House Hunting Update #7: The Inspection Results

Welcome back to the blog! I have a very exciting update for you today. Let me just preface by saying things are moving in a VERY positive direction and we may have a house, you guys. Keep reading for a complete play-by-play of how the inspection went and what’s to come within the next month for us.

As always, be sure to catch up on all of my previous posts in my house hunting series so you’re up to date:

I debated on how I wanted to share these last few steps of the house buying process with you guys — whether I wanted to break it down into parts, or swoop in with the “WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!” post once everything is finalized. I’ve shared so much of the treacherous journey with you guys already that skipping to the finish line didn’t feel quite right. Here’s the nitty gritty stuff that goes down before the keys are ever put into your hands.

INSPECTION RESULTS

Upon getting an accepted offer, for those who may not know, the first steps include paying earnest money to the listing agent and booking the inspection. The inspection will reveal any hidden issues that the house may have, and after our last house falling though back in April for this reason, we were hesitant and nervous this time around. If there are any major issues that you don’t want to take on (whether it be financially or something you just don’t want to deal with), your inspection response to the owner is when you’d back out — so basically the inspection is a big deal.

I booked a different inspector this time simply because I had a “new house, new inspector” mindset, but I HIGHLY recommend both men that we used listed below. Their reports were detailed and thorough, and both were very nice and professional.

We had my mom and Justin’s dad come along with us (it’s recommended to not bring your realtor) on the inspection so they could see the house, and to also have a couple extra sets of ears. The inspector prepped us by saying he’d start on the outside of the house and note every small thing he may see, and would come get us if there were any larger issues. In the meantime, we walked around the inside of the house nervously. He came back to get us in what felt like minutes (it was certainly much longer though), so I was instantly on edge. To our excitement, he said everything looked great. Those positive results continued throughout the inside of the house too, and I can’t even begin to explain to you how amazing it felt to hear him say “you guys have got a great house.” I could have fallen to my knees with joy right then and there.

The only things the inspection uncovered were all cosmetic, which is often to be expected and so awesome in comparison to the crawl space, roof AND fireplace issues (among many others) with the previous house. Everything is manageable for us, so we knew at the conclusion of the inspection that we were ready to move forward. Oh, and I’m sure you’re all wondering what the house looks like — think white and open concept.

NEXT STEPS

Now we’re diving into all the financial stuff. We’re currently signing off on all the documents and loan information, as well as waiting for the appraisal. This is what you call the not-so-fun part, AKA preparing to fork out the money. Though Justin and I have been prepared for this for a while, it’s still the biggest purchase either of us has ever made and I’m not sure you ever truly feel “ready” — especially if you’re frugal realists like us. This purchase comes with a little bit of apprehension of course, but also excitement for this next step in our lives.

Buying your first house is something you dream about as a kid, so it’s so surreal that the time for that is now. On our list of things to accomplish within the next few years, buying a house sat toward the top and it’s something we wanted to do before having kids or getting a pet. We’ve worked really hard to get to this point and have fought this house hunting battle for six months. Maybe this has been life’s way of making sure we REALLY wanted it. It worked.

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That’s all for now, guys! To sum everything up, if all goes well, we should have a house (this house!) in around a month from now. I don’t want to to jinx anything or celebrate early since this is all so new and fresh for us, but things are happening and it’s exciting. Thanks so much for following along on our journey, and I appreciate your kind words and encouragement more than you know. Seriously, I do. Stay tuned for future updates and if you’re feeling defeated in your house hunting journey, remember that things can turn around for the better in the matter of just a day or two. Let’s stay hopeful!