Balance
I am not balancing things as well as I used to. I used to be able to blog, hang out with the kids, go on wild adventures, read, knit, sleep then repeat.
Now not so much.
It has been so hard to keep up with computer stuff this summer. I have emails stacking up, reviews to write, blogs to read and comment on, posts swirling in my head. Yet days go by and I do not even sit at my computer. It is a very strange concept for me.
The training and running has cut into regularly scheduled “blog time”. Yet I am so driven and so into that I cannot imagine not doing it now. I am nervous about winter, not knowing how I will run (I am a tad afraid to run in the dark). There is a gym nearby, or the option to buy a treadmill. Decisions, decisions.
We went to a couple open houses yesterday. We were surprised the see houses within our range that we liked. One house in particular, I could totally see us living our lives, flashes of the future danced in my head. We are not quite ready to buy. I wish. When we were wlaking home, Becca quietly stated “I wish we could have a house like that someday”. It was a sweet, unprompted statement that rings true for our whole family. I think we could push forward and buy a house asaap, however that could be harder than waiting six months, then proceeding. It is so hard not to allow ones emotions rule this decision.
How ready were you to buy your first house? Any tips?
We didn’t really prepare to buy our flat, we just happened to see one advertised that we thought we could potentially afford. Went to see it one day and made the decision then and there to buy it because it was perfect. I still yearn for my flat in Japan as it really was perfect and I loved it. Sometimes you just have to follow your gut feeling, even if your head is telling you to wait a while. I think you will know when you find the perfect place and all other considerations will be thrown out the window because you will just *have* to live there.
Glad to hear the running is still going well- you are an inspiration!
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I am not too sure about the rules in Canada but here in the US you have to have %20 down or you have to pay for a special insurance. We made sure to have at least 20% before we even thought about looking. I would also suggest that you don’t deplete your savings too much, there are going to be tons of new home expenses that will pop up. Be prepared for things to take time and not go smoothly. There are a lot of ups and downs when buying a home.
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Same thing has been happening to me lately. I did take up derby again for the time being, but it seemed like my time spent blogging and such - the things I used to really love doing - was getting more and more scarce even before that!
I hope you get the house of your dreams soon! We were SO very ready to buy our first house, as things were just getting worse and worse on a daily basis at the apartment complex we lived in. We found this one. Kind of run-down and not taken care of, but it was a foreclosure we could afford in a good school district. We went after it aggressively and thankfully, got it.
Is there something happening in six months that will make buying easier than now? I would say go for it now if you can afford it and that’s all that is holding you back.
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When I bought my first house, on my own after my divorce, I was scared to death. I KNEW I had the money, but was afraid something would happend and then I WOULD’T have the money. I called that Mortgage guy almost daily and would ask, “Are you SURE I got the loan, and the house is MINE?”
I still can’t believe I bought my house, on my own, with no help from anyone, and it is beautiful, big and perfect.
But if I could have done things differently, I would have, but it has nothing to do with the house.
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Your fellow Canuck says get it as soon as you can. The real estate market changes so fast so if you can afford what you want, buy it. In the next 6 mos you could make 50 grand in equity on it, or pay 50 grand more to buy it - your choice. That’s what happened to us when we were moving from 1st to 2nd house. We weren’t ready but bought right after our wedding and are SO glad we did. Make sure you get a large line of credit for any unexpected expenses - it’s just good insurance, even if you never use it.
Good luck and have fun!!
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It’s okay. Sometimes life carries on. And you deserve to enjoy every second of it…sometimes blogging isn’t part of the equation.
Right now, you got me into the Twilight series and I can’t put the first book down. Thank you.
I keep feeling guilty if I don’t read and comment on everyone’s blog posts in my reader. I’m starting to realize that I’m crazy. Need to balance better.
You’ve got your priorities in the right place.
My husband had already bought this house before we were together.
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I am SO ready for a house…especially after lugging all our party gear to the picnic area of our building because our dwellings were too small to host our 30 guests. I keep looking on MLS in the cities I’d prefer to live in.
As far as now vs. 6 more months, check with a realator to see how much the houses have fluctuated in Halifax. When we were there, they were not changing prices much (as compared to our west and ON). I wouldn’t rush into it before it’s logical for your family…you want the whole experience to be exciting not worrisome
When we bought our first house it was prompted by my husband because we lived in the area for a couple of years. We figured okay lets go for it - we happened to buy right before the prices started rising, a handful of years back. So we got a great deal for a wonderful house in an awesome neighborhood. I feel like we lucked out really.
It can be scary though. I was really nervous when we started but as the process went through it was easier. We did work with a great realtor which makes a huge difference.
Great job keeping up with running!! I was doing that this past spring but then stopped….I need to get back to it too! I felt great when I was - oh and I was running on a treadmill which worked out.
