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We got the happy news Monday night that the bank accepted our offer! It’s nice not to feel homeless anymore. If this didn’t work out I was really dreading the emotional let down, restarting house hunting, and enduring a longer amount of time in limbo. So grateful we found something that we both feel so good about.
The house is in Tampa, near Citrus Park mall. It’s only 10 minutes from Ben’s office and zoned for fairly good schools. Never imagined myself living in Tampa, but it will be fun to meet a new group of people. It will also be nice to live close to Mike and Sarah. This isn’t our “Forever House” but I could see us living there for a few years. Ben thinks we’ll just be in it a year or two and then hopefully sell it for a profit and buy a house in Pinellas County. Who knows? Our plan was to stay in our current house three years and it will be seven this month.
The house has a unique layout. The front doors open to a stair case which splits at the landing. The right goes to the master bedroom and bathroom. The left goes to two bedrooms and a bathroom. The downstairs has a dining room to the right of the stairs and it’s matched by a living room on the left. Very symmetrical which I like. The kitchen is to the back right when you walk in the front doors and the family room is behind the stairs. There’s another bedroom, bathroom, and laundry room to the back left of the lower floor. The house is 2200 sqft. It’s not huge but it’s bigger than what we have. I think it will be perfect. I wish the house had a slightly larger kitchen and family room but the rest of the house was exactly what we were looking for. We also love that the house is in a quiet, safe neighborhood. I’m not sure about parks or places to walk to, but hopefully we’ll find something.
We are hoping to close in 30 days. The house needs some work so we probably won’t move in for another month after the close. We plan to have the inside and outside repainted, new flooring in the whole house, update bathrooms, gate around the pool, and spruce up the stairs a little. We have a few other dream projects but I’m not sure if the budget will stretch that far – new doors, trim, and built in bookcase in living room to name a few.
We’re excited and relieved to have found our next house. Any suggestions about how to make it cute? Please share!
These pictures are in reverse order. Sorry about that!
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Has this flag pole in the backyard. That’s a stream behind the flag pole. It’s almost like a little memorial area.
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Has quite a few statues and a fish pond. The yard is going to need a lot of work!
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Statues and odd landscaping?
We didn’t really want a pool but it may be fun to have for a little while. I have recurring dreams about kids drowning. Getting a net is A1 priority.
Another pool view
Downstairs bathroom that goes out to the pool and is next to the guest bedroom. Needs updating. Not sure what to do?
Master bathroom is very eclectic – gaudy vanity, moody wallpaper, light pink tile, laminate wood flooring.
Downstairs bedroom which will be our playroom/school room.
I think this is the boys room.
i think this is Sadie’s room.
Master bedroom. It’s not huge. We’re hoping our bedroom set will fit.
View from the stiars looking down at the family room.
View from the stairs looking into the kitchen/family room.
Front door, stairs, and that room is the living room.
Stairs are like BAM! – right in front of you when you walk in.
Dining room.
View when standing in the family room.
Kitchen has this weird half wall/bar area. Not sure what to do with it?
Kitchen.
Kitchen.
Kitchen.
Raven - How exciting! And what a fun palette to put your own design mark on! Awesome bones to this place and tons of potential. I look forward to seeing what you do with it!
Desiree - What a fun project. Seems like so much you could easily do to make this a fabulous home. Definitely get rid of the statues in the yard. I wonder if you got rid of the big mirror and counter top behind the toilet in the hall bath if that would help it look more updated. I know you’ll make it look GREAT. Congrats
Cindy Ernest - I agree with your friend–great bones. And, you will enjoy putting your personal touches on it. I think once you start to use the pool you will never want to be without one again. I loved our pool so much –great family and friend time. Once your pool safety net is put up–you will feel good about it. When my kids were about 9 Mo. old I took them to swimming lessons. They said that the most important thing to teach them is how to get out of the pool. Even if kids know how to swim–it is vital–for them to know to get to the side of the pool and pull themselves out. Both of my kids were lousy swimmers – but they were the best and the fastest at getting out of it. It was funny. When they were older they became great swimmers. It is a big loss to the Hudson Ward but you will be a great Blessing to Tampa. Love and miss you & your family.