tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703584248036030692024-02-18T18:49:22.877-08:00Our Ryan Home: Kind of a Big DealThis blog details the construction of our family's future home: a Rome model by Ryan Homes in Davidson, NC.KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-31928305726657763372012-08-14T18:06:00.001-07:002013-02-23T11:21:58.757-08:00How the rock turned out (and other updates)We have been in our home for a little more than three weeks now, and we've been busier now than we were before we closed (which didn't seem possible since things seemed pretty crazy then). Ah, but virtually all of the moving in is done, and so are the 10 ceiling fans that Lauren installed (reason No. 8,067 why my wife rocks!).<br />
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All of that work has really paid off (I'll share a few pictures of that progress momentarily), but first I wanted to provide the final update on our rock. As some of you recall, we had been asking Ryan to get the developer to grade our backyard and remove what we thought was a decent-sized rock. Then, one month before closing, we found out <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/06/stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place.html" target="_blank">just how big that rock was</a>.<br />
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Yes, that was the view from our bedroom window. The rock was going to be way too big to take out (even that smaller rock would create issues). Our property line basically ended at the back of the big rock, so we had at least 85 percent of it on our property (and, as you see the corner of our back patio in the bottom left of the photo, it didn't leave us with much back yard). </div>
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Once everybody realized that the rock wasn't coming out, we had a dilemma. Ryan, to their credit, offered us the chance to switch to a different lot. But, by that point, the interior of the house <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/06/21-days.html" target="_blank">was 80 percent done</a>, and logistics (starting school for the kids, finding another temporary place, etc.) made that impossible. Besides, it would have been quite strange to build basically a carbon copy of the house somewhere else in the neighborhood. </div>
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So, we decided to keep the lot. Thankfully, we had a buyer's agent who helped us negotiate what to do with Ryan. Our sales rep Amber and our PM Abe wanted to help, but they were limited in what they could do. But, two weeks before closing, we finally got approval for everything we wanted by the regional manager. Abe, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyNL-dR5cNMQEcHQnvk8GbaZlnyEaQK6mN_mg0gJlmsbLW2dhhOMj-swA6m-2mM2awVWEVWVZ50UMeSK75-3Suk7zWMBLoYCjwbSb6Shpol0ryE8vY85zc5ZNdpDXq3p1CBappyRj75wY/s1600/Deck+2.jpg" target="_blank">as demonstrated by this deck</a> by another blogger, is very creative and great to work with. He had a great idea for us, and put it to work. Here's how our rock looks now:</div>
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Yes, we are quite happy with how it turned out. The retaining wall spans the width of the backyard, and there are trees flanking the rock on both sides. </div>
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Here's a view of the right side of our yard. (yes, a few trees need to be replaced, but Abe has already assured us that will be done during our 30-day follow-up).</div>
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It made for a nerve-wracking final few weeks, as we had to wait and see how everything turned out, but we are thrilled with the final outcome. Without the rock, we would have just had a small backyard, but the rock has really added a lot of character back there. A few folks in our neighborhood have already said how nice it looks, and we are happy with it all. </div>
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There are a few issues remaining for us, including a bit of a drainage problem in the back, a creak in our upstairs hallway, and a couple minor things, but those will all be addressed at our 30-day appointment. We have really been blessed to have Ryan as our builder, as it turns out. They really worked with us, and helped us create a home that we are really proud to own. </div>
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Sorry for the long post, but I do want to also include a few updated photos of the inside of the house, so people can see just what we have been up to. The rooms aren't finished yet (we still need to hang pictures, change some bedding, etc.) but at least you get a general idea. </div>
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This is our son Alden's room. He has what is considered Bedroom 5, with the two-foot extension for Elevation L. With the twin bed, his room became quite spacious. </div>
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This is our daughter McKenna's room. She got the extra window for Bedroom 3, and as it turned out, that gave us an extra window in the bonus room too. </div>
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Here's our kitchen. We'll be adding bar stools and a few other things later. </div>
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Here's our family room. How much would you pay for those two couches? We got both of them for a total of $800 including tax and delivery from Ashley Furniture. They are the Darcy model. We're pretty good at finding deals. </div>
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Here's a peek from the back of <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-reasons-why-our-rome-is-kind-of.html" target="_blank">our modified bonus room</a>. This is our play room, and we've played lots of Rock Band and NBA Jam already. </div>
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A view of the bonus room from the front. The entry to the room is at the left of the picture (notice the door at the far left). It has two ceiling fans, and a closet in the back. </div>
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Just like our cat Zelda, we're pretty worn out by everything, but we are quite content at the same time. </div>
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We wanted to say thanks to everyone for your encouragement and support. The rock issue was stressful, but seeing how everyone else has handled their own situations (some even worse than ours) really helped a lot. Good luck to all, and happy building. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-60460464691047115942012-07-29T20:41:00.000-07:002012-07-29T20:41:14.911-07:00Closing one chapter, beginning a thrilling new story...So, I vowed not to become one of those bloggers who disappeared for more than a few days without providing any updates. Well, as loyal readers can tell (and thanks to all our followers for your interest), it has been a while since our last post. But, don't worry, it has all turned out with really terrific results. I apologize for not providing an update sooner, but we were without Internet for a week, and we've been crazy busy the rest of the time. Anyway, here is a much overdue update on what has been going on.<br />
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- We closed on July 19th, but not before a little excitement. I had blogged a while back about the fact that we were <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/05/u-s-d-hey.html" target="_blank">doing a loan through USDA</a>, and everything seemed to be going well. But, it took a while before we got the final green light from there (there were no issues, they were just really slow), so we didn't know until two days before closing that we had the go-ahead. That meant a lot of last-minute shopping for things (hello ceiling fans!) and we hadn't even packed because we were afraid closing could be delayed a week. But, it all worked out in the end.<br />
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- We have a resolution to <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/06/stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place.html" target="_blank">the rock issue</a>. I'm going to do a separate blog post on this in the next week or so (I promise to do better with the blogging updates), but the final verdict is, we're keeping our unexpected find. I'll get into more of the details in that next post, but the cliff notes version is that the rock could not be removed without major issues, and that Ryan Homes has gone out of their way to make sure we are satisfied with the end result. The transformation isn't complete yet (it should be done in the next week or so), but we are actually quite happy with the end result. Kudos for Ryan for making a difficult situation turn out for the best for everyone.<br />
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- Since closing, we have been quite busy with work inside the house. You don't realize how much work it is to unpack until you start doing it. But we are making progress. Lauren, <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/07/even-prettier-than-our-home.html" target="_blank">my super wife</a>, has already installed six ceiling fans and only has four more to go. We have most of our garage unpacked, and even have the kids' rooms nicely done.<br />
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Ah, but I know what you are thinking. All of these updates are nice, but where are the pictures? Here are some of the photos to show just how well things turned out for us.<br />
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We recreated the scene we've seen on other blogs. It was such a special moment to open the front door for the first time as a family. </div>
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Six months ago, we never thought we'd see these so quickly. But since then, we sold one house (in three weeks!) and bought what is truly our dream home. We are blessed so much by all of this - words can't even express what it has been like. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Our happy kids. They spent their first day at <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/determining-neighborhood.html" target="_blank">our neighborhood amenity center</a> Saturday, soaking up the first of many fun days there. We haven't been able to have a lot of those kinds of adventures lately with everything going on, but soon they can look forward to many more days like that. </span></div>
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A little surprise we had in store for the kids. We put their names on their doors, with a sign that showed a little of their character (guess what Hannah is interested in). </div>
