Introducing SavvyCat

I guess I should introduce myself since I've been asking so many questions lately. I bought my first house a year ago TODAY! Woohoo! It's 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a 2 car garage, 1187 s.f. I'm sort of handy, but not with big stuff. I know good work when I see it, though, and the former owner fancied himself handy with the big stuff and, I'm tellin' ya, he wasn't. Although serviceable for now, I will have to replace all of the shower tiles, floor tile, and pergo because of sloppy and failing installation. I just did the gutters getting rid of a horrendous home job, and need to replace the gate/fence in front.

The kitchen counters will get replaced just because they're BURNT ORANGE! Ugh! I almost didn't buy the house because of it, and the guy who just bought the house across the street said he looked at mine way back and it's precisely the reason he didn't buy it.

I call my house The Doublewide because of the way it's laid out. Mine passes straight through front to back, with the kitchen and living area all on one side, and the two bedrooms and baths all on the other side. Technically in a townhouse development c.1982, there were a few streets where they built essentially zero lot houses and that's what I have. No shared walls!

I had counted on my dad, a big-time handyman, coming out to do some things for me/with me like he always had my sister's houses, but he passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. Instead of a 3 minute phone call for some of the things I'm trying to do, I have now found this forum where I can wait from hours to days to finish a task (the outlet wiring all worked out great). It makes me feel so blonde! But thanks for helping out.

Anyway, I hope y'all don't mind the occasional seemingly dumb question. I got a million of 'em!

This place is just perfect for someone like you. We are all volunteers here who just like to give back to communities, no strings attached. However we do have a few professionals around, and one guy we probably all refer to as Dad, his name is Glenn and he always gives good, sound , realistic advice.
Sorry to hear about those counters...things will get better.

Thanks, Inspector. I still look at it and think, "What have I done?" because I took some 401k rollover money so I could make 20% down, and with the addition of taxes, home warranty, and insurance, it's more than my apartment was. Still, it's less than my SoCal apartment that I was in for 12 years before I move here, so I've convinced myself everything is okay. I'm paying a lot this first income tax year because of my little financing plan, but I made myself feel a LOT better when I rebuilt a little dummy portfolio to see what my money would have done in the crash and I would have lost a whole lot more had it stayed where it was. Interesting how one can rationalize their actions.

All I need to do is keep reminding myself it's just a cheap little house. Some of the things I'd like to do and are affordable to me, are not worth doing in this house. Still, the long-term plan is the countertops (but not granite), maybe cabinet refacing, replacing the luan doors with molded panel doors, replace the back door and storm door that has a giant doggie door cut into it (another really bad home job on the storm door).

I have already repainted the living room, master bedroom, and master bath. Finished over the oak vanity with red mahagony, and replaced almost all of the switches and outlets with updated decora. You'd be surprised the difference THAT little project made in the appearance of everything. And for cheap! I highly recommend it.

I plan to post some pictures in an album here. I forgot to take any before pictures of my stuff, but I still have the sales photos. It will be a toss up whether it looks better with quality home furnishings (theirs), or semi-quality updates (mine).