And now for some news that falls in the “big” category: we’re in the market for a new Casa Petersik.
That’s right, after tons of thoughtful deliberation we’ve decided that it’s time to sell our current home after four and a half amazing years spent here. Why? Because we love a project and we’re can’t-sleep-excited about the prospect of taking on a new home makeover and sharing every moment with you guys. We know it’s a sickness, but we actually crave remodeling and painting projects, so instead of feeling overwhelmed at the idea of starting all over again we’re actually pretty psyched about it.
Of course it’s bittersweet to leave the place that we love so fiercely, but as John put it best “we’ve enjoyed transforming an old dated house way too much to stop at just one.” And there are definitely some old houses out there that could use some love. At first I was in denial, making statements like “I’m never leaving- this is our forever house!” but John knows me too well. One day I just woke up (a few months ago) and was like “maybe we should look around at some open houses, you know… just for fun.” That sentiment soon turned into “oh my gosh, if we got a new place we could do this… and that…” and my mind nearly short circuited from all the possibilities. It was like someone turned on a light or opened a door and I suddenly couldn’t wait to explore.
So we mulled it over for a while to be certain it was what we both wanted (there’s no sense in being rash about matters of the heart like leaving your first love, er, house). We also discussed the idea with both of our parents (who are all so wise beyond their 35 years, har har) and they were amazingly supportive and excited for us.
So it’s official. We’re about to put our house on the market and we’re actively looking at other homes for sale. For any interested locals (wanna buy our house?) we figured we’d share the news here before it hits MLS. So feel free to email us if you’re seriously interested and ready to move (we’re in Bon Air which has awesome schools and charm to spare, and well, you can essentially take a virtual house tour here).
As for where we’re going, we’re planning to stay in the Richmond area, and we’re definitely in the market for another older dated home that could use our help. So we’d welcome suggestions for areas with great schools and charming older neighborhoods beyond our beloved Bon Air (which we’re definitely still considering, but not limiting ourselves to).
Oh and it’s probably fairly obvious that this won’t happen overnight. Finding a house to love as hard as we’ve loved this one definitely isn’t something we expect to do in a day (plus the act of selling our current house could easily take a few months or even longer). But we’re already actively on the hunt, and we plan to keep you posted about all the projects that we’re tackling to get our house in prime selling condition. We’ll also take you guys along on our journey when it comes to touring other houses, considering other areas, and figuring out exactly what we’re looking for (and what we’re not) before signing on that dotted line and grabbing the keys to our new casa. Of course with the holidays coming up we’ll still be taking on a lot of seasonal decorating projects along with whipping up gift guides, and serving up the regular blog fare like mood boards, House Crashings, Reader Redesigns, and more. Can’t wait.
Felicita says
Aww… I’m so happy for you guys! It is a great time to buy and I can’t wait for more DIY projects. We’re house hunting ourselves and eventhough the market is low… we can’t find a house we like! Arrghh. We’ve been looking since April.
Wish us luck… and good luck with yours!
MegM says
Congratulations, Petersik family! Wowsa!! Why was I so shocked about this?! LOL. Either way, we can’t WAIT to follow you along with this process. We’re in the early stages of figuring out whether this is our “forever home” or if we’ll HAVE to move (it’s tiny!) at some point, so it’ll be great to have the knowledge you share. :-) Thanks, as always!
mrsdevore says
That’s awesome! I’m getting the itch to move too, I’ve run out of projects!
Anne says
Kudos for making such a difficult decision. Something tells me your house is going to sell fast! Maybe even today! ;)
Also…I agree with Kath…this IS going to be the best episode of House Hunters EVER!
Good luck with everything! I can’t wait to read all the exciting news!
Sara says
I knew it!!! I had a feeling you guys would decide to do this! I’m so excited for you! I can’t wait to read all about your new adventures!
Debbie says
WOW! Is all I can say right now. I love your home and it makes me a little sad that you’re leaving but at the same time it’s exciting.
