If you read my post back in September on hunting for houses, you'd know that Josh and I were now in the market for a house. Our first home that we would own and own together. We set out on our search and the novelty quickly wore off.
We found it stressful and unfulfilling in a market that was the worst it's been in a long time.
House after house was being sold for well above market value as people made exuberant bids left right and center. The condition of the house hardly mattered as long as the location was even slightly good.
Records were literally set from the prices some of houses went for.
I started to question this opportunity and if it was what I really wanted. Thrown into a large amount of debt when we weren't ready. A great opportunity but the wrong time. I'd been saving for a holiday and suddenly it was years away.
The New Plan
We rent our home off of Joshua's parents who own the place. We get cheap rent in a great location. Looking at new houses made me start to hate it. No yard, impossible on street parking, spiders, beige walls! Everything was annoying me, unreasonably so.
The decision to stop looking for houses to buy and start putting money into renovating this house made me see it in a fresh light. This home with white walls? A new bathroom & kitchen? No spiders!
Amazing!
You wouldn't renovate and put money into a regular rental. But as this is owned by family, particularly generous family at that, the money spent will come back around to us once we eventually move out. Though I'll be in less of a hurry when I'm living with all new amenities.
So in 2017 on the blog you'll be seeing more house before and afters as well as inspiration posts as we restyle each room to how we want it. Keen to finally get the house how we want it, as well as having a different mindset. Not one where we live in a half finished rental until we find our "actual" house.
It's going to be an interesting year...
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7 comments
Good luck with your renovations :)
ReplyDeletemoremindfulyou.blogspot.com
Even though it's not the new house you originally wanted it's still a plan, and once those renovations start coming together you'll be loving it! Good luck xx
ReplyDeleteKez | acaciasdreams.com
Good luck with it all! It's good to hear that it seems to be working out better for you x
ReplyDeleteAbi | abistreetx
I'm excited to see what you guys get upto! We've decided that we're going to move in six months to a rental that's bit newer (spiders are taking OVER) and I can't wait but I'm also dreading all of the work!
ReplyDeleteSharni // www.agirlandgrey.com
Oh what a shame, I know what the housing market is like in Newcastle, its bloody crazay!! James and I have just purchased our first home (though we live in a veeery small country town in QLD now) and I am super excited. But it was stressful too, because we had put an offer on another house before this one, and then valuations came back short, and then you lose money! Ugh!!
ReplyDeleteI already love the styling of your house (well from the style pics on IG) and can't wait to see what you do with it!!
Mel xx || Loads of Lifestyle
Good to know things are sounding more hopeful to you, crazy how stressful everything can be, but it'll be so worth it once all renovations are done :)
ReplyDelete//teandtwosugars.blogspot.com xx
That's great to hear you've found a solution that's going to work for you, Josh and his family. :) It can be really hard trying to buy a place, I got quite lucky with mine when I bought but I thought I had one a few months before only to find that the agent sold it to someone else even though my signed contract and deposit made it to the solicitor first. It was really disappointing at the time, and my brother and his wife have been trying to buy a house for close to a year now and everything keeps going for hundreds of thousands over what the agent was quoting. At least renovations at this point for you guys is a lot more affordable and realistic, and it'll improve the value of the place you're in as well if Josh's parents decide to sell it down the track. :)
ReplyDeletelittlehenrylee.net
Thanks so much for commenting everyone! I read and appreciate every single one of your comments! xx