creeping towards home-ownership

The farmhouse in Amity looks like a no-go. There is a county road that bisects the property, making it near impossible to get financing. I looked under the couch cushions but came up a little short on the $219,000 asking price. However, I checked out a few homes yesterday. Most of them were places I wouldn't take money to live in, let alone hemorrhage half my paycheck to afford. I drove east and found out where the witch from Hansel and Gretel lives. She's selling her house but the road to it looks like it could be a rough-go in the winter. It probably didn't occur to her since she can fly out on her broom any time of the year. But, it would be a problem to live that deep and need to get to work. I hustled out of there before she saw me so I wouldn't end up on the lunch menu. Of 7 houses I drove by, 5 of them were super sick, overgrown trailers in nasty neighborhoods. A little dispiriting. Two were gorgeous though. Views, nice neighborhoods, acreage, outbuildings. They were both about $15,000 above my price range but times are tough and prices go down. One of them looks like the house I grew up in, a brown 70s split level. It has a view of farms and Mt Hood, acres of Christmas trees, barns, and nextdoor to someone who raises Brahma bulls. Neat. Hopefully I am going to check it out soon. Also, I am still crossing my fingers on getting that IDA money. If I could scrape $3,000 together, the State of Oregon will give me $9,000 for help with the downpayment and closing costs. Neat neat deal. And, my truck set me back another chunk in my debt, seems like it always does that when I am close to paying off my credit card debt. She does keep me honest in that regard. But she runs like a dream now so I can't complain. Got the pincher move going with finances, trying to stockpile savings in case I get the IDA approval and pay off debt so that doesn't stress me out. I am really excited to get a home. I think it will be the death knoll for my social life, but it's not hoppin' right now anyway and I'd rather spend my day gardening or riding my horse or chopping wood than watching 24 in Gresham in my sweat pants.