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McKenna shows how happy she is with her new room - now she won't have to share with her sister anymore. </div>
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Alden is becoming my sports buddy. We can't wait to play NBA Jam and cheer on the Panthers in our new home. </div>
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Our last look at our kitchen before we moved everything in. Much of the house doesn't look this neat right now - there are still many boxes left to go, but we have made a lot of progress in just over a week. </div>
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What better way to celebrate than to <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/p/our-family.html" target="_blank">break out a little Rock Band</a>? Alden and Hannah prepare to sing "21 Guns" by Green Day with me on guitar and McKenna on drums. We look forward to many more "concerts" in our <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-reasons-why-our-rome-is-kind-of.html" target="_blank">newly created bonus room</a>. </div>
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I'll try to post more pictures soon, including the final version of the rock. (you won't want to miss that one). Thanks again for reading, and we hope everyone's experience with Ryan Homes turns out as well as ours did. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-55739816038007093192012-07-13T18:28:00.001-07:002012-07-13T18:28:26.709-07:00Even prettier than our homeWhen I write something for the blog, my wife Lauren usually reads it over and approves it before I post it. But not this post. This post is about her, and how blessed I am to be sharing this special moment, a moment we've been waiting a year for, with her.<br />
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When I proposed to Lauren three years ago, I did it with a 40-page book that included many of the emails and texts we had sent to each other (I proposed after she finished the last page). One of the emails I sent her talked about all the moments I couldn't wait to share with her in the future. This will certainly be one of those moments.<br />
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This house will be Lauren's first - I had our previous house before I even met her. It is the first house that she's been able to choose the colors, pick out the furniture, and really have a say in how it would turn out. And it has turned out to be almost as pretty as she is (but not quite). :) Going from our old house to our new house has been a roller coaster ride, filled with many twists and turns along the way, but I couldn't imagine sharing those moments with anyone else.<br />
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Lauren is so sweet - she has kept my head up when we've faced challenges, and has been such an inspiration to me. It's funny, because just the other day, we talked about how we never dreamed we'd have such a great new house to move into. Yet, in many ways, I feel the same way about being married to her. I never thought I could find someone who could make me as happy as she does. Lauren is a great wife, a terrific mom, and someone who I'll get to wake up next to for many, many years to come. As thrilled as I am about the house, I am even more thrilled about that.<br />
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But, for now, I get to look forward to what's next. It will be an emotional day when we get the keys. I hope all my fellow bloggers cherish the moment they get their keys, and appreciate the person they've shared this journey with. I know I do.<br />
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-54791091788853746722012-07-10T19:32:00.000-07:002012-07-10T19:32:38.688-07:00The grass is greener on our side of the fence...O.K., so there really isn't a fence, but we now have grass in the front yard. Seeing the grass, combined with the landscaping, really pulls the house together. We are still scheduled to close in 9 days (aaaahhh!) but we really can't wait. After seeing some of these pictures, you will understand why. :)<br />
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We are so thrilled with how the outside of the house looks. They'll of course remove the dumpsters and pressure wash the driveway, but you get the general idea. It's amazing to think we went from making choices from swatches to what we have now. Like I said when we started the blog, "Don't act like you're not impressed!" :)</div>
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A nice look at the landscaping that comes with the home. We have some more landscaping to come in the back (foreshadowing!) but we'll get into that in another post. </div>
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Hard to believe we were looking at this <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/05/dont-want-to-miss-thing.html" target="_blank">just two months ago</a>. Now, we get this...</div>
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We feel very blessed to be able to call this house our home very soon. The kids are so excited too, and we can really sense just how close we are to realizing our dream. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-46555071200155376842012-07-04T19:19:00.000-07:002012-07-04T19:19:00.207-07:00Our house is almost our home....When you're two weeks away from closing and you really get that first extended walk into your house, it is an amazing feeling. We had the keys today, giving us an extended day to really look at our new home. We had seen it briefly Monday with our PM Abe, but today we were able to spend a couple hours just walking around and soaking it all in. This house will be our "forever" home, <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/short-introduction.html" target="_blank">the home that Lauren and I will spend the next 30 years together in </a>(sorry Lauren). :) We've built it with the future in mind, and we could really see that future when we walked in today.<br />
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They put up the number for the house. It's such a small thing, but in many ways it is a big deal. </div>
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A good peek at our guest bedroom downstairs, with French doors at the entrance. For those who don't know, <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-reasons-why-our-rome-is-kind-of.html" target="_blank">this room and the guest bathroom replace the living room and dining room downstairs </a>(and also makes the pantry enormous - 4 x 8 feet)</div>
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The guest bathroom. This bathroom is basically identical to the secondary bathroom upstairs. </div>
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A view from inside the guest room, showing the French doors and how the hardwood complements the carpet. <span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
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Here's the morning room with the flooring. We opted to skip the optional windows due to the heat of North Carolina summers (and after the temperature reached 104 Saturday, we are thankful for our decision). <span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
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A good photo of the stairs and spindles. (it's amazing the pictures you can get from a phone nowadays).</div>
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The powder room downstairs. </div>
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The glorious kitchen, with the stove and microwave installed. We think having black appliances will reduce fingerprints and also help to pull all of our colors together. </div>
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The refrigerator isn't quite in yet - unless Abe is trying to say he likes it better in the middle of the walkway. :) But you get the general idea of the kitchen with the crown moulding above. </div>
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Our kids are so very excited. We spent three hours at the house today, but we would have been there even longer if it had electricity. (that's coming in the next few days, so maybe we'll bring sleeping bags). :)</div>
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Spending so much time at the house also gave Lauren and I the chance to really comb through everything. We found around five things that we would like our PM Abe to fix, including some creaks upstairs and a bit of minor damage to the kitchen floor at the dishwasher. But he has two weeks to fix those things and just touch up the rest of the house. We think that should be plenty of time for him, because the next two weeks will feel like a month for us. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-14029262597432579432012-07-02T18:09:00.004-07:002012-07-02T20:11:28.582-07:00Today was a good dayWe are less than three weeks away from getting the keys to the house. I checked with NVR and their underwriters have approved our mortgage and they expect USDA to do the same in the next week or two. We had a brief meeting with our PM Abe at the house about the rock issue (we're getting closer to a resolution) and while we were there, we uncovered some new sights.<br />
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This photo was taken last week and we forgot to post it. All of the flooring is uncovered and cleaned as of today.</div>
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Today, we arrived just as the tile dudes finished up the tile backsplash. We love the accent clips.</div>
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Another glorious view of our backsplash.</div>
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Here's a view of our hardwood uncovered.</div>
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Kevin and our PM Abe honoring the little-known holiday - yellow polo shirt day.
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We had a quick walkthrough of the house with Abe today and he answered a few minor questions we had. We didn't have doorknobs on our closet doors in the bonus room, but he explained that they are coming. We will get "dummy knobs" that match our other knobs, but don't move or lock. Since our bonus room closet was a modification, those knobs were not included in the original order of knobs. </div>
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Speaking of knobs, it's harder to visit our house because it's locked every day now. Boo!!! We'll have to make arrangements with our SR Amber to pick up the key. Thankfully, we only have to do that for a couple of weeks.</div>
