A-Hunting We Will Go

We've been house-hunting and I've learned a LOT. Here are some highlights:

1. A camera, at a deceptive angle, can make any house look glorious.
2. Realtors are often lazy (not ours - the ones who only post a picture of the front of the house).
3. Realtors are often liars (not ours - the ones who outright LIE about the houses they represent).
4. You canNOT know what a house is like without going inside. No matter what. Ever. At all.

I've also formed some new opinions:

1. I'd rather have a house that's been lived in and kept up with, versus a "flipper" home that's been redone by someone not living in it. Reason: flippers don't have to live with cheap decisions; residents do.
2. I'd rather have a backyard that I can let my dog/kids play in than a deck that fills the yard. Reason: I don't need one. This should be obvious.
   
3. I'd rather have a basement that is unfinished than one that is crappily finished (yes, "crappily"). Reason: basement finishing is expensive; un-doing crappily done basement + refinishing it = way more expensive.
4. If you're going to sell your house, do it up right and don't center photos on your personal things. Reason: if all I can see is your bed, I have no idea what the rest of the room looks like; if all I can see is pics of your grandkids in the hallway, I have no idea what the rest of the house looks like. I'm glad you're a crafter, that's precious, but I'm not here to buy your crafts. And if you're super proud of the 5-point buck you shot and beheaded last week, please save that display for close friends and family.
5. I'd rather have all the bedrooms on the main floor than part main, part basement. Reason: while this might be IDEAL if we have a drummer or a high schooler in the house, if we have no room on the main floor for two babies, I'm NOT putting them in the basement. We can't afford the therapy.

That is all. We are nearing our hunting trip. Ready to move. Ready to move. READY TO MOVE!