I certainly can't believe that 2012 has rolled around. Being an accountant, I seem to work a lot in the prior year (this case 2011) and, therefore, will never remember that I'm currently living in the current year (2012) and all my checks will be dated 2011. Alas, it seems to be a recurring problem. You know, not long ago, I actually wrote my birthday on a check as the date. There, solves that problem... can't remember what year you're in? Just write what year you were born. Done.
Okay, for real now... since its being a new year the Meier's have some new goals. Of course, we have the usual goals such as working out more and eating more healthy. So, far we seem to have been doing a pretty good job... I've been either riding my bike (mostly using the bike trainer so I can ride inside) and doing Zumba. Rob has also been running. I've also been cooking, too. So, we're doing good there (so far).
Our really big goal for 2012 is... BUYING A HOUSE!! That's going to be a really huge goal for us and is going to take some time. I'm not usually just overly patient, but I'm going to have to be this for one. As you've read in my previous blogs, Robert and I are going to put 20% down. We're over halfway there... if we're lucky we will be there by May. If we're not so lucky... it will be August. Either way, we ARE BUYING HOUSE. I'm not allowing any negative thoughts (no, "we're trying to buy a house" or "we think we're going to buy a house" allowed here). We speak in only affirmative words when referring to buying a house.
Heck, the day after Christmas, Robert and I went Christmas light shopping for the house that we don't currently own yet! Bought all LED lights for 50% off!! Beat that, yo. $3.24 cents a box for LED lights (pretty much the same price for mini and C9's). I win!
Personally, I'm very excited about this whole buying a house thing. Robert and I are definitely homebodies, so it will be nice to have a "home." I look forward to having projects to work on around the house and planting some flowers. Granted, I know there will be some things that I don't love (i.e. the commute for sure)... but overall, I know the move will be right for us.
We've already been jolted by what we can afford and not afford in the city. Bottom line, we can't afford to live in the city. We're going to have to move out of the city. We're leaning towards moving west, outside of the outer loop towards Katy. This map below pretty much shows you the general area of where we're looking to buy. (The red dots are elementary schools, but you don't need to worry about those).
So, anyways.. that's going to be our major goal for 2012. Ideally, I guess we're looking for 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and around 2,000 square feet. We'll get a better feel for the size once we get an actual realtor. Right now, all my research involves Robert and I getting in the car and driving around neighborhoods using the HAR (Houston Area Real Estate) app on my iPad or iPhone and seeing how much homes cost where. This weekend, we even picked a neighborhood and went riding our bikes around it looking at houses. It was pretty fun, not going to lie.
To help make sure our financial plan is there I've been working on the Meier 2012 budget. Got to start budgeting for "house" expenses now, even though we don't have one so that when moving day comes... we will have some wiggle room to buy some things that we don't currently need for the apartment (i.e. lawn mower, weed eater, and furniture) as well as moving expenses. And remember, we're debt free people and won't go into debt again except for our mortgage, so it took me almost 4 hours to get our budget to equal zero at the end of each month for the next year.
Yeah, I know... who does an annual budget? I do. And it gets updated monthly for actual results and then I re-project as necessary. But, for example, I know Robert's car needs new brake pads and rotors. That's going to cost me approximately $800. Well, I don't have $800 in February just for Robert's car, but I do have $400 in January & February. Same goes for a vacation and moving expenses.. I don't have $1,000 for a vacation and another $1,000 for moving this summer in just one month, but if I start budgeting for it now, I will by summer. You know the saying, "A fail to plan, is a plan to fail." Dave Ramsey has taught me well! :-)
Okay, probably definitely boring you by now, but this is what gets me excited!! Total nerd, I'm not afraid to admit. If we plan accordingly, buying a house should just fall into our lap and be less stressful (we hope!). So, that's whats going to be on our agenda for 2012. Get excited... we definitely are! Woo!
P.S. (How about them Hogs this weekend at the Cotton Bowl?! Woo Pig Sooie!)
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