I found my house. I have found the one I want to buy. I saw it last week and liked it and saw it again today and like it even more. It is exactly what I want. It has 1537 square feet and a perfect size back yard, a side yards. It is part of a master planned community and has a beautiful pool area and club house for all the people of the community. The mello roos are high (180) and the hoa fees are a little steep (104) but the hoa dues pay for the front yard work, grass cutting, water bills etc and the club house stuff. The mello roos pay for the lighting, sewers and sidewalks etc that the city put in before the houses were built.

So…now I need to make a decision and make an offer. It is in really good condition and was built in 2005 so it is only 4 years old. Of course I am going to go through an inspection and get a pest report to make sure everything is as good as it looks. It is a short sale though so that might take a while and the bank might not take our offer.

The house is perfect because it has the master bedroom/bath on one side and the other two bedrooms and bath on the other. It would make it easier to rent a room or two. The rooms are small but if someone wanted both of them they could have them (for a price) and then they have their own area of the house. It has a large great room concept room for the living / dining rooms and an open kitchen that is open to the large room. I think it is just fantastic and just what I want.
So the decision needs to be made.
I called my tax person to ask what I would need to adjust my with holdings to allow me to take advantage of owning a house but she needs to know the interest I would pay each month and when the payments would start. We also had a conversation about taking advantage of the new tax credits on the 2008 taxes meaning I will get back about 8 k (since I paid 10k in taxes). She didn’t know about being able to do it so I had to tell her and she had to look it up. Turns out I am right and of course now she is encouraging me to do it and to be able to get money back next year.

I know I want a house and am ready but it is still a big decision when you are buying alone.
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I also found out that I came in second rank for a new position with the state. It would mean a nice money bump (about 4-500 a month) but I am not ready for it yet. I want to stay with my boss and the team I work with for as long as possible. They are good, we get a lot of work done and are slowly making progress at this state agency to change the way things have been done to correct them and be in line with the letter of the law for our programs. But it was a nice feeling to know that I placed so well. My position on the list will remain there for a year at which time I will have to retest but I am happy for the time being.

I am having sushi with my friend Amy tomorrow. We have not seen each other in a month or so and I have a gift card from three years ago that I was saving for something special. I think this qualifies.

My nephews going away party is tomorrow. He is going to boot camp and his schooling for the next 9 months or so. I am so very proud of him but also scared for him in the same breath. It will be so hard on my sister to see him go as they have never spent more than 3 days apart in 19 and a half years. At least he will be back in time for my nieces wedding in November. Big changes for the ir family this year.