Andrea's Home Journal...

[andrea]

Hey guys It been awhile since i have been here.. I have been kinda hanging out at baby talkers...

We decided that it's time to buy a house. We are moving to the other side of town about an hour and a half away from where we are at now. Hubby got a job there about 3 or 4 months ago and making some great money. The only down fall is he leaves our house at 7:20 am and he is not back in the house until 7:30 or 8:00 pm ever night. He is working 6 days a week also!!!!!

So anyways back to our house. We are looking for a ranch brink house. Other then that we are looking for any kind of great info, plus we are going to buy all new stuff for the house!!!! Woohoo i am so excited!!!!

[andrea]

woohoo!!!!!!!!!! we just found out today that we are all set up and preapproved. so house hunting we will go sunday, i'm kinda confussed... i am online now looking up houses, so if anyone has any good websites to look at just let me know

see you guys soon

[Csara]

Congrats Andrea! That is exciting. Good luck with the house hunting. I always used Realtor.com when looking for houses.

[andrea]

Thanks C i have checked out that website, i am so excited were going tomorrow to start the search... let's see how day one goes lol. I found a few on the websites i would like to go see, but tomorrow we are just going to drive around and see what we see lol

[nicolef888]

What area of the country are you looking in? What specifically are you looking for ie. age of house, how many bedrooms/bathrooms, new construction or resale? My suggestion to you is to always get a third party inspection even if it's a new construction house. We have a new construction house and even with a 3rd party inspection (there were some large issues detected and fixed) we've had issues.

[andrea]

Thanks for the help nicole. we are looking to stay in georgia this time around. i am excited about that, we are looking at new homes only right now. we went today for a bit and looked at a good amount, we found one that we both liked and believe it or not it was not a one level house lol. plus it was about 10k more then we wanted to pay for it!!!!!

[nicolef888]

What part of Georgia? I ask b/c we may be relocating there in about 2 1/2 years.

[andrea]

Are you really awsome what part ? I have lived in georgia most of my life then we went to montana for awhile. when we moved back we stayed with his parents in dallas georgia, then we got jobs and moved to conyers but he got a lot better job offer in douglasville, so now we are looking in the douglasville, dallas, kennesaw, villa rica area.

[nicolef888]

We would most likely move to Peach Tree City or surrounding areas-I'm not familiar with the area. It would be a corporate relocation so as the time draws nearer, we'll get to visit the area. Do you know anything about that area?

[andrea]

ummmmmm... kinda it's a pretty nice area one of my sisters friends lives there. I have not been in that area for years and years. are you guys excited about the move ??


I am trying to buy some new stuff now for the house lol even though i have no clue what it will look like.

I have bought new already for the spare bathroom:
1 black and white shower curtain
1 matching bath rug
1 set of matching towels ( for decorations)
1 set of the black hooks
1 set of the bath and body works wall flower and refill
1 matching picture frame

I think that is it so far
I still need/want for that bathroom
1 silver trash can
1 qtip holder
1 under the sink toilet paper holder (really cool one at liens and things)
some candle holders
fake plants

i believe that is it. Then i will move on to the master bathroom and ever other room lol

[nicolef888]

No, I'm not excited to be moving again as we just completed a VERY painful move. Also, it's tough unpacking with two small boys that like to repack after I've unpacked. We've been in our new house for about 5 months and there are still rooms that are untouched.

Sounds like you bought some good stuff so far! Do you have any pics? I just LOVE to talk about house stuff!

[andrea]

wow, i cant believe you just moved 5 months ago, where are you living at right now ?

nope no pictures yet of the bathroom stuff but this is the picture frame i bought (not for the bathroom) just bought because

http://lnt.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p2938157p275w.jpg

and i still want these two:

http://lnt.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p2938168p275w.jpg

http://lnt.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p2938180p275w.jpg



i love linens and things, i made up a home warming register just for me lol i think tomorrow (im off tomorrow) will go buy this:

this is the one i want for the spare bathroom
http://lnt.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p3373579p275w.jpg


i am also looking at this for the master bathroom to put around the garden tub (that is one that we must have a garden tub lol )

http://lnt.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p2818235p275w.jpg

[nicolef888]

Everything is beautiful! I still have a loooong way to go to finish furnishing my house!

