I have a problem.

I'm obsessed with 410 Greene Street, Starkville MS 39759.

This is mostly a problem because we still haven't sold 3003 Geranium Dr, Bloomington IL 61705.
But also written on my hell-no-you-can't-buy-a-house list:
- we're still saving for our 3-6 months of expenses fund, which means...
- we're no where near close to having a down payment
- we're emotionally scarred from owning and trying to sell a home
- we will probably never be able to afford this house
- our credit score is shot from stopping our mortgage payments last year
- our credit score will be doubly shot if this short sale actually goes through
- we don't even know if we'll be in Starkville long term
- the house we rent right now (Also addressed as 410. Coincidence?) is perfect for us & fits easily into our budget

Oh. And I should probably mention that it's not even for sale.

Did that stop me from writing a 2 minute speech that I was fully prepared to deliver to the occupants on our evening walk? No. I was going to cover the fact that their yard was void of any signs (not to mention our wallets void of any cash) and casually offer a business card for reference for the day that sign does appear. The speech's main points were:
- we are not weird (read: stalkers)
- we are not ready (but neither are you)
- your house is beautiful (read: can I sneak a peak at your walk-in closet?)
- please call us if you plan to sell (preferably before you call someone that could make an offer you'd actually accept...)

Sadly, I chickened out. I never was one for public speaking...

Just because we're not ready to buy doesn't mean I don't like to look. If I could, I would go to every Open House on the weekends. I would walk up to homes and ask, "Can I see your floor plan? I'm just curious." I would roam the isles of IKEA, Target, Pottery Barn, or World Market (wait... I live in Starkville). Bottom line, I love love love looking at houses, homes, trailers, mansions, dorm rooms - anywhere people live, really. And I hate driving at night because it's harder, dangerous - actually, when you're trying to see into someone's living room through the open curtains.

But this house, it spoke to me from the road. It really is beautiful and on the most perfect street. I liked it so much, I immediately came home to type greene st starkville ms home for sale into Google's search engine to get an idea of what something around there might go for. And you wanna know what comes up first when you do that? The house! (Go ahead. I'll wait while you look through the 34 photos of this prime real estate). My guess is that the link is an old listing that the internet has saved, because it's not really for sale right now.

Having lived here for 3 years and driven around this small town, I can tell you that the number of houses with my dream wants are really limited, mostly by location. There's just not a large quantity of the older homes in the area we like that aren't surrounded by shady pockets (and not in a good way) or run-down college rentals. This house, seems at first glance, to have most (if not all) of my dream wants:
- it's in the center of town, 2 blocks from downtown, but not on a busy street like most of the streets in this area and not surrounded by crappy undergraduate rental properties
- older home with character, but upgrades, too
- front porch & back porch
- 4 bedrooms + a bonus den. Can you say studio space? Plenty of room for a master, kids room, guest room, play room, and one beautiful room devoted to sewing and graphic design. ahhh.
- dining areas (two!) separate the kitchen and living spaces which lessens the noise while watching tv or visiting - something really hard to find in today's open living floor plans (that's just a personal preference - I'm sure some of you would disagree, but I like my dining room in between the kitchen and living room, but I also don't like the kitchen secluded away in a corner like we have now. This kitchen is the breeze way to the other spaces. love.)
- all of the bedrooms appear to be along the same side - also something hard to find in today's floor plans that separate the master from the rest of the bedrooms. I like to be close to the kids.
- fenced in backyard and a front yard that's not 2 steps to the road (like we have now)
- easy flow from sitting room to dining to kitchen to breakfast nook to den - perfect for entertaining
- there's probably more, but I just haven't thought of it yet...

Originally, I thought writing this post would be some sort of therapy, helping me emotionally let go of something I obviously don't need, nor or ready for. I see now that it's only confirmed one thing. I'm right and I really want that house.

Whoops.