Wow, within hours of putting our home on the market we received a very attractive offer, well above our asking price, which we have accepted! What a journey it has been.
Shelly and I spent the day yesterday driving around reminiscing about all the great memories, the highs and the lows, and how far we've come. In the moment, when you're screwing the 243rd screw, or laying the 197th hardwood floor board, or putting on that Nth layer of paint or calk or mud, it seems the job will never end. You wonder if you can bare it any longer? And then poof, it is over.
Taking this project on was one of the biggest risks we've taken in life. It isn't an easy thing to leave a perfectly comfortable home - one you've raised your kids in and lived comfortably for over a decade - and spend a half million dollars on a cold, wet, rotten piece of junk, not even knowing the full extent of the damage to a home that has sat empty for years, betting that you can make something so great of it that it will be worth all the time and expense and sacrifice along the way.
So many questions popped into my head as we contemplated the project: will we be able to do the work? Will we be able to sell the finished house to anyone in their right mind? Will the economy continue to go strong enough to support a price that doesn't force us to lose money? We wouldn't know the answer to those questions - and many more - for 9 months. Receiving the answers this weekend has been pure elation.
So what drove us to want to do it?
- We wanted to learn the renovation business and build new skills
- We wanted to explore Shelly's passion for home design and decoration
- We sought a worthwhile project to spend time on, and hoped to make something great out of a neighborhood eyesore
Thankfully, we are walking away proud to have accomplished all that, and more. We definitely learned a ton of skills, I feel very confident in most areas of home construction and certainly now know how much things really cost and what to expect from contractors for any job, including what fair pricing and how to gauge a quality job. I think Shelly's passion for home design and decoration have come through in spades, having hundreds of people come through the house to see it in person the past few days, with many compliments generously given, has been validation enough that she does indeed have a gift and can envision and execute a compelling product that people love. And we feel really proud of the product itself - a house the neighborhood is proud of. This was evident in the smiles and comments our friendly neighbors left as they wandered through the house, and when our HOA president and his wife stopped by today to thank us, we knew this third goal was officially checked.
But even more than those things, we've loved being a part of the community and enjoyed engaging with neighbors and friends in ways we haven't before. We built new friendships and been able to share experiences and create memories that will last a lifetime. This is the primary reason we seek new, challenging adventures.
I have to give full credit to Shelly for seeing the vision of how to transform the house into something amazing. More than just updated materials, it really does have a style, a soul that is unique and inviting. I wanted to capture several of the before/after shots in this final post so you can see for yourself how much of a transformation this project has undergone.
Entry and front living area
Kitchen
Office
Master Suite
Guest Bedrooms and Bath
Powder Room
Exterior
Thank you for following our home renovation adventure and for all your support! We look forward to the next one! :)