OUR NEW [DULUTH] HOME

When I get it in my head to find a place to live, I need to find a place like right now. When we got the all clear from rental house in Texas, the search began. I think every one of us in the house checked Zillow or Craigslist at least twice a day. I'd find a couple of houses, call the realtor and zoom up to Duluth to check them out....this happened several times. 

We found a house we really liked and put in an offer. Turns out that the septic wasn't compliant and we didn't feel like paying for a new one. Needless to say, it as a little disappointing. 
It felt like we would never find the perfect place even though it had barely been two weeks of searching. And searching. And searching. 

One night, after Donald and I had gone to bed, Mom and Dad were still searching. On a whim, Mom checked Craigslist and there was a listing for an "arts and crafts" house [for sale by owner]. Curious, she opened it up and found the perfect house. She emailed me the link and they both agreed not to say anything to me about it but to just let me find it on my own.

Dad was too antsy the next morning to keep it a secret. He asked me if I had checked my email. Of course I hadn't....

As soon as I saw it I fell in love. I emailed right away to get in to see the house. Mom, Dad, Donald and I went to see it the next day. 

We walked in and I fell in love even more....
I got to the second floor and I was sold...

Then, I went in to a little room that led to another staircase and I found myself on the third floor. My heart was pounding and I was almost in tears. I knew that this was the house. This was it. 

The next couple of days was a flurry of paperwork, offers and negotiating. I'm so glad that Dad was able to help us. He went up with me a second time to look at the house and make an offer. 
As it was, the seller had several offers and we were basically tied with another couple in our offers. The seller (who we've formed kind of a bond with) was torn as to which offer she would go with. 
In the middle of the night, she realized that the tie breaker was the kitchen table. If we agreed to let the table go, we would have the higher offer and we'd get the house. That was fine with me. 
I can't believe we got the house because of a kitchen table. 

Everything has pretty much been taken care of ...inspections ...appraisals...financing...

We close the middle of June. 

Thank you, Mom, for finding our new home and thank you, Dad, for all of your help.