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Bel and I are now home owners!!! (and now owe the bank lots of $$)

It's been a while coming but contracts have now been exchanged!!
For those of you out there whom have done this before know just what a stressful time of your lives this is...for those that haven't - I wish you all the luck and patience in the world..its not easy the first time around!!

Here are some snaps I took recently...
We have a 2bedroom fully renovated unit with internal laundry and massive 52.2sq. metre lockup garage!!

The front of our building, which was completed in 1972..very well maintained building:



Lounge Dining Area:


Kitchen (taken from internal laundry):


Bathroom:


Part of Balcony:

Congratulations. Wow, clean, nice and comfortable. Nothing feels like home.

regards,

Arthur

Geoff - not sure how to say this gently - someone has stolen all your furniture

Congratulations. Better to be on the merry-go-round than off. The place looks great - recently renovated I take it. You now have the fun of wanting to buy all those extra things you didn't realise you needed and having no money left to pay for them. It WILL get better - the first few years are always the tightest financially.

Nice one!

Welcome to the mortgage club... Only 27 more years to go for us

Damn you bank....

good one ....... a bird feeder in the tree and you will have instant subjects.....

Hey Geoff.

Congrats mate, I know how excited you've been leading up to this. I hope you enjoy living there. My wife and I lived in a unit very similar although not as nice on the inside just after we were married and it was good times

Now, get out your drill and start running your cables before the furniture gets in the way

Congratulations, welcome to the club....looks great.

stubbsy wrote:Geoff - not sure how to say this gently - someone has stolen all your furniture

Congratulations. Better to be on the merry-go-round than off. The place looks great - recently renovated I take it. You now have the fun of wanting to buy all those extra things you didn't realise you needed and having no money left to pay for them. It WILL get better - the first few years are always the tightest financially.

Thanks Peter - I am overwhelmed right now with happiness and Bel is at work damn it! Hehehe. Yep - the unit has JUST been finished a full renovation, hence the no furniture and it is un occupied at the moment. We hope to settle within 4 weeks all going well.

Congrats Geoff and Bel! Hopefully the next 4 weeks run smoothly... need any help moving in ?

Congratulations Geoff and Bel - Sam and I have yet to make that step too.

I would be tempted to keep it sans furniture mate, and use the space as a nice studio. I'm sure Bel could be convinced

Alpha_7 wrote:Congrats Geoff and Bel! Hopefully the next 4 weeks run smoothly... need any help moving in ?

That is an incredibly kind offer Craig, but I think we'll be ok Cheers mate!!

rokkstar wrote:Congratulations Geoff and Bel - Sam and I have yet to make that step too.

I would be tempted to keep it sans furniture mate, and use the space as a nice studio. I'm sure Bel could be convinced

The garage is 52.2 square metres, a standard SINGLE garage is 15 square meters...there is a high likelyhood of a studio and a table tennis area in the garage ..oh and darts too, and a beer fridge!!

Well done guys

If I didn't spend so much money all the time then maybe we could buy too!

When's the housewarming???

stubbsy wrote:Geoff - not sure how to say this gently - someone has stolen all your furniture

Great news Geoff, congrats mate! Onthe photography side of things (if you've got time), have you thought about doing some indoor panos? Would probably give a better view of the place.

MCWB wrote:

stubbsy wrote:Geoff - not sure how to say this gently - someone has stolen all your furniture

Great news Geoff, congrats mate! Onthe photography side of things (if you've got time), have you thought about doing some indoor panos? Would probably give a better view of the place.

Haven't settled yet mate so don't have access to it as yet...but will definately do some panos - it's not my area of expertise so might need some help (hint hint)

Congratulations! This is very good news. I'll have a cold one for you in celebration

cheers

Thanx Xerebus

Nice work mate!
Looking forward to the house warming party!

Paul wrote:Nice work mate!
Looking forward to the house warming party!

Going by your avatar you must be VERY excited

Congratulations Geoff! Looks great. Fantastic kitchen.
I will never know how ordinary people in Sydney can afford to buy a house.

Congrats Geoff, nice place, Max

Many congratulations Geoff and Bel - now there is only one thing left to do

sirhc55 wrote:Many congratulations Geoff and Bel - now there is only one thing left to do

Not for at least 3 years

Oh..the D2X...hmmmm

Geoff wrote:

sirhc55 wrote:Many congratulations Geoff and Bel - now there is only one thing left to do

Not for at least 3 years

Oh..the D2X...hmmmm

That's right, there's plenty of time for that... Get the D2X first

A good news is a new home to move in and a big bad news is now both of you are working free for the bank !

And I'm not in the club (mortgage) so I'm happy!

Congrats anyway!

Why get a D2X - the D200 would be excellent for what you do Geoff + you could buy 2

Birddog114 wrote:A good news is a new home to move in and a big bad news is now both of you are working free for the bank !

And I'm not in the club (mortgage) so I'm happy!

Congrats anyway!

Thanx Birdy
Most young ppl start with a mortgage, it's the way of life for most...
We are ecstatic!!

Minimeet at Harbord?!

Why get a D2X - the D200 would be excellent for what you do Geoff + you could buy 2

or maybe the new D3H

Birddog114 wrote:A good news is a new home to move in and a big bad news is now both of you are working free for the bank !

And I'm not in the club (mortgage) so I'm happy!

Congrats anyway!

