The Tale of the Fixer Upper: Closing/Demo Weekend

If you’ve been following my blog, you will know that I and my husband bought a fixer-upper on the western side of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. It’s been a whirlwind (see You Had Me At Purchase Agreement) and that it’s been nothing short of a struggle to get to the final stretch of the home-buying process. But recently, dreams became a reality and we were able to finally close on the house!

The Final Walk-Through

Before you sign your soul to your future home, you get a chance to walk through one more time. This is set up to make sure no major changes have been made since you’ve agreed to purchase the home. For me, this was only the second time I saw the house on the inside. Talk about making a commitment! I was choosing where I was going to live for the next dozen or so years based on ONE viewing. Looking back, it seems incredibly insane. Especially because time had desensitized me to the reality of the home.

The home was in terrible condition. That’s me putting it nicely. I cannot tell you how much stuff was left behind -- including things they said they would take. A pop-up trailer, lawnmowers, a plethora of doors, rotting food in the refrigerator…. And a refrigerator full of food downstairs that had been unplugged for months. Was this a house of horrors or our new home? It’s hard to know. I felt overwhelmed and again wondered what I was getting myself in to. But I remembered the vision for the home that we’ve been curating over the last month. I remembered the beautiful cupboards, the gorgeous American hickory floors we’ll be putting in, the layout for the upstairs that’s set up for hosting. We always knew that this house was going to require TLC times ten, so I quickly pulled myself up again and decided I still wanted to go down this path. At this point, I think we had to go down this path no matter what.

What Closing Looks Like

Closing, at least for us, seemed pretty straightforward. We met at the title company, where we had our lender, the seller, our agent representative (he was out of town at the time), and some family members present. We gave the title company our 20% deposit and they filled us in on everything that was going to happen. Over the next 45 minutes, dozens, if not hundreds of documents were signed. At the end, we were given lovely gifts from our agents as some first “welcome home” presents. Immediately after everything was settled and the keys were put into our hands, we headed over to the Ugly Duckling house.

Demo Weekend

Demo weekend is exactly what you think it is. We simply took everything that was on the inside of the house, and either burned it or threw it away. I cannot express to you how much stuff there was. Actually, if you watch our Ugly Duckling Tour, you’ll kind of see what we’re talking about. And then times that by five -- for all the things hiding in almost all of the drawers in the house. Yes, it was that packed of stuff.

The worst refrigerator of all time

Bless their souls

Originally we got the biggest dumpster on the market to throw everything. But little did we know that we’d run out of room sooner than later. The solution? Just burn it! My husband loves to burn things, and that’s exactly what he did. While the fire was consistently large for about a week, none of the neighbors seemed to mind; I think they were just happy to have us in the neighborhood!

Somehow for this weekend, we rallied ten of our friends to help gut the house. We had people working in the garage, in the backyard, in the basement, and upstairs. Every person was incredibly useful and, quite honestly, there were things I didn’t see exit the house until it was all said and done. That’s how fast everyone was working. We also realize how incredibly lucky we are to have such great friends to help with this kind of project. Naively I thought it’d kind of be a family thing, maybe four of us slowly emptying things. That, my friends, would mean we’d still be demoing to this very day. Maybe not for every demo situation, but when it’s almost on the brink of foreclosure and people quite literally leave underwear in the entryway closet, it’s going to take a while to get things taken out.

Within the first weekend, we removed cabinets, sinks, trash, refrigerators with molding food inside, carpets, subfloors, broken water heaters, trim, a popup trailer, appliances, five lawn mowers (yes, there were five!), and a lot of other objects scattered around the backyard and basement. My jaw still drops thinking of how much was removed. We’ve documented this all in videos and pictures, so make sure to check out my Instagram page!

What Next?

Even though we somehow managed to get an incredible amount of work done in those first few days, not everything is complete. We’re tearing down the walls that separate the kitchen and the living room, we’re ripping off some random spots of wallpaper, and we’re making sure to pull all the nails from the ground, baseboards, closets, etc. The walls need to be wiped down, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to have to find a solution to the intense animal smell within the walls, just short of burning the whole house to the ground. Yes, it’s that bad. No, we cannot live like that. From what the neighbors have told us, a multitude of outdoor animals had the pleasure of also being in the house (i.e. pigs, goats, rabbits). So you see where I’m going with this.

