Hello friends!!! I’m back! Whew after a crazy, busy month – I am back and bought a house!!

For as long as I can remember I have been wanting to own my own house. Having a yard with a patio and fire pit are just a few things I have been anticipating. You can’t beat BBQ and fresh ice cream on a sunny day outside. If you ask me, it’s part of the American dream!

Last month, I took my piggy bank, spilled it out and took the change to the bank – and now I have a little fixer upper house!

Where is the house? 

My new house is located in Dallas. It’s located east of White Rock Lake, a lake and park that is popular for biking, running and rowing. I am very much an outdoors enthusiast and sunshine lover, and I loved the thought of being within a bike ride to some of my favorite activities. This suburb is filled with old homes, some of which are being completely renovated. It’s good variety of houses, ages and smiling faces.

Why this house?

Like they say in real estate, “Location. Location. Location.” And of course, price. There were a handful of homes that met both criteria but were lacking something. I wanted something that needed a little TLC, a little sweat equity, but not a complete renovation. While I tried to be flexible in my wants, in a bustling Dallas market it was hard to find an available home that met most of the criteria. At one point, we visited a nice house that had just come on the market. By 4pm it already had 12 offers! Houses went quick, and as a single lady I could not compete with others going over asking price or paying cash.

Fortunately I was off work the day this house came on the market. My realtor texted me and I spent most of that day out at the house. It had most of the wants, with two added perks:  it was open floor concept and had big trees in the backyard. Sold!! Plus it has long, hardwood floors in case I need to do a little “Risky Business” sliding in socks. You know. Priorities, right?

By this point my strategy became more aggressive, partially by choice, partially by the fact my apartment lease was ending soon. I put an offer on the house within a couple hours of seeing it. We went under contract the next morning, and before I knew it, I was leaving the title company with a jar of “Congratulations!” cookies and a new pair of keys.

What is the house like? 

My new, cozy house is a little mid-century, three bedroom, 2 bath home. A simple carport is in the front of the house and cedar trees tower over the backyard. The house was built in 1955 and semi-renovated previously to become an open concept floor-plan. Some of the original features still remain:  the single pane windows, quaint closets, carport and hardwood floors. It’s in good shape but needs some love and updating!

I bought it “as is”, and have already put in a lot of work.

Here are before and current pictures:

What are the plans for the house?

So many plans! Since moving in a couple weeks ago, I have had to tackle several smaller projects. It’s been fun cleaning up the yard, installing new bathroom hardware, lighting, etc… New energy efficient windows are in the works and should lower energy bills and brighten the room. My dreams for larger projects are endless.

Converting the carport into a garage, painting the exterior and cleaning up the backyard are all on my list. My biggest “want” for the house is to renovate the kitchen. I dream of a white, bright kitchen, with a bigger kitchen island. Practically speaking, I am not sure if that will happen. This is my first house but it is not my forever house. The kitchen is already semi-updated so any changes would be mostly cosmetic. Because I am doing this all financially on my own and learning as I go, it will be a slower process.

As for decorating, I am overjoyed to start with a blank slate. New couch, rugs and coffee table are much needed. The current couch dates back to BC days…Before College! This couch is immortal and has survived years of torment between my brothers and I, and many late night grad school study sessions. Adding a little fresh, new energy will bring this space up to date!

For now I’m working on making this house into a home. After all, that’s what it is all about.

The new “Home” tab will become part of Joyfully So, and join the other three categories. Expect home projects, DIYs, progress updates and more! Stay tuned for more soon!

Live your life joyfully so,

Ashley