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Our final walkthrough is still scheduled for 2 weeks from today (YIKES!) and everything is right on schedule. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-41576315138143224342012-06-28T18:59:00.005-07:002012-06-28T18:59:57.826-07:0021 days.....It's hard to believe that we're scheduled to close three weeks from today. The house is coming along quite nicely - we should have electricity in the next few days - and my parents are coming from Florida for their first look at the house this weekend.<br />
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When they get here, they'll see a house that is really close to finished, as these pictures demonstrate:<br />
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Interior lights are going up quickly. We have outlet covers on, and could have electricity soon. (It'd be nice to have it this weekend, since the forecast high is 103 Saturday - yikes!)</div>
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The workers have been really cooking in the kitchen too. Just need the stove and refrigerator. <span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
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We're really happy with the color of the railing. It really makes the spindles shine. </div>
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A good look at the light in the stairwell and the spindles. </div>
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A good look at a coach light on the outside We have one at our front door, and two for our garage. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The time is getting close - but we are ready. Almost everything is set up at this point - the movers are scheduled and so is the furniture and washer and dryer delivery. There are only a couple loose ends with Ryan left. We are still waiting for final approval on our loan, but all indications are that everything is fine. We also don't have a resolution to </span><a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/06/stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place.html" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">the rock situation </a><span style="background-color: white;">yet, and that may continue pretty close to closing (and perhaps, beyond closing...). But we're not thinking about that right now, we're just enjoying the progress we are seeing and looking forward to sharing it with family this weekend. </span>KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-58972957030594416252012-06-24T18:26:00.002-07:002012-06-24T18:26:51.869-07:00For those without a rock, we salute you...(with flooring pics)We're still waiting for an update on our massive rock in the backyard. Ryan Homes is getting their regional managers involved to try to work something out with the developer. We've made it clear that we'd much rather have no rock at all than anything else, and Ryan Homes is really trying to make this work. (it may just come down to who pays for the removal of the rock - Ryan or the developer). But, we don't expect any kind of resolution for several days.<br />
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While we wait for the rock to be resolved, there have been many other much more positive happenings at the house. Closing is less than four weeks away, and the house is really coming along fast. We've started checking every few days, but the locks are probably coming soon on our doors. But here's some of the exciting things that have happened in just the last week:<br />
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The pillars have been painted and so has the front door. Just waiting on the trim for the garage door windows and coach lights for the front at this point. </div>
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Cabinets and faucets are in the secondary bathrooms now. </div>
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Take a peek at the flooring in the secondary bathrooms (we also used it in the laundry room). </div>
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Hooray Uba Tuba black granite. We really like it with the Maple Cognac cabinets. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohOkfZpUxFmrHKi3PctF_Gq_qhB-EgMfHStBjGNJ_9mXteg1PkQ4bcVS6P_Mt4RKRSMjZAtE60j0w24ggLHFfiHN2ynWfvl0n2wJM343-dEyVP32KBGCT1FnT8Gqee8L81A3kLxHO2rk/s1600/IMG_0743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohOkfZpUxFmrHKi3PctF_Gq_qhB-EgMfHStBjGNJ_9mXteg1PkQ4bcVS6P_Mt4RKRSMjZAtE60j0w24ggLHFfiHN2ynWfvl0n2wJM343-dEyVP32KBGCT1FnT8Gqee8L81A3kLxHO2rk/s320/IMG_0743.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Our 60/40 sink, with the disposal on the big side (it's a little different than usual, but that's how I like it). </div>
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Getting the appliances here too. Might be seeing the doors locked soon. </div>
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A closer picture of the granite with the tile. The tile backsplash should be coming soon. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiexQ9dluJu37fR8iyZZRufc9_SswlzdgQR2CB47CQxqnmQVqbdco60JIt1XBSJSfjVkyVgBwvK_eQVNDK1ih7H7ZFgau4FgvbZkaDYTqXLpC_9SyNBq-0vo5GY5vr2shfVYzz2tLXfQ/s1600/IMG_0746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiexQ9dluJu37fR8iyZZRufc9_SswlzdgQR2CB47CQxqnmQVqbdco60JIt1XBSJSfjVkyVgBwvK_eQVNDK1ih7H7ZFgau4FgvbZkaDYTqXLpC_9SyNBq-0vo5GY5vr2shfVYzz2tLXfQ/s320/IMG_0746.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here's our kitchen floor. We are really happy with it. </div>
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That looks cool. (get it?)</div>
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Here's a photo of the shower with the brushed nickel enclosure and nice corner caddy, along with some crazy girl who entered our house (only kidding Hannah). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqaUfYxhYFZHADOB8V7Bfk9i3cfMiDAKkY9hzUm8MATMid2XepF_syglgmBPXhtBO374PM_8gaypT45mDjnjgKPfHUdHogtFOCUM6uNocye4nwMcSjjr50ylAqA2SLyJRDWdM5lmb4nY/s1600/IMG_0751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqaUfYxhYFZHADOB8V7Bfk9i3cfMiDAKkY9hzUm8MATMid2XepF_syglgmBPXhtBO374PM_8gaypT45mDjnjgKPfHUdHogtFOCUM6uNocye4nwMcSjjr50ylAqA2SLyJRDWdM5lmb4nY/s320/IMG_0751.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Another look at the shower (and that is just a reflection of the window above the tub). </div>
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We can not wait to use our key for this in less than four weeks. </div>
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We can get mail now! (but please wait on sending us any bills people).</div>
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There is also another update that we wanted to share. In a previous post, we mentioned how someone in our neighborhood lost their Florence right around the final walkthrough, and were unable to close. There is a good news/bad news update with this. The bad news is that the buyer could not get the home in our neighborhood back (it sold in five days). But the good news is that the buyer ended up buying another Florence in a Ryan community just 10 minutes away. It was an inventory home, so they should be able to move in quickly. </div>
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We're happy that they were able to get into a Ryan home, and that neighborhood is quite comparable to ours. So maybe everything worked out for the better. </div>
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Now, we're hoping we can say the same thing about our rock. We're keeping our fingers crossed. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-8831059873275592992012-06-21T17:01:00.002-07:002012-06-21T17:04:07.633-07:00Stuck between a rock and a hard place..Some of you may recall us mentioning the grading that we needed done in the back yard by the developer. The back yard sloped down toward the house, and we knew there was a big rock in there too. Here's the way the backyard looked when we first had the slab poured:<br />
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As you can see, the rock looks fairly big, but we felt confident that it could be removed. </div>
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We had been asking for a few weeks, and then finally on Wednesday, we noticed that they had done the grading in the back yard. The good news is that we have a fair amount of flat yard close to the house (maybe 20 feet or so), which isn't that bad considering <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/its-small-lot-after-all.html" target="_blank">we have a small lot </a>(we'd still like more, but it was encouraging). However, the grading also revealed the size of the rock. Take a look at these two pictures: </div>
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The above picture is the view straight from the morning room. It's almost 6 feet high. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7VNcl8x84HyqjTxkfmswWl7wflStLb8QyiN92jFHViagaxjXOL74u8fmnldunQWGT0WlzdYF5hYKvN3ilv44QD8AegAjl73Qrx01qO7r3BUosJtRwwnoeLcrc7ErdThwyO9vnFIzha8/s1600/IMG_0764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7VNcl8x84HyqjTxkfmswWl7wflStLb8QyiN92jFHViagaxjXOL74u8fmnldunQWGT0WlzdYF5hYKvN3ilv44QD8AegAjl73Qrx01qO7r3BUosJtRwwnoeLcrc7ErdThwyO9vnFIzha8/s400/IMG_0764.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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The picture above is the view of the rock from the master bedroom upstairs. It shows the depth of the rock and just how wide it is . </div>
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Our SR Amber and our PM Abe both have known for a while that we've wanted the rock out. And, to their credit, both have called us within the last 24 hours to say that they are not at all happy with what the developer has left in our lot. Both of them have pledged to help us out as much as they can, but Abe admitted that there may be a problem. </div>
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Our property line splits the rock in half. Some of it is on our property, and some of it is on the undeveloped lot behind us. Abe said they may only be able to get the rock on our side of the line out, and the rest may have to stay. He's going to go to bat for us, by talking to the developer and even getting his manager involved. But none of us are sure what will happen next. </div>
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So, that leaves us with a dilemma. What happens if some of the rock is left? We're trying to come up with possible landscaping ideas, but we can't seem to think of one that will look good at all. </div>
