So, funny story about the house below. We bought it and we’re moving in.
We know this news probably evokes a whole range of reactions. Excitement for new makeovers. Sadness for leaving our current house. Curiosity about all of the logistics. Confusion. Anger. The inexplicable urge to do The Carlton.
Starting this story requires rewinding seven years, back to our first house hunting experience in Richmond in the spring of 2006. We had just moved from New York City and Richmond real estate felt very spacious and very cheap by comparison. It made dreamers out of us. We checked out a bunch of neighborhoods, and fell for an awesome old area with nice big wooded lots, great schools, charming tree-lined streets, and kids on scooters.
But none of the sweet old character-filled houses in that neighborhood were in our price range, especially because the bank had no faith in us. The issue was not our savings, but the fact that I was less than 2 months into my new job and Sherry was just as deep into her career as a freelance copywriter. In the eyes of the bank, Sherry was unemployed since she was a newbie self employed person (even though she was earning more than me!) so I ended up being the only name on the loan – basically cutting our buying power in half. Goodbye dream neighborhood, hello this looker.
As deflating as that financial reality check was, it turned out to be one of the biggest blessings. Had we not been steered towards a fixer upper, we might not have ever started this blog or learned the advantage of buying a home that’s well within our means. By not stretching financially, we could stash away a lot more project money and build up our nest egg – because we hadn’t lost sight of that neighborhood we first fell for, we had just put that dream on hold.
Fast forward 4.5 years, past a new puppy, a wedding in the backyard, Clara’s birth, and me coming home to work full-time. Our beloved little 1,250 sq ft ranch (with only one full bathroom) was suddenly feeling cramped and we found ourselves house hunting again. Dream neighborhood here we come, right? Try again, compadre. This time I was the financial deadweight (having just left a salaried job six months earlier to come work at home – great timing, right?). So once again we found ourselves approved for something far below our actual mortgage-paying abilities thanks to the bank’s you-haven’t-done-this-self-employment-thing-long-enough-for-it-to-count doubt.
But it dropped another gem of a fixer upper in our laps. And this time we knew that an affordable needs-work home meant even more projects and more money squirreled away for our “maybe someday” neighborhood.
Now, I wouldn’t say we ever consciously thought of these homes as “stepping stones” or rungs on a property ladder that we were itching to climb. Even though we always loved that dream neighborhood from afar, Sherry was fully convinced our first house would be our “forever home” (we even have that statement on video). When we fall in love with a house, we fall hard. But the experience of outgrowing and leaving our first place made us realize that we enjoy the process of loving an old house back to life way too much to stop at just one.
So when we moved into this house, we went into things with a more open attitude. Knowing we’d soak up every second of living here (you know we’re nuts about the journey) but no longer making bold declarations like “we’ll stay here forever.” Admittedly, at halfway through year three of living here, the end came a bit sooner than we expected, but our time here since 2010 has been jam-packed. We’ve celebrated three Christmases in this house, created a book from start to finish here, and enjoyed countless Clara milestones (crawling, walking, talking, Gangnam Style-ing). So this place is by no means a blip on the timeline of our family history. It has been “home” through a heckova lot, which makes leaving it that much more bittersweet.
We just knew we didn’t want our current place to be our last fixer upper (it’s not only what we love to do, it’s our livelihood), so when we felt ourselves tackling the last few untouched rooms on our list we started casually keeping one eye open for a deal that could be a potential rental or even a future Casa Petersik. We’d occasionally flip through real estate listings and drop in on open houses. We always hoped that something would come up in our price range in that dream neighborhood so we could jump on it like a velociraptor, but after two house-hunting experiences that didn’t lead to us ending up there, we weren’t very confident.
And then it happened. Pretty much out of nowhere, we found the sweetest needs-lots-of-love home in that old charming neighborhood that we’ve driven through at least five times a year just to stare creepily since 2006. Yes, this is a seven-years-in-the-making house coup of ours. We would have loved to take you guys on the house hunting adventure with us like last time, but it all happened so fast and before we knew it we were closing on it.
And thanks to putting some of that saved-for-years cash down at closing, our new house’s mortgage amount is almost exactly the same as our current house’s – but our interest rate is even lower. We both spent closing day waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and scream “you got punked!” but all went well and the house is officially ours. We’ve even had it long enough to fix some first-priority issues like a leaking roof, a broken furnace, and even hooked up the alarm system.
