I have had the headline for this post ready to go for nearly two months now. I originally expected to close on my new home in early November. But, the closing date was pushed back. Pushed back again. And, pushed back once more. You just learn to roll with it. The house-buying process is…well…it’s a process. I have been down this road before with all its twists and turns. The key to it all is to simply have patience, get things done on time, and hope for the best.

I officially became the owner of a new home just south of my home state’s capital city of Montgomery on December 4.

Actually sitting down and writing this post has taken some time. Moving into a new home during the holiday season is not ideal. Even now, I am ready for a break from the projects I was working on earlier this evening. However, it was time to wrap this up and announce my major life change here on the blog.

But, before we jump in to the present day, let’s take a swift stroll back in time.

The Past Few Years

A few years back, I decided to move next to my grandparents. Except for the last five months staying with a friend while I searched for a new home, I have lived in a camper trailer on my grandparents’ property. I won’t get into all the details of this on the blog. Not all of it is my story to share. Needless to say, it helped everyone out by having me there. It was a tough decision, but I believe it was the right thing to do. While it did push some of my overall life goals off track, ultimately, I feel like I am in a good place now.

The biggest downside to living next door to my grandparents was putting on a few extra pounds — Southern grandmas will make sure that you are fed well. And, my Granny is no exception to this rule.

It was time for a change. In the past year, I knew it was time to move on and make a new place my permanent home. So, the search began.

The New Home

Honestly, I got lucky. I found a place just 2.5 miles down the road from my parents. The house is in an area that is not exactly cheap. I had an upper limit on what I was willing to spend out of pocket and take on in terms of a loan. Most places for sale in the area were well outside of my financial means.

Fortunately, the seller didn’t want to put the house on the open market. Because he lived next door, he wanted a neighbor he was comfortable with. He knew my dad, and all the other neighbors knew my dad. This put me in a good position to make an offer far lower than the asking price and appraisal, something within my budget.

After a month of sweating it out, we had a deal. Then, a couple of months later, my bank account was lighter than it had been in the past year.

The property met most of my qualifications. I had three primary properties I was looking at. While the house itself was third on the list and the land second, it had the best location by far. It put me within easy driving distance of the shopping areas in Montgomery while still hitting that rural sweet spot. Plus, I have 2.5 acres of land for gardening and whatever else I want to do.

The house is around 2,000 square feet with an additional two-car garage attached. That is bigger than what I wanted, but it does provide some room to increase the occupancy if I am ever inclined to do so.

Without further ado, take a look at some pictures of the home and property:

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Most of the pictures from inside the house were taken on the day I closed. I have since moved in a lot of things and updated some of rooms, which I have shared on social media. I promise to share more on the blog in the future.

Overall, I am happy with the new place. There is a lot to update, such as some of the 1980s-era wallpaper, paint, and more. It will be a ton of work, but I have a lifetime to accomplish those things. For now, I am settling in.

While I didn’t snag a white-picket fence with this property, I did get that fancy two-car garage. Life is good.