dianaschnuth

Back in 2004, Aaron and I scoffed at the idea of a “starter home.” After all, if we didn’t want to live in a house until it was paid off and we owned it outright, why not just rent? Why take that risk?

And so it was that we purchased our first home together.

We’d been living together in a duplex apartment for a couple of years, since before we were married (but after we were engaged for about a year). Aaron had moved from part-time to full-time at work, and we just felt like it was time to stop putting money in someone else’s pocket. We could own our own home for the same amount as we were paying in rent every month — why not put that money to good use for ourselves, instead of paying someone else’s mortgage?

Back then, we had a list of requirements: three bedrooms (or two plus a den), attached garage (preferably two-car), dishwasher, central air, and a pleasant neighborhood (where we could safely take walks). In the end, we got the three bedrooms, an attached one-car garage, and a walkable neighborhood. As it turns out, our house stays fairly cool in the summer, so the lack of central air wasn’t disastrous… but the dishwasher’s absence has been keenly felt over the years, as has the two-car garage.

Like I said, we didn’t expect to move. Ever.

We also didn’t expect to have Connor, or receive an inheritance. We didn’t expect to have the reason or the means to buy another home.

But here we are.

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