warning: housing market about to go under

How do I know? Because I just jumped in, that's how. Anyone who knows my fortunes when it comes to...well, anything...knows that nothing could be a more ominous sign of an impending housing crunch than yours truly entering the market. My timing is surely legendary by now.

Anyway, just had an offer accepted on this place over there in Bellevue, close to where other Sharpe's have already invaded. As long as the financing and inspection and all go through okay--and I sure don't anticipate any surprises there--then I'll own it in a month. Looks like a steal too, if everything holds up. (I figure I'll keep saying "if" so as not to jinx anything until the deal's final.)

Basically, I set out early on in my quest to locate reasonably priced (i.e. far from where I've resided recently) houses to get three things: uniqueness/character, lot size, and garage/storage space, not necessarily in that order. This one offers the latter two in mammoth quantities, far more so than could normally be expected for the area for sure. It seems to offer the first in the way of a good inside and even some bricks on the outside, but it's hard to tell that sort of thing without having seen it in person. (For those of you trying to keep up, yes, I am attempting to purchase a house I've never visited. But I'm told it's as nice as the pics make it out to be and more.) But the "custom" basement, deck, decent landscaping (shocking that's not shown in the pics), wood floors, and other sweet amenities should really add touch to the place. Not to mention the garage, lot size, lot size, garage, and lot size certainly plus up the uniqueness element too.

I was prepared to need to put in some work on a place (floors, painting, whatever) to bring it up to speed, but this one looks quite boring in that regard in that it doesn't need anything. Maybe I'll invent something to do or tear up a wall or something just to feel like I should mess with it. Coming up with pie-in-the-sky ideas that are barely possible much less feasible is a special skill of mine.

Overall, a good buy, if I do say so myself. Kinda ticks me off that I can't have it out here--would sure be a help with the housing situation and the meeting other peeps dilemma. Now, as long as all the pieces fall into place as they ought to...