Housed

It is accomplished. The Tanner family will be housed this summer.

I was starting to have my doubts. This housing market is a doozy. Houses sell as soon as they are listed. Seems like everything gets multiple offers. Goes for way offer asking. I’m but a humble education professor. I’m on a budget, people.

Our housing trip was scheduled for the end of April. A road trip to Iowa City. I wanted our children involved in the process. You know, since I’m pulling them out of their beautiful elementary school in Central Pennsylvania. Forcing us to leave our peaceful little house in the valley. I owed them as much say so as they could have in this move.

We ended up putting an offer on a house before we left. An extremely aggressive offer. Emphasis on the word extremely. We later learned we were up against four other offers. So it’s a good thing we were extremely aggressive.

Our aggression came, in part, out of our experience selling our house in Pennsylvania. We crossed out four offers without so much as thought. It’s just that kind of market.

Anyway, our aggression paid off. The house was listed for less than 10 hours. The sellers chose our offer. And that’s how we bought a house in Iowa City. Sight unseen.

***

We drove to Iowa City the day after buying a house sight unseen. For our housing trip. But now we weren’t going to look for a house. Just going to visit the one we already bought. Less stressful. But still a big deal.

We drove by the house as soon as we arrived. A quiet, peaceful neighborhood. Next to a big park. Right in the city. I’m using the word city loosely. Iowa City is larger than State College. But it’s still a college town.

We visited our new house the next day. With our new realtor. Who lives three doors down.

“I think I’m going to cry,” Katie said. “It’s so cute.”

It was cute. And cozy. And the boys loved their rooms. And a 10,000,000 pound weight was lifted off my shoulders.

We visited the local elementary school. Horace Mann. Which is the name of the school I went to as a child. In St. Paul. Our realtor reminded me of the Yiddish word b’shert. What’s meant to be will be.

The boys will go to a cute school in Iowa City next year. Will it be a change? For sure. Am I still nervous about my boys attending a new school? For sure. But we toured the school. The counselor gave the boys high fives. And now we know a little more about what we’re getting into.

I count that as a win.

***

We cut the trip a little short.

As I wrote about last week, Solomon tested positive for Covid a few weeks before we left for our trip. Katie and I started showing symptoms while we were in Iowa. Which is a bummer. We thought it would be safest to just head home. So we did.

An eleven-hour drive. Through Ohio. Through Indiana. I can’t tell you how excited I am to never make that drive again.

We got home. I collapsed. The last few months have been a lot. But we have a house now. And that, kind reader, is a great relief.