifts in the house. We're stressed, the dog senses it nd starts barking at us and the kids that should be heading to bed are playing, nicely, but actively, in the other room.
We have a big decision to make. Eric goes out to the house again with a friend who is a contractor and although it's closed up, neighbour Darryl has a key! A really old looking key!
YIKES! A key like that opens the place up -guess that`s the first thing we replace!
Eric & Scott do a walkabout and Scott says it`s a structurally solid, well built house. And that the original plans we thought of are different than what he would do. (we were thinking of a complete gut move walls and add an addition) He said he would save a lot of the features that make it an old home (trim, stairs, wood/plank floors and existing walls) and bring the house back to its time-frame. He also gave other suggestions for the addition we're considering. Easy to suggest when it's not your home and you're used to building million dollar homes for others!
So, now Eric and I have to decide and sign papers Saturday night if we want it. We have gone back with conditions. We asked for access to the barn early so we can store stuff and we asked for 120 days closing time with option to close early, and obviously, we're getting it for our bid of $249,000.
So, stay in a house that's lovely, bigger and requiring no renovations... or venture forward on this challenge?
Here's what we're leaving
and here's where we're going:
Oh My!
But, when Eric & Scott were going through the house they discovered more hardwood/plank floors under nasty vinyl and Scott thinks trim and woodwork is worth saving and working into the new look.
Our plan as of today?
- Turn the tiny kitchen into an awesome craft room/laundry room/mudroom/back entrance and add a 2.5 piece bathroom for that level.
- Turn the tiny sitting room and dining room into one larger farmhouse country kitchen/eating area.
- Leave the tiny front room (with double pocket doors) as a cozy reading room.
...note the word tiny....
- Add on a garage at the back with entrance to the mudroom
- Add a large living room behind the garage and wrapping around the side of the house. This would be covered in board and batten.
- Add a new master bedroom with en suite and an office would go above the garage.
- The two larger bedrooms upstairs both have big closets and painted wooden plank flooring that we would just refinish.
- The small bedroom on the south side would be turned into the kids' bathroom and a large closet.
- The attic will be turned into a bonus room for future use, but will just be a shell for awhile.
Along with the room re-finishings and moves... all plumbing, electrical, heating/ac, insulating and new windows will have to be done.
It's a big project no?
Came home from work tonight and already purged 2 closets, packed and labeled 8 boxes, and have the photo slide show ready for putting our house on the market.
So, tonight, we don't sleep, again! and Saturday, we meet with the auctioneer, homeowners.
As of midnight Friday, we're buying the house, but I'm sure our minds will change many times tomorrow.
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