We got a house. Our first married house. Ha- Le- Lu- jah! It’s been quite the annoying exciting adventure. But, just like everyone said, it was worth the wait! Without further ado, here she is:
And here’s the back story. We’ve had a heck of a time house hunting in Austin. It was really fun and exiting for about 2 weeks, but shortly after we lost the first 2 houses, I was over it. I was ready to move into an apartment and give it a year. You can see our Austin house hunt part 1 and Austin house hunt part 2 for more thrilling details and funny pics. (Have you ever seen a sink/ fridge/ stove combo?) We put in 5 other offers on houses, all above asking price before we finally got a home. True. And the amazing part is the house we finally ended up with we only offered the asking price (not over!). Wowzers. Sadly, when we finally bought the house, we had to say good by to this beaut:
So, we love her. She is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom ranch style home built in the 1940’s. While we were house hunting, I was falling in love with any house that had a lamp post, a mail shoot, stained glass, or an old timey phone booth in the hallway. This house has 1 of 4, I’ll take it! (We have the old timey phone booth in the hallway!) Ohh and our neighbor has a lamp post for me to ohh and aww over! I’m working on Andy to install a mail shoot. Anyone know what that drawer is for below the oven? Crumb catcher? Warmer? It’s weird.
Her kitchen is kind of renovated, we have central AC, and she is 4 sides of solid stone. I say all of that, because many of the homes we looked at in central/ south Austin did not have all (or any) of those features. No central AC in TX = 2 sweaty, angry people = no fun. (Really it’s Andy that is an AC maniac. He cannot handle window units. I was fully prepared to buy a no central AC house!)
Oh and her yard… her yard is pretty and big-ish! We have a front AND backyard. It’s all ours! In our Austin condo, we shared a cute little pool area and side yard with our neighbors. I feel so fancy to have a yard! And talking about fancy, we have a TWO car garage. Shocker, I know. Or maybe I’m the only one shocked, most people have a garage. This is a luxury we’ve never experienced. What are we going to fill it with? Oh the excitement! The house came with patio furniture too. Ohh and a broken religious sculpture and a bird bath. And that overgrown awkward raised bed, that’s going to be a salsa garden soon!
We officially moved all of our stuff from the storage unit to our new house just a few days ago. We have lots of plans for this house. BIG. Plans. I’ll share them with ya as soon as we get those figured out. I just know that they’re big, ha! At the moment, we’ve got boxes everywhere, mattresses on the floor, washer and dryer to buy, and electrical outlets that need to be grounded (apparently that’s expensive, boo)! I asked about front v. top load washer situation on the C.R.A.F.T. facbeook page, and wanted to say thanks for all the info and opinions! We need all the help we can get around here. Anyone else just move in? Sleeping on a mattress on the floor? Buying washer and dryers? Unsure of the weird drawer under your oven? And if your’re still looking for a house… it’s out there! I know it. Cheers to making a house a home!
Take this from a 30 year old who has owned 3 houses….YEA!!!!! iLOVE beinga home owner, it has its problems but they are all worth it. I can’t wait to watch you make it yours!
Amber
Jamie, it’s precious! I’m excited that the house hunting chapter has finally closed for you. What a relief! I’m totally jealous of your trees. 😉
yay, congrats to you and Andy!!! hey, I can’t really tell, but that might be the broiler of your oven down there. Look above the pull out and see if there is a heating element above. My mom used to have an oven like that. mmmmmm making me think of broiled bananas and toast.
I’m inclined to agree with Jackie that that drawer undr the stove is a broiler, though hard to tell without looking inside. My stove looks similar to yours, but it’s a drawer under there that I keep lids in.
Congratulations on your new home, it looks great and in Austin!
I think it is a broiler! Thanks, Valerie and Jackie! I guess I need to learn how or what to broil!
My mom used to slice bananas in half lengthwise, dot with butter and sprinke with sugar and cinnamon and put them in the broiler along with a piece of bread, also dotted with butter and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Broil until bubbly and carmelized. Also, less exciting, I also used it to broil chicken breasts. 🙂
We use our broiler for all kinds of things! Hot Dogs (cut them down the middle with a little BBQ sauce or cheddar cheese in the cut, put them in the broiler just long enough to warm them up and/or melt the cheese… yummy!) or garlic bread (make a really nice crunch to it) or just for some added storage! 🙂
I just moved into my first home every back in November and I completely agree that the hunt was a huge pain in the butt. It took us over 2 years (off and on looking), but we weren’t in a huge rush until we decided that buying a house was what we wanted. The first thing is if you have to purchase all appliances like we did, shop around. We went to Best Buy and found everything we liked, wrote down prices and went to other stores to compare. We also only shopped at stores that had the deals where it was 12 months or more to pay off without interest. Best Buy for us was our best option (cheapest but great products).
PS I love all of the character in your home. Looking forward to seeing your progress on your new house. Congrats!
Natalie
Thanks for the tips, Natalie! We JUST bought an open box deal on a washer and dryer at Best Buy!
I love Austin! It’s such a great city. I lived there for 3 years many moons ago. Now I live in North East Texas and love to visit!