We are currently living in the surrounding Houston Suburbs.

Whar size house are you looking for?

[Csara]

LOL Andrea, you are so funny! I can't believe you are buying stuff before you move! :lol:

It all looks great though! Keep posting pictures - I can live vicariously through you.

[andrea]

LOL Andrea, you are so funny! I can't believe you are buying stuff before you move! :lol:

It all looks great though! Keep posting pictures - I can live vicariously through you.


lol, thanks c that is the same thing my mother in law said, but like the bathroom stuff.. i am throwing away the old stuff so it's not coming with us if that makes since also stuff like dishes and silverware we are buying is all new and we are getting rid of that also lol

[andrea]

Everything is beautiful! I still have a loooong way to go to finish furnishing my house!

We are currently living in the surrounding Houston Suburbs.

Whar size house are you looking for?

Thanks nicole, were not 100 % sure we are looking for a 4 bedroom 3 bath with a full size basement the one that we looked at that we like so far is 2430 sq ft

[andrea]

hey guys do any of you know where i can search just for new houses ? i am thinking no, because they are no. but they got to be out there on the web right

[nicolef888]

You can search builders web sites-they usually have listings and inventory although many of them are not updated daily.

Sometimes they are listed on the local MLS system.

Your best bet would be to work with a realtor. It won't cost you anything as the seller pays her expenses. The realtor (I'm not a realtor) usually has a wealth of knowledge about certain areas/school districts and even which builders are good or bad.

[andrea]

Thanks nicole, we thought about a realtor and we decided we will once he gets done driving around looking at most of them on his own.... lol men what can we say!!!

[andrea]

hey guys!!!

i'm just dropping in for a quick sec. we didnt go house hunting this weekend, we had so much stuff to do, and this sunday we wont be able to what a drag!!!!

hope you guys all had a great mothers day

[andrea]

hey guys,

well i now can add that i finally got my cookbook stand and new cookbook from southern living the other day and it's getting packed with the list of everything else i bought lol

[Csara]

very cool! So, when is the next time you can go house hunting? When is your time-frame of wanting to move?

[nicolef888]

Which cookbook did you get? I'm always looking for new and exciting things to add to our dinner menu's. They tend to get boring after a while!

[andrea]

very cool! So, when is the next time you can go house hunting? When is your time-frame of wanting to move?


We have been having so much stuff going on. Ashley's work is so busy ( and they told him this when they hired him) that in the summer time they have to work 6 days a week. he is fine with that BUT i feel so bad because he is gone from 7:30 am till about 7:30 at night. So sundays are our only free days. Then we are driving right back up there. So this sunday he went riding on the motorcycles in the north carliona mountains because my friend is hosting another southern living party i have to go to. Then next sunday his friend and him are going to vermont on the motorcycles also. But his mom and i are going to go house hunting, and if i see one that i really like he can go look at it after work. So we really wont be really back house hunting until when we come back from california.

We are really hoping to be in a house by the end of october ( i really hope sooner because i feel bad because it's an hour and half each way for ashley to drive to work)

[andrea]

Which cookbook did you get? I'm always looking for new and exciting things to add to our dinner menu's. They tend to get boring after a while!

I got the ultimate southern living cookbook. I really do like it, today i have to go to another one of the party's and there was a working mom cookbook i think i will order today because that had fast and easy recipes to make.

[andrea]

hey guys, i found some houses on line i cant wait to go look at and i am hoping to go sunday to check them out. Ashley will be out of town this sunday and next so either his mom or my sister will go with me to check them out. I am so excited

[nicolef888]

That is so exciting! Do you have any pictures of the houses you're interested in?

