I have mentioned this in another post, but for those just joining my blog I will do a quick refresh. When we bought our first home in 2013, we were new to the game. We didn't know what we were getting into. We had no clue how to fix things. We didn't know all the work that it would entail...and money. But we wanted an investment, we wanted our monthly rent to become a mortgage, going towards something we owned! Like most home buyers, you want something that you can call your own. We bought a cute little ranch style home, on the outskirts of town, but on 2 very busy roads. We didn't care. We loved the potential of this house. We loved the easy access to the highway. We loved that we had a corner lot. We loved that our driveway was off the main road and wrapped around to the garage. Sometimes I wonder, do all people think this way when they look at houses? Am I crazy? Do I look at things that others overlook?
When we first looked at this house, I was a little let's say hesitant because I didn't want to live on "this" side of town. We were new to this town, we didn't know good or bad areas, but had been told that the SE was no bueno. So that's what I had in my head...SE no way are we living there. We drove the neighborhood before the house showing & I was pleasantly surprised. It was quiet. Houses were all maintained. It seemed cute and welcoming. My closed mind started to shift just a little.
We walked into the house & instantly I knew this was it. I saw the potential. I loved the "openness" of this ranch home. It wasn't completely closed off. It had updated flooring. It had updated windows. I knew cosmetically I could change everything I didn't like. Fast forward, our offer was accepted & we got the keys. We immediately started painting every room. I had new hardware for ALL cabinets throughout the house already changed. I had spray painted all of the door knobs in the entire house. The kitchen cabinets, I had refinished them within the first week.
One evening my husband and I sat on the front steps and he said this isn't our forever home, but maybe 5-7 years. I agreed & simply said "I just want to make her beautiful again". Fast forward 8 years going on 9 this next July, we are still in the same house, but it truly has become a home! Every inch of this home has been redone. The only thing we are needing to update is the exterior, which was supposed to be this summer, but if you know contractors...it has been a busy year! We are on the books for next spring/summer as "she" will get a complete facelift. New color. New shutters. New brick front. You know the saying "better the inside and it will shine on the outside" .... I kind of feel like that is how it is going for our house. I can't wait for the outside to match the beauty of the inside. Next spring...I can't wait!
I will say the exterior has gotten some updates, my husband has put in a lot of time to turn the backyard into an oasis. He is a landscape designer & the way his brain operates to see the instant vision of a space is incredible. He has redone the bed lines around the sides and front of the house & given our front steps a beautiful facelift. It's amazing what landscaping does to transform a space. I will say landscaping is probably the most overlooked aspect when it comes to homes & in my opinion it is one of the best ways to better the look of your home.
So needless to say, we have put in a lot of time, effort & money to make our home beautiful again. We made this goal 8 years ago & we have not lost that vision. Recently we found a different home that sparked our interest. We have been wanting to move outside of town, have some land, a little bigger home...but mainly just privacy! With that being said, we needed to button up a few things around our house for the appraisal. That meant new garage windows, new basement windows...all of the things we have been putting off for years. Completely cleaning the house, de-cluttering to the max. You make the home exactly the way you want it & then you sell it, isn't that how it always goes? Going through this process has really made us look at exactly how much work we put into this house & transformed it into a home. Yes it may only be 1700 sq. ft. No it isn't a mansion. No it isn't the "wow" factor home...but what I can say is when you compare the before and current pictures you will say WOW! It also has made me realize that you don't need to have the biggest and best looking house to have a the best life. Our little home is filled with love, laughter, lots of noise & happiness. When thinking about selling our home, my husband and I both instantly thought but we don't want to. I think when you make a space your own, when you put all the work in yourself...it becomes a piece of you. It is a part of our story. We have grown and learned so much in this house that it is something that we want to hold on to forever.
I am in the process of making a little video of when we purchased this house and current pictures from the appraisal. I can't wait to share it with all of you. If you have been on a similar journey, leave a comment. I love to see how others have made a house a home!
That's all for now.
XO- KK
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