Here's some of my favorite images from that weekend. It's amazing to see the changes happening!

Have any questions about demo? Comment below and I’ll do my best to answer. Cheers friends!

Always,

A

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18: A Review

A number of runners will tell you that one of the saddest days is the day they have to retire their favorite shoe. I would know, it just happened to me. I’ve managed to only go through four pairs of shoes, two that compensated for my overpronating gate. And every time the shoe has met it’s fate, a little part of me mourns the loss. That was the shoe I ran my first half marathon in or that was the shoe I bought before we moved away from our family. Shoes can mark big moments in our life and bring back all the memories, both the good and the bad. My go to brand for the last three pairs has been Brooks. I’ve always liked the feel of them on my feet and the extreme support they provide. The most important thing for runners is to try on a variety of shoes from a variety of brands. Feet are unique and they will let you know what’s comfortable. A simple trick is to head to your favorite running store (like the Running Room or Fleet Feet) and have an assessment. Some places will watch you walk or run, listen to what your needs are, and then find several shoes that they think will suit you best. These types of stores are the reason I found out I overpronate (my arches roll inward). Putting your old loves into shoe retirement can be sad, but it’s also a time of rejoicing: It’s time for a new shoe. For me, it was the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18. If you’ve never owned a pair of Brooks, here’s an honest review of the shoe.

What I Loved

YIKES. I mean... why?

• Comfy. I don’t know if my other Brooks were less comfortable, or they had been worn so long that the cushion decreased in size, but putting on these shoes felt like I was stepping into foam. The entire bottom of my foot was being hugged by the Adrenaline.
• Stylish. There’s a fine line in running shoes of beautiful and uncomfortably hideous. Why must all running shoes be made of neon color vomit? I’m all about having fun and unique shoes, but it feels like runners are tricked into believe that this style is… well, stylish. A huge draw to these shoes for me are the color. The other difficulty is finding a color you like in shoes that you need. There aren’t that many options for overpronators. But what I loved about the Adrenalines was the variety of styles. I ended up with what I call “sprinkles”. A beautiful black canvas, sprinkled with dots of pinks, blues, yellows, and purples. The color is noticeable, but not in your face, and truly goes with everything.
• Supportive. This quality is especially for my overpronators out there. The amount of support needed will depend on your gate and your foot needs. But for me, a shoe that can hold my foot and ankle in place is a shoe I want to be in. Brooks achieved this by using their Progressive Diagonal Rollbar (PDRB), which is how they keep your body in alignment. Now when I say “supportive” I am not referring to “heavy”. These shoes feel extremely light!
• Open toe box. Maybe this is a personal issue. My last pair, the GTS 17, had a hard plastic piece up in the toe box. When I’d run, this would rub up against my toes and end up causing some sensitivity. I must note, I do not go a size up in my running shoe. I’ve read plenty of articles preaching on going up a size, but my shoe needs to fit my foot like a glove. So take this as you see fit.

Quirks:

• Seam in toe box. There is a tiny seem, almost invisible when I put my hand on it, that runs across the toe box. My toes sometimes graze it if I’m walking in my shoes, but this could be due to my shoes not being tight enough, or the fact that I don’t go up a size. It doesn’t affect me when I run, so it’s a minimal negative in my book.

First Runs

First Run: 3 Miles When bringing a new shoe to the lineup, it’s important to work them up to longer distances. Treat your shoes like you would a brand new car from the show room. You can’t go 100 mph right out of the parking lot. You have to warm up the car for the first thousand or so miles, slowly working it a little more each trip. My first trip with Sprinkles was an easy three-miler. I ended up tying them a little too tight (worried the seam would bother my toes or toe nails), but soon after the run began, my feet felt like they were not getting blood flow. Loosening them was the right call. I ran everywhere between a 10-minute pace and down to a 9-minute pace, testing different speeds to feel the shoe work in different ways. What shocked me the most was the level of comfort and how the show seemed to help propel me forward. Stopping at three miles was actually painful for me to do. Second Run: 4 Miles For my second run, I chose to run only a mile more than the first. Again, I had the same feeling of being propelled forward by the shoe. Running fast felt easy and encouraged me to run even faster. After both runs, I had zero issues with soreness in my shins, ankles, or arches (places where I’ve had difficulties in the past). My feet felt like they molded right into the shoe like I’ve been running in them for months.

