“Home is the nicest word there is”.
(Laura Ingalls Wilder)
The Walk into the Future adventures continue to move forward daily.
I closed on my townhouse in Fort Pierce back in May. This was something I wanted to do when I first moved here but things and conditions did not align for me. Things happen for a reason and in due time—a bit cliché I know but this fits my home buying journey.
I looked for a townhouse to purchase for a little over two years but did not get serious with a real estate agent until Summer 2022. We looked in several areas, but I never got comfortable with prices and/or locations during the early stages. We kept moving forward with the search and the prices started to come back down in early 2023. Worked with my agent to hone into a more detailed search and we began viewing townhouses that fit my stated budget and in areas I wanted to live in.
Found my townhouse less than three miles from where I was living in Fort Pierce. This was a bit ironic because I looked in a lot of other areas but never checked out my own neighborhood.
We made an offer within a week and accepted the small counter offer the following week. Things went quickly once we made the offer, and my agent guided me through the process, and I felt comfortable the entire time. Fast forward and we closed in the early part of May, and I was suddenly a homeowner again. My apartment lease was not due to expire until October but there was a provision in the lease that would allow me out early with a one-time penalty. This was a welcomed provision since I did not have to rush my move and this extra time allowed me to make some upgrades.
Floors
The living area in the townhouse came with tile floors. This was a nice look for the property but both bedrooms and closets had carpet. I’m not a fan of carpet and knew this was going to be removed before I moved in. My realtor connected me with several flooring specialists so I could get quotes to pull up the carpet and install wood laminate floors. Wanted to get this upgrade completed before moving into the townhouse. My flooring guy provided me with a ton of samples to choose from and we agreed on floor color, date of installation and pricing. Took him two days to complete the flooring overhaul and the new look made the place feel bigger and I didn’t have to worry about what the old owners left in the carpet.
Painting
The best time to paint is prior to moving in with furniture. Decided to change the paint scheme throughout the townhouse to brighten it a bit and put my touches on the new place. Got painter recommendations from friends and interviewed two painters. Selected my painter and headed to Home Depot to pick out my paint. The townhouse came with a black accent wall—yes, you read that correctly. There was no way I was keeping the black accent wall. LOL. Picked out a nice and refreshing blue paint for the NEW accent wall and a natural (sand) color for the rest of the townhouse. Left the paint with the painter and got out of his way to upgrade the paint scheme for me.
Appliances
This move-in provided me with an opportunity for a complete reboot of the inside. Purchased the townhouse with appliances but wanted to start fresh. My realtor shared that Home Depot has fantastic appliance sales in conjunction with the 4th of July holiday. I thought she was overstating the sale, but it turns out Home Depot appliance sale is just as great as she stated. Decided to purchase a complete kitchen package and remove the old appliances prior to my official move-in. My new appliances are all under the same warranty and should provide me with years of enjoyment.
Furniture
My original plan was to enter the townhouse with all the furniture I owned. Quickly determined my new place required a furniture upgrade to make it feel complete. My TV console was fine in my old apartment but was too small for the larger space of the townhouse. Also, my dining room table was adequate for the apartment but did not fit the style or feel of my new place. Made a trip to City Furniture and Rooms 2 Go to begin the process of figuring out what I wanted for the new place. Rooms 2 Go had a better selection that fit me so made my large purchases there. The bonus was the free delivery they offer. Still looking to upgrade some of my shelves but very happy with my new furniture and how it looks in the townhouse.
I still have a few more home modifications I want to make in the bathrooms but happy with my progress so far. The townhouse is slowly becoming home for me. Enjoy having a place of my own to come back to after work or a road trip.
What makes your house a home?
Irie!
“A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams”.
(Unknown)
Walk Into the Future 