Stop looking at me, swan! 8
Since announcing the purchase of our new home last month, I’ve been careful not to share too many details about the property until everything was 100% official. Part of our agreement included having the house appraised, and being able to walk away if the appraisal price was lower than the sale price. We certainly didn’t want to overpay for our new digs, and the bank would only loan us the amount the home was worth–if it ended up appraising for less than we paid, we’d be responsible for coming up with the difference.
It took three weeks to receive the final appraisal, but the good news made it worth the wait. The home appraised for significantly more than we’re paying, which not only means we got a good deal, but we also have built-in equity right of the bat. Huzzah!
We are beyond excited to move at the beginning of next month so we can begin putting the Scottrina stamp on our first home. Scott may have even joined Pinterest to keep track of DIY ideas. We adore the property, but there’s absolutely some things need to be changed. Allow me to break down the good, the bad, and the purple shag ugly…
The Good:
- It’s on a lake!
- It’s a modern, industrial home that was designed by an architect. We had resigned to settling for a kitschy log cabin, and were thrilled to discover this modern gem with exposed beams and ductwork, a loft and heated concrete floors.
- It’s two bedrooms. Most lake homes in these parts are absolutely ginormous, and this one’s the perfect size for us. Bonus: the architect drafted plans to add a third bedroom should we ever like to expand.
- There’s super high ceilings and a really sweet loft.
- It’s full of beautiful, built-in storage. We’re actually selling all of our bookshelves and dressers as we’ll no longer need them.
- It’s a green home that is lit by the sun and energy-efficient. This will save tons of moolah during the harsh Minnesota winters.
- The kitchen is pretty much amazing. (Think concrete counters and an incredible gas range.)
- There’s a mini beverage fridge mounted underneath the counters. For some reason, this makes me ridiculously giddy.
- Scott will finally have an outdoor compost pile and vegetable garden. Hallelujah.
The Bad:
- The master bathroom and bedroom are open concept. Yes, you read that right. Essentially, you’ll have a bird’s-eye view of whoever’s in the shower from our bed.
- It’s on 1.7 acres of land. While some would see this as a huge plus, I’m absolutely terrified. Particularly as Scott has informed me we’re not getting a riding lawnmower. “It will be your outdoor summer workout,” he insists.
- We’ll be living in the country. Again, this isn’t entirely bad. We’ll have a ton of privacy (which is important as the house is made almost entirely of windows) and our lake won’t be overcrowded. Still, I’m going to miss being walking distance from the supermarket.
- The neighbors have big, angry dogs. I’ve been told they’re contained by an invisible fence, but I’m still teaching the girls how to curb stomp…just in case.
- We have a fairly long driveway that will require a great deal of snow shoveling in the winter. I can already hear Scott saying “It will be your outdoor winter workout.”
- The master bedroom and second bedroom look into each other. It’s difficult to explain verbally, the but two bedrooms are on opposite side of the home, separated by a large, open air space created by the loft. The wall of each bedroom has a large cutout that opens up into the air space, creating indoor “windows” that are perfectly symmetrical to each other from across the house. Let’s just say some drywall will be happening ASAP. I love the open concept vibe, but don’t want my company to be able to peer into my bedchamber while I’m sawing logs. (Or having a whispered argument with Scott. Fighting in front of the company is never classy.)
The Ugly:
- Three Words: Purple Shag Carpet
The most frustrating thing is that the carpet is really nice, and in beautiful condition. But that color! Each time I step on it, it feels like I’m walking all over Grimace…minus the milkshakes.
The resemblance is frightening, no?
- These two guys
The only thing worse than stepping on Grimace
The tan colored posts…the statues that belong in 1981…the purple carpet and questionable flower arrangement….these are the things that haunt my dreams. (And make me feel like I’m sitting in a poorly decorated jazz club on a cruise ship.) Fortunately, the statues and posts are 100% removable.
- Our bathtub
Remember that open concept master bathroom? Welp…here she is. While the actual tub is kind of gorgeous…I feel like the view Scott will have of me swearing while attempting to shave my legs as he lies in bed will be anything but gorgeous. My only consolation is that I’ll finally have an excuse to quote Billy Madison every morning.
I feel like that almost makes the purple shag carpet worth it.
