Going home just got better

My home of record (where my school pays for me to fly home in the summer) is San Francisco. That's where I was living, with my sisters, before I moved to Kuwait. My sister has a very nice condo in San Jose. It's in a kinda sketchy neighborhood (we heard a guy get shot at the nearby 7-11) but her condo is tucked back and away and it kinda feels like a little oasis.

Downsides, besides the shooting, are she has a very long commute up to Redwood City every day, hauling groceries from the parking garage to the condo (we had a motto: Two trips are for pussies!), she wanted a little more space and some more outdoor space for the cats, and she has a neighbor who is certifiably insane and loves to make life MISERABLE for everyone around her.

I think April had been thinking about moving before, but I started strongly encouraging her a little over a year ago. The whole process is very daunting in the Bay Area (check out this article: 20 Things You Learn Trying To Buy A House In San Francisco) that it took her awhile to get some of those issues resolved. How can you actually afford it? How can she sell her house before so she can afford it, especially since it's hard to show with cat? If you're paying that much for a house it should be perfect and you shouldn't have to fix anything!

I LOVE HGTV and going house hunting is something I love to do. When I first started pushing her/she started to think more seriously about it, we went looking at some open houses on the weekends just for fun. We went to Half Moon Bay and when I got out of the car at one house and could see and smell the ocean I just about died! This was SO MUCH BETTER than San Jose.

She continued to work towards finding a house and resolving all those issues about buying and moving. She even got serious enough to get pre-approved and found an agent to work with. She had looked at several, several houses before I got home. Knowing how much I love to house hunt, she arranged for her agent to take us to some houses while I was home.

I said a prayer that we would find The One because I knew this was getting frustrating for her and I really wanted to be able to see it in person and not just via Skype and photos before I left. My prayer was answered and she found it. I think the whole family is pretty much in love with this house.

It's not perfect-- the kitchen is outdated and she's remodeling it. There are a few other things that will be fixed over time but can be lived with. The master bathroom is BY FAR the most unique home bathroom I have ever been in. Or have even seen on HGTV. It is in an amazing location- about a 5 minute walk to the marina. She has a peek-a-boo view of the ocean from her bedroom, but the house is really close. There is so much to do there. I can't wait to go back next summer. You'll have to come visit me there because I'm not sure I'll leave California next year. :)

It's a 3 car garage (I didn't get it all in the pic) and it's detached in front of the house, but connected by a covered walkway. 

It's on well water- that's why the lawn is so green. 

Garage on the left, house on the right. 

Cute little pond she can put some fish in. 

Backyard- I think that's the well pump or something. It's not huge, but it's got some space. 

Outdoor shower.  

This is the well house-- how cute is that?

Hot tub!! 

Garage. 

Awesome work bench. 

This house had some quirks that are just funny-- like that door on the right.... 

is a urinal. 

From the garage to the house. 

Entry and living room.

Living room-- that fireplace needs to be changed but that will be later. 

Super dark and kinda small kitchen- with black granite tile. Seriously people- DO NOT use tile for countertops. Gross. 

Main floor/ mom and dad's bathroom. 

Guest/mom and dad's bedroom. 

Little reading nook upstairs. 

Office loft area. 

Hallway to the master. 

Overlooking the great room. 

Rebecca's room. 

Rebecca's bathroom. 

The master bath.... I think it's pretty cool. 

One thing we would change is walling off the door that connects Rebecca's bathroom to the master bathroom-- weird-- and the vanity needs to be changed. Probably in the corner with a sink on each side/wall. Also there's carpet that needs to go. Along with tile countertops, you should NEVER carpet a bathroom. Gross! 

Some don't like the doorway to the bedroom- mostly that you can't close it. I think it's fine. 

Random tile by the toilet in the bathroom. 

This walk-in closet (all closets are cedar lined btw) has a pull down stairs
to a little room April is thinking will be for the cats. 

The cat room above the closet. 

The easy mart just a few houses/lots down the street. 

From the Easy Mart parking lot- that's the marina just on the other side of that street light. 

Looking back from the marina area-- you can almost see her house it is so close! 

Marina. 

Cute shops.