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Needless to say, we're stuck in a bad spot if the rock remains. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-6502251435581956792012-06-16T08:58:00.002-07:002012-06-16T12:30:48.740-07:00Pillars of progressWe tried a little experiment this week. How long could we go without seeing the house? We had been going almost everyday for a while, and the 25-minute drive after work everyday made it hard to keep up our temporary apartment (hello, piles of laundry!). So, we vowed not to go to the house for a week, to let us catch up on our apartment, and then get the added surprise of a lot of things done.<br />
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It wasn't easy - I kidded Lauren a couple times about seeing the house on my lunch break from work - but it made for quite a nice Friday night. Here are some of the things we saw:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ExDDGw6nG960cIEjBwENUwsZs8rbEo2-PedVMAuAHAO0seL_j_KJbBbAIlpgcdVrCgjNB3LuDlAuvFVLltj77YB2-Zrkn4p8V9_jlO7Y9XlXGiME_QQjafisStkuC9Jb5Gih0e5sSfc/s1600/IMG_0682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ExDDGw6nG960cIEjBwENUwsZs8rbEo2-PedVMAuAHAO0seL_j_KJbBbAIlpgcdVrCgjNB3LuDlAuvFVLltj77YB2-Zrkn4p8V9_jlO7Y9XlXGiME_QQjafisStkuC9Jb5Gih0e5sSfc/s400/IMG_0682.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Yep, they added the shutters to the outside and the pillars to the front porch. (The pillars and door will be painted later, and the trim is also yet to come). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEMMwYeD0WfY2l_wwbddWO_oBu3WZ-VE91ZoHA6ZCcZxIBqZdCY7MRPiR95XNqjB4-ge9L96McGv1h0X6HRqKILSLlKhjohzE6bElitg1NWcZTdb05ECk2w1-EHk3fvUcIaC_iFRAesM/s1600/IMG_0665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEMMwYeD0WfY2l_wwbddWO_oBu3WZ-VE91ZoHA6ZCcZxIBqZdCY7MRPiR95XNqjB4-ge9L96McGv1h0X6HRqKILSLlKhjohzE6bElitg1NWcZTdb05ECk2w1-EHk3fvUcIaC_iFRAesM/s320/IMG_0665.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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We have paint! (at least a first coat). Here's a view of the family room (with the outlet for the mounted TV). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCt6T6D9BF7KznR1Ugjezrq_LyhR6xCMDYHn5lS6GfsJjzkPMWwOkZRovN9JxjVFFCWxvsg6C54vKOG7yhQS8GiVtJ4FrhvY9CpAvqk66vkAOPfpE7lDQepK6ABkEcOQNyQLfeJbPU5w/s1600/IMG_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCt6T6D9BF7KznR1Ugjezrq_LyhR6xCMDYHn5lS6GfsJjzkPMWwOkZRovN9JxjVFFCWxvsg6C54vKOG7yhQS8GiVtJ4FrhvY9CpAvqk66vkAOPfpE7lDQepK6ABkEcOQNyQLfeJbPU5w/s400/IMG_0671.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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This was quite a surprise. We thought the door to the study was going to be just a standard inside door, but we got a <strike>French door</strike> 15-light door (thanks CMM) instead. If that's not right, we aren't going to complain. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtASwtQfuflFSc8ooNyNlOX81fpMt7qflP6m7zpLEiQpgmE2xWI21eCWxgiyIC_QAOsftQHP5dV-EF4Bej88pIvSFPUU5pQ5_7oa3YjxFSCySOpIiWUGtl59bTPbxuBkHuBggSh9e5hdM/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtASwtQfuflFSc8ooNyNlOX81fpMt7qflP6m7zpLEiQpgmE2xWI21eCWxgiyIC_QAOsftQHP5dV-EF4Bej88pIvSFPUU5pQ5_7oa3YjxFSCySOpIiWUGtl59bTPbxuBkHuBggSh9e5hdM/s320/IMG_0672.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Lauren's spindles are in with the railing too. Can't wait to see them really pop when they paint the railing to match the hardwood downstairs. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4mMD_Ex6ioahbL_kvZhRN6KuIMSmJLmLMVCtW4Jk3l5Hp0CW-uXS7mC_aNTE7LC57djCYFCrNyXTLcKYM3uKkLNM2_hgMVrtwz8C9ShKDryTjMm0f5C9G2mOGy6zBrVhdX0mlI95D6k/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4mMD_Ex6ioahbL_kvZhRN6KuIMSmJLmLMVCtW4Jk3l5Hp0CW-uXS7mC_aNTE7LC57djCYFCrNyXTLcKYM3uKkLNM2_hgMVrtwz8C9ShKDryTjMm0f5C9G2mOGy6zBrVhdX0mlI95D6k/s400/IMG_0676.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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A good look at <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-reasons-why-our-rome-is-kind-of.html" target="_blank">our bonus room</a> closets. The room, which we created ourselves, is actually a lot bigger than it appears. It is about 22 feet long, and 13 feet wide except for the 2-foot bump out shown in the picture. We created the idea ourselves, and we are pretty pleased with how it turned out. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkqRmPESOUb5ngoKNcrN_IqV8NKKPHPD4JOxtTEpr0plR_zdYy-SMZ6AyhVfY4I9L_fKxUz_X9uy4oTdvLADHjkjmvWGRvTQGZHLLrY2Uowjvq2W4vqQCw0F8uqGidomObqKLQgt7acM/s1600/IMG_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkqRmPESOUb5ngoKNcrN_IqV8NKKPHPD4JOxtTEpr0plR_zdYy-SMZ6AyhVfY4I9L_fKxUz_X9uy4oTdvLADHjkjmvWGRvTQGZHLLrY2Uowjvq2W4vqQCw0F8uqGidomObqKLQgt7acM/s320/IMG_0683.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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A view from the front door into the house. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kTEcAqmmr0ub-Mnc_ntbeAntEkmu8izMilITCtyfu1eAEY7TdEMlto39bBIgAHIhWR4duvkQUjpr-IRRzqXzmw6_8Vmgdv2YRFRcfcd-ElTTxUiAfkKmMYOcgATUz_SrXYpuDL42vOg/s1600/IMG_0686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kTEcAqmmr0ub-Mnc_ntbeAntEkmu8izMilITCtyfu1eAEY7TdEMlto39bBIgAHIhWR4duvkQUjpr-IRRzqXzmw6_8Vmgdv2YRFRcfcd-ElTTxUiAfkKmMYOcgATUz_SrXYpuDL42vOg/s400/IMG_0686.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Woo-hoo!! A lot of other bloggers chose Maple Cognac too, and you can see why. It looks so good in the kitchen. (we have black Uba Tuba granite to come). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIQrNrLH2AvPnH3QBGDq0wSNWXkiVlQld59EqVc5Oy5PDveerkOuTTmAKpEFfLlMYTSGybcRQncieSRA2K8grsDtIniY_-FgfzX-clF-VYqeDAyRgZUV8GgOj0c-oaeejvMNgW0nKHMc/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIQrNrLH2AvPnH3QBGDq0wSNWXkiVlQld59EqVc5Oy5PDveerkOuTTmAKpEFfLlMYTSGybcRQncieSRA2K8grsDtIniY_-FgfzX-clF-VYqeDAyRgZUV8GgOj0c-oaeejvMNgW0nKHMc/s320/IMG_0687.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Our bathrooms all have Andover Maple Spice cabinets. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOi7bImf7qZTB5KpUkYPare3jEf27G29sHJrzTdvfxOTEfh63tnFjXlImQUykrfH4FUEecmbQih8aiAPBEzlphM6ccciULmlhcqa1XGxxieoZHclDKMKOO_fVnA7rfa8ZTtnUeHDgVbQ/s1600/IMG_0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOi7bImf7qZTB5KpUkYPare3jEf27G29sHJrzTdvfxOTEfh63tnFjXlImQUykrfH4FUEecmbQih8aiAPBEzlphM6ccciULmlhcqa1XGxxieoZHclDKMKOO_fVnA7rfa8ZTtnUeHDgVbQ/s320/IMG_0688.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Upgraded tile in the kids' bathroom (we also did that in the guest bathroom). </div>
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Here's a lot of <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/flooring-choices.html" target="_blank">our Rite Rug money</a>. One thing we noticed is that they are planning to put one of those corner caddies in our shower, even though we actually wanted them in the secondary baths. We think we may just keep it in our shower anyway. (we don't know yet if they have a spot for one in the guest bathroom, so that tub might go without). </div>
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So, obviously, waiting a week was pretty cool. Unfortunately, they still haven't fixed the grading in the backyard, something both Abe and Amber said should be done this week. We'll have to get something in writing to ensure it is done at this point (Amber said that won't be a problem). We understand that the developer has been busy (they've cleared almost an entire road for new lots and things), but we've been requesting the grading in the back for six weeks now and nothing has been done. So, we'll get that this week and get our buyers' agent involved too. Our official closing is July 19th, and this needs to be done well before then.</div>
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But other than that, it was a pretty exciting week. Waiting was pretty fun, but something tells me we won't be able to hold out that long in the next few weeks. :) </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-2562497409760384302012-06-10T15:01:00.000-07:002012-06-10T15:01:42.631-07:00Be careful out there...So we got a call from our SR Amber Saturday, letting us know that while the developer didn't grade our backyard as promised last week, he expects to do so this week. (yes, we are a little skeptical, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt for one more week - after that, time to bring in the big guns).<br />
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She also told us something else that should serve as a reminder to us and everyone else in bloggerland. Apparently, the buyers of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNr3EHU9OVs6h0TxDSMc3FLDI29ln6xZIavYTOTAy9Ntp5kW6-2_2X4gNCkGlcSn_awXdxWt3UD3Ag72E1HxHaC8rwhPsnIATlh0tzWgo43MPEzT_51Jt7caKRvyXQSOQDMI5PhDGwjcU/s1600/IMG_0588.JPG" target="_blank">the Florence that I had pictured earlier in the blog </a>had their loan fall through after their walkthrough. Amber couldn't get into specifics, but said they had a "major life event" and just wanted to let us know that was why we now had an inventory home one street over from us with a for sale sign.<br />
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Apparently, the original buyer is still trying to buy the home through another financing option, but Ryan had to move ahead and list it. (We think the home had been finished for a month or so). I can't imagine how that buyer must feel. To be so close, and then to see it all fall through. We never met them, but we are still saying a little prayer for them.<br />
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Their plight reminded us how fragile the whole homebuying process can be, especially nowadays. We got an email from NVR late Friday asking for a few minor things as we move forward, and rest assured, Saturday's news got our attention about being diligent with loan matters. This should go without saying, but anyone looking to buy a home should avoid changing jobs or making any major purchases (through credit) until right up before closing. You never know how that might change things, as the prospective buyer of the Florence in our neighborhood sadly found out.<br />
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-77354030696534421942012-06-07T19:27:00.000-07:002012-06-07T19:27:40.433-07:00Stone in love...(with drywall too...)Once framing week ended, we thought things might slow down a little bit with our home. Things had calmed down Monday and Tuesday <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/05/were-running-out-of-time-in-good-way.html" target="_blank">after our pre-drywall </a>last week, but then Wednesday the drywall was up for the entire house. What do you think about that Alden?<br />
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(Looks like he's pretty happy)</div>
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That wasn't the only surprise. We came back at lunch today, and saw the stoners (huh-huh, stoners) working on the front. When we came back tonight - wow! A little music from the maestro please...<br />