Alicia says
Congrats guys! I really thought just like some of the other commenters/readers where’s the just kidding part of this story since you guys called this your forever home. However after you all showed the stamping on the floor I thought to myself this is a stretch to come up with this DIY project, that’s literally all there is left! I can’t wait to see what kind of home you get next. Are you looking for something that’s a total DIY like the one you bought or a little less since you have a bean that will also have to live in the construction zone?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alicia,
We’re looking for a house just like this one was (totally liveable and safe for us to work on it as we went) as opposed to a falling down house that needs months of work to make it habitable). Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Rachelle says
I can’t believe this shocking news! But it also makes a lot of sense. Good luck with the adventure. I’m excited (with a couple hundred others) about this turn of events.
Making it Lovely says
Wow, what a surprise! Congratulations! Can’t wait to follow along as you look for and fix up a new home. :)
Jen @ New Shade of Green says
Wow! Congratulations on your big decision! I’m a little shocked, but totally understand how you’d want to dive into new projects with a new home that needs some TLC. You guys are the perfect family to take on such a challenge. I really look forward to seeing the process, and I can’t WAIT to see you guys tackle another house. Best of luck to you on finding new house love. I really don’t think you’ll have a hard time selling. :)
heather j. says
At first I was caught off guard, but was then super excited for you guys!
Best of luck with the househunting…you guys will have a BLAST doing that! We’re also on the southside and love it; it is hard for me to see someone move elsewhere…biased…
A friend of mine just sold her home FSBO and has some great resources:
http://www.detailgalblog.com/
Alyssa Allen says
Wow! Sure wish I lived in the Richmond area!
Monica @ Hirondelle Rustique says
Congratulations you guys! That’s awesome news! I hope everything goes smoothly for you and you find a wonderful new place soon!
r8chel says
Hooray! What great news! I totally saw this coming, so I’ve been getting a little impatient waiting for you to make this announcement. :) I’m more inspired by large projects than small tweaks (end table arrangements, wall art updates, floor stencils, etc.), so I’m relieved that my wishes are coming true sooner rather than later!
Emily @ The Happy Home says
how bittersweet!
but it will be fun for clara to grow up seeing her parents hard at work on a new space! congrats!
jen says
I will be really interested to see if your requirements for a house have changed any since you’ve lived in yours. When we bought our first house we were sure that we needed 3 bedrooms, a basement, etc. But even though now we have 2 kids we’re thinking about downsizing so we can pay off our mortgage faster. I’m excited to see what you guys come up with! Happy house hunting!
Caroline says
Oooh how exciting!!! Your house is so fabulous, it’ll sell in no time!
I feel like everyone else, I was definitely wondering the other day how you guys would have room for another baby or two some day. Now we know! Best of luck, I can’t wait to see what comes from a whole new, blank slate :)
Amanda says
I just saw Tara’s comment on leaving a time capsule – it made me chuckle. When we re-roofed our 1926 home, we found the instructions for the original shingles hiding underneath. 80 years old! So, we left a dated page from a magazine I was reading under the new shingles. Wonder what they’ll think of it when they uncover them in 30+ years, LOL!
Shannon says
I am so excited to see you work your magic on another deserving home! This is going to be awesome!!
Wintry Mix says
WOW! Holy moly, that is big news indeed. I wish you all the best and I’m excited to be along for the virtual ride!
It’s funny, as I think about this I’m realizing that personally, I’ve been a huge fan of your blog and your decorating style IN SPITE of your current house, not because of it…I just really, really, really hate ranches, and while it’s been absolutely inspiring to see what you’ve been able to do with one, at the end of the day I’m just not a ranch fan. So here’s one reader who has her fingers crossed that you’ll fall in love with a colonial/Victorian/historic home! Of course, I am not at all biased by the fact that the hubs and I are 5 months into ownership of a 218-year-old converted-from-a-barn colonial. :)
Ruhiyyih rose says
I am so excited for you guys! What an adventure – and we get to tag along! Woo!
nicole says
How exciting!!! Congratulations!
My husband is in the military and we had to put our house on the market 15 months ago – not so much as a nibble! But our area was hit pretty hard by the recession; I’m sure you guys won’t have any problems. And considering that we’re becoming landlords in the next couple of months, we’ll be moving and having to furnish a much bigger house on a strict budget. I cannot WAIT to see what you guys have up your sleeves. Good luck!!!
