June 1, 2021
Woo hoo! June 1, 2021 is here, and we begin a new month. I love the beginning of a new month as I have probably set some goals that I want to accomplish. Today goal number one is to wake up on the right side of the bed and place my feet firmly on the ground, smile and say Thank you for another day. We all set goals for ourselves however, are they sometimes too lofty? Small achievable goals may be a better way to start. For me this week, will be to greet the day with those words of gratitude when my feet hit the floor. Thank you, God, for another day. Simple and Achievable. My attempt to blog, write, inspire is a bit loftier. Will I be able to do this?
There is only one way to find out. So here I go…
The purchase of our first home. My hubby and I set out to find a home shortly after our marriage. We began our search by driving around different areas of town and discussing the possibilities with friends and family. Alex had an idea of budget and was clear about proximity to his workplace along with avoiding streets that may flood, as a civil engineer for the City he knew all too well about some of the pitfalls of living in a flood zone etc.
We established a budget and spoke to our local bank and lender. For me all of 25 years old, I knew I wanted a home with at least 2 to 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Small was okay and I wanted to have a yard. I can say I envisioned the whole “our house is a very fine house with two cats in the yard”… Hmm, well I pictured that home with the white picket fence and big front porch. Our search took us to the suburbs of Carrollwood, parts of Lutz, Davis Island, and eventually we settled on a house in Seminole Heights.
In 1994, this area was a bit of a pioneer area. I describe it this way because many of the homes were historic and in the process being renovated and the community had an active neighborhood association. Our home was a 1920’s bungalow with 3 bedrooms & 2-bathroom house with a fireplace and beautiful wood floors and tons of charm. We had the big front porch I had envisioned. For me after having looked at many other properties, I just knew this would be our home. It was such an exciting time in my life and an experience I will never forget. That 1927 bungalow will forever house some of the best memories I have experienced. From, the first paint on the walls, the many repairs, the rotten wood, oh the rotten wood... the building of a deck, gardening, rebuilding of the front porch, decorating and changing of kitchen appliances, removal of carpet, window repairs, the list went on and on. But boy, did we love that little house.
In a nutshell, we did many things on our own and there were mistakes made and some things we wish we could have changed; however, this is how we learn. Now that I am in the business of helping others buy and sell properties, I understand a great deal of the process and truly love helping others, especially first-time home buyers find their home. Check out this article on first time home buying and share with anyone you may know who is getting out there or thinking of purchasing their first home.
Wanted to share a picture of our first home in Seminole Heights, which by the way was purchased in 1995 for around 70k and its last sale was for over 400k. Real estate in that area is now coveted and a great investment. So, when looking for your first home, it’s okay to be a pioneer if you see the potential in the future.
