house hunting

I’ve been house hunting for a year. A full year of having the first email of every day come from ListingBook.com. I’ve seen homes that would work. I’ve seen amazing homes that I can’t afford. I’ve seen absolute junk for seven figures.

Yesterday we went to look at four homes. The first home is very good. It’s at the end of a cul de sac near the LA River in a very desirable neighborhood. It’s on a 6800 square foot lot and the house is dated but nice. It has a squashy entry way but an otherwise good layout. It’s not an exciting home but it’s an exciting neighborhood that’s close to the studios and everyone would work in the industry. This is good and bad news. Sometimes it’s nice to raise children without a TV studio.

The second house we were to see might have been okay but when we drove up to to it there was no neighborhood. It was just a collection of homes in between large streets. I didn’t go in the house.

The third house is in deep suburbia. It’s the lowest part of the hills here and the lots are big and spread out. You can’t walk to the store but you can ride bikes, hike or just walk aimlessly for a good long time. We drove up to the house and it’s a sprawling ranch just at the end of a cul de sac. The house is low slung and inviting. There are only three bedrooms and each one of them is large. The kitchen is dated but serviceable as are the bathrooms, all five of them. There’s an office next to the garage and the entire back of the house is lined in french doors. The pool is big and deep and I stood in the grassy area of the yard imagining my son playing catch with friends for hours.

For the first time in a year I stood in a house and imagined myself in it. It’s my house. I want it more than I’ve wanted anything in a very long time. When I mentioned that I worked from home the realtor asked what it is I do for a living and I just got all ADD on her and ignored the question. She doesn’t need to know how much I want it.

I know it sounds silly, but that’s my house and I know it.