The house hasn’t been updated since it was built around 35 years ago, and knowing that its interior might scare off others trying to buy in a mostly turn-key community, the sellers priced it way under assessment. It was over $100,000 less than another house of the same size that was for sale down the street. A low-priced fixer upper in a neighborhood that we’ve dreamed about for almost a decade? Yes please. 70’s wallpaper, blue trim, lumpy carpet and all…
Beyond the price, neighborhood, and glaring need to be rescued – this place is perfect for us in so many other ways. It’s nearly the exact same size as our current place (huzzah, no more extra square feet to clean). The street is beautiful and quiet (perfect for someday teaching Clara to ride a bike). It’s still just as close to our family (maybe they can watch Clara while we strip wallpaper). And it presents us with so many new design challenges and opportunities that our minds are spinning with ideas. I mean, hello, we have stairs for the first time in seven years of home-ownership!
Perhaps the funniest thing is that at our age, my parents were moving into their third house, which was where they stayed for over three decades. So apparently it’s in the Petersik blood.
We know that you guys probably have dozens of questions – When are we moving in? (Don’t know yet) When can you see more pictures? (Soon) What does Clara think? (She already picked out her room… based on the closet size. Is she 16?) But this post would be ten thousand words if we tried to cover everything, so we’ll get to those things in time. We also have a few things to finish around here to get our current house sold (anyone interested?) so in an effort to keep our own minds focused on those to-dos, it won’t be all new house posts all the time. We’ll just be moving at our usual real-time pace and sharing a little bit of everything that’s happening (selling, packing, planning, moving, and diving into our new house adventure).
Did I mention these two are the most excited of all? Okay, three if you count Ariel.
We can’t wait to continue sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly with you guys. Seriously, who wants to come paint some mauve trim with us? And if there were a moral to this story, it’s patience. This is not “the house the book bought” (we still haven’t hit our royalty point), it’s the house that seven years of saving up and living within our means bought. Had we strained our wallets and gone for a larger or more turn-key house back in 2006, we probably would’ve had a very different financial path, and most certainly would have had a different career path. So even though we had to wait a while, it just makes this new chapter in our lives that much sweeter. Who knows, we might just stay there forever…
Diana says
You could consider http://www.VRBO.com (i think the website is) Anyway look up ‘vacation rental by owner’ I bet people would love to rent this house out for a weekend or weeks at a time knowing that you guys are famous…You make up the money more than regular renting. It works well, we have three in AZ. You just have to find a good property manager (if you are too busy to manage yourself) and housecleaner to go in after people leave.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, that’s another way to go! We’ll have to check it out, although I’m not sure folks would want to come here on vacay. Haha!
xo
s
amy c says
don’t know why not. you guys are always talking richmond up, all the great things to do, the great places to eat, etc. and i bet people would love to shop YOUR thrift shops ;)
Bridget =) says
I scrolled to the end to see if this was a MayDay (almost) joke! Congrats!!! =)
Allison says
It’s beautiful you guys, congratulations!! As an 80’s baby, I actually had one of those wallpapers in my nursery, haha. I am so excited for you, and looking forward to seeing more!
schmei says
Woah, a bit of a shock, but by the end of the post I kind of wanted to do the Carlton with you! Congrats!
Though I have to say, the wallpaper made me say “yikes”. Out loud. I am really, really looking forward to seeing what you do with that.
Kelly says
Very cool. I follow a small handful of home decor/diy blogs and yours is at the top of my list. I NEVER leave comments, but felt compelled today to congratulate your awesome little family on this fantastic news. I’m sure the interweb/blogoshpere is going crazy with comments right now. You two have a wonderful knack for keeping it real while at the same time keeping your followers at the edge of their seats as you share your life. Couldn’t be happier for two total strangers halfway across the continent! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Kelly!
xo
s
Krista says
I did not believe you. Shocked. You guys are so good at keeping secrets.
Kim says
Also make sure that you put on your selling points. “Featured in a bestselling NYT book!”
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahahah!
xo
s
Laurie says
Mind blown. So excited for y’all though. If I’m honest, I have always thought you needed a house with more built-in charm. I can’t wait to see what you will do with a space that has architectural character and age going for it!