Final Thoughts

Not every shoe is perfect, and certainly not perfect for every runner. Make sure to do your research, get your feet checked out, and get a sense for what your feet need. But for me and my running style, the Adrenaline GTS 18 is meeting all my dreams. I highly recommend checking them out the next time you bop into your running store.
What’s your go-to shoe and why? Are you more of a Nike fan, loving that barefoot feel? Or do you tend to be drawn towards Saucony?

Always,
A

Tour of the Ugly Duckling House

It's the moment you've all been waiting for. I know, you're anxious. You're dying to know, what the HECK does your Ugly Duckling house look like? Knowing that this would be something I'd never want to forget, I decided to document walking in to our home for the first time. Years from now, we may not remember what we went through so this seemed like the most logical path. Also get ready for some fun narration along the way! 😉

We Are Homeowners!

I hope you enjoyed the show! Let me know if you have any questions, or are absolutely dying to know more. I'm happy to share. 

Always,

A

Amy's Playlist: 2018 TC 10 Miler

What do you do when you are running? Are you listening to music? Watching Netflix while on the treadmill? Or do you love catching the sounds of the world around you, a car honk, geese overhead, water running, people’s chatter? There are a million ways to run, and a million ways make it enjoyable. 

Essentials: Shoes, shirts, bras, jackets, bibs, pants, headbands, and music

For, me, it’s 90% music. Sometimes on the treadmill, I can’t help but catch up on a show (seriously, I have no time to watch anything. Where did all my time go?), but otherwise it’s all music. Just a note: My running journey started via a treadmill. Not sure if this comes in to play on whether people love the distraction of music/podcasts, but it helped me get through those agonizing runs. Music quiets my mind and gets my legs moving. Whether it’s when a beat drops, a catchy chorus from the 90’s, or just a peppy pop beat, they all have a way to get me through that mile, that hill, that race. 

About a week before a race, I’ll start skimming through my old playlists, grabbing the classics, while also seeing what I’ve recently downloaded, figuring out if they have what it takes to make the cut. These lists used to be created a few weeks in advance, however I’d be too excited for the phenomenal new list that I’d wear it out before the race began. Patience doesn’t seem to be my virtue. 

A question you may have is, is there an order to the madness? The answer is no. Some songs have been on every single playlist. Others are probably only sticking around for the next few weeks. Others have good messages. I also put the music on shuffle, just in case I may have snuck a listen before the race starts. Knowing what’s coming next feels draining, the exact feeling you want to avoid mid-race. The surprise and delight works well for my motivation. 

Final note before I share this oh so incredibly mind-blowing playlist. I typically overshoot on length of the playlist, and I do this purposely. Earlier on in my running days, I accidentally had too few of songs. Nothing like getting close to the finish line and your music stops or starts over. No thank you. And while I try my best to stay on pace, I’d rather have the opportunity to skip a song that I’m not feeling, without worrying about speeding up my list too much. But to each their own. There is no perfect way to make a list. Heck, it might take a few lists before you find what really gets you going.

But if you need any suggestions, here’s my latest list: 

-- Panic! At the Disco, “Say Amen (Saturday Night)”

-- Panic! At the Disco, “High Hopes”

-- Cardi B Bad Bunny, and J Balvin, “I Like It”

-- Imagine Dragons, “Natural” 

-- Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, “S.O.B.”

