2 years + lots of work = happiness

On June 6, 2007, Ryan and I closed on our first (and hopefully, last) home. So, Saturday was our two year house anniversary.

Our first day - It looked like this:

A little bit of a fixer-upper, I would say.

I don't think I've shared the story of how we came upon our little piece of land on the blog yet, so today is the day.

The Story of Acquisition

We had been looking for a house beginning in the spring of 2007. We wanted something that was in need of some TLC and cheap. (Very specific, right?) We planned to fix it up and be in it after our wedding in December.

We had looked at a multitude of homes, mainly foreclosures. We even put an offer on one that we thought was perfect. We were outbid (blindly) by less than $100 dollars. But, in the land of foreclosures, the top dollar is key. We were very sad. We really wanted that house. I may have cried.

Then, we happened to drive by this house one day. It looked beat-up, but it was in a good neighborhood. It fit the criteria of being the worst house in a great 'hood. We called on it. Ryan was working, so my in-laws came with me to look at the house. 

It stunk. Like, literally smelled. Bad. The previous owners had actually left a dog in the house for a while before it was foreclosed (so sad), so it smelled like a dog had been left in the house with no way out for weeks. But, somehow I still liked the house. It seemed workable.

I liked the woodwork. I liked the yard. I liked the flow of the house. I liked that it had 4 bedrooms (although now it only has three as we converted one into a bathroom).

We decided to put an offer on it. We actually put the offer on it before Ryan had seen it, because we knew at this point how fast they go. I'm not sure why he trusted me, but he did. And, luckily for us, they took the offer.  

A few weeks and many signatures, phone calls and faxes later, we took our new keys on June 6. Then, we went to the house again, with a shop vac, cleaning supplies and tools in tow. 

(This photo was actually taken on the day we took possession.)

Oh... if only it only took some cleaning. In the first six months, we (and by we I mean Ryan and family) worked on the outside and the first floor. We moved in December of 2007 and finished the upstairs in July 2008.

Here's the outside on June 6, 2009.

In honor of our house anniversary, I'm going to be posting some stories and photos of our interiors, what we did, etc. over the next week. Hope you enjoy.

I have to say, one of the favorite things about our house is the green color we decided to use for siding. 

What is your favorite thing about YOUR house?