6 weeks. It’s been 6 weeks since we have moved into our new home. I talked previously about how I have lived in a different apartment every year since the age of 18 so this means a lot to me.

What started as a dirt lot is a home we will raise our kids in.

Rent vs. Buy

My husband and I went back and forth about this for a few months. There are definitely some good reasons to rent. It would be cheaper initially for us to rent than to pay for a house because the houses in this area are fairly expensive. We don’t know the area very well and if we settle on a house and want to move later it would be difficult to do so. And of course when you rent and anything breaks, you can just call maintenance and they will come fix it at no cost to you. I ultimately pushed for us to buy a home because I was pregnant with baby number 2, and honestly I just did not want to move again with children. In addition, my mother intermittently stays with us and I thought we would be way too cramped in another apartment. We were cramped in our two bedroom apartment and I didn’t want a repeat of that. The extra money we would spend on mortgage at least would be going into something we could call our own.

Why did we decide to build?

Once I signed my contract we traveled back and forth looking at places but there was always something I didn’t like or something I would want to change. When we found an up and coming subdivision and were offered the opportunity to build we were ecstatic. We talked through what the process would be, how long it would take, how much it would cost and signed on the dotted line.

How long did it take to build your home?

We broke ground mid January and the house was finished at the end of May. We didn’t move in until the end of June as we had to of course wait until I was finished with board exams.

Before they started building my husband and I drove up to Atlanta and prayed over the empty lot. We prayed that the process would be smooth and that our home would be filled with joy and love and peace.

How was the process building a home long distance?

This was probably the biggest challenge. Every time a phase was finished we had to come and approve it and it required us to drive 4 hours to Atlanta. This usually could only happen Monday through Friday so that required my husband missing a day of work and me finagling with my schedule to make it to Atlanta and not miss any of my rotations. The builders were very nice and would send frequent pictures so we could make sure everything was going as planned. We were able to voice concerns we had and get them fixed quickly. Overall, I would say we had a very good experience minus the distance.

How did you pick all your designs?

In December, before we started building we picked the style model home we wanted and then what we wanted inside of it. We met twice with a design center and picked the cabinets in the kitchen and each bathroom, carpet, flooring, granite, sinks, tubs, showers, door handles, light switches, fireplaces, stone for the outside, lighting, blinds, built-ins you name it. It took hours and was very daunting. But it was amazing to literally pick every detail we wanted with the home.

This what we chose as the backsplash for the kitchen

This is what we chose as the tile and flooring for our master bathroom and shower.

This is what we chose for our guest bathrooms.

How far do you live from your job?

We have three offices and two hospitals. I am 5 minutes from one office, 10 minutes from the second one and 18 minutes from the third. I am 5 minutes from one hospital and 18 minutes from the second hospital we just added. I did buy the home based on the location of the first hospital since most of our patients deliver from there but shouldn’t have an issue getting to the second one either.

Are there things you wanted with the house that you didn’t get?

Yes! Of course! But we were on a very strict budget and had to stick to it. One of my main dreams was for me to have a floor to ceiling kitchen. I saw it in the model home and FELL IN LOVE! However, I didn’t realize how expensive this was. And when it came down to it there were other things we wanted, especially because the top part of the cabinets would be purely for show as I can’t reach them anyway. I may still decide to add them later.

What are your favorite parts of the house? The house is really beautiful and I love it all. My favorite parts are of course the kitchen. It is very spacious, has a large island and a spacious area for a breakfast table. I absolutely love our living room. It is simple and neutral which is what I’ve always dreamed of and I love all the built ins and the color of the fireplace.

My third favorite place is our bathroom. It has my dream shower, is very spacious, has a his and hers side and a makeup section.

Oh, and how could I forget the closet? We had this added after we moved in and loved it. It really helps to keep me organized and not have my things all over the place.

Do you have a big backyard?

No. The homes in this area don’t have very big yards which I am ok with. It is big enough for my son and dog to play. HOA fees include lawn care so we don’t have to worry about that which is great.

How long do you guys plan on living here? As long as we can! Lol. This is definitely a home our kids can grow up in but we never know what the future will hold.