We Bought A House

Earlier this year I wrote a blog about the challenges of finding a home in the current market (read here). Following a long process with few “ups” and many “downs,” I’m excited to share that my wife and I bought a house! This blog will be a life update with some encouragement tied in – I hope that it finds you well!

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Over the past year my wife and I have been searching for a house in Philadelphia, PA and that process was difficult to say the least. To be a bit more descriptive, the process was brutal with every house selling within a weekend, over the asking price and without contingencies. Despite losing out on multiple offers and feeling very disappointed, I’m proud of my wife and I for not allowing disappointment to become discouragement. We were able to absorb each loss because we gave our best effort each time and we trusted in God’s plan even when it didn’t match our desires.

With interest rates and house prices rising quickly, we felt pressured throughout our process but we never settled for less than we wanted and I’m glad we didn’t sacrifice our vision. Earlier last month (May), we came across a house that fit our criteria, we pulled a few strings and got creative with how we approached our offer. We closed on that house this past week and we couldn’t be happier. People continue to warns us that many things will go wrong and that we need to be prepared as homeowners but I’m glad to report that nothing has broken (yet). The only liability at this point in time is me with a paintbrush (my eyes don’t help but that’s no excuse).

I’m thinking of writing a book called “Homeownership Shit*” where I document the many struggles of being a homeowner (first, chapter one would be about becoming one).

We will be sure to keep the world (anyone who’s interested) updated on home renovations (my wife is very excited for that). Before I begin to wrap things up, I need to give a special thanks to our wonderful realtors who helped us navigate this season of life while keeping us encouraged, smiling and laughing the whole time. We should also thank our amazing lender. This was a team effort and we couldn’t have done it alone.

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To close, the biggest lesson that was reaffirmed for us through this process is that persistence matters more than most other things in life. Our relentless pursuit of a house was driven by our deep desire to build a home that can be a base for a future family and a blessing to those around us. If you’re going through a challenging season of life, let this be an encouragement to choose endurance and to be persistent. In time, what is meant to be will be and I know that might not help to hear in this very moment, but it’s the truth.

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”

James Watkins

Be who you’re mean to be.

Joe Rinaldi

IG: @joearinaldi

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