Oona says
Okay, so I *sorta* saw this coming, but only because (like everybody else has said)the house is now perfect, what else could you do?
Good like finding a house! I bet you already have one picked out, don’t you? Your just keeping us all in suspense. Surely after making this announcement someone will put an offer in today or tomorrow.
R says
Well, well, well…
The both of you have always been saying to everyone over and over that this is your “forever home”…
Whenever someone had spoken about moving, a larger home or a newer home you both have taken the back road… saying “nope, we looove this home, can never leave, don’t wish for a larger home” etc. What happened?
I now feel that this is done only to be able to provide more fodder for the blog. Seems as though YHL is fooling people a bit. Don’t get me wrong…it’s great to want to get a new home, just don’t always try to convince people otherwise for so long and then go ahead and do it afterall!
Trying to say that you are always the “little fish” and later it’s revealed that you are really not isn’t very good business!
Just be real about it…we, the audience, can handle it.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey R,
What can I say Rose? I truly believed we’d be in this house forever as I explained in this post and proclaimed many times on the blog. John always thought I was crazy to say that but I honestly thought he was the crazy one and I’d die in this house. But people are entitled to change their minds as their family grows, their needs change, and other factors in their life evolve. Having two people who work from home along with a baby under our roof quickly taught us that this house isn’t meeting our needs like it used to- and like a new one could. And we owe it to ourselves and our pooch and our baby girl to go out there and grab the best (read: ugliest) house that we can and give it some love. We’re doing what’s best for our family, our business, and our happiness. It’s win-win-win! I And we’re definitely not rolling in dough and ready to buy a McMansion- quite the opposite actually. We’d love one or two more rooms to allow our family to grow while maintaining a modest older home since that’s truly something that we love. Can’t wait to get started!
xo,
s
Johnna says
Wow…that seems a little harsh…I mean you are entitled to change your minds, no?
I think it’s respectable and admirable that you answered all of the naysayers so graciously. While it is disappointing to see such a sweet chapter of your life close, it is THRILLING to think of what is next for you guys, and I for one (like most other readers) am excited for you.
Definitely going to look to you guys for positivity as we sell our casa (purchased as a “five year home” in 2007…sometimes your home just doesn’t meet your needs anymore.
Johnna
kristen says
Wow- good luck with the house-hunting! I can’t wait to see what kind of projects you come up with.
Ashley @ sunnysideshlee.com says
Oh my gosh! Congrats! But so sad! Your house is amazing and filled with some many memories, I’m sure. But at least you can re-vamp and make some new memories!!
-ashley
Liz W. says
Is it FOR SALE BY OWNER (an adventure in and of itself), or are you listing with a realtor?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Liz,
As of today it’s for sale by owner, but if we can’t make that work we’re not too proud to ask a realtor for help. We’ll keep you posted!
xo,
s
Diane says
Best of luck!
I think if I had a bathroom as lovely as the one you two created, no one could pry me from it… but you have the confidence of knowing that you were the ones who made the bathroom so beautiful, so you can handle it again!
I hope the housing market gods smile upon you!
Mike and McGee says
Congrats on the decision to move! We hope you find an awesome new home to renovate, and we look forward to reading all about it!
~Signed,
Crazy fellow bloggers who love to house-hunt. :)
Sarah @ Dream in Domestic says
CONGRATS! I won’t lie, I actually started to tear up in unbelief when I started reading this, but I know how addicting renovating a home can be and it’s not like your current house has a lot of space to grow. I remember reading a long time ago that you both wanted this to be your forever house, even if you had to add a second floor! Well, times and opinions change and I have to say I’m so happy for both of you! I hope you find your diamond in the rough and maybe your forever home if that’s what you are looking for! I hope you get a lot more money out of your house now that you’ve beautified it and put so much love into it!
Jason says
Congrats Guys for your happiness in this decision.