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Yes, we were pretty thrilled, and with good reason. Check out these photos:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IBMkRKmdt5zQYjpC1Vgbs2XLmnPCX9gfIBlvAmUTedlJE_xWK7pRlrxqs9q4b3j7kBXKr4lCgUzTcaVdqr8GdzXnKJLr3wLYRrJ0r7IpgbBsIofxvZ4NKNTovJ_DrGwa98MguuAyOEo/s1600/IMG_0647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IBMkRKmdt5zQYjpC1Vgbs2XLmnPCX9gfIBlvAmUTedlJE_xWK7pRlrxqs9q4b3j7kBXKr4lCgUzTcaVdqr8GdzXnKJLr3wLYRrJ0r7IpgbBsIofxvZ4NKNTovJ_DrGwa98MguuAyOEo/s640/IMG_0647.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Woo-hoo!!! </div>
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(a few quick notes - the garage door will have added trim on the glass, and yes we noticed the window to be replaced on the porch - Lauren's OCD helps :) ). The stone gives off a bit of a reddish tint in this photo, but the photos below better illustrate the color. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtxsYzcHpMtoYKPNQSFDTJj16HuS-LlKUDyRSI4Co4JG8gNn3xuqK4GLlIxqeQAHgkIneWA0bSNOyxzNAkzPjaeNhLOIi-aNSb-DjhghY7mnVT5VM4KO64urCM6IrQv2fhGpunHvjkNM/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtxsYzcHpMtoYKPNQSFDTJj16HuS-LlKUDyRSI4Co4JG8gNn3xuqK4GLlIxqeQAHgkIneWA0bSNOyxzNAkzPjaeNhLOIi-aNSb-DjhghY7mnVT5VM4KO64urCM6IrQv2fhGpunHvjkNM/s400/IMG_0649.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Now, that's what I call a porch! (again, we know about the window) :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUYe8bNGgTN9eKMbL4-tY9O6HS_Dc1jxg76C7cXtiyjvY8q3FwWnjq5hbWnEkwcGZkGaBQ2qX6pECMYcdyqyGYv2anhjsseeJAp2btlcgH3mB3MP60_QQwvWBb91tCR9erfdTt-Mgg7g/s1600/IMG_0650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUYe8bNGgTN9eKMbL4-tY9O6HS_Dc1jxg76C7cXtiyjvY8q3FwWnjq5hbWnEkwcGZkGaBQ2qX6pECMYcdyqyGYv2anhjsseeJAp2btlcgH3mB3MP60_QQwvWBb91tCR9erfdTt-Mgg7g/s400/IMG_0650.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Detail around the front door. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIqHg8D70UJqksH5bztwMWHUx9tOllr94ZWAWe5UFN9-dyIp496b0w98WYgLyb_hDEPIE2I7TNT71PoBpaHAa_dHcYJkVrPtWvCbWkOSoREcYfKbJvsGnK88HT2N4S36px0tiYATsq9c/s1600/IMG_0651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIqHg8D70UJqksH5bztwMWHUx9tOllr94ZWAWe5UFN9-dyIp496b0w98WYgLyb_hDEPIE2I7TNT71PoBpaHAa_dHcYJkVrPtWvCbWkOSoREcYfKbJvsGnK88HT2N4S36px0tiYATsq9c/s400/IMG_0651.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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And, yes for those wondering, <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/06/step-by-step.html" target="_blank">the mystery shelf mentioned in the last post </a>is gone. But we're O.K. with that. </div>
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We are really pretty happy with the stone. It is actually a little darker than we expected, but we think it adds a lot to the house. We are also glad we went with the full stone up the side. It was a little bit pricey, but it was worth it in the end. It really makes a big difference in the house. </div>
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Again, it is amazing how much things change. The drywall really gives a better sense of how big each room will be, and it really helps you to envision the rooms. The only bit of a bummer today was that the developer still hasn't removed the big rock from our backyard. (Amber, our SR pledged that he was coming today to our buyer's agent). But, we'll give him another day before we start to really get upset about it. </div>
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We can't wait to see what's next. The kids are so excited - they've already made a couple friends in the neighborhood, and we've gotten to know a couple neighbors too. We only have six weeks until our expected close date, and we're just counting down the days and getting excited about all the great things to come. </div>
<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-91900748365237280372012-06-03T19:07:00.000-07:002012-06-03T19:07:43.624-07:00Step by step....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Things are progressing nicely at our new home, and we have a lot to look forward to. The outside front of our house could be finished by the weekend (a small question on that for other bloggers in a minute), and we could have the drywall up too. </div>
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As exciting as that is, I think we are even more excited that the developer is expected to finally grade down our backyard this week too (and remove a big ugly rock in the process). We have been asking about this for weeks, and our SR Amber had promised it would be done. Our backyard will probably have a bit of a slope to it, but we're hoping it won't be too extreme. Our PM Abe said he may be able to grade it down a little more after developer gets in there, but he can't do anything until the big rock is gone. </div>
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So, we're optimistic on that front. It's really quite a thrill to see the house coming along so fast. Lauren said the other day that she feels like our temporary apartment is really like a hotel now, and that our house really feels like a home. Here are some pictures of progress (with a small question for the final picture):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNiZTYAhZYQYB4EGZsXk0GgGB4UDtoxevMJFzNWagcEfmROERBEM2xQetlCZOat4GFgcymSDqsjHeJ0UO51A_ULCcxX_S4llqwrQQRtEr1KikCahLo7xupR0vPQ1l2CVNSsN-Ni8yLJk/s1600/IMG_0634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNiZTYAhZYQYB4EGZsXk0GgGB4UDtoxevMJFzNWagcEfmROERBEM2xQetlCZOat4GFgcymSDqsjHeJ0UO51A_ULCcxX_S4llqwrQQRtEr1KikCahLo7xupR0vPQ1l2CVNSsN-Ni8yLJk/s640/IMG_0634.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The stone should be on this week, and that will really make the look of the house. Of course, the kids are pretty excited already. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3By3dK7AtV9aJZ_k-BH6PMGavnqJ-V49fgnUf46njgHqCLwF1e4cc7xoFJ_dVU4JrPCdPe5Z7qQQyteVcnaM4HsJCDc_fI55ord9pGwuzp9Yipz7Gqp3LpGnUud6GlfDbCV2dod_DtGQ/s1600/IMG_0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3By3dK7AtV9aJZ_k-BH6PMGavnqJ-V49fgnUf46njgHqCLwF1e4cc7xoFJ_dVU4JrPCdPe5Z7qQQyteVcnaM4HsJCDc_fI55ord9pGwuzp9Yipz7Gqp3LpGnUud6GlfDbCV2dod_DtGQ/s400/IMG_0639.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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One of our favorite pictures. The kids were in the bonus room looking out to the front of the house. I'm sure they were imagining all the fun times they will have soon. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsec3qJ6HrZbpzpDRVYA10CMjQB28W66eWYTGd6K4KS8L_qcyb1kczcTFKokewX2orfg3LwYiDXsOT282_j4f-mid_uGWiB4yiI3ShkLT4HQeX7vHaujZCAomi9w14_bBXLL0aDlNKzw/s1600/IMG_0641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsec3qJ6HrZbpzpDRVYA10CMjQB28W66eWYTGd6K4KS8L_qcyb1kczcTFKokewX2orfg3LwYiDXsOT282_j4f-mid_uGWiB4yiI3ShkLT4HQeX7vHaujZCAomi9w14_bBXLL0aDlNKzw/s400/IMG_0641.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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The porch is looking good!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJINPFau2iucmVQHwQGApHpLAaV-oYH691b7BYzeQw1qstO2c-Oz12oXrJQR-7FUrXsSoi9f-KX9bMa3YqC_DBhbRAXcWyBX7Lky2ajfEwYiFEerRL0VE9hU-ZUO-juWm2mJMfL_8mCk4/s1600/IMG_0642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJINPFau2iucmVQHwQGApHpLAaV-oYH691b7BYzeQw1qstO2c-Oz12oXrJQR-7FUrXsSoi9f-KX9bMa3YqC_DBhbRAXcWyBX7Lky2ajfEwYiFEerRL0VE9hU-ZUO-juWm2mJMfL_8mCk4/s400/IMG_0642.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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O.K., here is our question. If you look to the right of the picture, you can see a wood shelf. <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/05/whats-up-with-that.html" target="_blank">What's up with that? </a>We have no idea if that is just a temporary place holder or if something actually goes there. (there will be stone under the siding and trim there and surrounding the door and remainder of porch). Any clues to this are appreciated.</div>
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<br /></div>KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-17512916172209947352012-05-31T19:13:00.000-07:002012-05-31T19:53:30.984-07:00We're running out of time!!!! (in a good way)Ah, yes, my favorite Jack Bauer quote from "24" took hold today after our predrywall meeting. Our PM Abe walked us through the house, and showed us what was going to happen next. Everything seemed be calm, until Abe told us that our final walk through would be July 16th, and he expected us to close by July 19th.<br />
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Yep, seven weeks from today.<br />
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We have 49 days to get everything ready, buy everything we need, and move into our dream home. It's going to be quite a ride from here, but we can't wait.<br />
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We got an added surprise today - the siding and shakes started to go up on the house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlt6zJ8Dh1rOMgjL_K5yE9zrrGA6uWKQ7GLqlQVxHp1ZIOi3DN1hc2KcJZ90vbqRiVk0VT72dvlmg2I_3LAADDDm4TPcOLHi9yPdIc1kJN6AOyUujTuLT2o_NrGssjKeOn5eSQ8AO1B3k/s1600/5-31+siding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlt6zJ8Dh1rOMgjL_K5yE9zrrGA6uWKQ7GLqlQVxHp1ZIOi3DN1hc2KcJZ90vbqRiVk0VT72dvlmg2I_3LAADDDm4TPcOLHi9yPdIc1kJN6AOyUujTuLT2o_NrGssjKeOn5eSQ8AO1B3k/s400/5-31+siding.JPG" width="396" /></a></div>
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Abe said that would likely be done by Saturday, and the stone should be on by next weekend too. Abe also helped us work through a few small issues and made note of some minor fixes we wanted.<br />
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All in all, it was quite an exciting day. Even if we suddenly realized we're running out of time. :)<br />
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-35279402048548218922012-05-27T17:26:00.000-07:002012-05-27T17:26:51.206-07:00Not quite measuring up...Lauren and I spent a good while this afternoon inside the house. We checked out where all the outlets, lights, and switches will be, and we had a good opportunity to figure out just how our house would look with the furniture in it.<br />
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Ah, but there's the problem. </div>
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After measuring out beds for the kids in their rooms, it became obvious that some rooms - because of their layout - wouldn't work very well with the beds we had planned for them. The same thing happened earlier in the bonus room, when we realized a sectional wouldn't work. It's a harsh truth, but the tape measure doesn't lie. </div>
