Update on selling our house and buying a new one

I just wanted to write a quick post and tell everyone where we are in the process of selling our home.

In October, I told you that we put our house up for sale.

We have lived in this house for over 6 years now and love it.

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It was (and still is) a huge labor of love.  It was built in 1968, and boy, did it look like it!

Shag carpets everywhere, mirrors on the walls, dark woodwork, pink toilets….

We have put our blood, sweat, and tears into fixing this house up and have enjoyed every minute of it.

It’s what we do.

Three of the four homes we have lived in were over 50 years old and needed a lot of work.

Our boys have no concept of living in a brand new home.  Even the new home that we lived in for ten months was built almost entirely by my husband.  So they are used to the chaos of home renovation.

When I announced we were selling our home, I also showed you this piece of property…

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We wanted to buy this house badly!!!!

I know…we are crazy!

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It just needed a little TLC (and a new roof), and an owner that could see its potential.

It had really great bones…

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Well, there were some legal issues between the owner and the developer, and it kept dragging on and on…

In the meantime, we were not getting any bites on our home.  The market is just terrible right now.

When all the legal stuff finally got worked out, my husband prayed and prayed about it, but he did not have a peace about buying the new old house.

If he thought we could sell our house quickly, he probably would have done it.  But with the market the way it is, we could be sitting in our house for quite a while.  And we cannot afford two mortgages for a long period of time.

It was very hard for me to submit to my husband.  I wanted to kick and scream and beg him to get this house.  I don’t think he understood what good blog material I could get from this renovation!!  :)  (You home bloggers know I’m right!)

But the bottom line was that he is the head of our household.  He has always taken great care of me and my boys.  I know he is doing what is best for our family.

So we didn’t sign the contract.

The house still sits there.  But it does have a roof now.

Maybe if our house does sell, we can see if it is still available.  (It keeps calling my name!)

I know that God has His best in store for us.

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.                              Jeremiah 29:11-13

I will keep you updated.  :)

Have a blessed Sunday.

34 Comments

  1. The best thing you could have done is to be content with the situation like you are. It takes godly wisdom to submit to our husbands and support the decisions they make for our family. They have great responsibility and have to answer to the Lord for the decisions they make. Thanks for the reminder. :)

  2. I can SO relate! We are working on selling ours and hoping the victorian we want that needs tons of help is still there, because 2 mortgages is too scary for me! Good luck on selling your house!

  3. Definitely would have made great blog material! :( I would have definitely liked to see that renovation in the works!! Sometimes God’s plan is different than our own and even though you really wanted that home, there is a good reason why he doesn’t want you to have it! He is in control & knows what is best for us! :)

  4. There have been several times when I doubted my husband’s decisions, but wanted to honor God by submitting to him. And upon later reflection saw that my husband had a lot of wisdom in his decisions, including our last house selling and buying this one – he made a “quick” decision and we had our house on the market three days later. Our original plan was to wait another year. Well, our house sold in ten days and we bought this house. Had we waited a year later, our other house would’ve been worth about $100K less – yes, that much – or more. That was in 2006 when we sold. There have been other things since then and now I rarely blink twice when he makes a decision that I thought was a little weird because he’s made mostly VERY good decisions! I’m glad to hear that you are submitting to your husband – God is truly the one Who is glorified when we did that and to do it publicly in a time when submitting to your husband is absolutely wonderful! Perhaps you can blog about how crazy it is to have a “perfect” looking house all the time ready to sell?

    Becky B.

  5. God’s plans and timing are always better than our own. Your husband is a wise man, risking losing a lot of money by not being able to sell your house makes for depressing blog material :-) and really, redoing a really old house means a lot of boring posts about electrical work and plumbing anyway. Your home is beautiful and no matter what happens or where you live, your heart is what makes your blog worth visiting!

