Gentlemen, start your (search) engines

I've decided to buy a house. Yeah, it shouldn't be a big deal. I had money in a CD that my dad put there years ago and I've decided to take some out and buy a house. Everyone is asking me what finally made me decide.

"Did your landlord raise your rent?"

Yes, $25 more than last year which is only a $50 raise in the last six years and I'm sure the HOA fees have gone up more than that.

"Did someone in your condos finally drive you over the edge?"

Yes, I'm tired of the lady who stalks my dog and looks in the window and rings the doorbell for him. I mean he's cute and all :

But geez, can't a hermit get a little privacy?

Everyone knows me as someone who doesn't make rash purchase decisions. I go over things for months, reading reviews, asking advice, scouring adverts. However this house caught my eye one afternoon while wasting time on the internet instead of being productive:

It was totally in the range of what I could pay and was so perfect and cute!

Even my niece thought it was adorable. So, I promptly called the bank

and told them I wasn't rolling over my CD and the money could go in my savings account and I didn't send in my renewal notice with my rent - which was due that day - and I decided I would buy this house. I started placing things in my head and deciding how long it would take me to get home after the gym.

It had a contract on it already.

But, I'd already gotten things rolling. So, I just made things more scary by calling a friend who moved last year and getting the name of her realtor. I almost broke down in tears on the phone with the realtor - she probably thinks I'm insane.

I owned a house years ago in the mid 90s. This house:

 

 I loved this house. It had a nice rock garden in front and where the red car is parked there were firebushes. But that house was a money pit!

Notice how the driveway is butted up against the foundation. OMG, that thing leaked! The front porch was not heated and it had horrible astroturf glued to the floor that I could. not. get. up!

I can't even tell you all the things I spent money on - it didn't even have central air.... I saved up for that but I spent that money on new ductwork since the old had pinholes.

I'm terrified I'm going to end up in another money pit. I've made a really exhaustive list of things that I want my Realtor to know about my house search. It stretches to almost two pages. I'm wondering if I should bring my Realtor some Xanax tomorrow?

P.S. I did get approved for a loan. As long as my credit doesn't drop in the next 90 days or I sign a contract before then I'm good!