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We had earlier commented about how the kids were really interested in the size of their rooms, and now all three kids may end up with different sizes of beds (at least for a while). The good news is by changing up the bed sizes, each kid will have a good amount of play space. And, it will save us a little money in the short term, because we'll be using a twin bed we already have for our son Alden instead of buying a new full bed. (we were going to give them all at least a full size bed, but logistics in Alden's room means a twin makes more sense for him right now - at least for a few years). I guess it is better to find out now than to buy everything and realize it doesn't fit after the fact.</div>
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Did you make any changes once you measured out the furniture in your rooms? </div>
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<br /></div>KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-42224666074820177582012-05-24T10:01:00.003-07:002012-05-24T10:01:36.264-07:00What's up with that?So the other day, we went to the house as framing was finished, and noticed a big hole drilled into the slab in the guest bathroom downstairs. Yep, as we had suspected, they had forgotten to leave a hole for the pipe. That meant they had to drill a line for it. We hated to see them drill into the foundation, but that's apparently not as uncommon as we thought (even the Guardian rep said he's seen it many times on his house visits). Besides that bit of a bummer, things are progressing quite nicely:<br />
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- Roofing was installed Wednesday (hello shingles!)<br />
- All framing is complete including the french doors for the guest bedroom<br />
- Pre-drywall meeting is coming next week (our inspector is coming Tuesday, and the meeting will be Thursday)<br />
- We've been approved for our loan (woo-hoo!)<br />
- And, in late breaking news, we just locked in our USDA loan rate at 3.5%!!!<br />
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All in all, everything is going quite well.(begin slow piano background music...) I mean our house is spacious....It's a little audacious...It's almost outrageous....the excitement's getting contagious...I'm becoming loquacious, because I've got to say...<br />
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<insert crazy dancing dude in red sweatsuit...><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFllwykztfmzu7G21Gzl1wRgI2O_Ms9u_PxlEkXb2p5mDYU74yA6TN5H1nOxV4T6-PeWafpFk8tKpsOiJ9AUZLbfh6jts3u85cFClpvRyeSDc-v_dNZWJB3JojxzIZsRZDM362rQ-47c/s1600/whatup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFllwykztfmzu7G21Gzl1wRgI2O_Ms9u_PxlEkXb2p5mDYU74yA6TN5H1nOxV4T6-PeWafpFk8tKpsOiJ9AUZLbfh6jts3u85cFClpvRyeSDc-v_dNZWJB3JojxzIZsRZDM362rQ-47c/s400/whatup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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ooooooh-weeeee! What up with that?! What up with that! He said, she said, you said, we said, what up with that! What's up with that!<br />
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What's up? I said what's up? This blog post is crazy, but building this house ain't lazy..., what's up with that....<br />
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Before we go any further with this blog post, we'd like to hear from former Vice President Al Gore about the environmental impact of our house:<br />
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<a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/what-up-with-that/1178425">http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/what-up-with-that/1178425</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2GKd8qIC_gIe3VFqx7BeeyuWRFOhBagBIichrxLR1T5MxDu-UafFTPYd7qhhcf_iN8833XkuzXWotoYkl1Nu8_P6oXGlAWKUP2uCmmtsWBvJ_W9wUIlrazhyphenhyphenG5f78RAIKqlqt0fqLdQ/s1600/whatup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2GKd8qIC_gIe3VFqx7BeeyuWRFOhBagBIichrxLR1T5MxDu-UafFTPYd7qhhcf_iN8833XkuzXWotoYkl1Nu8_P6oXGlAWKUP2uCmmtsWBvJ_W9wUIlrazhyphenhyphenG5f78RAIKqlqt0fqLdQ/s400/whatup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Oh, sorry Al, I guess we are out of time. We'll have more news soon. Thanks for reading (and putting up with our crazy blogs...).<br />
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-38066134666042352102012-05-19T10:51:00.001-07:002012-05-19T10:51:52.464-07:00Don't want to miss a thing....I've been to the house for 8 straight days, but I'm so glad to have made the 25-minute trek up there. When framing happens, the house changes almost overnight. This is how the "house" looked just a week ago:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOs6F3F39VHjnvp4ZoWgkcMfALNKjj8u0TI2ESQnuLNozmq96eTLWm17sN4kza0OvOvkJWSPWllPlkS-NEqZjGcQYi8hXDKTQTWjk4aVCIkmT_anFNnZ3UjbyA3i1VngKXaqw41KaNGfU/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOs6F3F39VHjnvp4ZoWgkcMfALNKjj8u0TI2ESQnuLNozmq96eTLWm17sN4kza0OvOvkJWSPWllPlkS-NEqZjGcQYi8hXDKTQTWjk4aVCIkmT_anFNnZ3UjbyA3i1VngKXaqw41KaNGfU/s400/IMG_0503.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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And now....</div>
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It is an amazing transformation - framing was basically completed by Friday night. They still have to configure the bonus room modification a little, and add the spot for the french doors for the guest room, but other than that, framing is just about done. The above picture also gives a first glimpse to our porch, and we are thrilled to see it. Check out more photos of progress: </div>
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Here is Hannah's room (Bedroom 2 <a href="http://www.ryanhomes.com/file-grab/ed18c566-07f0-471e-922d-9c60ce5f57e6" target="_blank">based on this Rome floorplan</a>). </div>
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Here is McKenna's room (Bedroom 3).</div>
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This is Alden's room (Bedroom 5 instead of loft, with two foot extension based on Elevation L).</div>
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Our happy girls in the master bedroom. </div>
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Alden is beaming as he enjoys the view from his bedroom.</div>
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This is a side view of our enormous pantry. To the right, you can see the walk-in area. It is approximately 7 feet wide by 4 feet deep. Lauren is thrilled. </div>
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This was taken from the entrance to the guest bedroom downstairs, with the full bath in view. </div>
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This is a picture of the garage. It is not real wide, but we think it is is 4-5 feet deeper than the garage in our previous home. </div>
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Here is the view of the family room from the kitchen. </div>
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Sliding door is in (nice tinted glass throughout the house too). </div>
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A better view of the tinted windows from the morning room. </div>
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A view back to the front door from the kitchen. </div>
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Our master bedroom. I still can't get over how big it is, even after we removed the sitting area and second closet for our bonus room. </div>
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Other bloggers have said this, but if you get a chance, check out the house during framing week!! It goes by so quickly and the house changes dramatically overnight. We can't wait to see what's next, but it will be hard to top this week. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-9218098160447317112012-05-17T18:41:00.000-07:002012-05-17T18:44:06.000-07:00Heads up to a future Rome owner (and blogger)A fellow Ryan blogger had <a href="http://ricknadase.blogspot.com/2012/05/searched-high-and-low.html" target="_blank">asked about Silver Mist </a>siding in a post today, and we know how hard exterior choices are without seeing them on a house. When we drove through our future neighborhood tonight, we took pictures of two homes with Silver Mist siding. (the SR had given us a sheet with all nearby exterior colors to help us with our choices). Here are two homes (not Romes unfortunately) with Silver Mist:<br />
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This Capri with the siding visible on the second floor was facing the sun near sunset.</div>
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This Florence is across the street from the Capri, and had the sun behind it near sunset. </div>
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Hope these help. If anyone else needs quick siding photos, we can try to find one. (we're visiting our future neighborhood all week during framing). Good luck to all. </div>
<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-6025060603521224222012-05-16T19:12:00.002-07:002012-05-16T19:12:35.370-07:00Once, twice, three days of framing...So, in keeping with our musical theme for our blog, here's a special performance of our headline song:<br />
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(wish the current SNL was that funny...)</div>
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We came back for Day 3 of framing (thankfully the weather cooperated) and all of the kids got to see how much the house has progressed from the outside. It also gave us our first glimpse of the upstairs too. </div>
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The above picture shows the view from the outside today. (Editor's note: the girls look sad because we were leaving as this picture was taken). </div>
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This is the view from McKenna's bedroom (Bedroom 3). </div>
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This is part of our <a href="http://davidsonrome.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-reasons-why-our-rome-is-kind-of.html" target="_blank">bonus room modification</a>, but the closet shown will be pushed back about six feet and span the back wall. </div>
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This is Hannah's room (Bedroom 2).</div>
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Here is Alden walking into the family room. </div>
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Here is the view coming up the stairs into Hannah's room (Bedroom 2).</div>
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Our hallway looking toward Alden's room (Bedroom 5 instead of loft).</div>
