First floor framing

Wow! 

Today was probably the most emotional day thus far. We pulled up to the construction site and we had a first floor! 

It's crazy to walk up and look at what will soon be our first home. It's one thing to look at the model, and see the layout on paper. It is completely surreal to see it take shape. 

View of the interior first floor 

View from the back 

The crew was even working today! 

Only 3 more floors to go! 

After looking at the house we walked around the neighborhood a little bit to see how it was coming along. They have already started building Phase 2, out of three phases.

We also got a look at what will eventually be the path to the metro 

We won't be back to see the house for a couple weeks due to out of town travel. We can't wait to see how much gets completed in two weeks! 

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Second guessing got the best of us, but in the end we are glad it did. 

Originally we had planned on getting the Amazing Greige carpeting throughout the house. However, after seeing pictures of the carpet in other Ryan Home buyers houses, and deciding what we ultimately want our design scheme to be - we were concerned that the Amazing Greige was too brown for our liking. 

Back to T.A.C. we went. 

Our original carpet is on the top left. Once we saw it again in person we were convinced it just wasn't the right color for us...

We decided to narrow down to two grey choices. One light and one dark.

We ultimately decided to choose the light grey carpeting called Coldwater. When we put all of the pieces back together we knew that this was definitely the one! We especially love the way it looks against our Santa Cecilia countertop and with the espresso stain banisters/cabinets. It really pulls the grey out. 

As much as everyone tells you not to let second guessing get the best of you, I think there is something to be said for making sure that the home you are building has everything just right. It never hurts to ask if you can come back in to look at something. I am so glad that we came back for a second look, and so thankful that T.A.C.(thanks Angel!) and RH are so accommodating, even down to the wire. 

So there you have it! This is the final, final decision. For now 😉

The Concrete's A-Comin'!

The prep work for our concrete is done, and all inspections have cleared. 

Monday, the concrete pump truck will come to pour the house and garage slab. 

On Tuesday the crew will begin framing. There is lumber all over our property, which I'm sure our neighbors just LOVE looking at out of their windows! 

AND we FINALLY bought some boxes! Time to buck up and start the packing process! 

First Home Buyers Certification

Well, today was.......boring. In order to qualify for our loan with the bank, they required us to take an 8 hour course for first home buyers. We will have to send our completion certificate to the underwriter. In the long run, the 8 hours is well spent because we were able to avoid having to get an FHA loan and paying mortgage insurance. They talked to us all about contingencies in contracts, things to ask a realtor, types of loans, the importance of home inspections, etc. etc. Considering the effects of the housing market crash in 08, it is really nice to see all of the policies and regulations in place for home buyers - even if it does take up a Saturday. In the long run, I'm sure it does a lot of people a lot of good.

 I couldn't stop daydreaming and looking at pictures of what our finished home will look like. Right now it feels like the weeks are dragging because we are just so excited to make this move and put down roots, but I'm sure December will be here before we know it! 

Groundworks Completed!

We stopped by the house today and were excited to see the crew there working! We have been told that all of the groundworks along the water/sewer connection have been completed,inspected and backfilled. They have started the concrete slab prep work for the garage/ground level, which they hope to pour next week. Also - they already have the lumber coming in this week! We can't believe how fast this process is moving. 

Looks like our families are right - we need to get to packing up our apartment! Any takers? 😉

 

Foundation + Wings & IKEA

We stopped by the house today to check up on the progress and things are coming along wonderfully! 

Our project manager let us know that the plumbing will be coming up next. Everything is moving so fast! Keep your fingers crossed for no rain or hurricanes this season. 

After checking up on the house we went over the BW3s for a mid day pick me up before preparing to spend the next 4 hours of our day at - where else?- The Land of IKEA. 

In the words of Will Ferrell in 'Old School' we're just having a "nice little Saturday" over here in our future community ☺️

Footers + Exploring The Area

We stopped by one week after our pre-construction meeting and they had already filled the foundation for our row of houses. We have 7 units in our building, and once we are complete there is one final building of 7 that will be built directly behind us. We are the last two rows of houses in this 'phase' for our development.

View from the front 

 View from the back 

 View from the side

In the middle of our neighborhood they are putting in a giant park/green space, that will have gazebos, running paths, etc. The plan is that small concerts, community gatherings, etc. can be had here. Right now, it is a gigantic overgrown blob. Still nice to see so much green, though, after all of these past years in concrete jungles.  

Following our check-in on the progress of our house we drove around a little bit and explored the area. 

Key findings were:

Target: CHECK

JoAnn Fabrics: CHECK

Dunkin Donuts: CHECK

Chipotle: CHECK (and YUM)

Party City: CHECK

Marshall's: CHECK

Pier 1: CHECK

IKEA: CHECK (and UH-OH $$)

After we decided that there are indeed more than enough places for us to go broke, we realized that only 4 minutes from our house we also have:

 LAKE/NATURE EXPLORATION AREA: CHECK!

We only drove up to the front and walked in about 300 ft, but I already cannot wait to take walks here in the Fall as the leaves change all around! This lake is also stocked with a lot of fish such as Bass, Trout, etc. There is a running path along the edge of the lake that is 1.4 miles, and it is also a dedicated 'birding' area. 

I am dying to bring my Canon out here - I was able to snap a few pictures of this butterfly, but the full breadth of it's beauty is stifled by the Lifeproof case on my iPhone. 

After exploring we were more excited than ever with the choice we made to move to this Ryan Homes development. We are still 3.5 months out from completion, so for now we will continue day dreaming about what life will be like once we move to our new home.