For the last five years, Nick and I have been diligently
saving to build a house with cash. We were about 2 or 3 years from that reality
when we began to look at house plans. Somehow we both seemed to have the same “tastes”
in building plans and easily found a starting plan for a future home.
Nick’s family has been blessed with a farm that has plenty
of acreage to build upon; however an exact placement to build was something Nick
and I always struggled with. About a year ago we decided to open ourselves (again)
to the idea of buying instead of building.
We attended a couple open houses, went to a couple auctions,
picked a couple prices we would feel
comfortable paying and decided we would thank God if something worked and move
forward if it did not work.
Upon returning from Africa, in August, we browsed through
the local paper and saw a house that would be for auction at the end of the
month. It had 5 bedrooms, was built in 1995 and had a FANTASTIC view. Nick
checked his schedule and saw that he would be in Cincinnati that day for work.
Oh well. Maybe we’ll see something next week.
Fast forward about a
week. The school day is over and my phone is vibrating. I look. It’s Nick. He
tells me he will be home in time to “check out” that auction if I want to. “Okay.
What to meet me at school?”
Nick picks me up and we drive about 9 minutes to the house.
There are people everywhere. There are a couple auctioneers selling the contents
of the estate laying around the house for all to see. People are sitting on the
couches. Others are digging through random boxes. Family members must be walking
around thinking about all the memories they have collected over the years. We say hello to a couple people and decide to
go in to take a look.
Woah! This is huge! I didn’t imagine such an open floor
plan. Do you think our house could fit in this living/ dining room? Nice
bedrooms. There is storage everywhere…
Ahh! THAT is a pink kitchen. OOOoo… Pink carpet. Interesting. HAha… Pink paint and wallpaper and boarders… I’m
seeing a theme. We strolled through the first floor liking a lot and talking
about the changes we would make.
“Excuse me. If you’re not family, we need you to leave. This
is not an open house.”
(I guess we just got in trouble!?)
We were slightly stunned. Aren’t they trying to sell this
place? “Okay”, we said and tried to respect their wishes. We quickly walked downstairs
to see the finished walkout basement before we were “escorted”.
Now we are standing outside trying to discuss how interested
we are and what low price we want to choose. People stop to chat with us
occasionally and encourage us in bidding.
Finally, we decide to ask an auctioneer to unlock the house
and take us through. We both feel a sense of peace and pick a price.
We walk outside minutes before the auction starts and I
begin to feel like this is all happening so quickly. I’m not sure if it is
right.
Bidding starts and I turn my back to the auctioneer. Nick is
nodding his head occasionally and I’m really not sure what is going on. The auctioneer stops and takes a couple minute
break. Nick says that we have it at $185,000 (slightly under what we had agreed
to). Part of me thinks we are crazy. Another part of me thinks someone is still
going to bid over our agreed amount… but a huge part of me still feels some
kind of unexplainable peace.
The auctioneer starts again. Someone else bids. Nick nods
his head again. There is a pause. The auctioneer is trying to encourage more
bidding. Then I hear “going once” – WAIT! Does this mean we are buying a house!
– “Going twice” – Is that us? Do we have the highest bid?! – Congratulations Nick.
That was a great purchase. The house is sold. – WHAT?!
I turn to Nick and say, “Did you just buy a house?!” He says
to me, “How many foster kids are they going to certify us for now?!” We both
smile and hug and put on goofy, dazed faces that stayed for a couple hours…
maybe even days.
And that is how we became “homeowners”.
We met up with the auctioneer and admitted that we didn’t
have a dollar on us to put toward the 10% down that was needed. They said we
could stop by the office the next day, but we needed to do some paperwork
first. An hour later, papers were signed, we took a few pictures with my phone
and we walked out of the house for what would be over a month until closing and
receiving keys.
That was almost two weeks ago…
Now we are thanking God every day for giving us such a gift,
for knowing the desires of our heart, and for trusting us with such a huge
responsibility. We look forward with joy to how He is going to use this gift
and we are in awe once again of His wonderous love.
What Wonderous Love!
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| Here's a quick pic. More to come! |