BUT – I’m very disappointed. I know intentions change with the wind, but I loved you guys, because it was your forever home and sustainable. Not some churn and burn mentality that everyone seems to have these days buying and selling. Suddenly that message which was said time and time again for various reasons (picking granite, refinancing, etc.) has been amended and restated.
It was so refreshing to know another young couple, (well I’m single) enjoyed fixing up a 1950s ranch and knowing that as like in the 1950s that house wasn’t a starter home, but that type of a home was forever. I want to finish my house too, and it’s not yet so I’m not in your boat, but I want to finish it so I don’t have to worry about having some commitment this weekend because the house isn’t done yet and I feel like I don’t have time there. I want to get it done, enjoy it, have time there and add to it with nice things, not have IKEA furniture and a new mortgage every 5 years. But keep paying my house off and saving and getting nice things like our grandparents did.
Your blog seems to be a lot about business these days, and I love that you made a business out of your love in life. In fact it inspires me to do some designing for others myself. But, you could have branched out and been doing work in others homes as a part of your blog and making money on it, while showing you can keep a house you have working for a growing family. Sunroom to office, to open a bedroom, etc. etc.
I know it’s your decision and best for you for various reasons, but those reasons make this reader, who reads daily and comments often less interested. Less my cup of tea than it was.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jason,
We’re so sorry to hear that you’re disappointed (we hate letting down a single reader) but it came down to doing what’s best for our family, our business, and our general happiness. As we mentioned in this post, we love fixing up sad dated houses too much to stop at just one. I guess we’re just no good at sitting around in a house that’s nearly done (we’re totally restless) and we love the idea of breathing new life into another old house with a smidge more room for our growing family (nothing big or McMansioney, we promise). We hope you’ll stay tuned but we definitely can’t make you!
xo,
s
beth says
I just was in touch recently about room sharing w/ siblings, and was wondering what your long term plans were for your family (since I assume at some point there will be another little one and now that you both work from home…).
I’m sad to see you leave this place behind, but as someone currently in the househunt herself, I look forward to going along with you for the ride LOL. We’re also looking at some (cosmetic fixer uppers so it will be great to see what you do and what you have in mind!).
We signed a one year lease when we put our house on the market (we were moving out of state and had to go somewhere LOL) and two weeks later had an offer on our house. You never know. We were ready to wait it out for 6 months to a year but got a super fast offer. Now we’re in our rental and can take our time looking for our new place, which is kind of good.
Best wishes as you start a new chapter!
Leah @ L4L says
WOW! That is big news! I don’t doubt the ability for the house to sell. And it certainly seems like you have outgrown that house now! I’m excited to see you tackle many new projects! Was the new roof part of the plan to increase the sellability or the house?
Kai says
I kind of saw that coming after the birth of Clara. But I thought you guys might go the route of doing an addition to your current home instead, since you have so much land. Did that ever cross your mind?
Best of luck in the house-hunting process. I can’t imagine the difficulty of not only finding “the” house, but having to add “blog-worthy” to the list of requirements. I wouldn’t worry too much about finding a seller for your current house – who wouldn’t want to live in such a famous house?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kai,
We definitely thought about adding on to our current house, but the fact that the existing part of our home isn’t very flexible (the layout would have to stay pretty much the same for the existing portion) made us realize that starting fresh with something new that’s laid out in a way that works for the new growing family dynamic is definitely the way to go!
xo,
s
Paige says
I figured this would happen! When you guys did the office/playroom/guestroom makeover, I wondered where another Bean would sleep if you decided to expand the family again. And then you guys mentioned that you DO plan on having more kids, so I knew it was only a matter of time!
Hubsey and I have our condo on the market right now and the market is way tough. Although, we’re in the Chicago ‘burbs, so it might be different for you in VA. Good luck with the sale and I can’t wait to see the homes you check out!
Kasaundra says
I am so excited for you! It sounds like the next few years are going to be so much fun! I’m sure Clara and Burger will love the new place, whenever you find it. You two seriously make me want to think about moving East! ALMOST…death by angry family members doesn’t sound so exciting after all.
Lisa in Seattle says
I hope you’ll always keep a little corner of the blog full of pics of this house so we can come back and “visit” it anytime we want! Somebody is going to get a beautiful home and property.
