Author Archives: Kara

The Hunt is On

Posted in Growing Up, House and Home, House Hunting, Kara and Kyle, Life, Money by

Without getting into the nitty, gritty details, Kyle and I have decided it’s finally time to buy a place of our own. We’ve been saving money for a down payment for nearly two years, and while it’s been slow going, we’ve finally met our goal.

It’s amazingly stressful, not that I thought that it would be a breeze. Number crunching has got us both stressed, more Kyle than myself, but  we have to start somewhere.

Last night we looked at four different places, three houses and a townhouse, with our Realtor and came out with a pretty good view on things.

Our first stop was an interesting little modular/maybe a mobile very close to where we are now. Pros: Nice big yard, good area. Cons: Dirty, close to highway. Verdict? Nay

Our next stop was the townhouse which was a private sale. Pros: Central AC, nice and clean, low strata fees, allows pets. Cons: Very small yard (but enough for Daphne to pee on), one parking spot, being very close to the neighbours. Verdict? We’re keeping this on the “List of Considerations”

Our third house was in an older area of town. It looked really nice online, but it was slightly more deceiving when we walked through. And the basement? It didn’t have a staircase, but a ladder. Terrifying. Pros: Close to the University. Cons: Needs a lot of updates. Verdict? Nay.

The last place was Downtown in a nice quiet, reputable area. We’re pretty sure it used to be owned by a Grandma & Grandpa type. Pros: Good area, decent yard. Cons: Needs work (possibly electrical), appliances need updating. Verdict? Not too sure.

We’re hopefully going to go look at a couple more next Wednesday, but we’re feeling really good about our hunt this time around. Last time we were looking it was right before  the cutoff for 0-down payment and we felt rushed. This time? This time we have time to really look at what we want, and in better areas of town too.

Overall, the hunt is going good. Our Realtor is an awesome guy and really laid back; we don’t feel pressured by him to hurry up and pick a place. He gets that we’re first-time buyers and wants to make sure we find the right fit. :)

So there you have it! Part 1 of “Kara and Kyle’s Great House Hunt”

This is Me in July

Posted in This is me in ... by

This month….

I like: That we’re finally starting to look at houses again

I don’t like: That I’m still working two jobs. A necessary evil.

I want you to know: That I’ll give ya’ll more details about the house hunt tomorrow!

I’ve planned: A trip to Vancouver at the end of the month for a family reunion.

I want to say to someone special: How is a raven like a writing desk?

**

Where are YOU this month? (And really, how IS a raven like a writing desk?)

Ten on Tuesday

Posted in Lists, Ten on Tuesday by

1. If given the opportunity, would you choose a mediocre job that paid well or your dream job that paid poorly?

Currently, I’d probably take the mediocre job that paid well. I’m sick and tired of working two jobs, so I’d put up with being in an “okay” job if I meant I could have weekends off again.

2. What is your favourite thing about the 4th of July? (For the foreigners: What is your impression of the 4th of July?)

Yay for being a “foreigner”! My impression of July 4th celebrations is that they’re like our Canada Day ones but more patriotic. Maybe more fireworks too? I don’t know! But I get the feeling that Americans are HUGELY patriotic. (Not that I’m not proud to be Canadian – I just think we’re more subtle about being proud)

3. What’s the most random fact you know about American history?

The Mayflower landed on Plymouth Rock. Or something like that. Oh, and George Washington is the coolest man ever. Here’s why:

4. What is the best fireworks display you’ve ever seen?

Definitely the Symphony of Fire (Now called the Celebration of Light) in Vancouver. It’s an annual fireworks competition between several countries. They have a barge out in False Creek and the fireworks are choreographed to music. I think I was in Grade 6/7 when I watched them. Absolutely amazing!

5. Who taught you how to put on makeup?

No one. I figured out cover-up and mascara on my own, and that’s it. I don’t wear make-up otherwise!

6. Have you ever gone through a financial planning process? Tell us about it.

Yes. It’s hard seeing where all my money goes, especially if it’s wasted on things like random coffee dates and shopping trips. We’re really starting to crunch numbers since we’re in the process of house hunting. (More on this later on in the week!)

7. What was your favourite outfit as a kid? Bonus points for pictures.

I really don’t remember having a favourite outfit, but I know I did wear a lot of over-sized t-shirts for some reason:

I'm pretty sure this shirt goes to my knees. And the headband? Yeah, I'm rocking it!

8. Do you prefer a beach, lake, swimming pool, or no water?

A beach if it has nice sand, a lake if it has no leaches and a swimming pool if it’s clean and isn’t public.

9. Do you recycle? If not, why?

I do! Kamloops makes it easy with a curb-side recycling program. The garbage truck just comes long and picks up our trash and recycling all at once. (No worries, the truck has two separate sections that separates the trash from the recyclables!) I don’t even have to sort my recycling stuff!

10. What are your thoughts and feelings about the Twilight Saga?

Ridiculous. There’s already been a vampire/human love story and it’s called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Hell, they even threw in a werewolf in the TV show (Hello Oz!) AND a witch. I want to punch anyone who gushes over Robert Pattinson or Taylor Launter. Kristen Stewart needs a shower, Robert needs a haircut and Taylor needs to look less pouty! GAAAAH! VAMPIRES ARE NOT DREAMY, THEY WILL EAT YOUR BLOOD. You know what happened to Buffy when she slept with Angel? HE TRIED TO KILL HER. Okay, I’m done.