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Our garden tub spot. (we'll be using the shower a lot more though).</div>
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We were especially excited to see the bonus room, and realize that yes, we think the furniture layout will work just fine. There will probably be a bit of a traffic jam between the laundry room, bonus room (bedroom 4) and Alden's room (bedroom 5), but we think it's worth it for the bonus room and to keep the bedrooms the same size. (yes, the kids have measured it out). We are hoping that the roof will go up soon upstairs, so we can see everything as a family. But, the way things are going, that won't be long. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-11964799696468097072012-05-15T19:44:00.001-07:002012-05-15T19:44:22.590-07:00The Stairway to "Heaven..."We came back to check out the second day of framing at the house, and noticed a lot of work being done. The workers didn't leave until 7:30 p.m. tonight, and got the entire first floor ceiling tacked in. We also noticed this...<br />
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Yep, the stairs have been installed. From this angle, it almost looks like, well, let's just say it makes me think of a song: <br />
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(Aw, c'mon!)</div>
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The stairs weren't the only exciting development. With all the wood in place downstairs (well, except for the guest bedrooom, but that's coming...) we got a better sense of just how it might look. </div>
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This is the view from the driveway today. Progress is a beautiful thing.<br />
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The picture above is a better picture detailing the work that was completed - notice the ceiling and other work in this view from the kitchen looking back to the front door.<br />
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Hannah in the kitchen from what will eventually be the guest bedroom (and full bath) downstairs.<br />
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A view from the kitchen looking into the family room and study. </div>
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This is one of my favorite pictures, because it shows just how deep our house will be. This picture was taken from our front door, and Hannah is standing at the edge of the kitchen (that will make for a long hallway, but the french doors just to the left of the entrance will open it up a little). </div>
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Lauren caught me in one of my Jack Handey moments, having a "deep thought." It's amazing how much our house has changed in just a few days. And there is more to come. </div>
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-24169429439339893232012-05-13T08:52:00.000-07:002012-05-13T08:52:26.614-07:00Freeze Frame! <br />
We got an email from our awesome PM Abe Saturday morning that they had begun framing on the house. So, we had to hustle over there to see what was happening, and sure enough:<br />
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That huge pile <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8coI8khIw1S7mAWqfFpHBu8HGJ_nwjNIkxuphQhAh-deLb5dYMwaAKOWRD_7QJfShsngR5C0CLt-yW-X2y0AmbubWuVtflJQgPrNSlXYcT6k83UlZSPyX97ajJYbxciWUnMphDslbKk/s640/IMG_0514.JPG" target="_blank">we had featured on our last post </a>was already cut way down by the time we got there yesterday. It is amazing to see the framers in action. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY4Bpvk6VMggVIXIA0CHnXFvrDfyOcEhIcp0a3cUkkOnO28oGqz-jigmaajbq17oOPS4jgv53CJC_EmfGJPO_FTBUmwDpjv3E2Bw-KTweKWgJLi4i_A6yEE2Fgs6SaIs9YMaaIyxn4f0/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY4Bpvk6VMggVIXIA0CHnXFvrDfyOcEhIcp0a3cUkkOnO28oGqz-jigmaajbq17oOPS4jgv53CJC_EmfGJPO_FTBUmwDpjv3E2Bw-KTweKWgJLi4i_A6yEE2Fgs6SaIs9YMaaIyxn4f0/s320/IMG_0520.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrNo950jB7fWb_cSpZ1xsrOulnQ64fWq7jdLyn8D2-7wehv2xKOX5rolART1w_wlYa-x6QlNfXLY1C_NPhMO-_eBv40HYPFM7B7BzXbaKGXrdNL9Np9fUVv59lWi1zsyMb3YC9O7mTBQ/s1600/IMG_0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrNo950jB7fWb_cSpZ1xsrOulnQ64fWq7jdLyn8D2-7wehv2xKOX5rolART1w_wlYa-x6QlNfXLY1C_NPhMO-_eBv40HYPFM7B7BzXbaKGXrdNL9Np9fUVv59lWi1zsyMb3YC9O7mTBQ/s320/IMG_0521.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here's the view from the garage and a look at all the windows. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDhh7VF_lYzRbJdzNI9sWBL5NUFrf8iniGUrJWRg7EnNY0x4M3P-w7BiyogiJuKZMnTR76solpcQoRpNeUnFqYAjpOGzJdQ2DXVg_JTi2cTdc_rs3RksoWvJI8fyLhidx-6NSv7KYv2w/s1600/IMG_0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDhh7VF_lYzRbJdzNI9sWBL5NUFrf8iniGUrJWRg7EnNY0x4M3P-w7BiyogiJuKZMnTR76solpcQoRpNeUnFqYAjpOGzJdQ2DXVg_JTi2cTdc_rs3RksoWvJI8fyLhidx-6NSv7KYv2w/s320/IMG_0524.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenO04QmPdC0ve03d7JhABUPOr3YbfWD4S3wj5JwaHePN1s9Bluq1EbTSgsOWX8vMs3fJqBUvFhEesGqnMOD870vjZIaXP1SxmQhmHYap6hvu0gDQdwddh4ROduOHwnyOqKcLDxjCoI8E/s1600/IMG_0531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenO04QmPdC0ve03d7JhABUPOr3YbfWD4S3wj5JwaHePN1s9Bluq1EbTSgsOWX8vMs3fJqBUvFhEesGqnMOD870vjZIaXP1SxmQhmHYap6hvu0gDQdwddh4ROduOHwnyOqKcLDxjCoI8E/s320/IMG_0531.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyPVhVQHtHd7Om0IpCH0ehqOycwVhQn3Qq2EBz0xhT-8uSQXEtHquGyXlvbwgz07cHj4_1rMeCXNcP9D7nz0Lz23647pu7eUqXqCnECwKNC2zgWdMe6XOuXQE42p-HTZsy3bahgjIUUQ/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyPVhVQHtHd7Om0IpCH0ehqOycwVhQn3Qq2EBz0xhT-8uSQXEtHquGyXlvbwgz07cHj4_1rMeCXNcP9D7nz0Lz23647pu7eUqXqCnECwKNC2zgWdMe6XOuXQE42p-HTZsy3bahgjIUUQ/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyPVhVQHtHd7Om0IpCH0ehqOycwVhQn3Qq2EBz0xhT-8uSQXEtHquGyXlvbwgz07cHj4_1rMeCXNcP9D7nz0Lz23647pu7eUqXqCnECwKNC2zgWdMe6XOuXQE42p-HTZsy3bahgjIUUQ/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyPVhVQHtHd7Om0IpCH0ehqOycwVhQn3Qq2EBz0xhT-8uSQXEtHquGyXlvbwgz07cHj4_1rMeCXNcP9D7nz0Lz23647pu7eUqXqCnECwKNC2zgWdMe6XOuXQE42p-HTZsy3bahgjIUUQ/s320/IMG_0526.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRmC2lpZG56aVZK8pFUETvbmWdjNwdcDgQ0AB4QotW_QzxA_pOvYO0pDUT5Fa18EIIxI9x6udosyUVzdRHmEfxbnp974zjavYNf2wHDgNTK6Z9rDHBSZssqGn8_Edf0Ks_puRb_jKwVA/s1600/IMG_0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRmC2lpZG56aVZK8pFUETvbmWdjNwdcDgQ0AB4QotW_QzxA_pOvYO0pDUT5Fa18EIIxI9x6udosyUVzdRHmEfxbnp974zjavYNf2wHDgNTK6Z9rDHBSZssqGn8_Edf0Ks_puRb_jKwVA/s320/IMG_0539.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here is a look into the family room (left) and into the morning room (right). </div>
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Here are two views from beyond the backyard of the house after work was completed for Saturday. We were a little nervous when we looked from this angle because we realized that Ryan had built in the dining room instead of our bedroom downstairs and full bath. But our PM assured us later that they do that for every home here. Charlotte is apparently the only market that offers the bedroom downstairs option, so they have to "stick frame" it in later. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQKSyd2xPxe7phk8vbNwVLnO29nKWjRUvQcqXom5kygnYbo-eEx5BGaNJSXhuf-gfJFNfqrFU0NhoYwcX4F3u3yIPQV1cFs0p-uFNxoeuytVOtvsjeACR5rMvEq1YmCI27vWnfqN2pK8/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQKSyd2xPxe7phk8vbNwVLnO29nKWjRUvQcqXom5kygnYbo-eEx5BGaNJSXhuf-gfJFNfqrFU0NhoYwcX4F3u3yIPQV1cFs0p-uFNxoeuytVOtvsjeACR5rMvEq1YmCI27vWnfqN2pK8/s320/IMG_0538.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENhUU-02gXR2UfQzFVc_mbumMzlwS0tvWHb3x71J2pjL9pgWPY7w1AzBrBHzC6h3MLhkHQcktt5O9-v41tuHVy7IN5tsnnjxCDMQw0fh-YTxRqAQpsiPTvDP-ORnPp_chpqpt1vXZkDY/s1600/IMG_0537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENhUU-02gXR2UfQzFVc_mbumMzlwS0tvWHb3x71J2pjL9pgWPY7w1AzBrBHzC6h3MLhkHQcktt5O9-v41tuHVy7IN5tsnnjxCDMQw0fh-YTxRqAQpsiPTvDP-ORnPp_chpqpt1vXZkDY/s320/IMG_0537.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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A view from the lot next to ours that shows the back and side, and a picture of Hannah and Lauren in the kitchen. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmIq0Ylt7r_Arcq911qDxB0Ngm6XwILKsW6QApfsbh2G6vIRm0Hd5XPfoq1zIxlwHaD_wFsLNOnUuGZisH632UEas4s3KkMW13-2DmPEwwru_MIwmfKP7meQ9AgZ88iNKt6rw3FLjl90/s1600/IMG_0525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmIq0Ylt7r_Arcq911qDxB0Ngm6XwILKsW6QApfsbh2G6vIRm0Hd5XPfoq1zIxlwHaD_wFsLNOnUuGZisH632UEas4s3KkMW13-2DmPEwwru_MIwmfKP7meQ9AgZ88iNKt6rw3FLjl90/s640/IMG_0525.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
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Here we are in our family room. We can't wait until the second day of framing starts, to see how much more they can get done. For those of you who read this far, a public service announcement: </div>
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(Happy Mother's Day everyone!)</div>
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<br /></div>KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-58192401472635613142012-05-12T07:25:00.000-07:002012-05-12T07:25:03.848-07:00Pour some slab news on me....Looking at a pile of dirt with pipes sticking out is one thing, but when you see the slab poured, that's a whole new feeling. I stopped by the home site on my lunch break Thursday, and this is what I saw:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ynhHDBj7e773iNKVpCMxYsnAI-A-erKWZ9jo_PuvuAApq-Hi8lnFWKTKZyzzjLNGzZCh2jMjp-rsaPzMynS7n7U5h5aWav3q_L700bo72OhpW_3CPQ_qhDESuatPGsct0ICuAK2GeT8/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ynhHDBj7e773iNKVpCMxYsnAI-A-erKWZ9jo_PuvuAApq-Hi8lnFWKTKZyzzjLNGzZCh2jMjp-rsaPzMynS7n7U5h5aWav3q_L700bo72OhpW_3CPQ_qhDESuatPGsct0ICuAK2GeT8/s640/IMG_0503.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I was actually quite surprised that they went ahead and poured the driveway too. For most homes, they do that as one of the last things, but I guess they figured "When in Rome..."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZTFDZqvZG9WdE3wIauc4WTjFMI442NKyG1TnwXRqOoMKj-nJs52GoFhY3iOJo34WqqvKyowaErwJG_5Z638iHZr1Wnk4lZ9Ym7ZuVF_qopVRGeCeYP2dR-6lP-bDFxrFzJ_TwGROeao/s1600/IMG_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZTFDZqvZG9WdE3wIauc4WTjFMI442NKyG1TnwXRqOoMKj-nJs52GoFhY3iOJo34WqqvKyowaErwJG_5Z638iHZr1Wnk4lZ9Ym7ZuVF_qopVRGeCeYP2dR-6lP-bDFxrFzJ_TwGROeao/s400/IMG_0504.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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This is our front entryway and porch. (excuse the finger on the left - it was a sunny day and I couldn't see the image very well until I got back to work).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQiLDMnltt804t6m-UWj47CyVqUfUaq8wo0XcDwKhdulwu2iHxgw8djLyuHGZm-glI0Tr3zwWs6O1bRCNFgM5ZIbJ3Se5UdI3WLmBuEg3cbT19ZT8sZqRDP4yETx6bJ93RN3wHIZPFgE/s1600/IMG_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQiLDMnltt804t6m-UWj47CyVqUfUaq8wo0XcDwKhdulwu2iHxgw8djLyuHGZm-glI0Tr3zwWs6O1bRCNFgM5ZIbJ3Se5UdI3WLmBuEg3cbT19ZT8sZqRDP4yETx6bJ93RN3wHIZPFgE/s400/IMG_0506.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Does this look like a 12x 14 back patio to you? Me either, but I think it may just be a deceiving angle (but I am bringing my tape measure to be sure next time). UPDATE: we measured - it is 12x14. Ryan 1, Kevin 0.<br />