Thanx Birdy
Most young ppl start with a mortgage, it's the way of life for most...
We are ecstatic!!

Minimeet at Harbord in the garage?!

sirhc55 wrote:Why get a D2X - the D200 would be excellent for what you do Geoff + you could buy 2

Good point Chris

Congratulations, Geoff. I know the feeling. We also are having a settlement for our first house, well a unit on Jan 15!!

Well done both

Alex

Geoff wrote:
Minimeet at Harbord in the garage?!

Why not?

Birddog114 wrote:

Geoff wrote:
Minimeet at Harbord in the garage?!

Why not?

Sounds like a great idea if the studio is setup.. get someone to model and we can have a "studio" minimeet!

Alpha_7 wrote:

Birddog114 wrote:

Geoff wrote:
Minimeet at Harbord in the garage?!

Why not?

Sounds like a great idea if the studio is setup.. get someone to model and we can have a "studio" minimeet!

Now you're talking!!!
Wait until I tell Bel....she will love the idea too!!
MIght be a while before we have a studio setup though...$$$

Alex wrote:Congratulations, Geoff. I know the feeling. We also are having a settlement for our first house, well a unit on Jan 15!!

Well done both

Alex

Congrats!!!
SUCH an exciting time!

Awesome Geoff, congratulations!

With the renovations, the unit looks brand new!!

Well done Geoff and Bel. I couldn't be happier for you

Geoff and Alex congrats guys... Welcome to the land of the mortgage

Congrats guys, and relax. It's not as hard as it seems at first. You'll look back on your first huge mortgage with nostalgia when you get your second...

That's a great garage though. A few spotties from Bunnings and a fluoro or two to balance them and you could have a great studio pretty cheaply!

Well done guys! You will never regret it. Now relax and don't sweat about the mortgage...in 7 or 8 years time it will be peanuts. Oh...and have your housewarming party before you get your furniture.

Thanx guys - your words and encouragement and enthusiasm are appreciated

I'm so excited I can't sleep!!

Glad that it's excitement, not stress/worry!

A suggestion that I know you'll find really hard to live with - take pics as you fill the place with furniture. Oh, and assuming you don't already have a houseful of furniture to transplant, take your time getting the furniture so it all matches. Bear in mind that you'll probably have the furniture for decades, and fashion and your tastes will change. Make it timeless so you can still stand to look at it in 2020.

skippy wrote:Glad that it's excitement, not stress/worry!

A suggestion that I know you'll find really hard to live with - take pics as you fill the place with furniture. Oh, and assuming you don't already have a houseful of furniture to transplant, take your time getting the furniture so it all matches. Bear in mind that you'll probably have the furniture for decades, and fashion and your tastes will change. Make it timeless so you can still stand to look at it in 2020.

Hehehe...yep! Thanx Skippy. Of course there is an element of worry but we really did our calculations VERY carefully before making an offer...we should still be able to eat (maybe Baked Beans hehe just kidding)...

Great suggestion re the furniture idea....

Hey Geoff - I know it's been a long time coming for you and Bel, having made many sacrifices financially (and no doubt with many more to come), but you're finally there! Congrats on signing your life away to the bank. I guess it's a 'first time in your life' thing and I'm honoured you chose to share this happy occasion with your forum family. We are happy for you.

I look forward to seeing the 'SMP Studio' signage outside your spacious garage. You could hire out your photographic studio on hourly rates, they go for a pretty penny... help out with your mortgage.

Onyx wrote:Hey Geoff - I know it's been a long time coming for you and Bel, having made many sacrifices financially (and no doubt with many more to come), but you're finally there! Congrats on signing your life away to the bank. I guess it's a 'first time in your life' thing and I'm honoured you chose to share this happy occasion with your forum family. We are happy for you.

I look forward to seeing the 'SMP Studio' signage outside your spacious garage. You could hire out your photographic studio on hourly rates, they go for a pretty penny... help out with your mortgage.

Awww....thanks Chi! What kind words. Yes it has been a sacrafice but one that's definately been worth it. I am DEFINATELY going to plan a Harbord Garage Minimeet, I estimate it will happen around April or May of 06

Hiring the studio...now you're talking...want a comission?

Is Harbord in Northern Beaches?
I thought Harbord is a suburb, which lies between North Sydney and Artamon.

Wow, Geoff and Bel !!! Well done. Diana and I are very happy for you both. The place looks very neat and comfortable - you have found a winner after all that time searching. I can imagine there are a lot of emotions now that you have actually found the right one and have exchanged contracts. This next 4 weeks might seem to drag out - best to distract yourself with some other big event.......

Geoff, congratulations to yourself and Bel.

Birddog114 wrote:Is Harbord in Northern Beaches?
I thought Harbord is a suburb, which lies between North Sydney and Artamon.

Harbord is on the Norther Beaches Birdy - it's the next Surburb (North West) to Manly. Some people like to call Harbord North Manly, but it's not

JordanP wrote:Wow, Geoff and Bel !!! Well done. Diana and I are very happy for you both. The place looks very neat and comfortable - you have found a winner after all that time searching. I can imagine there are a lot of emotions now that you have actually found the right one and have exchanged contracts. This next 4 weeks might seem to drag out - best to distract yourself with some other big event.......

Thanks Craig and Diana!
We certainly will be discussing this 'big event' with more gusto over the next few weeks/months . We've pretty much decided to go low key with this however, and have a nice honeymoon/holiday!!