We have a funny little update: we bought the house shown below, and we’re moving in.
We realize this news might trigger a mix of emotions—excitement for the renovations, sadness about leaving our current home, curiosity about logistics, maybe even a little confusion or the urge to celebrate with an embarrassing dance. Either way, we’re thrilled to share what led us here.
To tell the story properly, I need to rewind seven years to our first home search in Richmond in spring 2006. We had just relocated from New York City and everything in Richmond seemed surprisingly spacious and affordable by comparison. It opened our eyes to new possibilities. We explored several neighborhoods and fell for a charming, established area with big wooded lots, excellent schools, tree-lined streets, and kids scooting around.
Unfortunately, none of the character-filled houses in that neighborhood fit our budget. The bank’s rules worked against us: I was less than two months into my new job, and Sherry was recently self-employed as a copywriter. Despite Sherry earning more than me, the bank treated her as unstable because she was new to freelancing, so I ended up as the only name on the mortgage. That cut our buying power in half, and the dream neighborhood slipped out of reach.
As discouraging as that felt at the time, it turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened to us. Being pushed toward a fixer-upper led us to this blog and taught us the benefits of buying well within our means. Because we didn’t stretch our budget, we were able to save more for renovations and build a financial safety net. We hadn’t given up on the dream neighborhood—we’d just put it on hold.
Four and a half years later—after a new puppy, a backyard wedding, Clara’s birth, and my transition to working from home—our cozy 1,250 sq ft ranch (with a single full bathroom) started to feel cramped. We began house hunting again with hopes of finally moving into that dream neighborhood. But fate (and bank underwriting) had other plans. This time I was the one who had recently left a salaried job, so lenders again limited what we could borrow.
Despite the setback, we found another fixer-upper that fit our budget. That house allowed us to keep saving and tackle even more projects, which only reinforced the idea that buying affordably and renovating was the right path for us. We never set out to treat these homes as mere stepping stones, but our experiences taught us to enjoy bringing old houses back to life—and to appreciate what each one has taught us along the way.
When we moved into our current house, we embraced a more flexible mindset. We promised to savor every moment of living there without insisting it would be our “forever home.” Still, our time in that house has been rich—three Christmases, a completed book, and countless Clara milestones. This house has been a meaningful chapter, which makes leaving it bittersweet.
While wrapping up the remaining projects here, we casually kept an eye on listings in our dream neighborhood. We’d browse occasionally and attend open houses without much expectation. Then, surprisingly, a dated but solid house in that very neighborhood appeared—one we had driven past and admired for years. It felt like a seven-year dream realized. The whole process moved quickly, and before we knew it we were closing.
We were able to put some long-saved cash toward the down payment, which kept our new mortgage almost identical to our current one—and with a lower interest rate to boot. Closing day felt surreal, like we expected some prank to be revealed, but everything went smoothly. We’ve already addressed top-priority issues like a leaking roof, a malfunctioning furnace, and getting the alarm system working.
The house was built about 35 years ago and hasn’t been updated since. The sellers priced it well below assessment—over $100,000 less than a comparable nearby property—likely because the interior is very dated. That low price in a sought-after neighborhood made it irresistible, even with 70s wallpaper, blue trim, and lumpy carpet.
Beyond price and location, the house fits our needs in practical ways: it’s nearly the same size as our current place, so no extra square footage to maintain; the street is quiet and ideal for watching Clara learn to ride a bike; it’s still close to family; and it presents plenty of new design challenges to keep us busy. Plus, we finally get to have stairs again after seven years of single-level living.
In some ways this continues a family pattern—my parents moved into their third house at our age and stayed there for decades—so maybe it’s in the Petersik blood. We know you’ll have questions—when are we moving in, when will we share more photos, what does Clara think? We’ll get to those details soon. For now we’re focused on finishing a few projects at our current house so it’s ready to sell, then we’ll share updates about packing, selling, moving, and renovating the new place.
We can’t wait to share the ups, downs, and paint-splattered moments with you. If there’s a moral to this story, it’s patience. This isn’t the house the book bought; it’s the house seven years of careful saving and living within our means bought. Had we stretched ourselves earlier, our lives—and careers—might have followed a very different path. Waiting made this chapter that much sweeter. Who knows—we might even stay here forever.
Oh, and yes—these two are the most excited about the move. Okay, three if you count Ariel.