steps toward home-ownership: part V

I'm excited to announce that Col and I have bought our first house!

The process has seemed long, though I know relatively speaking it hasn't been.  When you add in the 10 months of our First Time Home Club, we've been on this journey in some form or another since December 2011 and will conclude in January 2013.  However, let's be honest, there are getting to be too many posts about this, and I don't want to have to look up any higher Roman numerals ;)

It went like this:

• A couple weeks ago I saw a beautiful house online that was just listed.  I sent it to Col and we contacted our new realtor to get an appointment to see it ASAP.
• Two days later, Thursday evening 11/1, we were able to see the house and meet our new realtor.  Before we had even gone all the way through it, I looked over at Col and knew this was the one!  He looked deliriously happy.  We had been waiting for our "wow" house, and this was it!
• Friday 11/2 we met with our realtor and signed all the paperwork to make our offer.
• Saturday 11/3, we still hadn't heard anything and our 24 hour deadline had passed.  Word from our realtor was that the seller's realtor couldn't get a hold of the seller.  We graciously extended the offer until later that evening since she supposedly didn't know anything about it yet.
• Saturday evening they counter offer, naturally, but barely lower the price.
• I have an emotional breakdown.  Apologies, but they do happen sometimes.  I was exhausted from the process, stressed about finances, and thinking way too much about all our other plans in life and how they would be affected if we did or didn't get this house.  I was forgetting that I had already crunched and re-crunched the numbers and that we were still being smart and good stewards.
• After lots of prayer and support from dear hubby who puts up with anal, over-thinking, over-practical me, and family and friends, we unanimously decide to accept the offer because we don't want this one getting away!
• Sunday morning 11/4 after church we met in a parking lot and signed the acceptance.  It goes into the realtor/seller an hour before their open house.
• Col and I attended the open house and nervously watched as lots of people go through.  We were also very frustrated with some other issues during the whole ordeal, however, we'll keep those out of cyberspace for now because I do not want to jeopardize this in any way!
• Monday 11/5 the attorneys received the offer paperwork and it's a go!
• Wednesday 11/7 we went to the bank and officially applied for our mortgage.
• Thursday 11/8 our inspection was done.
• Saturday 11/10 we met with our realtor to submit what needs to be done before we close.

Once we found this house, it was ours in about a week!  Now we wait for the bank/attorneys to do their part.  Closing is set for early January!  Hooray!