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…
Hailie says
Congrats! It’s going to be fantastic. I’m so jealous of your new adventure! :)
– is there going to be a new frame wall?
– what direction does the house face? (I’m a geek about the direction of houses because it totally affects the sunlight you get in!)
– I 100% understand your need for privacy, but the nose in me is dying to know…..how long have you been keeping this secret?? :D
YoungHouseLove says
Haha love all the questions! We’re writing up a giant FAQ post for tomorrow filled with info for ya :)
xo,
s
Allison says
Ooooo…can you guys please be the next Sarah’s House with your new place?? I love her, but they never show her anymore. Plus you all are so way more budget friendly. I’m so excited. I told so many people about your big move yesterday like we were real-life friends :) Congrats again!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha I love her show too, but a TV show is not for us. We’re happy to hide behind our computer screens. Haha!
xo,
s
Aubrey says
Congrats guys! I couldn’t believe it at first, but I am really excited for you guys. Can’t wait to see what you do with this one! Hooray for new projects and new design challenges!
Ashley says
Wow, what a surprise! It feels like we’ll ALL be saying goodbye to an old friend in house #2 but I can’t wait to see what you do with the new Casa Petersik. Looks like we can expect some pretty incredible transformations! Congratulations on your new home in your dream neighborhood!
Nikki says
Congratulations on your dream neighborhood! I have to say, this post is very encouraging. My husband and I have only been married for a year, and have been renting thus far (and will be for at least another year) as we save up for a home. It’s been so frustrating to me to pay rent, when I know we could be investing in a home, and at times my lack of patience gets the best of me. It’s also hard when all of our friends (who have been married much longer) are already buying fancy shmancy homes. It’s a nice reminder to know it’s ok if the journey takes several years of living within your means to beef up your savings does pay off!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw I’m so glad it helped! All the best to you!
xo,
s
Jessica says
CONGRATS!!! Can’t wait to see all the new projects!
HollandPhotoArts says
Sooooooo excited for you and your family and can’t wait to see all the new projects! Looks like you have a little bit of wallpaper to remove in your future. ;) ….anne
Laura says
Congrats on the house–I always love a nice colonial! When is the current house going on the market? Is it possible to see a listing link? I currently rent in Richmond but my lease is up in 30 days so I have to decide if I plan to rent or buy next!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Laura! It’s not in MLS quite yet but we’ll share a link if you’re still interested when it’s up (feel free to email me so I can reply with it later :)
xo,
s
Jules says
Noooooooooooooooooooo! Just kidding, I’m having a little Sheldon Cooper (from the Big Bang Theory) reaction to not seeing your current house completely finished! Congrats, seriously :)
Keeley says
Congratulations!! I think your instincts are right on! Good for you and your family! Sounds like you got a great buy on a home that needs much updating and love.
I was thinking a few weeks back that it seemed like you had really done a majority of the work needed in your house.
I look forward to seeing more about the new house and how you will update it. You two are artists breaking out a new canvas!
Again, congrats!
Jules says
Nooooooooo! Just kidding, I’m having a little Sheldon Cooper (from the Big Bang Theory) reaction to not seeing your current house completely finished! Congrats, seriously :)
Heidi K says
Congrats on the new house! I’ve been reading your blog since you were pregnant with Clara & I was pregnant with my daughter! Thanks for the encouraging post to save up for your dream house even if that means staying put &/or renting a while longer! Houses in Denver are a bit overpriced. Looking forward to reading about your next new adventure!
Rachel says
Oh wow Petersiks! I think it’s the understatement of the year that you’ve shocked ALL your readers! A friend that reads your blog also tells me “WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE YHL TODAY!” I had NO idea what to expect, but it definitely wasn’t this! Congratulations on your dream neighborhood, you guys so deserve it! And a BIG THANK YOU for showing us all what can happen with a little bit of vision, patience, perseverance and dedication! We love you guys!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw we love that!
xo,
s
Laura says
Hi guys! Congrats on your new home and project! Can’t wait to see what you do there. :-) Some completely unsolicited advice: if those are Boxwoods in front of the house, do not cut them down–even if you hate them. You may already know this, but they’re worth a pretty penny (lots of upgrade bucks!). Landscape places charge a fortune for them. A friend of ours ripped out/cut down around 30 a bit bigger than yours and later found out she could have sold them for around $100 each.
Best from Hokie Land!
Laura
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes we sold our first house’s boxwoods that way!
xo,
s
cappy says
John…I am still lauphing at the “Carlton” reference…How do you come up with these things?!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha he’s filled with retro references. Seriously overflowing.
xo,
s
Melissa says
Congratulations! So exciting. I love exploring new places to live, even though I love where I live. Your moving makes me feel like I can explore a new place and not have to actually move:) Looks like a place with great bones and lots of juicy updates to be had. Can’t wait to see more!
Melissa
Chels says
Congrats, you guys!
Maybe it’s too personal, but are you willing to share some of the deets about how getting a mortgage is different for the self-employed vs. traditional jobs?