Melissa says
CONGRATS! So excited for y’all! And excited for me too since I have no idea what to do with my staircase. Can’t wait to follow your leads! Happy Day!
ashley jensen says
WHAAAAAAT?!?!?!? was my initial reaction. I love how you just cut to the chase there! I have to say the inside of the house is hideous but I know there is huge potential! Every room is just so different from the next you never know what is around the next corner! I can’t wait to see the move in day pics and the transformations to come!
Val says
Wowza!! I can’t really say, “I KNEW IT!!” but a couple of times when you guys have shared projects I’ve thought, “hmm…that looks like it will be good for resale…wonder if that’s what they’re thinking…”
I am SO EXCITED! We live in a house that is the same age and almost as untouched, so I can’t wait to see how you work around and fix up stuff.
Good luck selling! I know someone will snap it up. And congrats on being so responsible — so hard, but so admirable. Still trying to get there…
Steph Nelson says
I gasped!!!! :)
OMG!!!
Why don’t you just rent your current home???? If I had the means, that is what I would do!
Congrats!! So much fun (and posts) ahead!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
We thought about that but heard from a few realtors that all the yard we have isn’t really sought after for renters (they don’t want a high maintenance exterior).
xo
s
Courtney Madden says
WOW! Congratulations! The new house is beautiful (on the outside!) and SO you guys!! Very excited for the new YHL chapter. :)
Rena says
congrats guys. she’s a beaut.
Yvonne says
Sooooo awesome! Can’t wait to see more of it and what you have planned for it! Congratulations!!!
Richard says
Congratulations, Petersiks! Having had 6, count them SIX houses in the past 20 years, I know how much fun and how much WORK you have ahead of you. When you look at this house, does it speak a particular “season” to you? That’s how we always start the design process at our house(s).
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, a season! Never thought about it? Maybe spring because it’s fresh and new and ours – and everything’s in full bloom (even the weeds, haha!) :)
xo
s
Angel says
HO
LY
CRAP
Congrats you guys that is amazing and I for one was totally blindsided. WOW! Shocked!
You deserve it :)
Erin S. says
I’m pretty much done with helping my mom on refreshing/remodeling the interior of her 22-year-old home so, sure! Hand me a can of bright white and point me towards the mauve trim! :o)
Congratulations on the new home! Excited to see what you do with it!
Amy says
I totally guessed it! I’d been thinking about how quickly your last few projects had been zipping by and how “finished” your house was. Looking forward to many more DIY posts!
Priscilla says
Congratulations on following your dreams. I’m so happy for your family. I can hardly wait to see what you’re going to do with your new home.
Christine says
Congrats guys!!! Your new place looks fantastic! I’m a loooongtime reader and we’re about to become first time homeowners (been shopping for a few weeks now) and I constantly refer to your site for ideas on how to transform fixer uppers, since that’s all that’s in our price range. You guys are my Fixer Upper Mentors! So excited to see you guys moving on up… gives me hope! And yay for stairs!!!
Jen P says
What exciting news! I was hoping for a vacation home (maybe sometime soon). Enjoy!
Andi Ross says
Congrats thats awesome! And finding the least expensive house in a neighborhood and fixing it up is a great way to build equity for the long term!
Catherine says
Wow! So surprised and excited for you! I can’t wait to see what you do with a two story. We have been lovingly working on our all original 1960s two story for the last 3 years- we are a little slower than you! But we love making it our own and love our neighborhood. It makes all the difference! I think it is so much better to start with something almost original rather than “remodeled” but not to your taste or done for a quick flip (and not done well) But then again, I like to spend my weekends doing house projects and some people like the turnkey thing I guess! Sorry for the rambling! Congrats!!
melissa says
it’s BEAUTIFUL! i’m going to have to go back and read your finances posts, because seriously that’s a lot of savings! congrats.
Hannah says
As soon as I saw the picture, my timbers shivered and I went all tingly. I LOVE the new house and can’t wait to see how you fix it up!
sara says
Congratulations! sometimes fate just drops something like this into your laps and everything works out for the better. we just moved into a new home and are renting our old one. We were casually looking as well and when I found our new house the deal was too good to pass up! I now have 2 flights up stairs to go up to put the laundry away, those stairs will be a great work out for your legs and butt!
