So, funny story about the house below. We bought it and we’re moving in.
We know this news probably evokes a whole range of reactions. Excitement for new makeovers. Sadness for leaving our current house. Curiosity about all of the logistics. Confusion. Anger. The inexplicable urge to do The Carlton.
Starting this story requires rewinding seven years, back to our first house hunting experience in Richmond in the spring of 2006. We had just moved from New York City and Richmond real estate felt very spacious and very cheap by comparison. It made dreamers out of us. We checked out a bunch of neighborhoods, and fell for an awesome old area with nice big wooded lots, great schools, charming tree-lined streets, and kids on scooters.
But none of the sweet old character-filled houses in that neighborhood were in our price range, especially because the bank had no faith in us. The issue was not our savings, but the fact that I was less than 2 months into my new job and Sherry was just as deep into her career as a freelance copywriter. In the eyes of the bank, Sherry was unemployed since she was a newbie self employed person (even though she was earning more than me!) so I ended up being the only name on the loan – basically cutting our buying power in half. Goodbye dream neighborhood, hello this looker.
As deflating as that financial reality check was, it turned out to be one of the biggest blessings. Had we not been steered towards a fixer upper, we might not have ever started this blog or learned the advantage of buying a home that’s well within our means. By not stretching financially, we could stash away a lot more project money and build up our nest egg – because we hadn’t lost sight of that neighborhood we first fell for, we had just put that dream on hold.
Fast forward 4.5 years, past a new puppy, a wedding in the backyard, Clara’s birth, and me coming home to work full-time. Our beloved little 1,250 sq ft ranch (with only one full bathroom) was suddenly feeling cramped and we found ourselves house hunting again. Dream neighborhood here we come, right? Try again, compadre. This time I was the financial deadweight (having just left a salaried job six months earlier to come work at home – great timing, right?). So once again we found ourselves approved for something far below our actual mortgage-paying abilities thanks to the bank’s you-haven’t-done-this-self-employment-thing-long-enough-for-it-to-count doubt.
But it dropped another gem of a fixer upper in our laps. And this time we knew that an affordable needs-work home meant even more projects and more money squirreled away for our “maybe someday” neighborhood.
Now, I wouldn’t say we ever consciously thought of these homes as “stepping stones” or rungs on a property ladder that we were itching to climb. Even though we always loved that dream neighborhood from afar, Sherry was fully convinced our first house would be our “forever home” (we even have that statement on video). When we fall in love with a house, we fall hard. But the experience of outgrowing and leaving our first place made us realize that we enjoy the process of loving an old house back to life way too much to stop at just one.
So when we moved into this house, we went into things with a more open attitude. Knowing we’d soak up every second of living here (you know we’re nuts about the journey) but no longer making bold declarations like “we’ll stay here forever.” Admittedly, at halfway through year three of living here, the end came a bit sooner than we expected, but our time here since 2010 has been jam-packed. We’ve celebrated three Christmases in this house, created a book from start to finish here, and enjoyed countless Clara milestones (crawling, walking, talking, Gangnam Style-ing). So this place is by no means a blip on the timeline of our family history. It has been “home” through a heckova lot, which makes leaving it that much more bittersweet.
We just knew we didn’t want our current place to be our last fixer upper (it’s not only what we love to do, it’s our livelihood), so when we felt ourselves tackling the last few untouched rooms on our list we started casually keeping one eye open for a deal that could be a potential rental or even a future Casa Petersik. We’d occasionally flip through real estate listings and drop in on open houses. We always hoped that something would come up in our price range in that dream neighborhood so we could jump on it like a velociraptor, but after two house-hunting experiences that didn’t lead to us ending up there, we weren’t very confident.
And then it happened. Pretty much out of nowhere, we found the sweetest needs-lots-of-love home in that old charming neighborhood that we’ve driven through at least five times a year just to stare creepily since 2006. Yes, this is a seven-years-in-the-making house coup of ours. We would have loved to take you guys on the house hunting adventure with us like last time, but it all happened so fast and before we knew it we were closing on it.
