What buying our first house taught us

What buying our first house taught us
                        

A TV show I always watch with interest is “House Hunters,” which features many types of folks looking to become homeowners. Fortunately, most of those lookers find places they both love and can afford while others find houses that may need a bit of upgrading before they fall in love.

We ended up buying a small three-bedroom place in a nice neighborhood on a quiet street. At that time it met all our needs — we thought — and we were thrilled. As first-time homebuyers, we had lots to learn, and that first place is what we could afford, but it didn’t have all we wanted.

The first lesson we learned was when shopping for a house, always check the size
and number of closets. That first house had very small closets in two of the bedrooms and none in the third bedroom. We learned because bedroom No. 3 was actually a den. The second problem was our washing machine had to live in the kitchen.

We really became fond of that first house, and it worked for us — until child No. 3 arrived. Our happy home became a house too small. It is amazing just how much “stuff” a little baby requires: a cradle, then a crib, a changing table, a pile of diapers, crib sheets and blankets, plus a small chest to store all those things.

Because we were using that third bedroom as a den and study, Taller Half and I had no choice but to share our bedroom with our new baby. As most everyone knows, new babies are not quiet, little people. It didn’t take long before looking for a bigger house became a priority.

This time we looked for a place with three bedrooms, all of which had a closet. We also wanted two bathrooms and a laundry room. Eventually, we found our second home, but we were grateful for what our first house had taught us. The new house had a fenced yard, three bedrooms (with closets), and an alcove in the hallway for our washer and dryer — plus a den.

Over many years we have learned no house is perfect, but neither are we. We have learned our “must haves” and what we can do without. We plan to build our dream house before we retire, and we’re hoping it will be the perfect place for us. Not placing any bets on
that.


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