My dream is to be self-employed, but also own a home someday. I’m afraid that giving up a steady paycheck will push my home buying days farther down the road…do I have to give up one dream so I can work on the other?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, essentially how it seems to work (at least in our area) is that the bank only “trusts” income you’ve had for over a year. So if you are unemployed for 7 months like John was when we house hunted last time, he was accounted as having no income because the job he currently did wasn’t long enough to count. The same thing happened for me when we hunted for our first house since I was a freelancer for just 3 months, so they didn’t trust it as “real” income, even though I was making more than John! So I would make the switch if you’re ready and then the clock starts, so the longer you wait to switch, the longer it takes to get past a year of income and into the “this counts” zone. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Kerry says
Congrats! I am so excited for your new adventure and your dream neighborhood!
Mya says
You’re being dishonest. The assessors site for your property says October 24, 2012… so that is the day you had your closing. Typically… deeds are recorded within a few days of that. You’ve been rocking 2 mortages for the past 6 months. Why not be honest???
YoungHouseLove says
Not to worry Mya! We have a full post full of FAQs for you guys coming tomorrow! Please be patient with us. We hardly shared any details about the new house (square footage, how many bedrooms, when we closed, etc) in this post. We just wanted to spill the beans first and then address all the questions in a follow up post since this one was 2000 words already :)
xo
s
Nik says
WHOOO. Congratulations guys. I can’t wait to see what you do with the new house. I can totally see a huge porch addition on that guy. Good luck and happy home sprucing.
Aubrey says
p.s. how many square feet is your current house (not your new house)
YoungHouseLove says
It’s around 2500 square feet (same as our new one) :)
xo
s
Erin says
That is so exciting! I am very happy for you. I wish I lived in the area, I would definitely be interested in the house.
Judy says
Is that another sun room I spy behind Clara and Burger in the last pic? This is all so exciting! How wonderful for you! And it does look like it has the potential for being your forever house . . .
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! You know Richmond loves its sunrooms!
xo
s
Vanessa says
Clearly we are friends in my head because I was all – what the heck! how could they not tell me. Someone just asked a while ago if they were moving and they said no but maybe someday, etc. Then I went through, apparently, stages of grief when I realized we were not really friends and you just generously allow me to peek in your windows.
Congrats!!
JoDi says
Congrats! That’s amazing news, and I’m so happy for you! Happy for us too for all the new projects you’ll be sharing.
I was surprised this happened quite so soon although I did expect you’d move again (the project list was getting a little short! LOL) And like others I was waiting for the “just kidding guys” when I firest started reading. Even stopped to think what date it was in case I was a month behind and it was April 1st instead of May 1st.
You guys are awesome and anything good that happens for you makes me smile. Looking forward to hearing all about this amazing adventure!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks JoDi! You’re so sweet!
xo
s
Sarah Ramirez says
O.M.G.!! That is so exciting!! So happy for you guys, I can’t believe that “we” are leaving the other new house already, I feel like we just moved in! ;) The new NEW house looks so fancy pants….I can’t wait to see how awesome you guys make it.
PS. Did you know that House of Hepworths announced that they bought a new house too on the same day you announced?? Too much blog excitement for this stay-at-home-mom to handle! When the hubby got home I had so much to fill him in about. (yes, he thinks I’m a total nerd!)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, the interwebs are intertwined! Loved their announcement too!
xo
s
Jaci FL says
Peterisks:
Such a fabulous new chapter to your lives and it warms my heart to see and cheer you on for the “this is not the book earned house but 7 years of savings and living within our means”. LOVE IT! So true and I’ve followed you all for a couple years now (you and RehabAddict Nicole Curtis) and even though I’m not really a DIYer, you blog is a guilty pleasure of mine lol. I live vicariously through your family DIY adventures lol! I did redecorate using craigslist and have my sights set on making a fake roman shade from your posts— a girl can dream:) Keep up the passion and growth it’s truly inspiring!!!! Every closed door turns into a new opportunity. Nuff said
Jaci FL says
OH yeah! PS- I just inherited by grandmother’s sewing machine so I will be going back to read your posts about beginner projects. Looking forward to it and the love/hate frustrations too.
Jillian@TheHumbleGourmet says
My friend Emily IM’ed me to tell me to check out this post. I. Am. Flabbergasted!
Congrats!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoooo! I love that you IMed about it. Haha!
xo
s
Meagn says
Is it odd that I went back to see your to-do list that you had for this house. You really whipped through this house and changed up a lot in the short time that you have lived there. I’ve gotta get my game-face on and start making some changes around here. I can’t believe we’re, um uh, you’re moving!
Megan says
Goodness.. can’t spell my own name. It’s Megan!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahah!
xo
s
Karriem says
Wow! I’m soooo excited for you! I enjoy reading your blog every day. Best wishes to you!
Wendy B. says
I think I’m the only person who took this post seriously and I’m so excited for your family! I started following your blog just when you moved into your second home,( from ‘Poppies at play annual house tour’ whatever happened to that?) I remember the first video tour of your current home. Hope you do one of this home before you start fixing up! I’ m looking forward to going on this renovation adventure along with you! I’ve learned so much from you already! Congrats!