And thanks to putting some of that saved-for-years cash down at closing, our new house’s mortgage amount is almost exactly the same as our current house’s – but our interest rate is even lower. We both spent closing day waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and scream “you got punked!” but all went well and the house is officially ours. We’ve even had it long enough to fix some first-priority issues like a leaking roof, a broken furnace, and even hooked up the alarm system.
The house hasn’t been updated since it was built around 35 years ago, and knowing that its interior might scare off others trying to buy in a mostly turn-key community, the sellers priced it way under assessment. It was over $100,000 less than another house of the same size that was for sale down the street. A low-priced fixer upper in a neighborhood that we’ve dreamed about for almost a decade? Yes please. 70’s wallpaper, blue trim, lumpy carpet and all…
Beyond the price, neighborhood, and glaring need to be rescued – this place is perfect for us in so many other ways. It’s nearly the exact same size as our current place (huzzah, no more extra square feet to clean). The street is beautiful and quiet (perfect for someday teaching Clara to ride a bike). It’s still just as close to our family (maybe they can watch Clara while we strip wallpaper). And it presents us with so many new design challenges and opportunities that our minds are spinning with ideas. I mean, hello, we have stairs for the first time in seven years of home-ownership!
Perhaps the funniest thing is that at our age, my parents were moving into their third house, which was where they stayed for over three decades. So apparently it’s in the Petersik blood.
We know that you guys probably have dozens of questions – When are we moving in? (Don’t know yet) When can you see more pictures? (Soon) What does Clara think? (She already picked out her room… based on the closet size. Is she 16?) But this post would be ten thousand words if we tried to cover everything, so we’ll get to those things in time. We also have a few things to finish around here to get our current house sold (anyone interested?) so in an effort to keep our own minds focused on those to-dos, it won’t be all new house posts all the time. We’ll just be moving at our usual real-time pace and sharing a little bit of everything that’s happening (selling, packing, planning, moving, and diving into our new house adventure).
Did I mention these two are the most excited of all? Okay, three if you count Ariel.
We can’t wait to continue sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly with you guys. Seriously, who wants to come paint some mauve trim with us? And if there were a moral to this story, it’s patience. This is not “the house the book bought” (we still haven’t hit our royalty point), it’s the house that seven years of saving up and living within our means bought. Had we strained our wallets and gone for a larger or more turn-key house back in 2006, we probably would’ve had a very different financial path, and most certainly would have had a different career path. So even though we had to wait a while, it just makes this new chapter in our lives that much sweeter. Who knows, we might just stay there forever…
Catherine says
I can’t say I was expecting it, but I don’t think in shocked either. I’ve read a few comments where people are surprised and in awe that you’re able to so quickly (to us, at least) walk away from something you’ve been loving and working on for so long without (again, to us) getting to sit back and enjoy it. But again, I understand that’s how you planned this house, to love, DIY, and enjoy all at the same time. My only question is will you be sad/regret if you don’t get to complete some of the things that were on your list? The first thing that comes to mind for me is the double-sided fireplace. I mean, that sounds like extremely hard work to me, but I feel like it was probably a cool challenge for you guys, and something you might not get to do now.
(Wow, sorry for the super long comment, and congrats!! I’m very excited to see how you put all your amazing furniture and decorations into the new layout!)
YoungHouseLove says
I think if we could snap our fingers and double side that fireplace we’d love to! But since it’s a load bearing wall and we learned that we’d need a mason and maybe even an architect it felt a lot more like a 1K+ update for down the line if we stayed, and now that we found a house in the neighborhood we’ve loved for so long it just feels like we did the right thing to let those last few “would have been nice” projects go and jump on the opportunity to grab that house before it was gone. In other words, we’re a little sad we never got to do that, but we’d be more sad if we missed out on the new house :)
xo,
s
Tara says
Congrats on the new home. It’s so perfect! I love the front it’s so classic!
Kirsten Oliphant says
I’m shocked! And yet, as you guys were doing projects the last few months, I was wondering what was next? :) What a beautiful home! Can’t wait to see the full innards and how you guys transform and put your touches on it. I also love thinking of my old home, Richmond, and imagining where you guys might be. All of your houses have been distinctly Richmond (esp compared to Houston, where I am now), so I get all homesick-y and nostalgic, in a good way. Vicarious Richmond living. Hope you guys can sell your house quickly and enjoy every bit of the process!
