My last entry was a few months ago, mulling over possibly purchasing a gorgeous turn-of-the-century farmhouse not far from my home in Mooresville. I wrote the owner and never heard back, so I let the house search go for awhile. 
And too, I wasn’t at all sure of my financial ability to purchase a new house, anyway. But that’s not correct. I’m no longer an “I” but a “we.” My girlfriend Gerri and I have solidified our relationship over the past couple of years into something quite permanent indeed. Even so, owning a home for ourselves seemed to be a dream, something to think about every so often, but maybe it would just be a dream. 

And one day in early May I saw an email update from an online real estate search site, Zillow, showing a decent-looking home in our price range and close to town. Long story short, we applied for approval and were immediately pre-approved. The bad news, the house was already under contract by the time We got to see it. And it was in rough shape, anyway. 

But we were buoyed by the sudden revelation we were pre-approved. I pulled out my computer and searched my favorited homes to see what was still available. My eye was continually drawn to a Craftsman bungalow in the heart of Kannapolis, just 15 miles away. I had saved the home as a “favorite” some months back, appreciating its Craftsman features and tasteful updates. I showed it to Gerri and we both liked it, a lot. We toured it the next day and though it was a bit more than I wanted to pay, we found out then the sellers had reduced the price by $10,000. 

It is sufficient to say we both fell in love with the house. The floors were straight and true, none of the sagging and settling common to many older homes. It had just undergone a major facelift and every surface was gleaming and shiny. The major systems, electrical, HVAC and plumbing were all brand new. It looked like a new house. In short, in two days we had an offer in place and it was countered in a small detail or two and we accepted the counter-offer. 

  

The house is on a quiet, tree lined street in the heart of Kannapolis, NC. It was built in 1930 and sits on a large lot. There are two pecan trees and two peach trees out back. I’ll let the pics tell the story… 

  
   
               
The house is 1372 square feet, which doesn’t count the upstairs. That would make it 1712 square feet of HLA (heated living area) once heat and AC are routed there. 

Though it has been renovated, there are many changes I would like to change over time, including adding a second bathroom and a master bedroom closet. And turning those upstairs rooms into functional bedrooms, instantly adding value to the home. 

We close on Monday, June 22, 2015, and the ride begins!