If you haven’t read part 1 of our moving journey, you’ll want to click here and read that first.
Thank you for all the excitement and kind messages about our move. It means a lot to know so many of you are eager to see the new house and how we’ll update it.
How We Decided on the New House
After the emotional ups and downs of making an offer on a house and then losing it, we kept watching the market. My husband began searching on his own and one weekend showed me a listing on his phone. At first I dismissed it—green walls, bedroom columns, and outdated finishes made it feel like an overwhelming project.
The next day I took another look and noticed updated photos. That change made a big difference—proof that strong real estate photography can completely shift perception when you’re buying or selling a home.
Checking Off the Boxes
When I ran the house through our list of must-haves and nice-to-haves, it checked more boxes than I expected: a larger kitchen, a dedicated office, generous walk-in storage, and importantly, not a corner fireplace. Little details like sightlines, ceiling height, and guest powder rooms were all items I’d kept on my wish list for years.
We toured the house that evening, even in the dark, and it felt right. After a few days of weighing the pros and cons—especially after the disappointment with the previous house—we called our realtor to discuss next steps.
We Bought a House (and Now We Need to Sell Ours)
Five days after I brushed off my husband’s suggestion, we put an offer on that house. The offer was accepted.
We bought the new house while listing our current home, planning for it to sell before the new closing. In our market, homes in our price range were moving quickly, so we felt hopeful despite the stress of timing two transactions.
We listed on a Thursday and received an offer 14 days later. It felt like a long wait while we were getting multiple showings each day, but in hindsight it was a good pace. Our closing is at the beginning of December, so I’m working to decorate our current home for the holidays one last time to capture content and memories before packing.
We’ll move between Thanksgiving and Christmas. My plan is to put up a single Christmas tree in the new house decorated with our family ornaments for the kids and Christmas morning; next year I’ll have time to go all out and share fresh holiday décor ideas from the new space.
Keeping a Wish List
This experience reinforced why it’s valuable to keep a running list of wants and must-haves when house hunting. I’ve kept notes in my phone for years—details that bother me in our current home, features I’d like in a new one, and design preferences that matter for both everyday life and content creation.
If you’re searching for a new home, make a list you can access easily: things like a guest powder room, main-level ceiling height, or master bedroom window placement. Even if you’re not buying for a blog, those specifics help narrow options and speed decision-making when good houses appear.
Perks of the New Home
The house we initially offered on was move-in ready, but the one we ended up buying has excellent bones and will be a fun project. The real wood floors were refinished this year and look beautiful. The roof, fence, and A/C units are new, so most of the major systems are in good shape.
Cosmetically, it’s a different story: the rooms were painted in tones of lime green and yellow, the light fixtures are original brass, and the tile in the bathrooms and laundry room shows its age. There are even hunter-green countertops in places. I’ve nicknamed it our “lemon & lime” house because of all the greens and yellows.
I’m waiting to share full photos until we close and move in, but that collage gives a sense of the updates we’ll be tackling. There will be many phase-one cosmetic changes to make the home feel like ours, with bigger renovations—gutting the kitchen and bathrooms—planned further down the road as we save and make a budget.
While I’m trying to focus on packing and finishing this house for the holidays, I already have plenty of ideas and inspiration boards for finishes and layouts. I’ll be patient and prioritize the work, but I’m excited to take you along through paint choices, fixture updates, and the renovation process.
I’ll also ask for your input on what to tackle first—likely on Instagram and in stories, so follow along there if you want to vote and see behind-the-scenes updates.
If you’ve read this far, thank you for following our moving and renovation journey. I can’t wait to share every step with you.
xo, Laura
More Posts You Will Love:
- Our Current House
- We’re Moving!
- Introducing: Our New Home!