Decisions, decisions...

Have you ever noticed that when you are trying to decide something, those around you have all of a sudden become an expert on the subject? For instance, I am wanting to buy a house. Since my announcement of such, I have been bombarded with "helpful" advice. And although everyone has their hearts in the right place, they are more or less freaking me the fuck out. The more things they tell me, the more reluctant I am to move forward with my plans.

For instance, have you ever thought about how your home should face? North to South verses East to West? The benefits of how your air conditioner is placed on your property. The height and placement of trees and shrubbery on your lot. The cost disadvantages of having a pool. The advantages and disadvantages of the placement of your garage? The list just goes on and on.

When I finally decided to seriously search for a house, my criteria was extremely simple. I wanted at least 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms within a certain price range. I had no idea what neighborhood I wanted to move to. The floor plan nor square footage was not a factor for me. How naive I learned I was!

Now I worry about if the house is facing North to South so that if I want to entertain in my back yard, my house will not always be in the sun. The air conditioner should be on the east side of the house since the a/c unit will not be working under the sun during the hottest part of the day. This in turn will help the cost of my electric bill. If I consider having a pool I have to budget for higher insurance premiums. Not to mention the cost of the upkeep of a pool. The shrubbery needs not to block the windows or door way giving potential burglar hiding places. The placement of the trees should provide shade to the house which also helps lower electric bills. And then of course there is the house's curb appeal.

I have learned a lot during my home search. I found that I like the garage to be in the rear of the home instead of the front. Most of the houses that have the garage in the front tend to overshadow the house itself. Plus the idea of a bunch of cars crowding up in front of my home just irks me.

I like open kitchens. Being able to move freely within my kitchen really appeals to me. Plus I grew up with a large open kitchen. My family tends to always congregate in the kitchen so the more open it is, the better.

I want a split floor plan. This means that I want the other rooms separate from the master bedroom. I also want four bedrooms more than three. Even though I am single and have no children, I have plans for each one of the rooms. Plus Oliver and I need space. Damn cat is always crowding me. HA!

The more square footage the better. I want at least a 1700 square foot home. Of course I want the cost to be as low as possible. One of my friends teases me saying I want a mansion on a shack budget. That sounds about right.

I also like a home with some character. I hate homes that have that cookie cutter appearance. You know, where every other house on the block looks exactly the same except maybe having different color brick or door ways. I like individuality.

So where has all this gotten me? Unbelievably frustrated with a large ass headache. I just want a house. A place to call mine. No more apartment living with noisy neighbors and demanding management. Where I have a parking space no matter what time I come home. Where the mailbox is near my place and not on the other side of the complex. Is that too much to ask?

Another thing about my "good friends" with advice is that they also have tried to talk me out of getting my own home. "Having your own home is a lot of work...not to mention expensive..." I have not understood their discouragement. It is almost like they want to hold me back or something. If my fuck-up of a cousin can get a house, why the fuck can't I?

I haven't given up yet. Although each day that passes, I get closer to throwing in the towel. I guess this is just another part of being an adult. I should have enjoyed my youth more.