Happier At Home

In 2009 I bought my first home…Which is still my only home, it just sounded good. Amid what was considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great depression of the 1930s, I found my place of refuge…

I managed to save up over $5000 to furnish and decorate…At least I thought. In the thick of the financial crisis, budget cuts severed the promising grant money I would receive through first time home buyer programs, which would have covered the majority of the closing costs. The awesome loan officer I had, Carol B. quickly became my therapist/loan officer. There were days I cried over the phone with her about disputing credit issues, my living situation, and feeling completely stressed and overwhelmed about the whole process. Refusing to allow me to back out, she assured me that I would get the full 6% sellers assist, which wiped some of my pity away. I received a call from the underwriter the day before Christmas of 2008 letting me know I was approved for the home loan. If I hadn’t received anything else for Christmas, I was more than ok with that. I can remember falling to my knees in tears of joy, wondering if this was the happiest moment of my life thus far.

Surprisingly, It didn’t take very long to find my new addition. I had been searching and researching homes, percentages, taxes, and insurance to the point where I could calculate monthly mortgages in my head in a matter of seconds. After several disappointments, and hoped for homes under contract, my close friend Jackie M.  pushed me toward a home she knew waited for me. It was newly renovated, pretty much straight through, 3 bedroom, 2 bedroom after I added my closet, laundry room on the main floor, thank God…I made the decision to put in an offer on the spot.

Apparently, a well known “under” appraiser was sent out, which heavily worked in my favor. Not only did we settle for less than the house was worth, but if the seller decided not to accept my offer, he would have had to wait another 6 months before he could receive another appraisal and be able to sell at a higher price. Needless to say in March of 2009 I had to wait until my paycheck hit my account before settlement. After paying inspection, appraisal, deposit and settlement fees, every account balance read $0.00. I had never been so happy to be so broke in my life.

The walls were bare, I had no furniture, no food, and I lived off a credit card until I got into the groove of things. I would just stare at the commercial flooring and flat painted walls gratefully and with dignity. I always felt like angels watched over me, but they really did it this time. I filed an addendum to my previous years taxes and in just a few months, June of 2009 I received  that bluish-green and yellow treasury check for $8000, thanks to Obama’s housing tax credit 😀 I was able to fully furnish and pay off the debt I had accumulated. Almost four years in, I still don’t have bedroom curtains over the blinds, but they’ll make my list soon enough.

I titled this post after a book im currently reading called “Happier at Home” by Gretchen Rubin. This insert from her book is exactly how I feel about my home. “My home should calm me and energize me. It should be a comforting, quiet refuge and a place of excitement and possibility. It should call to my mind the past, the present, and the future. It should be a snuggery of privacy  and reflection, but also a gathering place that strengthened my engagement with other people. By making me feel safe, it should embolden me to take risk. I wanted a feeling of home so strong that no matter where I went, I would take that feeling with me.” Rubin borrowed those feelings from me and put them on paper. I honestly thought I was pretty self centered for harboring all those emotions about some THING…I’m not…