[andrea]

i will be looking again here in awhile tonight and i will post some of them

[andrea]

hey everyone,

well i have been looking on line for awhile today and i have a few home that my mother in law and I will go look at tomorrow the one i really like so far that i have seen on line is here at Twin Oaks Subdivision (http://www.twinoaksga.com) and when you go there enter lot number 37 but the only thing i really dont like 100% is we really want a full basement... so hopefully there is one like that in there that has a full basement

[andrea]

hey guys i was just looking around at some more houses and you know what i dont understand is Why would they build a 4 bedroom house with only 1 bathroom ?????

[nicolef888]

What a beautiful house! I would avoid the 4 br house with 1 bath. I think for resale that would be tough to sell.

[andrea]

oh yeah, i am for sure. I don't understand that all. Anyways we have to have at least 2 full baths. Man so i went today and saw a couple of them, traffic was awful getting there so i was kinda in a bad mood. Two of them we went into i was like there nice, oh wow i like this or that, but it didnt feel like "the one". I did go into another i didnt see on line and loved it, BUT of course no basement. I was hoping so the look in still going on. Ashley flys out this sunday (june 3) for this Sport Technician Grand Prix (http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/fivestar/techgrandprix.aspx)

so we are keeping our fingers crossed that everything goes good at that end!!!!

oh and i really decided that i do want an island in the kitchen, one of the house we saw had on and the sink was in it. That was so freakin cool !!!

[andrea]

hey guys i have a question, when you guys went out and actually start house hunting, like going and looking at the houses did you spend all day ? how many houses did you look at before you decided that was the one ? did you say wow this is the one, or this will do ? Ashley and I will go house hunting we are hoping this Sunday, BUT he is flying home from calif today and he has to go back to work tomorrow, so we have to see how tired he is.

[Csara]

I remember it being exhausting and looking at a million places before we settled on one.....and yes, we did actually settle. Our house is not our dream house by any stretch and there are TONS of things I'd love to change.....and I wish it were bigger. So, my advice is to not settle. I know it gets tiring and annoying, but keep looking and revisit ones that you've seen already and really like. I never got that "this is the one" feeling. Keep looking until you do.....or at least until you find one that you LOVE!!!

[nicolef888]

Honestly, unless you have a lot of money, I don't think that you will find THE house. We have built 3 times and there are always things we would have liked but either the builder refused to do it or it was so expensive to do it through a builder. Also remember that you are still young and will probably move a few more times.

Try to look at houses when you are fresh. When you get tired or overwhelmed you tend to settle. If you have no time constraints you can look until you find something close to perfect. Don't rush it. In our current house we had pretty strict time constraints so we basically had to settle.

[andrea]

oh wow thanks guys, there was one home i wanted to go look at again, that i think i really like, but it was a little bigger then we wanted. I also know before we decided to buy any house to drive in the neighborhood a couple of different times through the different days to see what's going on. I do know that i do not want to live anywhere close to the school bus pick up. right now we are the house the school bus picks up at and i am always outside picking up some type of mess they left... ughhh i hate that.

[andrea]

hey guys well still not much going on, we just dont have time to look this..... This weekend is my hubby birthday who we will be out and about for that

tomorrow is my day off and i decided i would start heading up there and turning in some resumes and see how that will work out... so everyone keep your fingers crossed!!!!

[andrea]

Well that was easier then i thought the very first placed i dropped off my resume they interviewed me and offer me a job.... before I take they job they would like me to met the doctor next week some time, which i agreed i am not 100% sure i want to job on the first job that is offered to me you know...

[andrea]

Well guess what guys WE BOUGHT a house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure, So far everything seems good and we should be able to move in August 1. We are turning our 30 day notice in here on the first when we have to pay rent. WOOHOO I am so so excited I love this house..

http://www.investorpro.com/uploaded_images/listing/CIMG0698-1_1205.jpg

http://www.investorpro.com/uploaded_images/listing/CIMG0684_edited_1206.jpg

http://www.investorpro.com/uploaded_images/listing/CIMG0683_edited_1207.jpg

http://www.investorpro.com/uploaded_images/listing/CIMG0681_edited_1208.jpg

http://www.investorpro.com/uploaded_images/listing/CIMG0680_edited_1209.jpg

http://www.investorpro.com/uploaded_images/listing/CIMG0691_edited_1210.jpg

These are the pictures from the website, I might try to get in there Thursday If i can and take some more pictures.. you guys should see the master bathroom and bedroom!!!!!!

