This entire move has been quite a remarkable adventure. First, we had an amazing experience when deciding to move. Then the transition from a city and a community which we love to a new one we did not really know has gone really well. We’ve discovered that cities and churches are like children – you can love more than one at a time.
I have to admit though: we cannot wait to get into our new house in our new neighborhood!
The actual move from one house to a one bedroom apartment (where the kids are sleeping in the walk-in closet) to the new house has been the greatest challenge. The movers have not been easy to work with (more details on that after they safely unload all of our stuff next week). The lenders have asked me to fax over enough paperwork to fill a room (or kill a backyard filled with trees), and sometimes I have had to fax the same paperwork multiple times!
Miraculously though, here is the timeline on the sale and purchase of our home:
December 20th: Look at homes in Austin (We both found a favorite in the same neighborhood).
December 21st: Meet some of the team at Gateway Church in Austin
December 22nd: Back in L.A., we made a bid on my favorite house which was bigger than Debbie’s favorite one. The bid was contingent on the sale of our house in L.A..
December 23rd: We received a bid on our house in L.A..
Decemeber 24th: We signed paperwork on both the LA and Austin houses to begin escrow on both.
January 2nd AM: We enrolled the kids in Barton Hills Elementary in the neighborhood of our new house.
January 2nd PM: We had the inspection on my favorite house which revealed more work than we wanted to have to do, so we opted out of escrow.
January 5th AM: We make an offer on Debbie’s favorite house.
January 5th PM: We find out Barton Hills Elementary may be closed by the Austin School District. (See my post “Save Our Schools” for details).
January 6th: Escrow begins on Debbie’s favorite house.
February 10th: We close on Debbie’s favorite house and begin repairs hoping to move in next week!
Crazy, huh?!
Here is a great story about our new neighborhood in the heart of Austin: Once Gritty South Lamar Has Become Hot Spot for Austin-Owned Businesses
Pictures of businesses in our new neighborhood
So any advice on the final stage of the move?