  6. Funny, the same thing happened to us. We built a house, lived in it for 2 years and then sold it. I had my eye on the house we now live in since our new house was only a year old. We put our house up in March, looked at the house and it needed a roof. We couldn’t sell our house, I thought the house sold but then when we finally sold our house in August, the house we wanted was still available and this time it had a new roof and the price had dropped $20,000. :) Hoping it will all work out for you in the end!

  7. Trusting with you as you wait it all out. For me – that is always the hardest part. The waiting. May you find much favor in finding your new home. Praying that your house sale will be an amazing testimony. Much love to you.

  8. Oh man, I have just been biting my tounge on something I really wanted to duke out with my husband and now I read your post and I KNOW I should let him lead. (I was so sure that I was going to be right.) Thank you for the reminder of submission. Instead of being angry, suddenly I have peace!

  9. Great post, Traci! It is wonderful to have a husband who you know you can trust to lead the home. I agree with your decision. And who knows what the future holds for your family. If not this home, maybe even something greater is just down the road! Good luck selling your home!

  10. Oh girl, I can understand you are disappointed!! I would have been too. But you still never know what will happen! And I truly believe everything happens for a reason. :) Love ya!!

  11. I so understand your dilemma and appreciate a fellow wife that believes her husband is the head of the household. So many women think this means that you are walked on and talked down to. It isn’t anything like that. It is discussing hopes, dreams and issues with each other. Stating your case and trusting His (The Lord) wisdom to guide our husbands in this final decision. No business or company can have two leaders. It won’t work and marriage is a business of sorts. It is hard when we are disappointed. I know God will guide you both in the best direction. Thank you for the inspiration on this Sunday morning!!

  12. We recently bought/sold a home, and I can totally empathize with where you are. We were about ready to pull our house off the market in September when lo and behold, we got an offer. Prior to the offer, we talked about it though, and it was a hard thing to come to terms with, given the amount of time and energy it took to get the house ready to put on the market and keep it clean for showings! But, one thing I kept telling myself throughout the process, was that we would end up in the house we were supposed to be. That proved to be true. It was a difficult journey at times, but we ended up in the house of our dreams. You’ll land where you’re supposed to land.

  13. Oh I love your honesty! And I can totally relate. I have wanted a new old house for SO very long, but my husband loves the house we live in and is not a risk taker. But because of that, we are very secure financially. It is hard for me to submit because I am a very independent gal with a professional job, etc. But husbands can provide a wonderful balance! Mine knows I would love a different house and I am also sure that God’s timing is always right. The truth is that we have a lovely house and am slowly learning to be content with it and to humble myself. You too have a BEAUTIFUL house and I love your blog! XO, Steph.

  14. I fell in love with a house a few years ago and wanted it terribly. It had our NAME on it! Thankfully we did not buy it because we would have had a mortgage and times were getting tough. The owners took it off the market. Last year it went back on at a lower price and I was sure this was a sign…but again, we didn’t want a mortgage and I listened to my husband and put aside the dream. I didn’t want to struggle to pay bills just to have a ‘dream house’. I have learned to love my own home with each and every day. It has been good to us!!

    XO,
    Jane

  15. Even when its hard to see the plan, its still there. And by submitting you’re doing what God has called you to as a Godly woman and wife. Rest in HIS plan. And for now, enjoy the home you’re in.:) Many Blessings Traci
    XO

  16. Oh, Traci, I feel your heart! In His time…I know it’s hard but you live your life for the Lord and He’ll make everything happen the way it should. I hope you can have some peace. Now are you sure about that old new house? :) I know you’d work wonders on it. But where would you sleep while you’re working on it! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

  17. I feel your pain!!! I was wondering what was happening with that old house you wanted to buy. I fell in love with a very old and run down home about 10 years ago too. I saw all it’s potential! But unfortunately we didn’t feel good about purchasing it at the time. And about 6 months later…the new owners had torn the whole thing down and put a trailer home on it instead! I about died…but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Sometimes we have to thank the Lord for the blessings we “haven’t” asked for. I’m sure things will work out for you!

