open-house review

1. was right off main street in mason. i'm not sure if i'd want to pay mason taxes,especially city of mason taxes, seeing as how they're some of the most expensive in the area. the layout of this house was also a little illogical, ie: not being able to access the deck in the backyard from the back of the house. i would really like something more functional than that. it was "cute" too, as in 2 bedroom/1.5 baths, and i really think i could get more house than that in fairfield.

2. didn't get to see it -- no one was there at the scheduled time. it's a bit out of the price range though and it doesn't even have a carport. if i'm spending that much, i want a place to keep my car, so that i don't have to scrape the windows in the morning. is that so wrong? :)

3. this place was okay... i was expecting a bit more out of it, based on the photos of the website. upon entering the house, i was greeted by the stench of stale cigarette smoke -- the kind you know has been there since the house has been in existence. that swayed my initial reaction, since i was considering everything i'd have to completely scrub down / replace to get the smell to go away. it wasn't as bright inside as it looked in the photos and there really wasn't a "master suite." i'm not looking for anything really fancy in that respect -- but i would like at least a half bath that's attached to the main bedroom, both for privacy and convenience. i liked the bar down in the basement but there weren't any windows, so it felt colder and move cave-like than expected. the patio portion outside was pretty cool too, but there was next to no backyard -- meaning you're right on top of the neighbors... some of whom that afternoon were screaming kids. :)

4. as far as townhomes go, this place was pretty unique. there was a loft are upstairs which seemed pretty cool. it only had two bedrooms , and at $119,000 plus condo fees and other stuffs, that's not too great of a deal.... there was a full unfinished basement that contained a tanning bed and a strange, sweet odor... maybe related? i don't want to know. even though there was a basement, the small windows were on the north side of the house, meaning that it would always be quite dark down there. it just kind of felt claustrophobic to me, especially after being in the spacious upper levels of the house. i would never use the basement, and i'd rather just have more usable space.

i really like this little place that's been on the market for awhile. yes, it's a townhouse/condo, but it has 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths, which i feel is quite sufficient. i like the open-air feel of the photos, and i really like how it has both a fireplace and a one-car garage. it's pretty much perfect. the only reason it may still be available is that the realtor never offers open-houses. i would love to see the "flow" of the place, as i feel that's something you can't get an idea of, no matter how many neato photos they take of the place. :) all appliances stay too, woo hoo!

still playing the waiting game

i'm revisiting this blog because, as predicted, i've decided that owning a home would ultimately be a wise decision. i still don't have a lot of moolah saved for this purpose... and the more time that goes by, the more things that are deteriorating concerning my car... but i am aching to move out. i'm quite batty at the present time. :)
i'm going to some open houses tomorrow. i'm realistic in what i'll be able to afford, what sacrfices to make now in terms of big projects that would be costly, etc. these places are a little older but i like the charm. i really am falling in love with #3 because i can see the potential there -- the finished basement (movie theatre), the patio (relaxing summer days and nights...) and it's all been redone recently so there's not that much cosmetic stuff to fix right away. both #2 and #3 are in the same neighborhood too, and on the #2 posting, it says it's a quiet neighborhood. they should do the open houses on saturday or something, so people get a better idea of how active a community can be. with #4, i'm really curious about the layout because it doesn't look too big on the outside. as far as this one being a "condo," i like the fact that it's more of a duplex and that there's more of a yard area (with grass that i wouldn't have to cut...;) ). i'd eventually like a dog... so i'd need a yard of some sort, not a balcony. i also just like having some space around me and i would feel too cramped in an apartment-like setting.
so, for as long as these links function, i present to you the four houses that i'd like to visit tomorrow:
house #1
house #2
house #3
house #4

it's kind of funny but...

just after i started this blog, i began to think that maybe buying would not be the best decision for me, just based on mobility. i don't know where i want to be in a year. maybe i don't want a property that's not going to turn a profit in a year. from what i've read, most don't.
i think a better option would be renting a room from someone close to the school where i'll be teaching. i need to get out of my parent's place and i think the cost would be more manageable than having my own place.
this doesn't mean that i'll cancel my blog. i'll still use it for research purposes. who knows, i might change my mind again. :)

introduction

my name is kristen and i'm looking for a home. i live in the cincinnati area (specifically the "way north" part of cincy) and i've wanted my own place, a place to call my own (hence the blog title), since i graduated from college in november of 2006.
i graduated with a bachelor's degree in middle childhood education with concentrations in language arts and science, and since the job market for teachers in this area is tight, i was not able to find a contracted position for the current school year. i substitute teach for lakota, fairfield, and mason schools right now and i'm gearing up for the massive recruitment season that the schools go through in the spring.
i wanted to make a blog about finding my house because the topic has been taking up much of my thoughts recently. even though i'm still in the research stage, i feel like i'm much more knowledgeable than i was when i started looking. that's good, right? :)
through this blog, i hope to clarify what i want and document my journey to find a place to call my own!