This is what the website said :

This beautiful stepless ranch 3 bedroom, 2 bath home features 15 foot vaulted ceilings, fireplace, 2 car garage, large storage shed and all appliances stay including large side by side refrigerator. Hickory Pointe offers swimming, walking trails and is less than 7 miles from I-20.

[nicolef888]

Congratulations!!!! That is SO exciting!!!! Can wait to see it once you guys move in and you begin the decorating process.

Also, congrats on the new job!

Looks like you have lots of exciting things happening for you :clap:

[andrea]

Thanks nicole i am so excited, I am taking my mother in law up there on Thursday my next day off or maybe this sunday.... not 100% sure the guys told us that we can have the keys tomorrow and start moving in whenever... woohoo and i forgot to mention that the house is in a cul de sac so that is pretty nice to... right ? what do you guys think about that ?

about the job, i have not taken that job yet, i want to go put my resumes out more and see what other offers i can get...

guys i am so so excited, i cant believe this...

my hubby is talking to his mom on the phone about it now!!!! woohoo

[andrea]

woohoo... im back i am way to excited i want to start packing right now haha!!!!!! actually i have already started packing a little but not alot because i never knew we would get it this fast!!!!!!! This sunday i am not sure if i want to go look at the house again or start packing this sunday... i want to start getting rid of some things... instead of a yard sale i think i am just going to give it to some of my friends... when we bought our big screen tv i gave my old tv to a friend just so we didnt have to look at it.... woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! can't you guys tell i am so so exicited!!!!!!!!!!!

[RedBedHead]

Andrea,
Your house is gorgeous. You sound so excited (and you should be). I think a cul de sac is perfect. Less traffic for sure!
I can't wait to see pics of the rest.
Congratulations!!!!!

[Csara]

Congratulations Andrea!! :toast: That is so exciting!!! I can't wait to see more pictures once you start moving in. Yay!!

[andrea]

yeah thanks so much guys!!!!! i am very excited, I think we will go up there sunday and check it out again, and maybe take some family there to see it. we have been on the phone with them forever!!!!

[IUgrad02]

Oh, I love the house so much!! Beautiful!! I'm happy for you!! What job did you get? It seems like you are in nursing, but am I wrong? I can't remember for sure. Hope everything goes smoothly for you with your new home. Take care!!

[andrea]

Thanks everyone,

The only people who know are you guys and family. I really can't tell any of my real life friends, espically my two best friends right now. One of my best friend is the store manger I work at, and the other best friends husband is my franchise manager. I think i am going to go out sunday woohoo. Monday we are going to start calling to get everything turned on out there.

as far as jobs... i am so excited about getting something new but very nervous about money, i make pretty good money there.. I am just hopping i can still get it out there you know.

I work as an optician, just at a local eye doctor. I really don't want to go into another big chain on optical I want to try to find a private doctor this time. The very first one I went to was a private doctor. There is a few more, I got to make some time and get my resumes out so i can pick .....

thanks guys i am so excited!!!!

[nicolef888]

A Cul-de-sac lot is a great lot. They are the lots that always sell first and command a premium. It also means less traffic. Is this house a new house or a resale house? Did you get a third party inspection before buying it?

[andrea]

A Cul-de-sac lot is a great lot. They are the lots that always sell first and command a premium. It also means less traffic. Is this house a new house or a resale house? Did you get a third party inspection before buying it?

hey guys....

This is a resale house it's around 7 years old. It's still in great shape. We already had the home inspection from some guy ashley hired. Everything is great.. the roof the plumbing. the inspection went really well. he said it was in great shape.

I am going shopping tonight for some house stuff woohoo

[andrea]

hey guys!!!!!

Well we took the family out there last night around 10p.m. everyone loves it, they are all so excited to for us. I decided that i will turn my notice in at work next monday ( both of the big bosses are out of town until Friday and I just dont want to tell them the min they walk in the door you know) and around July 15th will be my last day at work.


