We’ve been house hunting for almost four years. In that time, we only put in three offers.
The first one fell through (you can read more about that in my House Hunting blog post). The second one wasn’t accepted, even though we offered above asking price. The third ultimately became the home we purchased.
Our search hasn’t been continuous. We looked on and off over the years. Between work, travel, and other commitments, there were times when we weren’t actively looking at all. We even paused our search this past summer.
The housing market didn’t make things any easier. During those four years, interest rates were constantly changing and housing prices seemed inflated. At the same time, we were fortunate to have a reasonable rent payment, so we didn’t feel forced or rushed into buying.
Throughout the process, we were also prayerful. There were moments of disappointment, uncertainty, and wondering if homeownership was ever going to happen for us. We prayed for wisdom, patience, and clarity, trusting that the right opportunity would come along at the right time.
An Unexpected Conversation
If not for a conversation with my brother-in-law, we might still be searching today. When we mentioned we’d been looking for four years, he told us he thought we were being too picky. I’ll admit, I was a little defensive. His point was that we weren’t going to find a house that met every single item on our wish list and that we’d probably need to compromise somewhere.
The conversation stuck with me. Were we being too picky? Did we need to adjust our expectations?
That same week, we saw a listing that had been sitting on the market for a few weeks. It hadn’t been on my radar before because it was priced above our search range. Then I saw it had dropped by $35,000. As I looked into the listing history, I noticed the sellers had been reducing the price every week. That signaled a motivated seller.
Timing Is Everything
My husband and I agreed it was worth seeing in person. Going into the showing, we figured that if we liked it, there might be room for negotiation.
Timing, as it turns out, is everything.
When we toured the house, there was already another offer on the table, but the seller hadn’t accepted it yet. My first impression wasn’t an overwhelming “This is the one!” feeling. But I liked the neighborhood. The house had been well maintained and checked most of the boxes on our list.
I remembered that conversation with my brother-in-law, and after sleeping on it, we decided to make an offer. And it was accepted!
After searching for nearly four years, it’s amazing how quickly everything happened once the right opportunity came along. The whole process moved smoothly, and we were cleared to close in just three weeks.
Just like that, we became homeowners.
Now we’re surrounded by moving boxes and getting ready for our next chapter. It’s a little overwhelming, a little exciting, and still somewhat surreal.
Looking back, we’re grateful for God’s timing. What felt like delays and missed opportunities along the way ultimately led us to a house, neighborhood, and price that feel right for us. After four years of searching, we’re finally home.