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Our "backyard" while standing at the edge of the morning room. (you can see the pink stake in the background). This is why it is so important to us to have the backyard graded down a whole lot. We want it as flat as possible, since we don't have much to begin with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzguEo7ebIqobuNS-udGY5ZlkbWIRMxJHrTvJn4uW9XKF5jFMAYQKqrrKBCJKsBh4yEQ2PfF4H1hJpa2ALU3xMq3USEhPd8OC8d1tL-Fq9eDolO7OO2FgsP2bt2EbzWPjkTOKn6tEXoMU/s1600/IMG_0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzguEo7ebIqobuNS-udGY5ZlkbWIRMxJHrTvJn4uW9XKF5jFMAYQKqrrKBCJKsBh4yEQ2PfF4H1hJpa2ALU3xMq3USEhPd8OC8d1tL-Fq9eDolO7OO2FgsP2bt2EbzWPjkTOKn6tEXoMU/s400/IMG_0510.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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This illustrates the depth of our house. Our neighbor has a Florence, and our house will tack on quite a bit from theirs. (again, makes our backyard pretty small....).<br />
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And, in other exciting news....<br />
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Here's a sneak preview about what's coming soon (hopefully in the next couple days). I saw that delivered Thursday, and thought, 'wow, that's a lot of wood.' But then we came back Friday night and...<br />
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Our wood pile is blocking one lane of the street. Maybe they'll start framing early just to clear up the traffic jam. (we hope). It's amazing to see how they already have all the walls basically done, they just need to tack them up. </div>
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Here's the door to enter from the garage. We have lots of other things already here, including...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaRlozArs8QixMc1dGFPu5jP42MrjbjNoCTpmvJw57npK1gwRGO-I61hAAfsnHLeVcJv8MiV4WJV8J4_ntueSem_xatO96n0OKIJL8qWtf7WBNvkeTwLfeBQnonVNrhknMVtDI5zJTrI/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaRlozArs8QixMc1dGFPu5jP42MrjbjNoCTpmvJw57npK1gwRGO-I61hAAfsnHLeVcJv8MiV4WJV8J4_ntueSem_xatO96n0OKIJL8qWtf7WBNvkeTwLfeBQnonVNrhknMVtDI5zJTrI/s400/IMG_0511.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here is a picture of our sliding doors and lots and lots of windows.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHzPkvF3AorwtO9ROw9oZO4E6DjDsdioOGZrfzYIysOAEioduLDRmPh6sVYOIx43EqyDYd7hiwHQoZAO78cpNESs8TIR_8syTTcSFHTJylFMhj9PaHbdk3mHRrSg-AVxsE0rag7Kh_x8/s1600/IMG_0515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHzPkvF3AorwtO9ROw9oZO4E6DjDsdioOGZrfzYIysOAEioduLDRmPh6sVYOIx43EqyDYd7hiwHQoZAO78cpNESs8TIR_8syTTcSFHTJylFMhj9PaHbdk3mHRrSg-AVxsE0rag7Kh_x8/s400/IMG_0515.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Like I said, it's a traffic hazard. They might as well go ahead and get it up. (I'm only thinking of our neighbors when I suggest this of course...)<br />
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Framing should start soon. We can't wait to see it happen.KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-81940763782712394732012-05-08T16:27:00.000-07:002012-05-08T16:37:11.014-07:00We're allergic to our house...So, you know how excited you get when you head to the house while it is being built? That was tempered ever-so-slightly for us over the weekend when we realized that, for now, we were allergic to our house. (cue <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytCEuuW2_A" target="_blank">the Price is Right tuba bleat of defeat</a>).<br />
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Actually, it is not the house, it is the tall rye grass that covers the back of our lot. Lauren and I went back there the past couple times we've visited the homesite, and it didn't take long for both of us to have major allergy symptoms (even after taking Allegra).<br />
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The good news is that the rye grass will certainly be gone before we move in. And, since framing will likely start in the next week or so, we probably won't be back there much soon anyway. But for now, excuse our sniffles and sneezing.KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-37148072182114656182012-05-06T15:50:00.000-07:002012-05-06T15:50:39.094-07:00All in all, it's just another paint on the wall...To paint or not to paint? That is the question. I think that was mentioned in a Shakespeare play a while back. But now, the question for Lauren and I is whether to paint the house once we first move in or to wait. I've seen the point debated in other blogs on here, and to be honest, I'm still not sure what to do. At least I finally know what color the walls will be when we first move in. Luckily, unlike our last house, they won't be stark white. In fact, according to my PM Abe, all Ryan Homes use the same paint (I'm not sure if he meant all homes in this region, or throughout the nation).<br />
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Anyway, he said that Ryan uses Duron Paint, a color called Divine White. What does that color look like? <a href="http://www.color-swatches.com/duron/fundamentally-neutral/divinewhite/sw-6105/swatch.html" target="_blank">Here's an online swatch I found</a>:<br />
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It looks a little beige on the swatch, but I have heard it looks different on the wall. Do any other bloggers know what paint went up on their home? If it was divine white, what did you think of it?KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470358424803603069.post-87762411883515567862012-05-03T15:27:00.000-07:002012-05-03T17:28:30.927-07:00U-S-D-A (hey!)A commenter mentioned how they enjoyed the song references on the blog, so what the heck, let's add one more to the mix.<br />
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Before we get started, we better lower the strobe light, put on our gold medallions and really, uh, eccentric clothes.<br />
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRf3OVypW-EnYab5-g4JjKV1uP4nAQcIdi1m9Xrc96UEm11eEms8w" />
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O.K., here's a little song about a loan program you may not know:<br />
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(read to tune of Y-M-C-A)<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white;">Young man, there's a loan you should know.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white;">I said, young man, when you're short on your dough. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">You can use that, and I'm sure you will find </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">That the loan can be the right kind. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">You should look into the U-S-D-A</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i>U-S-D-A (hey!)</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white;">It has so many things, that you might enjoy,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white;">No PMI, which helps buy more toys ... </span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i>You should look into U-S-D-A</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i>U-S-D-A (hey!)</i></span><br />
<i><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">If your credit is clean, you can get a good deal, </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Down payment of whatever you feel ... </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Young man, where will your new home be? </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">I said, young man, how far from the city? </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">I said, young man, that might make real your dreams. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Take a look into this thing! </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">No man does it all by himself. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">I said, young man, help keep some of your wealth, </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">If you don't get, a really big gob of pay. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">I'm sure they might help you today. </span></i><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i>You should look into U-S-D-A</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i>U-S-D-A (hey!)</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
So, to recap, here's what the USDA loan offers:<br />
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- basically the same rate as conventional or FHA loans<br />
- No downpayment<br />
- No PMI (except for a very small amount)<br />
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Here's what you need to qualify:<br />
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- Buy a house in a designated rural area (don't let that scare you too much - our home is 30 minutes from downtown Charlotte, and more importantly, less than two miles from a grocery store, McDonald's, Subway and more). <a href="http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do" target="_blank">Click on this map </a>to determine where to buy or see if your home qualifies.<br />
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- Income limits (<a href="http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/HSF-Guar_Income_Limits.html" target="_blank">click here to find your state and limits</a>)<br />
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Ryan currently offers USDA loans in the Charlotte area at <a href="http://www.ryanhomes.com/find-your-home/our-communities/north-carolina/cabarrus-county/the-farm-at-river-pointe" target="_blank">our neighborhood </a>and at least one other (<a href="http://www.ryanhomes.com/find-your-home/our-communities/north-carolina/waxhaw/millbridge" target="_blank">Millbridge</a>). Both neighborhoods have lots of things around them, and really aren't far from civilization. So, you might want to check around in your area too.<br />
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(Yes, all this blogging is starting to make us a little nutty).<br />
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<br />KevinChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04298787752566528311noreply@blogger.com6