We have a home!

I decided that I can FINALLY post about finding a home. We've actually known about it for quite some time now, but I wanted to make sure it was REALLY going to happen before I posted. Now that we have the closing scheduled, I figured it was pretty solid.

We bought a manufactured home that is simple and cute. After realizing that renting was not an option (the cheapest we could find was $1400 and it was either a complete junker or a 2 bedroom apartment), we met with a realtor and started looking at homes. Well, we only needed one day to look because there were really only three houses in our price range to choose from! One was a HORRIBLE and unlivable foreclosure. I felt like I was on one of those cable TV shows where the realtor shows a disgusting house and tries to make it seem wonderful! It was bad. Our second option was a really nice newly built home. The price was a little more than we would have liked, but it seemed really great. However, it was extremely close to a train track! We were touring the house and a train went by blowing it's horn and literally shaking the house. I almost burst out laughing as the realtor is continuing to talk over the sound of the train as if nothing was happening! Then two more trains went by during the time we were there! We're still laughing about that. Our third option was a new manufactured home. We had looked at several before (there are a lot in the area) and weren't sure if we wanted to go in that direction. But we went to a new company and looked at their homes. We were pleasantly surprised that we liked them and decided this was basically our only option...so went with it!

We hadn't even wanted to buy a home to begin with because we didn't feel financially ready. But, we got a great deal on our loan because we are first-time home buyers. A house like ours would probably rent for $1500-$1800 a month. Buying was a much better option. Gillette has a really complicated housing situation!

I don't even know where to start with what happened after that. It has been the longest and most stressful process of my life! We signed a contract right before Thanksgiving and were told it could be ready by Dec. 5. We were so excited! Now we realize we NEVER should have believed that...what were we thinking!? It was fantastic weather when we signed the contract, but no work got done on the house. (The actual house was already in Gillette, they just have to move it to our lot and set it up) Then they told us it could be done before Christmas. BUT, we had those frigid frigid temps. and of course very little got done. Then we started wondering....should we just back out of this deal? But what else can we do? We couldn't think of anything. And we thought we were already far enough into it that we might as well wait it out.

I started calling them about every other day asking what they were doing and when they would be done. Tom even called and chewed them out too. Of course they made it sound like things were moving along GREAT...then we'd drive by and not much would be done. GRRR we were so frustrated. I told Tom,"I am NEVER EVER in a million years, going to build a home!" I guess we know what all the frustration with contractors is all about now. We aren't even building an entire home and we were stressed beyond belief. I guess if you have LOTS of time to wait for a house to be done, then you might be ok.

Anyways, that is the short version of what happened. Finally things have been wrapping up this week. We've scheduled the closing for next Wednesday. I can't wait to get in our house and just put all of this behind us and MOVE ON with our lives. Not to mention we've been living with Tom's sister and my parents for nearly 5 months now. It makes me sick thinking about the burden we've been on them for 5 months of their lives. I don't even know how to thank them or show them how much we appreciate their generosity. I feel like we owe them so much for what they have done for us! So, THANKS GUYS!!! I know we'll be thanking them a lot for weeks to come.

Wish us luck on the move!