Ok, here it is:
We are selling this house in Spring.
Phew, that feels good to get out there.
There are a bunch of reasons and it was a hard decision to make. (Actually, we've been debating this for over 2 years.)
Reasons include that of course, the renovations have taken WAY longer than we planned and have taken a pretty big financial toll on us. We can afford this house, we just aren't sure we WANT to afford it anymore. Make sense?
We love love love our neighborhood. We love the close proximity to downtown, we love the lot, we super love our neighbors too. This is going to be the hardest part to leave behind.
We really do love the house. Neither Marc nor I are big into historic homes, but we've had so much fun with this one. I love this house. Marc loves this house. We love what we've accomplished.
BUT...
We are an architect and an architectural designer. Marc is 40, I'm 34. We aren't getting any younger and when we sit down and talk about what we always envisioned for our lives, we both say we always wanted to live in a a simple, uber-modern home. Always. I've dreamed about it since I was a little girl.
We love this house, but it is too big for us. It is 2,400sf and we routinely talk about wishing we could chop it right down the middle and get rid of half. We'd really like only 2-3 bedrooms, not 4. One living room, not two. And we'd love a workshop/office, not a huge inaccessible basement and small upstairs office. I think 1,600sf would be perfect for us.
Marc starts a new contract job on the 15th after being mostly out of work for the past month and a half. When we bought this house, we had and really thought we'd both want long-term, full time jobs at architecture firms forever and now that just isn't the case. So with this knowledge, we need a house that suits a more flexible life and work style. I'm ready stop stretching and stressing. SO ready.
So there you have it.
What does this mean for 86'n It?
Well, we are 86'n it! Ha!
No, really, I'll keep blogging because we have a HUGE to-do before Spring list. See it here.
Then, hopefully you will join us as we design and build our own crazy-modern home. I have a Pinterest board where I keep ideas. (In case you want to a peak into what we mean.)
Should be fun! And as always, thanks for reading!
How exciting! I hope the selling process goes quickly for you!
ReplyDelete(I'm a fairly new reader to your blog. I found it on GBCN H&G) :)
Thanks! We are hoping for a quick sale too.
Deletegood luck with the final projects! can't wait to see what you come up with for the new home. i'm curious to read about your process, designing/building my own home has always been in the back of my mind. will you stay in this house while you work on the new one?
ReplyDeleteWe will sell, then rent while finding a lot, designing, and building.
DeleteWith a new baby, I keep saying I want to rent a house with wall-to-wall carpet and concrete floors! HA!
I can't wait to see what your next house adventure brings! Not to mention the onslaught of posting you'll be doing about the million little things that still have to be done over the coming months. I hope there are some fun tutorials in there too.
ReplyDeleteGood for you!!!! My husband and I often talk about selling everything, downsizing to a condo or even a boat - and putting all of our disposable income into traveling. Hopefully when the kids are grown, we can do that :) Congratulations! It was a tough decision to make I'm sure but I think it's one you won't regret :)
ReplyDeleteYou guys made the right decision for YOU. And that just means when you're building your new house Chris and I will just have to come visit again :)
ReplyDeleteI just started following your blog a few weeks ago and I wanted to say that although I LOVE the house you are currently in, I would love to see what you do with a more modern one!! I'm excited to follow your process of designing and building your own house. :)
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled across your blog a few weeks ago myself. I am in the process of restoring an old house myself, so I am kind of partial to your current one (and I 100% understand the way more time and money thing), but I look forward to your new adventures too. How exciting!
ReplyDeleteOMG good luck! You've done so many great renovations with your house I'm sure the potential buyers will appreciate them. So many family and house changes at once I'm sure it's both exciting and scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I do wish I could just leap forward in time 6 months and have it all done and settled.
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