Building a Home is Exciting & Stressful

Our current state of mind.

As I expressed in my Instagram stories, I want to be clear on our home buying and building process. While a lot of excitement and progress comes with a build, I don't want to make it seem as if this isn't super stressful and that we're in a la-la land of designs that will happen immediately. Because the fact of the matter is this: We are really stressed out, we are really excited, and this is costing us some moneyyy, honeyyy.

I felt it was only right to share more about what we're going through because so many people probably go through these feelings when buying a home. Note: I'm NOT giving any advice for buying or building a house or financial advice. I'm just sharing my little family's experience as we create our first home.

So here are some things I wanted to be clear about:

We're new to this.

Whether you're selling, pursuing a resale, or a new build, it's a stressful process. This is our first home buying and building experience. We knew nothing about building a home, and we've been learning A LOT. Luckily, we have an excellent realtor who's been so helpful and proactive throughout this process. We also have some friends who've recently gone through this build process already and have offered a great amount of insight (and reassurance)!

Financial stress.

Interest rates are up, and this part is totally out of our control. Our estimated monthly mortgage payment nearly doubled from when we first signed for this home in November 2021 to the current date. So we've been on a strict budget over here. While we can't control the market, we can control certain aspects of what we spend. B and I combed through everything, big and small that we get billed for and spend money on. We did a clean-out of our subscription services, from streaming services to apps. We brainstormed what we could cut back on, such as going out to eat and grabbing coffees throughout the week. We also budgeted and planned out our upcoming travel needs.

Fortunately, we live close to a beach, have access to different pools throughout our community, and have a membership to the zoo. Maze is also still on the daycare schedule filled with fun summer and learning activities, so he's all set!

Labor and supply shortages.

It happens, and again, this is out of our control. We were first projected to have our first pre-drywall inspection over the last 3 weeks but were informed that it would most likely be within the next 2 weeks. We're still projected for the townhouse to be done in late October. This can still change, even with a projected closing date. As I've mentioned before, this is a slow but worthwhile process.

Projects.

You already know I have a handful of interior design and decor plans for the house, all to happen over time. This is totally separate from the design appointment we had through the builder. What I'm talking about here is what I want to do with each room after we move in. We're going to be in this home for a long time, so we don't need to rush to get everything done, and to be honest, we can't afford to do it all at once anyway.

We've made a list of top priorities, including installing a water-softener (filters out the "hard" minerals in the water) and getting our lanai done (screened-in patio space). Realistically, the first thing I'll be able to do within our budget is to paint the powder room and accents in Mason's room, and put together his under-the-stairs play nook. Would I love an organized pantry of aesthetically pleasing glass containers with wooden tops? Of course. I'm all about The Home Edit and Dream Home Makeover, but that project along with many others will come later for us, which is totally fine. My design and decor inspo for our home is on my Pinterest board, and I'll also continue to share more on my Instagram :)

Thank you for reading and following me on this journey to our first home. Still more to come!