Jill says
Congratulations. Can’t wait to see all that you do next!
(secretly wishing you were moving into my neighborhood!)
Debra Koessler says
Dang! That is one amazballs house Shurrdog and John. Truly believe houses are meant to be… looking forward to the DIY dream house. Congrats!
Anna says
I am unreasonably sad about this. I mean, I’m really, really excited for you guys, but I’m sad that you (and I, who am I kidding?) won’t get to enjoy the finished product that is your current house. I had such fantasies about (reading about your) al fresco dining on the new deck, Clara transitioning to the big girl room, lazy Sundays hanging out in the sunroom… I realize that I sound like a crazy lady, and will fully admit that I am, but I’m just sad. I think it’s because we always end up moving to a new house before I’m finished with the old one, and so I never get to just enjoy the being done.
That being said, your new house looks amazing, and I’m really excited to be along for the ride. And I thank you, because your current house looks a lot like *my* current house, and until I found your blog I really didn’t really love our little rental. It was YHL that made me see the potential in this 70’s brick-and-paneling rancher and inspired me to really do it up. So, thanks for that. And I can’t wait to see what comes next!
Sarah says
Congratulations! One question, though – since the new house technically = not only your workspace, but your working material, do you get to deduct it, tax-wise??? Wouldn’t THAT be sweet.
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, because if we did that we’d have to pay taxes back to the government when/if we sell, which would be a huuuuge bummer! Haha! So we don’t get to write anything off, but it’s all ours and not partially owned by the gov :)
xo
s
Reann says
Husband: Did you hear that the Redskins may change their name to the Redtails?
Me: Did you know that John and Sherry bought a new house?
Husband: Who?
Me: John and Sherry, you know, YHL
Husband: Oh your friends who don’t know that you are friends
Congrats on the new house!!!
YoungHouseLove says
LOL. If your husband feels better, I dropped the same factoid on Sherry this morning too.
-John
Blake says
So excited for you! Is it weird that my first reaction was to call my husband to share the news, as if I’d just read some news about a friend on Facebook. Haha. Had to remind myself that I only feel like I know you :)
Can’t wait to read about the new house adventure! Yeah!!
Monica says
Whoa!! That’s amazing!! Congrats and can’t wait to follow you along on this journey too!!
chrissie lynn says
i am beyond excited for this new chapter for your family! the new place has “good bones” and it will be nice to see what you do with it. i feel like your current place was move-in ready and just needed some “sprucing up” whereas this new place is begging for updates and personalization.
just wondering about the buy first sell later concept – we’re currently very “softly” looking for our next home and aren’t sure of the process. did your current mortgage in the ranch factor into your “monthly expenses” when you got the new mortgage?
much love!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, anything we had to pay (both mortgages) for that amount of time (which we over-estimated, just to give ourselves a safety net) was factored in :)
xo
s
Silke says
SOOOO crazily excited for you guys!! I literally have butterflies in my tummy from this post! I cannot WAIT!
Jessica Dycus says
That is one ugly house (on the inside)…can’t wait to see what you guys do with it!!! :))
Bree Palmer says
YAY!!! sooo exciting :)
I got a few little goosies even… you guys are gonna have a blast with this house.. super look forward to all of the projects !!!
book 2 perhaps???
Erin | House of Earnest says
I am SO SO excited for you both! What a beautiful start to the next phase! A BIG congratulations is in order!
Jen D says
Congratulations!!! This is so exciting. I’m happy for you all and can’t wait to see how you transform it and make it yours!
Janet says
This is beautiful! I have my own thoughts on where this might be ;) . I am hoping Clara is going to stay at Benny’s preschool, so we will continue to bump into you.
I doubt you have any trouble at all selling your house! Maybe John Deere wil donate a riding mower to the lucky buyer ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, she’s staying at her school. We love that place! And Benny too!
xo
s
Laura Hazel says
WOW!
Didn’t see that one coming!
Your beautiful rancher is the most talked about home in all of the blog-o-sphere, not just in Virginia. And not to mention your book readership! It has got to be a realtor’s dream come true, with the millions of eyeballs who have vicariously enjoyed your home through the years.
Vic says
Amazing house – congratulations! Thank you for sharing your fabulous projects and helping all of us out here in Webland learn to do it ourselves too!
xo, V
Felicity @ Our Little Beehive says
Holy CRAP! Congratulations!!!
leila says
Add me to the list of those saying:
1. HUGE congratulations!
2. I was also surprised/not sure if I read the first couple of sentences correctly.
3. So excited to see you take on new projects and give that ’70s wallpaper a fond farewell.
4. So refreshing to hear about how you have saved and dealt with banks and lived within your means and now get to enjoy the rewards (especially a good reminder to “dying-to-dive-into-real estate-and-sadly-years-away-from-doing-so-self”).
Also… the the new house looks like a more “grown-up” version of your current (and past) home… kinda like you’re upgrading to the deluxe model. Although your announcement made me wonder if you even really got to fully enjoy all the amazing transformations you made to the current house…like I wanted a re-cap of hosting outdoor dinner parties on the great deck you built!
Congrats again and enjoy the journey!