After several weeks’ worth of my asking nagging, Chris has begun to ready our house for the move. The downstairs walls are now bare, and he’s spent several hours patching and sanding the holes. I have yet to get the paint from the store, for the touch-ups. I called the other day to confirm they had the right mix, and yet I couldn’t get up and get it. You see, our renters had to back out this week and I’m feeling a little lost.
Everything that’s led us to the farmhouse has been nothing short of spirit-led. We’ve simply said yes every time we felt Him say so, and things have just fallen into place. The usual home-buying bumps in the road haven’t worried us too much, because we’ve had such a solid renter situation in place. But now that’s gone, and I’m not sure what we’re going to do.
We’ve got an appointment with a property management company this week, and we’ve already shown the house to two families. I have no doubt we’d be able to rent it, but I’m not sure about being a landlord. The idea makes me nervous, when I think of cost and effort. I’ve heard pros and cons about renting to friends and strangers, and I’m not quite sure where to go from here. All I know is that we don’t have a lot of time.
At the end of the day, we can walk away from the farmhouse. We would be utterly disappointed, but we made a promise to act wisely and honorably in this. We cannot afford two mortgages and we have no intentions of behaving recklessly. We are blessed to be in a home that is ours. It’s affordable and spacious and full of memories, and we will make the best of it if necessary.
One of you reminded me of this post the other day, and I smiled as I read your tweet. A reminder of words I so recently wrote. We’ve decided to make this move real. We’re preparing our home and our hearts to head to the farmhouse in a few weeks. But we’re also using this time to exercise real faith, that the Lord will resolve the renter situation for us.
Real and faith-filled, Lord.
Today, make my heart just so.
4 Comments
I’m sure a renter will come thru! As a landlord myself and financial planner, to give yourself peace of mind try to keep 3 months of mortgage saved up in a separate savings account just for that house and a little extra for repairs that come up, bc they always do. The beauty of it is you will be able to keep the house as a long term investment for your family all while someone else pays the mortgage! I will pray for you that God sends you the perfect tenants!
I am sure there is a family out there who would be equally blessed to rent from you! As renters I can’t tell you how increasingly rare a good home owner is. renters get a bad rap but it really is, all to often the other way around.
I’m praying so hard Rachael. It doesn’t make any sense – but I know our God is good.
love you so much
-Kacia
Can you give me details about the house? Rent/location…I am renting a townhouse in Rock Hill with my boyfriend and we are both wanting to move into a house. He’s from Fort Mill and wants to be back there. You can contact me at piercek2 at Winthrop dot edu. Maybe it will be in our price range!? I’d love to help you out if I could!