-- King Princess, “1950”

-- LSD featuring Sia, Diplo and Labrinth, “Audio”

-- BØRNS, “American Money”

-- Taylor Swift, “22”

-- Amy Shark, “I Said Hi”

-- Bridgit Mendler, “Ready or Not” 

-- Britney Spears, “Toxic”

-- Caitlyn Smith, “Starfire”

-- Danger Twins, “Make It Look Easy” 

-- David Crowder Band, “You Are My Joy”

-- Dua Lipa, “IDGAF”

-- Emeli Sande, “Hurts”

-- Fitz and The Tantrums, “HandClap”

-- FLETCHER, “War Paint”

-- FLETCHER, “Wasted Youth”

Team Amy ready to go!

-- Florence + The Machine, “Shake It Out”

-- Florence + The Machine, “Dog Days Are Over”

-- Flume featuring Tove Lo, “Say It”

-- Glee, “Me Against The Music”

-- Icona Pop, “Emergency”

-- Jessie J., Ariana Grande, & Nicki Minaj, “Bang Bang”

-- Judah & The Lion, “Take It All Back 2.0”

-- Julia Michaels, “Uh Huh” 

-- Katy Perry, “Rise”

-- Katy Perry, “Awake”

-- Kelly Clarkson, “Love So Soft”

-- The Killers, “Run for Cover”

-- Lady Gaga, “A-YO”

-- Death Cab for Cutie, “Gold Rush”

-- AJR, “Burn the House Down”

-- Rita Ora, “Your Song”

-- Sia, “Unstoppable”

-- Sia, “Bird Set Free”

-- Taylor Swift, “Look What  You Made Me Do”

-- Taylor Swift, “I Did Something Bad” 

-- Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future, “End Game”

-- Taylor Swift, “Dancing With Our Hands Tied”

-- X Ambassadors, “Ahead of Myself”

Gotta show off those medals!

This playlist features a lot of females, which isn’t always the case. It really depends on what’s on the radio, what I’m in the mood for, and who is just creating amazing tracks. Also, it’s clear that I’m still hooked on Swift’s reputation album. And David Crowder Band? That was a last minute addition and I actually had it play right after I crossed the finish line. It was a really moving moment for me and it couldn’t have been timed better. 

Now that you are armed with hopefully several new songs for your run, get out there and get to it.

If anyone is interested in getting this playlist, I’m happy to create one on Spotify and share it! 

Always,
A

1. 
   

You Had Me At Purchase Agreement

The process in which you buy a house is nothing that I had imagined. I thought you picked a few houses you liked, had your realtor take you around in one day, you assess, you make an offer, the owner accepts, and then you move in. Maybe I’m thinking of something from HGTV. 

This is not the reality — nowhere near it. At the time that I write this, the housing market is cutthroat and it has been for years. For instance, if you see a house online, you better believe that 45 other people have seen it as well. Most likely 20 people have already scheduled an appointment to go see it with their realtor, and 8 somehow have already seen the house. Maybe three people have already made an offer. It’s been on the market for four hours. 

I haven’t even quite understood how someone can know they like a house that fast. There’s no time to let the idea of it settle in your mind. The commitment in living in a house is monumental, but the marketplace is causing potential buyers to have knee-jerk reactions. 

For example, early on in our house hunting adventure, I found a house online that had been put on the market that very same day. I contacted our realtor and we were able to see it that evening. I thought to myself, “wow, we’re going to have first dibs on this property. It could actually be ours!” Wrong. Wrong wrong wrong. Not only were we not the first people there, but there were several couples in the house when we got there, as well as dozens of realtor cards scattered across the counter like confetti. 

The reality is that the current trend has those in the Boomer generation staying longer than expected in homes, while developers are focusing on high-end construction. According to the State of the Nation’s Housing Report, only 22 percent of all homes on the market are in the “starter home” category, compared to about 50 percent 30 years ago. That’s a big difference. 

Are We There Yet? 

While my house hunt wasn’t as typical (Many people can see 7-30 homes), we saw four, making an offer on the fourth one. Again, in my naive Millennial mind, I thought we’d make an offer and they’d accept. 

