This old house

I’m sure there are other design and DIY addicts that will spend a good portion of time looking at their local MLS listings to see what’s out there, and what other people’s houses look like on the inside.   It’s a good thing to do anyway, because it’s a great way to keep a pulse on what’s selling and what prices are like.  Unless you live in an area where you’re completely upside down on your mortgage because of the economy.  In which case, I’m sorry.   We’ve been very fortunate that homes have lost very little value, often at least maintaining their current value.

Low and behold, a house that I’ve LOVED for as long as I’ve known it, has come on the market.  It’s a tiny bit more than what our house is estimated at now (pre-addition of course).  It’s an older home, complete with original inlaid hardwoods throughout.  It’s one of those houses that you look at and just imagine yourself living in.  All nicely decorated for the holidays.  Warmth and happiness oozing from its insides.  I mean, look at it,  I can’t stop drooling:

 Our house now is just your standard new construction sub division lackluster house.  It’s a very nice house. Just not a house that I can say, “we’re going to grow old here.”  More like, “I guess it’ll do.”

This is the house that you can just see yourself doing so much with it, because it already has great character and bones, and what you do will only make it better.

And yet, I’m apprehensive.  I’ve moved so many times in the last 13 years (twice cross country), that it’s one of those things that exhausts me just thinking about it.   Despite this house lacking the charm and warmth that I so desire, I hide behind the comfort of already being in this house.  But oh my god, you guys, that house!  I just can’t stop thinking about it.  I’ve put together a list of pros and cons of each house:

Current house:

Pros: 

Finished basement (definitely a nice perk when your husband works from home)

We’re already “Settled in the house”

Farm land behind us (which won’t be built on in the foreseeable future)

Safe neighborhood

Fenced in yard (a great thing with two dogs)

Gas (as in gas range, heat, etc, not that my house has indigestion, though that’s debatable)

All new appliances (replaced by us)

Whole house water filter (another addition by us, and could easily be taken with us)

Cons:

Undesirable layout (dining room isn’t off the kitchen, laundry room is right off my kitchen, no mudroom)

Carpet carpet everywhere there’s carpet (and this is something that you can change, but holy cats, it’s expensive)!

Cliquish neighborhood.

Totally steep, ungraded backyard, rendering it somewhat unusable.

Crappy kitchen (aside of the appliances)

Energy inefficient

lacking character or charm.  Very bland

Feels like no matter what I do to it, it’ll never be “home.”

A lot of prep work to get it into “sellable” mode. Could take some time.

“Dream House”:

Pros:

Big, corner lot

Walking distance to all schools in the district

Charm and character

Original hardwoods nearly throughout (the hallway and stairs have carpet, but this is somewhat easily fixable)

Currently repainted, so we won’t have to feel rushed to repaint (but of course, I’ll be all up in there making it mine)

Central air (given the house is from the 20′s, this is a total pro)

Possible five bedrooms.  Pro with a telecommuting husband

Sunroom (SUNROOM!)

Master Bath (probably ugly as hell, but again, given this was an older house, this is a big deal)

Great bedroom sizes.

It’s a little smaller (I put this in both categories,  smaller means less cleaning, but it’s enough room for the four of us,  We have designated guest space, and room for an office.

(This category could grow or shrink.  The realtor conveniently left out pictures of the bathrooms, which leads me to believe they’re in major need of an update)

Cons:

Unfinished basement (this isn’t a deal breaker, but we have one now, and it’s a nice thing to have.  I have a dedicated space for crafts, but on the other hand, an unfinished basement would be a great place for a workshop for both of us).

Probably energy inefficient (the windows look older).

No fence and I’m not sure if we’re allowed to put one in.

Detached garage (not a huge deal since there’s a carport for day to day)

Close to elementary school (which means busier road, I don’t like that with no fence and a deaf old dog)

Outdated kitchen (but we can most likely make the kitchen and dining room one big entertaining space, a possibility for the Pro category).

I have yet to see a bathroom.

No designated office space.

Only two bathrooms (we have four in this house, which is nice, but two bathrooms means less cleaning! Less bathrooms is both a pro and a con).

Smaller closets.

A little more expensive, but given that we’re adding a bedroom to this house (a project we’re already committed to, and will add equity), we will most likely not really increase our payments.

It’s a little smaller.

It’s a tough call.  I can’t stop thinking about it, but I haven’t seen it on the inside, so I could end up hating the inside of it.  But from the pictures, I am already in love with it.  Dated kitchen and all.

What would you do?