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I was not ready to buy our first house. Not sure if I ever told you that long story. Short version, I was out of town, came home to papers to sign and a house to move into. I pouted for six long months in that house in a crappy neighborhood. We lived there for 11 years, maybe more. The neighborhood did improve. There are things I miss. And things I don’t :-).
Balance, how I crave it.
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Usually I’m an optimist about EVERYTHING (to my husbands worry) and before our situation here with buying I would have said go ahead…BUY NOW!
Now…I think when moving to a new city that you should wait at least a year. Go through all the seasons, holidays, check out ALL the areas before you buy. Your year is almost up isn’t it?
Also, isn’t it possible to sometimes get a better ‘deal’ when buying in the new year, with it being winter and all!
When we were looking around back in 2003 in TO first time buyers only need to put down 5%.
Do you know the area you want? Or are there many?
We know when we FINALLY end up home we’ll buy on the Peninsula (99.99% sure) as I grew up in the Connaught/Chebucto area and Callum in the south end. You always want what you know!
Oh, the balance! It gets tough sometimes, and sometimes you don’t even know why.
My husband and I bought our house a year after we were married. We didn’t want to keep paying rent. All the apartments here are crazy money! Might as well put that money into a house, we figured.
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sounds like you are living *life*.
Go get em!
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I think it is like having your first child. You are not ready until you just do it. But my only advice-just like when I was first a mom-I was nervous-I wish I would have known that there was nothing to be nervous about-I felt the same way with buying a house. I wish I would have slowed down and enjoyed it. The negotiations stink but everything else is amusing. def get it checked out and spend the money to do it/
Also, you will enjoy running in the cool weather. We run in the cod except for 2 months and we run indoors. HUGS
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Hey Chelle, do what you can and enjoy everything sometimes I think blogging just slow down because we have set other priorities so it is ok
As for buying new house, I remembered before we decided to move into this private apartment, my hubby went shortlisted on his own first before bringing me to a few areas. When I went to see this showflat I just ‘fell in love’…you must feel good about it and there is this positive vibes that you know is going to harmonious the family.
I am glad we bought this house back in 1999 and yes, more harmony at home and everyone is happy.
I wish you the best in buying your new house and living in perfect harmony
Cool - house hunting is exciting. When we bought, we just knew it was right and had a peace about it.
You have been mightily busy! I hope you find that balance …. sometimes we can readjust and manage it all …. other times, somethings do have to take a back seat. I am finding at the moment that I want to sew, but don’t have the time to just sit and do a big project all at one time, so am doing a little bit here, 5 mins there … and it’s taking shape slowly, but surely!
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ready? ha! we had nothing down. nothing. but we did a bit of preparing so we knew what we could, in theory, afford on our soon-to-be income.
for us, at the time, it was cheaper to buy than to rent. (forest fire = rental housing shortage.) but that was this town at that time and there is almost no way we would have come across the same situation anywhere else.
we worked with a great realtor who knew the market and what kind of financial options were available for first-time buyers with nothing down. we got a good loan. 100% financed with no PMI. but i don’t know that the same kind of “deal” exists in canada or even at this time considering all of the mortgage restructuring of late.
is this my dream house? not by a long shot. but i don’t know that there really is such a thing. in my family we’ve always been fixers, remodelers, and builders. if it isn’t your dream house, fix it. but that’s just the way i grew up.
i’m impressed by your training. i’m hoping to get myself active again soon. school is starting next week, so i should have some time with only one kiddo to haul around. and i finally have a limited amount of energy after baby #3’s birth. (of course, i would have more if i weren’t up until midnight posting on blogs!)
and as for blogging goes, since willow’s birth, i find i simply don’t have time for all of the online communities i am a part of. some of them have seriously fallen behind. and i’m sorry for that. but it is what it is. i have to give more attention to my kids than to my “imaginary friends” (as jeff likes to call them).
I haven’t been able to balance everything lately either! We haven’t bought our first house yet either, we’re waiting until he retires from the military and we settle down somewhere!
I am not one to jump at major things like buying a house or car that I really like. Although I can relate to all the many exciting ideas dancing in my head whenever I see something I want.
However, unless you are financially ready, I think having to worry about the important part in buying a house (enough mortgage money) can turn your happy dances into some miserable moments.
We’ve been living in the same house that my husband already own before we got married. Thankfully, it is big enough to grow a family in. But I do however would like to find another place one day. We live in downtown Chicago and having a backyard is way too much of a luxury that only few can afford. I want to be able to stay in the city, but still have some kind of grass to actually place some outdoor furniture. Lots of financial aspects are involved in looking for such a place. Either we move to the suburbs for cheaper housing or wait and see if we can find a good price within our reach in the city.