I can’t believe somebody actually accused you so vilely above. Part of the process of growing up is learning that life has a way of making us eat those “I’ll never…” statements. This little house will have ended up teaching you so much, not just about being homeowners but about being human beings too. Looking forward to the next chapter!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lisa,
Of course! We’ll definitely keep our before and after tab up there and it’ll just say “Our First House” instead of House Tour! And all of our archives are staying put!
xo,
s
Rabbit says
I had a feeling it was coming eventually…and I think you definitely need to do what’s best for you and your growing family. :) Plus, if a new home allows you to keep on doing what you love, and stay in business, who cares why?
I could totally see you guys in what I think is a Dutch Colonial. A small one, not the bigger ones that people are making today.
Good luck and I look forward to reading the new adventure!
Lauren says
I was wondering if this was coming after your roof post when you mentioned not wanting to price your house out of the neighborhood! Congratulations on the decision to sell your house! It’s really cool that you have a diary of sorts through the blog of all the changes you’ve made!
Kate says
Hey! I read every day but don’t comment all the time, I’m sad but happy for you guys! It is a brave step forward. As for saying it is your forever house…you are perfectly entitled to change your mind and do whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it!We reno’d our house and it is at present our forever house…unless we have triplets then we need to get thinking. As triplets don’t run in the family we should be just fine! ;) Good luck! I’m a little jealous as I’d lvoe to keep this house I live in but do another one up. I’m itching for DIY!!!
Melissa says
Good Luck! I can’t wait to follow along on your journey!
Emily says
How exciting! It’ll be fun to follow you along as you search for another house.
Caroline says
Wish I lived close by! I’d buy it in a heartbeat!
Michele says
Have you guys seen ‘Sarah’s House’ on HGTV? I’m sure you have. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.
Anyway, I think HGTV needs to add ‘John and Sherry’s House’ to their roster, where you guys buy, renovate and decorate homes! That would be so awesome.
Have you guys ever given any consideration to doing something along those lines? Living in one home, but buying another to renovate and decorate? Not necessarily flipping, but kinda sorta like it.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Michele,
We’d love one day to have enough extra dough to buy a few income properties to fix up and rent out (that’s actually how John’s dad sent all four of his kids to college) but we’re definitely not financially in a position to do that at all. So for now it’s one house at a time!
xo,
s
Kim at Yellow Brick Home says
Good luck, congrats, and many well wishes! Scott and I pop into open houses on lazy weekend afternoons and just get such a kick out of it. We can’t wait until we get to do that again for REAL.
By the way, I literally LOLed when I saw your box photo. Too cute.
tmolly says
Oh my GOD!!!! I was SO SAD as I read that first paragraph at least three times… really?!?! I can’t believe I’ve grown so attached to a total stranger’s house, but as a devoted reader, this news almost feels like my parents are selling my childhood home. :-( Oh, the memories…
On a positive note, I now feel more appreciative of my 1950’s split level that we bought last year and needs TON of work — could I really look back, four years from now, and say, “Man, it looks like this house is just too perfect now… nothing left to do!”? See, now you’ve got me thinking we can totally refresh our house in only 4-5 years… not bad!
And having recently gone through it myself, I AM looking forward to hearing about your house hunting adventures. :-)
Caroline says
I’m lobbing in another vote for the near west end. We moved to the Libbie/ Grove area about two years ago and could not love it more. There is so much to walk to – stores, restaurants, parks, library, post office, grocery store, etc. I can go days without using the car. We have a little one just a couple months older than Clara and the neighborhood has been an even more perfect fit now that he’s here.
Best of luck on your move and thanks for taking us along for the ride (vicarious house hunting is so much easier than the real thing!)
Lisa says
I’m shocked! I think this will be an adjustment for not only your family, but all of your readers as well, and I don’t do well with change, haha! Best of luck searching for a new home! Wish I lived in VA so I could buy it!
Kathy says
Unlike the hundreds of others who apparently saw it coming, I in fact am SHOCKED. And now, excited at the prospect of *new* projects! So excited for you!