Tara says
Yay! Can’t wait to see the design direction you take in this new house! And you were smart to wait on stairs until Clara was older. We have a 20 month old daredevil intent on trying to take down the baby gates keeping her from endless climbing adventures.
Vonda says
I’m freaking out over here! I thought it was a joke, but April 1 is way over.
Congrats. Can’t wait to follow the journey.
PS – I’ll help paint trim, if you come help paint my guest room! Because I’m SURE you don’t have your hands full enough!!
Looking forward to hopefully getting some clues on where in our fine city you’ve landed.
Eileen says
AAHHHH!! Congratulations guys!
Ang D says
So so happy and excited for you guys! Can’t wait to see what you do with this new house! Congrats!
Sandra T says
You guys! What a way to flabbergast 5 Billion people! haha Seriously, I started reading and thought, no way. This is one of those April Fool’s jokes somebody likes to play on us! This is amazing! Congratulations!!!
Maureen says
This house seems so much more traditional on the outside than a ranch… I am just wondering if you think you will find it difficult to meld your contemporary style with it?
This is mu second comment btw, lol. I really love this house!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha thanks Maureen! I definitely think it’ll be fun to see how things evolve in the new house since it’s such a different style. I’m SO EXCITED! Haha!
xo
s
Eileen marie says
Oh em cheese, guys, congratulations!! (I admit I was caught so off-guard, I kept thinking, “But it’s NOT April Fool’s Day!”)
Stephanie says
I bet I’m thinking what everyone else is thinking: As long as this means many more years and years (and years) of wonderful blog posts and DIY adventures to come, then bring on the Petersik houses!! ;-) Congratulations to you four!!
Kim S says
WOW!! You definitely surprised me with this announcement! I’m so excited for you guys and can’t wait to see what you do with another fixer-upper. Congratulations on getting to move into your dream neighborhood (and thanks for continuing to take us all along for the ride!).
P.S. The new house looks HUGE in the first picture, but maybe it’s just because it’s two stories. I’ve always lived in ranches so I think, in my head, a house with two stories is double the house haha.
YoungHouseLove says
It does the same thing to us. Especially since our current house looks smaller than it is from the front (since a lot of the rooms are in the back) it’s a bit jarring to see the same amount of square footage all shoved in your face like that! :)
-John
Amanda says
The only thing that is constant is change. Congrats on the house. It is too bad that you won’t get to enjoy the sweet deck you put so much work into, but now you can build another bigger and better.
LauraCinIndy says
Congrats!!!! So exciting ( I thought we were being punked)
You two wear me out but I’m excited to see what you’ll do to new place. I wonder if you’ll install your beloved penny tile somewhere…
KELLY ANN says
THERE ARE NOT WORDS FOR HOW EXCITED I AM! THIS IS AWESOME!
Shauna says
Shocked? Yes! But on reflection, you guys left indicators here and there. You’ve found the perfect balance between immediate satisfaction (DIYing a more modest home) and delayed pleasure (waiting years before going for your dream neighbourhood). We waited 30 years for our newly-built first home. It felt like a snitch of paradise, walking through that front door. Here’s hoping you feel the same with your new sweet home!
Caitlin @ Desert Domicile says
WOW! Shocking news but congratulations you guys! I LOVE your new houses porch railings and the brick facade. I can’t wait to see more of it :)
Jennifer says
Wow! It’s beautiful! And way to throw a shocker in there! I never ever would have guessed. I can’t wait to see what you come up with for your new house. Everything you guys do seems so well thought out. Good for you for waiting patiently for your dream neighborhood. Awesome.
Layne says
This house looks like a dream, inside and out. How exciting for you guys but HOW EXCITING for all of us out here in blogland!
Adrienne says
CONGRATS! So super excited! I can’t wait to see how you guys handle that lovely wallpaper situation lol. I sure seem to know my way around it now, having ripped it down from two bathrooms and a kitchen. And I still have a dining room and small hallway to take down. It can be downright maddening sometimes! In fact, one of those close-up pictures of wallpaper looks eerily similar to the kind that was in my kitchen. Uh, yeah, it had to go.
