A note about our house search

My previous post made me realize that we should share a peculiar thing we like to do with the houses. At least the ones we like. We give each of them a nickname. Usually only E & I know about this nickname, a detail that our REA finds incredibly confusing.

Here are the nicknames so far:

1. The Colonial: For the house in Bethel Park we liked so much, but sold before we made up our minds. It is a colonial.
2. The Rock House: For the house in South Park we put an offer in. The owner had a rock collection and traveled to craft and hobby shows to sell his rocks.
3. The Twilight House: For the Cape Cod in Pleasant Hills. One of the rooms was home to a teenage girl who was in love with Edward Cullen. This house also is known as Night Vision Goggles, since there was a pair of them in the boys' room (a souvenir from the Modern Warfare Collector's Edition).
4. The Ranch: Our current interest. It is a ranch.

I always think it is a good sign when we start referring to a house with a nickname. It means we like it.

Second Look

We are doing a repeat visit to "The Ranch" house tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed that E is not cranky and we can have a long look at the house. "The Ranch" needs a bit of work, all cosmetic. It needs a new bathroom, not because it is not functional, but because it is mind-numbingly ugly; it needs a new kitchen counter and floor, also because they are ugly; it needs wallpaper removed from the powder room (it has flamingos on it, maybe it's a sign!); it needs to have the wood panelling mud-coated and painted in the basement; and it needs new carpet in the game room and stairs.

I guess that is a long list, but it is not a terrifying list.

Even better, "The Ranch" does not need new windows; it doesn't need new appliances (all brand-new); doesn't need a new roof; doesn't need a new furnace or AC or hot water heater; doesn't need new hardwood floors (they are fantastic!); doesn't need new doors; doesn't need a repaved driveway or walkway; and doesn't need a security system installed (comes with one!).

In fact, the house has nothing that it absolutely needs rightthisverysecond. They are all projects we could tackle little by little.

Maybe we'll like it a lot after the second showing.