As far as the house goes we are going to be taking some of our stuff out to the house now. we decided if we could move a little here and there then on acutally move day we wont be so over whelmed .

well i got to go..... off to play some tennis with some friends this morning (which i can't tell about the house either)

[andrea]

hey guys me again....

we took a load over and i was able to set some stuff up not to much and I was able to do the guest bathroom (remember all that new stuff I bought before ... haha I am so glad i did)

well we have another load packed up and ready to go but we are not taking that load until Wednesday and then I will take another load on Thursday and then we both will take one on Sunday!!!

That way it cost a little more then just renting a uhaul (its close to a 2 hour drive one way) but we can go and check up on the house and all since I cant put my two week notice in until this Friday because the big bosses are gone. I do believe I am going to tell all my friends at work today... I know one will be upset, I might just call her on my way to work. I dont know what to do

[CC21]

Congrats Andrea!! It's a beautiful house!! Can't wait to see some more pics!

Congrats on the job offer. I think I would wait and see what else I could get too. I'm always a little leary of a place that would offer a job on the spot.

[andrea]

Congrats on the job offer. I think I would wait and see what else I could get too. I'm always a little leary of a place that would offer a job on the spot.



Thanks guys I am so excited about the house. As far as the job, I'm not to worried about that, this job was the same way. The same day I put my resume in I got interview and hired right away. In this type of work if you have 6 or more years of experience you most likely will get hired right away.

[andrea]

hey guys..............

I AM SO TIRED OF PACKING ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my house is so messed up it's unreal i cant stand for it to be the dirty there are boxes every where and piles of junk that needs to go here or there or for friends to come get!!!!

[nicolef888]

Hang in there :thumb2: It will all be worth it in the end. I HATE moving as it's so stressful! I still haven't completely unpacked and organized everything and we've been in our new house 6 months. I do have two smalls boys that keep me busy though!

[andrea]

Thanks nicole....

well i turned my two week notice in friday and they were upset and asked me to stay one more week ( my last day being july 15) and i said i can't that we have to be out of the house by july 15th and they are putting me in a hotel and they are paying for it for that week, so i will kinda have a mini vaction or working vaction haha

as far as our house goes we are going up there tomorrow with another load and my sister and her husband are coming over to look at it.. i am so excited!!! I was going to go look for a job again this coming up thursday but my poor car is 3000 miles over service.

[andrea]

hey guys were counting down the days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tomorrow is the big day we have some movers comings and getting a truck so i wont have the internet for a few days!!!! I am so excited

[Csara]

Good luck tomorrow!!

[nicolef888]

Good luck with the move!

[andrea]

hey guys were back!!!! We got everything moved in and almost everything unpacked but two rooms!!! woohoo and we have got to buy some more stuff for around the house this house is so much bigger then our old house I love it!! I already had one job interview this am and now i have another i am about to leave to. I dont think i have ever had two job interviews in one day.

[Csara]

Wow - congrats on the quick and easy move and good luck on the job interviews! Looks like everything is working out really well.

[andrea]

Thanks C it really wasn't that bad until my sister in law and her crew come over. she should have none not to bring a 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old in while we were trying to move furinture in. ( i wanted to remind her yeah remember when you just moved 1 month ago you had babysitters) man those kids were everywhere, and poor brandy was freaking out.

as far as my job i got one of the jobs i went and interviewed for so my last day at pearle vision is july 20 and my first day at my new job is july 23

[andrea]

hey guys well we worked in the yard all day today with his parents. we pulled weeds and laid down bark it looks so great!!!!!! we were just playin around and looking at houses in montana ( just in case some of you dont know we lived in montana for awhile) and anyways we found his parents old house is back up for sale and they added a full size to regulations softball field in the back yard. wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyways off to eat dinner

[andrea]

hey guys!!!! well know it is time to start decorating our new house and i have no idea what i want to do, and everyone is asking what color do you want this or that... oh man beside home garden tv what other websites do you guys go to ... how did you pick your style ?