My husband and I have been secretly house-hunting for several weeks. We’ve kept it quiet, mainly because we weren’t in a rush to find anything, as the lease on our condo isn’t up until August. We’ve basically just had our “feelers” out and have been researching properties, locations, and just getting an overall idea for the market.

This Saturday, we decided to entertain our realtor and actually check out a few properties. That might have been a mistake, as I fell almost immediately in love with every home we visited. Each time the front door opened and I saw a vast kitchen or a warm living room, I found myself daydreaming of the life I would live within its walls. I was imagining my family and friends filling the open space, sipping wine or coffee on our couch – which would fit perfectly in that corner, I might add. No matter how the house was laid out, it seemed perfect the moment I stood inside it, as if the foundation were literally being poured right under my feet, designed to my exact specifications.

The poor realtor didn’t know what to do with me. I was ready to put an offer in on each property we saw within seconds of her letting us over the threshold. My husband was near-panic, as he KNOWS how badly I can get new-car fever… imagine that same zeal and lack of self-control with a six-figure purchase: YIKES!

Amazingly, we made it through the day, visiting six properties – five of which I would have signed a contract in blood to have on the spot – and my husband didn’t have a breakdown. That’s a major success on his part. The realtor hid her concern over my mental health [she honestly deserved an Oscar, to be frank] and we even agreed that the first property was both a good deal and a good location, ideal for our needs.

A few days later, after the “fever” has worn off, and my husband and I are giving serious consideration to putting in an offer. It’s an exciting feeling, but also nerve-wracking. This will be our second home, but it doesn’t seem to get any easier with the repetition. If anything, the familiarity makes it that much more stressful: I can anticipate the crappy parts ahead of time.

That being said, we have our fingers crossed [and our toes and our eyes] and we’re confident that it will all work out. If this is the home for us, than our offer will be accepted or a fair counter-offer will be made. The home will be ours. If it’s not the right place, then we’ll know it soon enough and continue our search. Either way, it’s an exciting time in the optimist’s household right now.

I would like to notify the seller of Dream House Numero Uno, in case he’s a follower, that my bookshelves would look SMASHING in his downstairs office, so I really think he should accept our offer immediately. I mean, really – these shelves were designed for that space. How could he refuse them?

Optimistic for the future!

~ Victoria Elizabeth Ann