Adventures In House Hunting
I have decided to buy a house. I am tired of renting, tired of living in student housing. And, really tired of not being able to call a plumber whenever I feel the slightest urge. Oh, I'm also tired of these damn white walls I'm not allowed to paint.
I have been house shopping for close to 6 weeks now, and any appeal it started with is completely gone. Every Saturday (after cello lessons) I head out to some new "Master Plan Community" and walk through model homes. The last little while has taken me out to Lehi/Eagle Mountain area. For the most part my visits have been pleasant enough, and I've learned that I really am insanely picky.
On the 14th I had this experience, and really wish I could say it was the only time I have been incorrectly analyzed. Sadly, that's not the case (if it were, this blog entry wouldn't exist, so there we have it).
Above everything, however, these two experiences really stand out to me:
The first one for humor:
1) Last week when I went out there I went to a model home, and was having a lovely chat with the young man who was about to show me a home. He asked what were somethings I was looking for in a home, and I told him that I would love to find a Green Builder (the link is just an example). He asked what that was and (since I'm sure you're wondering, too) I told him, "It's kind of this tree hugger thing. Environmentally friendly, use cotton based insulation instead of fiberglass, that sort of thing." This led to an interesting discussion on the motivations behind building green. Then, we started looking over floor plans when he showed me one, pointing out that a small family room is in straight eye sight from the kitchen. "Which is really nice," he added, "because the kids can be in here watching T.V. or whatever, and you can be cooking and keep and eye on them." I didn't inform him that I didn't have kids, and didn't really take offense, let's face it, were in Utah, and I drive a frickin' minivan! Later he asked if I had a husband, "nope." Ahh, ok then. Let's go take a look at the house. As we walked out to the parking lot he saw my van, "Is that yours?" he asked.
"Yup."
"Did you say you have kids?"
"No. I don't."
"Oh, ok."
So, we went out to the model he was going to show me, and after looking at the entire house we ended up in the master bedroom. "This room is really nice," he informed me, "it's big. Nice for one person. Or, uh, two." Yeah, me and my equally mother-earthy female life-partner. I laughed internally. I guess people just can't wrap their minds around a single female looking to buy a home, all by herself.
Experience number two is notably much less funny:
2) Today I walked into a home that I really wasn't feeling. The price seemed a whole lot high for the kind of home I was looking at. It was just kind of blahhh. I was interested to know if the builder had more interesting homes, so I asked they guy that was there about their homes. We were discussing things when I picked up a fact sheet about one on the homes. "Now, this one is our largest two story home. It is a little out the price range you mentioned, but it comes with a five car garage."
Cue shocked expression. "Who the Hell needs a five car garage!?"
Laugh. "Are you married?"
"No."
"A man does. A man needs a five car garage!" It should be pointed out that this was said in a slightly more than condescending manner.
"Well, I wear the pants in my family. And I don't need a five car garage!"
As you can imagine, that pretty much ended any house selling experience right there.
A man needs a five car garage - my eye!
I have been house shopping for close to 6 weeks now, and any appeal it started with is completely gone. Every Saturday (after cello lessons) I head out to some new "Master Plan Community" and walk through model homes. The last little while has taken me out to Lehi/Eagle Mountain area. For the most part my visits have been pleasant enough, and I've learned that I really am insanely picky.
On the 14th I had this experience, and really wish I could say it was the only time I have been incorrectly analyzed. Sadly, that's not the case (if it were, this blog entry wouldn't exist, so there we have it).
Above everything, however, these two experiences really stand out to me:
The first one for humor:
1) Last week when I went out there I went to a model home, and was having a lovely chat with the young man who was about to show me a home. He asked what were somethings I was looking for in a home, and I told him that I would love to find a Green Builder (the link is just an example). He asked what that was and (since I'm sure you're wondering, too) I told him, "It's kind of this tree hugger thing. Environmentally friendly, use cotton based insulation instead of fiberglass, that sort of thing." This led to an interesting discussion on the motivations behind building green. Then, we started looking over floor plans when he showed me one, pointing out that a small family room is in straight eye sight from the kitchen. "Which is really nice," he added, "because the kids can be in here watching T.V. or whatever, and you can be cooking and keep and eye on them." I didn't inform him that I didn't have kids, and didn't really take offense, let's face it, were in Utah, and I drive a frickin' minivan! Later he asked if I had a husband, "nope." Ahh, ok then. Let's go take a look at the house. As we walked out to the parking lot he saw my van, "Is that yours?" he asked.
"Yup."
"Did you say you have kids?"
"No. I don't."
"Oh, ok."
So, we went out to the model he was going to show me, and after looking at the entire house we ended up in the master bedroom. "This room is really nice," he informed me, "it's big. Nice for one person. Or, uh, two." Yeah, me and my equally mother-earthy female life-partner. I laughed internally. I guess people just can't wrap their minds around a single female looking to buy a home, all by herself.
Experience number two is notably much less funny:
2) Today I walked into a home that I really wasn't feeling. The price seemed a whole lot high for the kind of home I was looking at. It was just kind of blahhh. I was interested to know if the builder had more interesting homes, so I asked they guy that was there about their homes. We were discussing things when I picked up a fact sheet about one on the homes. "Now, this one is our largest two story home. It is a little out the price range you mentioned, but it comes with a five car garage."
Cue shocked expression. "Who the Hell needs a five car garage!?"
Laugh. "Are you married?"
"No."
"A man does. A man needs a five car garage!" It should be pointed out that this was said in a slightly more than condescending manner.
"Well, I wear the pants in my family. And I don't need a five car garage!"
As you can imagine, that pretty much ended any house selling experience right there.
A man needs a five car garage - my eye!
posted by granola girl at 8:00 pm
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