Category Archives: Kara and Kyle

House Hunting, Round 2

Posted in House and Home, Kara and Kyle by

Just over a year ago, Kyle and I bought our townhouse. Basically, we just needed somewhere to live, somewhere to call our own. We never truly intended to stay here for more than five years, and after learning a lot about living in a townhouse complex we’ve decided it’s time for a change.

Now, with better paying jobs and a better handle on our finances, Kyle and I are moving up! For the past few weeks we’ve been going through houses with our Realtor, talking with our mortgage broker, and we’ve now narrowed it down to two houses. Two!

Kyle likes one house more, and I like the other, but they’re both in our top two. We’re taking my mom to look at both of them again tomorrow to see which one she likes better (she doesn’t know who likes which one!)

So, House #1 has A/C and four bedrooms. However, it has a small backyard and most of the property goes up a bank that won’t ever be able to be developed. It has a small kitchen but it’s closer to the school.

House #2 doesn’t have A/C, has three bedrooms, and a really open layout. It also has a (much) bigger backyard. However, there’s only two bedrooms upstairs and the kitchen, living room, and dining room all share the same space. But, the kitchen is AMAZING with a giant island.

Neither house comes with (or at least lists) the washer and dryer. Both houses are within the same distance from the highway and are priced the same.

Now, decisions, decisions – like whether or not we want to sell our townhouse and port the mortgage, or rent out the townhouse until our term is up (which would be in a couple of years) and then sell.

The running joke between Kyle and I is that I have White Girl Problems. I really don’t know which house we’ll pick. I love them both – can I have two?

Home Ownership, One Year Later

Posted in House and Home, Kara and Kyle, Life by

This post is slightly overdue, since we’ve now been in our house for one year plus a couple months, but better late than never!

I though I would take a moment to reflect on the past year  – our first year – of being home owners. Let me tell you, it’s been an eye opener. And stressful. And a learning experience.

For example, because we were first-time home buyers we didn’t have to pay a land transfer tax. Now that we’re looking at buying again (more on this later) we’ll have to pay the tax. (We could’ve got around this if we only put one of our names on the title for this house, and the other use their for the next one, but we’re not sneaky like that). Land transfer tax on a $325,000 house is $5,000! Holy crap! In Alberta, the transfer tax would only be about $500! Stupid, stupid, stupid … But, that’s part of getting into the real estate market.

And then there’s the whole being attached to our neighbours thing. Townhouse ownership is a challenge. We want to respect our neighbours but it’s hard when they don’t respect us. Like partying until the wee hours or the morning. Or listening to their loud music. Or parking like complete a-holes. Anyway, it unfortunately started to get tiresome sooner than we thought. Kyle and I are like old people in the sense where we like peace and quiet. We are definitely not getting it with only a wall separating us and our neighbours. I can hear their washer and dryer going some days!

There are some good things we learned about homeownership, just silly little things, really. Like, how no matter how hard we try, Daphne will kill any patch of grass she sees by peeing on it. Or that sunflowers grow likes weeds. And that we really, REALLY love dishwashers. I’m pretty sure we won’t buy another house unless it has a dishwasher, or at least room for a good, full size one.

Of course, the best thing about owning a home is finally being able to create your own space with your own personal touches. We have our own house rules and it just feels amazing to have a place to call our own.

I really can’t wait to see what our next home brings us, other than more amazing memories, of course.

Do you own a home, or rent? What are some of the things you’ve realized over the years (or months, weeks days) of having your own space?

One year ago

Posted in Kara and Kyle, Reflections by

How is it already September? This isn’t fair! Where did my summer go?

I can’t believe how much as happened in the past year though. Seriously. When did I become an adult and have a crazy-busy life? It’s a little ridiculous! Let’s recap, shall we?

In the past year I’ve:

How on earth did this all happen?? I don’t even know. Who knows how crazy the next year will be.
How crazy has your year been??