So glad you finally found one! We are so close…waiting on repairs to be made that were caused when water was turned on for inspection. I agree… it was fun at first. Not so much anymore… just give me the house already! lol.
I can’t wait to come over and see it in person! If you need help painting call me. I’d love to come spend the day with you. PS I think the oven drawer is a broiler.
Allison, I NEED help painting! Come over! I’m a horrible cutter inner.
Love her! Congratulations on the new place, that is some seriously exciting stuff!
Is it not a double oven? I have one and my “little” oven in on top, but maybe they make them on the bottom, too! If that is the case you will love it! 🙂
Yay friend!! So happy for y’all!! Send your house hunting vibes this way now! Also that is a broiler and you will love it, I use mine all the time… Last few minutes of a casserole of bread or pizza- pop it in the broiler and it browns it! So yummy 🙂
OMG!! I’m so excited for you! Congrats to you both – it’s fabulous!!
Thank you, Eliesa! Maybe you should come visit 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!! I follow you on IG so I figured (and hoped) that you’d found the one! So exciting. I look forward to following along with your projects. We also recently just bought a house so I love seeing other DIY ideas!
Oh and that drawer under the stove – great storage for your broiler pan, pizza stone, ect. But I guess technically it’s also a “warming drawer” 🙂
Congratulations on your first (married) house! I remember well, the excitement of buying a house with my husband. 18 years ago, for us! And now, it’s completely changed: doubled in size, and renovations too. So between just having having this new sacred space of your own, and the BIG plans you have for it, the excitement will continue on for a long time to come.
My advice from here on out: Enjoy the PROCESSES, as well as the finished projects. Have fun along the way. Because it turns out, with home owning, there will ALWAYS be more to be done. But it really can be a fun journey. ; )
-Laura
Cute house and I LOVE that kitchen! Oh how I wish mine had looked like that when I moved in… all I would have done is replace the counter, back splash and handles.
Enjoy your new (air-conditioned!) digs!!
SO glad you finally found a house, Jamie! Yup, that’s a broiler. I’m surprised it’s still in the lower drawer like that when it’s a stainless and obviously newer stove! lol LOVE the kitchen layout. I agree – enjoy the process!
Thank you, Camille! I am SO glad we finally found a house! it’s like a giant blank cavas staring at me!
Congrats on the house. That drawer under the oven is your broiler. I have an oven with one. I don’t use it cause it is too low to the floor. Bad back.
Congrats on your house. I’m not sure what everyone thinks is so great about Austin, though. Hotter than…….and muggy. The traffic is absolute nightmare. The drought has almost completely dried up Lake Travis. Sad how many trees they’ve cut down since I was a kid. Almost nothing but concrete now.
Congratulations, Jamie! It’s very exciting to but your first house together and you’ll create so many memories along the way! Enjoy!
Congratulations! So excited to see how y’all make it your own.
We could totally have a painting party (kind of responding to Allison’s comment). Also it’s fun to broil things. Not sure what all you cook but any casserole that has cheese on top, broil it to get it bubbly and golden. I’m digging the bread idea above too.
I can’t wait to see it in person and hopefully we can have some craft nights/days there 😉
Congratulations again!
Yay, congrats Jamie!!! I’m very excited for you guys!
I have a mailbox slot on our house that the mail is delivered to everyday 🙂 WE have a 1940s house — you would probably love it. We’ve got all kinds of 40s stuff in it that you just don’t see in a new house! When you come to L.A. I’ll have you over!
Becky B.
Congrats!!! It’s beautiful!!!
YEA!! Good for you guys!! She is adorable and you will have her DIYed in no time! I think that is your broiler on the bottom of your stove! 😉 Bonnie
Congrats on your new home!!! We just bought a new house too! But I’m old and not my first house so not so exciting! 🙁 Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Michelle
aka…Maddycakes Muse
That drawer below your oven looks like the broiler. If so, makes AWESOME grilled cheese!
Congrats (from a fellow Texan)!
How exciting! Cannot wait to see how you’ll give her lovely DIY details! 🙂
I lived in Austin for 10 years, met my husband who is from there and dragged him to Houston. I’m DY-ING to go back now! Thankfully, my inlaws live there so I’m in Austin every couple of months. It’s still not the same as living there though 🙁
However, an opportunity has come up that may allow us to move back there. Keeping my fingers crossed! Yay! Hook ’em! Keep Austin Weird! Other Austin phrases!
Just curious, what part of town did you buy in?
Move back! Move back! We’re living central on the east side 🙂
How long did it take you guys to determine WHERE you’d like to be in Austin?? We’re feeling so overwhelmed, trying to do all this searching on the internet is not as easy as I was hoping, and WOW rent is expensive there!!
I just found out that my hubby and I are (more than likely) re-locating to either Austin OR Dallas in the next month or two once he’s graduated…anyone have ANY advice on where to live?? We have two dogs who are used to having a yard but would probably adjust to an apartment.
Neither of us have ever lived in such a big town, and right now, to me, it’s feeling a bit overwhelming! I’m excited for a new opportunity, but a little insight from some insiders would help 😉
There are lots of cute, fun places to live in Austin! E-mail me if you have any specific questions or need a realtor, we loved ours!