I moved into my late grandparent’s home last fall and was so overwhelmed by how outdated everything was. Almost nothing had been touched since they bought the home in 1967. Bad wallpaper, wood paneling, retro green-gold carpet, blue toilets and sinks; you name it, I inherited it. Finding your blog shortly after I moved in was such a blessing, because you guys gave me the courage and inspiration to tackle projects in my fixer-upper I NEVER would have originally done on my own.
Again, congrats and good luck! Looking forward to reading about your new adventures!
Margee Krebs says
WOW! SO did not see that coming! And here you had me all ready to buy a brick rancher when I move! Now I’m gonna have to see what you do with the new house before I decide! There are lots of great neighborhoods in Richmond; I’m sure you found a terrific one. Congrats and can’t wait to see the transformation! Best to you!
Dawn says
John, I like your explanation about your housing journey; great advice for any 1st time home buyer,too. Just think of it this way, you all have DIY’d & loved a house into a home for the next person!
And there’s a lot to be said about timing, isn’t there? Congrats on your new, older home…..can’t wait for the 1st DIY project!
Susan says
Amazing! How exciting! Blessings abound! Congratulations! I want to give you hugs and high fives… Please don’t be creeped out :(
I just know I’m going to enjoy watching your family tun that place into the most awesome home. So happy for you. Thank you for the example of hard work, patience, and smart choices paying off!
Bailey says
So excited to see what you do with this house. I was just thinking the other day what you were going to post about/design when you were done with your current house. I was getting worried. lol ;)
Congrats!!!
Karen S says
Wow! I’m shocked, but in a good way. I was curious as to what you guys were going to do now that your to-do list was dwindling. Now you have a whole new house to tackle! I’m so excited to see what you guys do with this one. Congratulations!
Audrey says
Congrats! This is huge for you guys and I’m really happy for you! My husband and I are in a pickle like you were 7+ years ago: we’ll only qualify on one income (which is good in some ways – keeps us modest), and our target neighborhood is really a stretch. We both work outside the home, so that target neighborhood really matters to us, but it’s a really battle of our wills (commute or live in a shack???). We met with a realtor on Friday, and we’re going to get preapproved tonight!
Sara says
Congratulations!!! I hope your current home sells quickly and cannot wait to see what are up your collective sleeves with the next! You both are so inspiring with your DIY–and helpful! All the best!
Beth Hesselberg says
What an awesome surprise, it’s so fun seeing all the new projects big and little, congratulations on the new home, beautiful.
Heidi P. says
Whoa. Just whoa.
Heidi P. says
Oh, and have you guys already stained your deck? Would you mind doing a “we thought we’d get to this, but now we’re not b/c we’re moving” list? (That’s not meant to be negative. I’m just curious.) Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we actually wrote up an updated Listy McListerson with everything that we’ve done and added a category at the bottom to “stuff we would have loved to do if we were staying” – it was fun to see!
xo
s
Heidi P. says
Yay! Thanks!
Anastasia says
Wow! Exciting! And congratulations. We have been looking to relocate back to RVA from DC for ages. (You were kind enough to email me suggestions a year ago). But now our best friends and new baby have moved there so we’re all the more motivated to relocate. If today’s potential buyer doesn’t bite, I might PM you. Or maybe we can rent your place in exchange for free labor on the new place :)
Natalie says
OMG!!! First I am super excited to see what you guys do w/ this new (third!!!) home. Crazytown!!! :) But second… I laughed at myself for “feeling left out” Hahaha! I think we all feel so much a part of your lives that it seemed impossible to sneak this one by us!! :) I love you guys and congrats on the new home!!
Jessica says
Congratulations! Can’t wait to read all about it!
How are you going to prioritize/group projects? Do you think you’ll have a set plan for your remodels/upgrades? (Maybe this is a further down-the-road post question…)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we make one big list and then circle priorities and tackle those first and then just bounce around and do whatever sounds good in an effort to keep our energy and momentum up :)
xo
s
Jamie B. says
Oh, man. I was shocked when you put your first house up for sale and this one blindsided me just as much. I LOVE the outside of your new home, though, this is definitely exciting! Sorry to add to your mountain of comments but I just had to say congrats!
