Here are some life updates. Cue the song ‘I Dreamed A Dream: the Glee version!’
I’ve been singing this song since I saw Les Mis last year, and it’s very fitting for all the life changes I’ve been through in the past six months.
The biggest update is that we sold our house.
It happened a lot faster then I ever thought it would. We decided to put it on the market in early 2026 and two of our realtor friends agreed to co-list as sellers agents (how could we ever choose?!). We used Ivy Haines at Nest Realty and Jeff Mattie at CORE – they were both awesome if you need a realtor!
Before we knew it, the house was staged and they were hosting a broker’s open for other realtors. It looked SO GOOD staged that I wish we’d hired a stager years ago!
The next day we had a full price offer before it even went on the market.
This entire process was extremely bittersweet. It’s very sad to think about the dreams we had for the house and all the memories shared there, from bringing Birch home from the hospital through the pandemic and into the major renovation we did thinking we’d live for many years.
This house was my home for 11 years – the longest I’ve lived anywhere since I left for college. I was very attached to it. But we all know home is where the heart is, and my heart moved out last year.
Through the spring we sold furniture, moved valuables and junk, and cleared out the closets. Gosh it was so much work! And last month we said goodbye as the new owners moved in. It’s still a little hard to wrap my mind around, but life changes are never easy.
A Window Was Opened
And as these things go, when life closes a door, it opens a window. And sometimes a window with a very nice view!
I had just re-signed my lease and bought a new washer/dryer for my rental. I had no intention of moving and intended to stay at least another year. And then one night, when my parents were visiting, we went for a walk and I noticed one of the townhouses on my “I’d like to buy this when I’m ready” neighborhood was for sale.
I casually texted my realtor friend Ivy asking if we should go in “just to see what they are like.” During our walk through the next morning, I had that “when you know, you know” feeling. Everything about this townhouse was what I thought I would look for when I was ready to buy again. I spent the day trying to tell myself it was not a good time to buy a house. I crunched numbers on ChatGPT and asked my parents what I should do. And when it came down to making a decision, I couldn’t think of a good reason not to go for it.
So I made an offer, which was accepted, and we’ll be moving in later this month!
The new house is very similar to our rental, which I like for so many reasons, but it has all the upgrades I would want to actually buy. The number one feature in the new place is the worst thing about my rental: the view. Right now I look into my neighbor’s porch, and at the new place I look out on a mountain.
Current view:
It also has a gorgeous kitchen with nicer appliances, a better layout, more windows, an actual laundry room, a bonus loft space, bigger bathrooms, and the biggest selling point: an amazing rooftop deck for entertaining! We are also so excited to join this neighborhood community where there are lots of kids my boys’ ages.
While I’m not looking forward to packing and moving again, I know once all the dust has literally settled I will be so glad.
The boys and I are heading to Universal Studios Florida to celebrate the beginning of summer and all things Harry Potter. I’ll be back with all the fun of that trip in a week or so.
xx,
Kath
