We CAN"T buy and house and we have NO intention of doing so!!!!

We moved to NC from Florida this past summer (2010) and a decided to rent a house for us to live in.
Reason #1- We had no clue about the area or the traffic patterns (primarily the area, well and.....I hate driving so the traffic patterns too)
Reason #2- Way to complicated of a rental property portfolio (portfolio makes it sound so "rich"- HA)

• rental property number 1- we had to evict the tenant (due to lack of paying rent) right after moving to NC.  We had  $10,000 of damages to the unit and several months to get it all ready to rent again.  (that meant no rental income for 6 months to help pay the mortgage, and many many bills to fix it)
• Rental Property number 2- no problems, great tenant.  She is a nurse and mails me the check without fail every month. (but its still another property to worry about)
• Rental Property Number 3-  We  did not even try to sell our home in Florida when we moved to NC.  When we bought that house 4  years prior (at a great time in the real estate market) we had every intention of living in that home for the rest of our lives.  It wasn't a big house but it was all we needed so we did EVERYTHING to that house.   Kitchen with granite counters, Bathrooms, New tile and wood floors in the entire house, new ceiling (originally popcorn texture and that's not my cup of tea), 5 inch crown molding and baseboards in the entire house,  replaced every window, painted every wall, bought new appliances, built a salt system pool with a paver deck ( there were cheaper options but hey i was going to live there forever and lets not mention what i really wanted was marble pavers-glad my husband talked me out of that one), white vinyl fence (wood would have been cheaper but I didn't want the maintenance in my forever home).   So we have our totally redone (made us penniless) home in Florida rented.

Reason #3- After reading Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" our views of finances have changed and we wanted to save up a large down payment and  also pay off property #2 which still has a mortgage.  We knew that would take several years.

We rented a great house and were content with the status Quo.  Of course the "I love everything about houses"  person in me enjoys driving through beautiful neighborhoods, touring homes, looking at home magazines and things as such even though we have no plans on purchasing a home right now.

One fine afternoon my husband drives me through a new neighborhood that he had previously viewed with our very fashion conscience,hip 9 year old daughter "K1".  He informed me that she had approved this neighborhood.  So "just for kick" we get off and take a look at their model and 2 other inventory homes that they had already completed. 
I walked out of one of them and said "I love this house".  My husband emphatically agreed (weird for him because he really doesn't care about houses- he is so humble and easy going that he could live in a cardboard box if God called him to do so).  Later on that evening He drives me by the house AGAIN.  Double weird for him.  So here is how that conversation goes.
Me:   "What's Up- you aren't into houses that's my job"
Coach:  "I really like that house"
Me:  "yeah, me too BUUUUTTTT you know we can't buy another house right now, things are way to complicated with property #2.  I would love this house but it isn't realistic right now."
Coach:  "I know but it this gut feeling, I think God has plans for this house and our family"
(let me mention that my husband has this great gift of discernment- when God speaks (not audibly) and he (my husband) listens we have experienced miracles, blessings and amazing life altering events.)
Me: "Well,  if that is the case lets just see God work, because it will take a miracle"  (inside I was jumping for joy and shouting YYYEEESSSS!!!!-For if God impressed this on my husbands heart then God was going to work this out and  I REALLY liked this house)

This is our 3100SF rental home (not the one that we rent out but the one we currently live in) which is in a great neighborhood, full of kids and in close proximity to everything in our lives. 


Come back and visit us for the continuation of as the House Turns.