Gathering, not hunting

Pat and I have started something that has me over-the-top excited and petrified all at the same time.

We're house hunting gathering. As in, we're gathering information at our pace, watching from afar, looking for prices to come down on a few choice properties. Not stalking or waiting to pounce ;) (Well, on 2 properties, a lower price WILL mean a pounce.)

I couldn't be more excited. I just feel really unfulfilled with apartment living. I want our own space, our own yard, where we make the rules and the decisions. I'd like to not be paying double (almost) for rent as we would be paying for our own home.

I'm a little against the whole thing because I feel like buying a house is giving up on going to South Carolina. We're being careful to pick properties that are in good locations that will hopefully be easy to sell in a year or two. No huge fixer uppers, because I know that we don't have the time, money, or know-how yet to take on something like that. And we don't want to.

Looking past the potential of not being able to sell the house, what if we love it too much to leave? Why do I want to move into a spot that I fall in love with enough to buy, make it my own, and move out in 2 years? The logical part of me says it's no big deal - we're planning a move south because we aren't happy here, but if we become happy, there's no reason not to stay. The emotional, anxious part of me (so, all of me) says that's like giving up and people will make fun of me for not going out of state like I've always said I was going to. SO WHAT! Get over it, kid, stop worrying about that part!

Pat doesn't seem to actually be nervous about any of this. He just knows that it's incredibly hard to save money when we're paying as much in rent as we are - and he's right, really.

The looking continues!