I have been MIA lately,
but for good reason....
WE BOUGHT A HOUSE.
Joe and I started looking at houses about 8 months ago when it became apparent that both our child and us were growing out of our town home living. I have loved our town home, it has been the most perfect 1st home, but both Joe and I knew that this was not our forever house. We wanted a house with a yard, two car garage, more space for Collin and Clemson, and family to visit. We searched online for about 3-4 months just familiarizing ourselves with what was out there and narrowing down locations.
We decided on Ashburn, because well- we can afford a single family home out there.
I do not know how people afford homes!
I feel like Joe and I both have wonderful jobs, but felt a lot of single family homes were out of our budget.
After 3-4 months of looking soley online, we went out with our realtor to look at the different areas of Ashburn. We looked at houses in Ashburn Farms, Ashburn Village, Belmont, Brambelton, Loudoun Valley, etc.
We made a wish list and on that list were as follows: (some negotiable- some not):
-Two Car Garage
-Washer and Dryer upstairs
-Two closets in master bedroom (this saves our marriage)
-Yard
-"Newer" house so we would not have to worry about repairs especially with roof/ac, etc
-Office/separate room for Joe
-Storage
After spending two different days out with our realtor over a two month period, we were getting very discouraged. All the houses we could afford were older and in older parts of Ashburn, not centrally located near schools/activities.
Also, it is harder to house shop with a toddler!
We were lucky that my parents watched him almost every time we went house hunt, because if they had not, it could have been even more painful.
In July, after a week of researching all the communities and comparing everything, I made another decision which was not really a negotiable- I wanted to live in Brambleton.
Not only did it have 3 (building 2 more for a total of 5) pools, it also had elementary/middle/high school in walking distance with good school ratings, as well as a Town Center with Restaurants and movies- also in walking distance. We have been spoiled with having Fairfax Town Center near us. It has a dog park, multiple kids parks, as well as multiple grown up and children actives planned every month such as live music everything Thursday night in the summer or Santa visiting in the winter. It just had the community sense that I wanted.
It has a Harris Teeter in the community and a Wegmans 4 miles away.
So about a month ago we went out and looked at almost 10 homes in Brambleton with our realtor.
VERY DISCOURAGING.....
Every home had something wrong with it-
no yard, on a major road which one day will be a highway, etc.
We left discouraged.
I also was getting very frustrated with the whole process.
Joe and I went on-line and search every home on the market in Brambleton.
We called our realtor again and went out looking in mid August.
This trip was much more promising.
We found two homes that were built in early 2014 for sale, one in our budget and one that was overpriced- both we would be happy with.
Joe and I were pretty sure a new home was off the table for us because we were strict on our budget and basically a new home was just too much $$.
We were driving by new homes in Brambleton by Winchester and Van Meter and our realtor suggested just going into see what they had.
Winchester had a beautiful home that was in our budget and ready for someone to move in- only it backed to town homes and had no yard.
Then Joe suggested we go to Van Meter- Joe and both knew that Van Meter was totally out of our budget but he just wanted to look so I humored him.
We walked in the model, and that is when we found our house.
Matt, the Van Meter Sales guy showed us around the model (which was amazing), and when our realtor asked if they had any specials, Matt advised that a house was slated to be done end of September/October which they were trying to unload. (Not sure if something fell thru or this was truly a spec home.) The house had the framing up so we went and walked it. It was amazing.
Huge, everything with both wanted and backed to a walking trail/wooded area which would not be built on.
AMAZING.
Only 1 little problem, out of our budget.
We left feeling like this was the house for us, but frustrated because it was just too much.
I went back the next day to show my mom (with Collin in tow, while Joe was home working) all three houses,
1 that was in our budget and 2 (included the Van Meter) that were out of our budget.
After seeing the three houses with my mom,
I came home and told Joe that we need to just make a low offer on the Van Meter
and see what they do.
So we called our realtor on Sunday, and Monday we were in the Van Meter model talking pricing.
They came down to exactly what we wanted!!!
I was shocked!!!
Now one of the draw backs is we did not get to pick everything because the home is almost completed, but Matt took us over to the design studio and showed us everything.
I love pretty much everything that was picked out except for the bathroom tile which they were accommodating and let me change it.
We signed on the dotted line....
OMG!!!!
So now we are just waiting for our home to be finished....
Monday, August 20th....
Our new home...
Stealing boxes from work to start packing!!!
Matt, our Van Meter Rep has been amazing.
Sending us pictures every week of the new details
1 week ago- what will be the kitchen
1 week ago- the front- with the brick
1 week ago- our living/dinning room
This week- installing the trim and staircase.....
This week- power washing the brick.
To say we are excited would be an understatement but at the same time we are nervous which I think is normal. So now our life is being placed into boxes so that we can move to a new home and start a new adventure.
Ashburn, here we come!!