  18. You are doing the right thing even though it is hard. Good for you though for doing it and the right place will be there waiting for you when the time is right. But man that doesn’t make the waiting any easier! Hang in there…you never know what may be right around the corner.

  19. “You home bloggers know I’m right!” More than you will ever know! I find myself looking at fixer uppers to flip and dream of all the blog posts I could do on one. One day, one day.

    In the meantime I wanted to tell you that I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and for whatever reason, you were not meant to own that new old house yet. But, in time, maybe or maybe not. But, all for a reason only God knows.

    Brittany
    http://www.prettyhandygirl.com

  20. I don’t think you’re crazy…I can see the potential. I’m sure God will honor your wilingness to submit to your hubbies decision…HE will give you the house you’re supposed to have in HIS time. (cause we all know, HIS timing is perfect and is always right). I know you must be disappointed though…that would have made some serious blogging fodder! lol Who knows, you may get it yet! (and with a roof!)
    Have a great day
    Missy
    (if you end up getting it, give me a hollar and I’ll come help you scrub!) lol

  21. Your doing the right thing for your family and that is the most important thing. Everything will work out for the best. I wish you luck with selling your house.

  22. I so totally understand! We just put our house on the market due to my hubby getting a job 2 1/2 hrs away. We just pray for a quick sale so we can be together again. But I must admit, I have already looked at houses on Trulia & found one that speaks to me!! It would need work also, but it is in a good neighborhood & is larger that our home now is. Our home we have now was bought new so renovation is probably in our future, like our previous home. I have so many more ideas then I had then that I would love to try!! You have done the right thing with your husband leading. God will provide when the time is right & maybe that house will wait for you.
    Blessings,
    Cindy

  23. Wow! I feel for you we are in the process of selling our 5th remodel. I am not sure how we end up never getting a new, new home but we really love making our home our very own. Older homes have so much more personality, don’t they?

  24. I can’t believe I’m reading this verse right now. This same verse has come to me 4 times this week. I think it’s time I did some serious dwelling on it. I am so sorry that buying that house didn’t work out for you, but after 18 months of having our house on the market and seeing the “perfect” house come and go (more than once!!) we finally sold, bought a house that we are slowly turning into our home and falling in love with, and have come to realize that WE are not the ones in control. I hope when you sell this house will still be available needing your love!

  25. Thanks for the post… we have our house for sale too (just north of Chattanooga). It’s not easy waiting and trusting. But knowing y’all are doing the same– I’m inspired to keep going!

  26. Take heart. I truly believe that if it’s meant to be, it will be.

    I am an old house enthusiast who would not trade the time spent renovating our own “vintage home” for the world. That said, it’s the rare “big decorating reveal” and endless “oh hey, look, a new heat-ventilator-exchanger-thingie!” or “yay, level floors (if you squint!)”

    Lots of dull mechanics. Really. Stay strong!

    Great blog and I’m definitely looking forward to following you for more!

  27. Thank you Traci for your wonderful blog site. I just found you and once again God has lead me to another Christian woman with beautiful ideas as well as a Godly soul. I live in Louisiana and was wondering were the woman is from that bought your house. I’ve been to Kentucky and your state is so beautiful. Not to say that ours is not, it’s just a bit too hot and humid here most of the year.

    I pray that God has it in his heart for you to get this house. I love it too! I looks like a wonderful challenge.

    Thank you SO MUCH for posting the verses from Jeremiah 29, I need to hear them again today. As someone once told me………God puts you right were you need to be at that moment.

    God Bless you and your beautiful family

  28. I know this post is older, but I had read it a few months ago. We are facing a heart wrenching decision in our lives right now and need to sale a house we have only lived in for 2 years. Having lost a lot of money on our last house, we are a little gun shy of making any decisions. I knew going back to your story would bring peace to my heart if nothing else. And peace is what I found- I don’t know what will happen, but I do know it is all in God’s hands and He knows what is best.
    Thanks for shooting from your hip and writing from your heart.
    Treisha

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