This summer has been a busy one. And while I usually feel like "busy" is just a terrible excuse for anything (because who isn't busy), I promise you, I was bu-sy.
You see, James (the husband) and I have been busy wading through the Toronto real estate market.
I'll break down how that goes:
Set budget
Realize that budget won't get you much in Toronto
Realize that budget won't get you anything in dream neighbourhoods/neighbourhoods you ever go to
Come to terms with it
Check out the 20 MLS listings sent by realtor daily
Visit about 10-12 houses a week
Try not to cry
Find amazing home
Go into 17-way bidding war (no, that is not a typo - there were 17 other offers)
Come in second place
Actually cry
Find out other house you love didn't sell on listing day
Put in offer
Cry (the happy tears)
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| Here's our little home - a 1926 red brick semi |
All in all though, it wasn't half bad. We'd heard stories of buyers hunting for months and months looking for the "perfect" home, losing out on several bidding wars and then finally finding "The One" 8 months after first shaking their realtor's hand.
Us? We met our realtor and signed over the offer within 1 month. And agreed to a 1 month closing date.
Yep - that's us. When we decided we want something we do it/get it right away. Our first home took a short 2 months to become ours, and we couldn't be happier. Our house is just the right size for us, in a neighbourhood that's quite close to the action (I can still bike to work, restaurants, friends' pads), had a garage (major bonus) and enough of a yard to host summer dinner parties al fresco.
We're doing a few renovations here and there - nothing major. Ok, a little major will be going on in the kitchen. All of it should be done within the next couple of weeks, so I'll be sharing little snippets of what we've done along the way.
Now, I'm off to Home Depot for the 127th time.
xxo j