The original offer was made on Oct. 19th. It was until November 2nd that the counteroffer battle finally ceased and we found middle ground. It was a brutal battle and no one wanted to budge. The fact of the matter was, we didn’t want to lose this house, and the owners couldn’t afford to have it on the market much longer. It came down to: how bad do we want this house? Clearly enough to pay $9,000 more than we wanted — even though we had already talked them down by $30,000. 

So on that chilly November evening, while my husband and I were out to dinner with his parents, the house was ours. But really it wasn’t until November 3rd when we had dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s on the purchase agreement. Many texts were sent to my friends and family and we told them of our closing date. The feeling of being settled and starting a new project on a fixer upper, mixed with being grounded in a place that I loved, it was something I couldn’t recreate.

That feeling changed all too soon. 

Purchase Agreement - Half the Battle 

Maybe our scenario causes more uneasiness than most. If you are buying a move-in ready or something similar, the appraisal and inspection are considered small bumps in the road — not even worth slowing down for. Just a technicality. But for people that are buying a house that needs more TLC, these can be major hurdles that could make or break the deal. 

Step 1: Inspection 

Many purchase agreements have inspections written in to the contingencies portion. This is because you need an inspector to come in and spend a few hours looking at your future house in detail. From plumbing to electrical to structural integrity. These are things that, at best, you may look at when you’ve visited the house on the initial visit, but usually making a mental note of if it’s in good condition or bad. Usually this needs to happen within the first ten days after everyone has signed the purchase agreement. 

This means you have to work fast. You went from “owning a home” to “how the heck do I find an inspector?” Luckily there are plenty of people that will know someone. Either your realtor will have connections, your mortgage lender, or you can use the power of the internet and search for a quality inspector in your area. They may cost more, but when you’re working on a fixer upper, it’s worth a few extra hundred dollars.

Going in to our inspection process, we knew the water heater was on the verge of collapse and that the the windows probably needed to be replaced sooner than later. But we didn’t know about the electrical (which turned out to be excellent!), the quality of the porch, or if the house had radon in the basement. He gave us an extremely detailed list of what needed to be done. And believe me, it can be overwhelming. I cried. But take it in and move forward. We decided to take the list as a checklist of things we need to do, not a list of things that all needed to be done at the same time. That’s impossible. My husband and I then made a timeline of what needed to happen first and what could wait until the very end. I highly recommend taking this route. 

Once you’ve gotten through the inspection process and decided to move forward with the property, then you’ve got to get through the appraisal. 

Step 2: Appraisal 

Don’t get too excited quite yet. Another hurdle you have to jump is another crucial one. Again, if you’re buying a move-in ready house, this step doesn’t affect you too much. But when you’re making an offer on a fixer upper, the stars have to align. 

The worry about our house was that it was priced too high. The owners may have remortgaged their house a time or two, so even though they lived there for 18 years, they had barely made a dent in their payments. In fact, I believe they owed more than they had originally paid for the house. The previous owners also did not take care of the house, only adding a new roof in the last few years and a few nice sheds in the back. This brought down the value of the house. While we were able to talk them down quite a bit, we were nervous that the appraiser would come back with something much lower. 

Why is this a big deal? Well if the buyer and seller agree on, let’s say, $200,000 for the house, and you tell the mortgage lender that you’re putting 20% down, they will only give you a loan for 80% or $160,000. But if the appraiser comes back and says the house is only worth $180,000, then you have to come up with the difference. In this example, that means the loan will be for $144,000 and you have to come up with the $56,000 instead of just $40,000. That’s an intense amount of money. That’s a game changer. 

No joke, the appraiser called our lender and flat out said: “What’s the deal with this house?” That is a very good question sir. What IS the deal with this house? They talked briefly that it was merely a fixer upper and we knew what we were getting in to. He was able to appraise it where we wanted it — by the grace of God. 

NOW do I own the house? 

After we checked off the boxes of inspection and appraisal, we are finally aligned to purchase this house. We close in about a week and we are chomping at the bit to get in and get our hands dirty. The plans we have for this house are big. So big that I don’t know if the house, at least on the inside, will look anything like it does right now. Or maybe funding will get the better of us and it’ll take a lot longer than predicting. So here’s to us on our journey as homeowners! 

Always,
A