Carrie Lea says
Sometimes I wonder if I have psychic abilities. :) After your post about the guest bath I was thought, “Wow, they’ve knocked a lot out the past few months. All that’s really left is the floors. Wondering if they will be selling soon? Or maybe doing the rental thing….” Then I thought that maybe you would focus on outdoor stuff but really, I felt like you were moving!
Ok, that’s likely more logic than ESP. :)
Congrats! I was sad when you moved the first time but got over it quickly, so I am sure I will be the same way with this one. :) Living in your dream neighborhood is awesome! My dream is to build a new house that looks like an old house in the country. Fingers crossed I can financially do that soon! Savings account no longer exists since I had to buy my furbaby a bionic knee! But I’m building it back up and hopefully everyone’s knees and hips and other important body parts will stay healthy!
Carrie Lea says
p.s.Does this house come with a crapton of lithrope too?
p.p.s. I will not be available to help paint mauve and country blue trim (omg!) but I will help you demo the crap out of that bathroom!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahah! It has an INSANE amount of ground cover. It has taken over!
xo
s
Randi says
Congratulations!! What exciting news. Can’t wait to see all the new projects!
jasmine says
Congratulations! Your current house WAS looking a little too perfect :) Can’t wait to see you transform this one.
Ashly says
Congratulations to you!
edna says
whaaaaaa?!! excited to see your new house and what yall do to it!!
stephanie says
The most important question is… will Clara get to sleep in her big girl room before you move? :)
YoungHouseLove says
I can’t wait to find out! We’re taking her lead on it, so since she still prefers her crib, it’s really her call :)
xo
s
Kate says
Wow, congrats guys! How exciting. Looks gorg!
(By the way, I never realized it before but I kinda feel like I know you–in a non-creepy way, of course. And only casually, since if I really knew you I would have probably known you were buying a new house, haha. But I got really excited for you as I read the news!)
abby says
Congratulations! How exciting! I can’t wait to hear/see more. The outside is beautiful!
Ashley says
The Carlton just made my day! Congrats on the new house, looking forward to all of the new projects and updates!
Sandy P. says
Look at all the traffic you guys created! You even woke up the lurkers here. Congratulations and best of luck. Move in day remember this, ALWAYS with the right foot first for good luck! I’m excited and it’s not even my home. May you Petersiks spend everyday in this beautiful home with lots of love, peace and health!!
Cheryl says
I am so happy for your family. It looks like a great home. I am so excited to see what you have planned for the new place.
Good luck in your new home, Petersik family!
Barb says
What an accomplishment. So many people (young and old) dive in over their head. Looking forward to another transformation.
Rosie says
WOW! I wanna buy your house! Unfortunately I’m guessing that the Richmond to Syracuse commute would be a touch too far for my husband to make daily… ;)
Melissa says
How exciting can’t wait to watch you transform this place!
Demi says
I too scrolled through the entire thing to see where it would state that it’s a joke! Whoa, can’t believe it! The house looks absolutely lovely though! Can’t wait for your new adventure to start!
Kristin F says
I’ll admit I haven’t read the post because I have to know if you are punking us.
Sarah Elizabeth says
You guys. This is so awesome! Congratulations!
But good heavens, with this one can you PLEASE listen to that house? Love the house, as it is in its bones. Please, no cheap horrible garage pergolas or random board-and-batten just because you need a project or cheap IKEA furniture or Sue the Napkin.
This is a traditional house, a beautiful, traditional, amazing house. Treat it with respect.
I’ve been a reader since your blog was called This Young House and I was graduating from college and moved into my very own little apartment. I want to grow with you guys, and the past year or so has been… not so great. I want to read this blog and love it SO BADLY, please let me grow with you or even, please let me grow into your blog. I want to see what you do with high ceilings and traditional fixtures and glorious natural wood. Please do not spray paint it all teal and and bright yellow and name it Murphy or Penelope. PLEASE RESPECT THE HOUSE.
Charlene says
I will never understand why someone would request that you censor personal style and taste just so that a home feels more traditional or mainstream. It’s like telling someone how to shop for their wardrobe, or what color to dye their hair.
Congratulations on your new home guys. Keep up your great work! I look forward to everything to come!