We’ve Moved!

Hello friends! It’s definitely been a hot second since I’ve blogged. Not only did I land a part-time job at the beginning of COVID but we did a thing. A big thing actually. We moved! Yep, after 16 years in the same town + house, we decided to make a change.

While we were pretty rooted in our community, we always knew that when the kids graduated, my husband would also be retiring from his job with the fire department and we’d be ready to downsize and likely move someplace else. Not only were we looking to downsize our home but we wanted to downsize our mortgage too. Also, don’t get me started on the hate I’d developed for our stricter than most HOA’s. Of course, this plan was to take place in another 4-5 years but COVID happened and well, things shifted.

It started with my brother moving out of state. While this wasn’t in our future plan, it made the wheels start turning. We got completely sucked into the world of Zillow and Redfin. We started obsessively looking at what money could get us without increasing our current mortgage and we wanted a change of scenery too. We were constantly sending house listings to each other. It was a bit consuming, to be honest.

From there, it spiraled. We knew that we were in a great place to sell as homes are selling so fast. We also knew that we’d likely not sell as quickly when the time aligned for all of us in a few years. Our subdivision was growing and with the HOA’s, it wasn’t the quickest selling community in our town. We were worried about getting stuck. We also knew that we’d likely not see interest rates this low for a long time if ever.

So on July 29th, we decided to put our house on the market. It was a pretty quick decision and we had all intentions of staying in the county. We started working with a realtor and looking at homes. We had some wants and guess what? We definitely didn’t check all of those boxes but we did find our home. An accidental scroll into the neighboring county landed me on a sweet little house in Sutter Creek. I sent this home to my husband as more of a, “check out this cute place” as it really didn’t check the boxes. He wanted a garage and one acre. It has neither. Well, he wanted to see it anyway. So we did and the rest is history.

Upon walking into this house, I knew it felt like home. I didn’t see myself leaving our current county but something in me lit up and it felt like it was meant to be. We immediately put an offer in on this darling home which was a mix up of fixer-upper and updated remodel and we got accepted the next day! I should also preface that I visit this little town at least once a month as I am a sucker for little old towns and their charm. I have actually daydreamed about living in one but hadn’t really assumed that I would. I was also born next door in Jackson. Amador County holds some of my roots and it always has.

So the wheels started rolling pretty quickly and we got our house listed that same week. As an obsessive decorator and DIY junky, our house was pretty current. We had to do a few tweaks (mostly clearing some of the excess clutter) and that was it. The sweet home that we raised our babies in sold in 36 hours at the full asking price to a sweet family with 5 small boys.

So I should preface that although the process started smooth, we had a few hiccups along the way, and to say we weren’t stressed would be a big fat lie. We found out that there was a lien on our home (paperwork snafu but a big one that thankfully was cleared up), we found out the new house needed to be tented for termites and we had an appraisal issue! You guys, these were HUGE and stressful things. We also had a two-week gap between moving that landed us at my sisters and at a hotel. I felt really displaced and well, homeless. It was a weird period. It was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel for a minute.

I am happy to say that we moved in as renters on Sunday, October 4th and by Friday, October 9th, we were officially homeowners again. Whew! Seeing the official confirmation from our loan person that we had officially closed was the best feeling ever.

Let the demo work began! OK – the hubs has already started this process. We’ve seen a few BIG changes already with some walls being taken out and we even demoed a big shed. We’ve got some big plans to make this home perfect for us. It’s an older home with a lot of character. Something we didn’t have in our builder grade, cookie-cutter home. There is a garage that is about to go in, well let’s call it a workshop, shall we? Or perhaps a man cave 😉 We will also be doing a bigger remodel within the next year to create a master bedroom and bathroom that works for our needs.

With each box that I unpack, each item that finds a new home, the addition of furniture that fits perfectly in our new space, every styled tray, a new throw rug here and there, and even the fresh coats of paint – it’s coming together in a way that feels like home. I am truly grateful.

We have neighbors on either side of us (who seem to be really nice), a high school across the street, and behind us, we’ve got these guys. Aren’t they beautiful? The first time they came to the fence, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for where we chose to live.

A lot of people have asked how the boys are doing with this move. This is the hardest part for me. Mason (my youngest) is doing just fine. He is not going to in-person school at the moment because of COVID. He will eventually transfer to the school right across the street and finish out his schooling here. He has a few buddies that he regularly games with and he’s already planning get-togethers. He will also be getting his license next summer which will allow more freedom for him.

Ben (my oldest) isn’t happy with this change. He is working on his senior year via an online program. He has friends and an on/off girlfriend in El Dorado Hills. He is a bit more rooted in his friends and a very social kid. He has expressed that he isn’t happy with this move and as much as I have guilt for that, we also did this move for our future. As much as this is his home, it is likely not for that many more years as he is so close to adulthood. But still – the guilt is a bit suffocating at times. I am trying to encourage him to really focus on school and work. To save for the future so that he can be out on his own. I’d also like to see him embrace new places and faces.

The added commute time for my husband is only 15 minutes which is awesome. We anticipated a little bit longer of a drive as we were planning to move up further up the hill so this wasn’t a surprise for us. Also, because retirement is on the horizon, this isn’t a forever commute.

The thing I have enjoyed the most is the small-town charm. I love that I can walk to Main Street in 10 minutes. I can grab a cup of coffee, and take in the sites of the adorable old homes. Last week, we strolled downtown for some dinner and live music. I can also head into a variety of sweet boutiques or do some wine tasting. All by walking out my front door. No car required. Everyone seems to know everyone and there isn’t a shortage of smiles or hellos. It really feels like home.

Cheers to new towns, new adventures, and new faces.