Lindsey says
Love that house! We’ve (hubby and me) completed a bunch of renovations to our future home (FHA loan compliance) and we’ll be closing at the end of May. Looking forward to tearing up carpet in our home right along with you!
Trissi V. says
Congrats on the new home! Its amazing…can’t wait to read the reno posts on it!
Christina @ The Murrayed Life says
Congraulations!!!! I was just wondering what your next move would be since everything was wrapping up so beautifully. You just fix houses too fast! ;) How exciting to know not only that you are getting into your dream neighborhood, but are going to have the chance to make the house all yours in style as well.
Jennifer M. says
OMG!!!! So excited and holy POTENTIAL in the new pad! Oh Petersik’s…keeping us on our toes…we never know what you have in store just around the corner.
As always, wishing your sweet little family all the best!
Melissa says
How exciting!!! Praying your current house sells quickly! Congrats Petersik family!
[email protected] says
WOW…and congratulations! You guys are living the american dream x2! I don’t know how you juggle everything- but am in admiration!
Stephanie P says
I am so excited to follow you on this journey! Love!!!!
Kerrie says
OMG! This was such a shocker! I bet Sherry can’t wait to get her paintbrush to the that blue trim!! I can’t wait to hear more. Congratulations!!
AmyRose says
Exciting times!!
I am DYING over the existing wallpaper… such patterns! such variety! all in the same house! Yikes!
This will be a truly dramatic makeover. So happy for you and can’t wait to get a “tour”.
ashley says
Congrats on the new adventure. Last summer we purchased a 100 year old home that needed a complete reno.(The kitchen had plywood shelves, and the tiny main bath had a shower, sink, and toilet crammed in there, and you actually had to stand in the shower to use the toilet) Even with all the work it needed we were able to see the potential and fell in love. We are now 10 months into our project and still happily renovating, all the major stuff has been complete and we are onto the finishing touches. I enjoy reading your blog to see what you guys are up to, and occationally get some inspiration for our home.
aimee lee says
Wow! I’m surprised but not surprised. I kind of thought you might be moving, but surprised it happened so soon.
I am so happy for you guys, it looks like a beautiful house. I can’t wait to see what you do with it. I’ve only been reading your blog since you started the kitchen remodel, so I’m excited to see how this house changes from “Day One”.
Congrats again. So happy for you guys :-)
Lindsey says
Sorry, forgot to say CONGRATULATIONS!!! So happy for you two to have your dream house:)
Alicia says
I knew it! I was just thinking the other day that you guys were out of big projects… even reviewed the last Listy list….congrats! Excited, the new house has a lot of the issues I’m dealing with. #wallpaperremoval
Allie says
Awesome news! Big congrats! I absolutely love all your projects and can’t wait to see how you transform the new place. Happy moving!
Alexa says
Wow – it’s like an April Fools joke without the joke. Congrats! Can’t wait to see the changes.
Rachel @ Personality Crafts says
Congratulations!! So excited for your family. Don’t know how you manage to juggle all of these things- I’m exhausted just thinking about it. :) Can’t wait to see all of the new places to be tackled!
Olivia M says
amazing! so excited to see you guys tackle a new home. i may or may not have screamed–luckily only my dogs were around so i just got confused stares from them. congrats!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahah!
xo
s
Ness says
Congrats! You guys must be so excited, and I’m pumped to see what you do with the place.
Ruth T. says
So excited for you both! I was just thinking that you’re going to run out of things to blog in your current house, so good move! Haha. I hope to sell our bellevue, wa condo and buy something bigger with a basement that could be a rental until we needed the space. So happy for you guys!
Jen S says
Yay!! That is so exciting. I absolutley love the look of the new house, and hello that railing is to die for! Excited to see your magic!
emily says
Congratulations!!
Ana from Portugal says
Oh yeah!!
Happy dance around here! I’m super excited for you, guys!
Congrats! Can’t wait for the home tour!
Love from Portugal!
:)
Theresa says
WOW- I should have known- with all your small every-room-in-the-house updates you’ve been doing lately. :)
As I was reading this, I got SO sad; I was thinking your new home was already designed and up-to-date and that your blog wouldn’t be so much the DIY type anymore. Well anyway, that was a weird thing to be happy to see that pink door and 70’s wallpaper. But it means your journey isn’t over and I’m stoked. Congratulations!