Today while having a pity party for myself over some small things in my life, I stumbled upon a help call shout out from a family in Pennsylvania. As I continued to read about their situation I realized that there was my reason to get out of my funk for the day.

Below is part of my conversation with Angie. They are in need of a 3 bedroom rental or a rent to own (contract sale) situation that will allow them to keep their dogs. I could only think of all the great people here on Active Rain and just know in my heart that one of you can be this family's angel.

"We were told that we had to wait 2 years to try and get another mortgage. So we've been trying to find a place to rent. My husband is a school teacher and I have to stay at home with the kids because of their needs.. Our oldest is in school and this is going to turn him so upside down because of the autism. We want him to go to the school my husband teaches at because we know then that Matthew will have daddy close and be in a really good school.. But everything in Millcreek Pa is too much for us, what we can afford and what will accept the kids dogs is in a bad part of the city and we just won't chance it.. Aubrey (my Princess) was given a puppy by her Daddy because during her 3rd open heart she was having a lot of trouble and he promised it to her if she pulled through. Matthew has a dog because it helps him with responsibility. So to take those 2 dogs away, plus the home we have to lose, it's going to be so rough. I don't know of any real estate agent that would understand all of this and give us a chance. We never missed a house payment and even after the bankruptcy lawyer said to stop paying on the house we did for 3 more months. It was money lost but we aren't the kind of people who want something for nothing, we just want something good for our children. Aubrey only has half of her heart and she has lung disease due to it, this house is just too bad to keep her in and the decision was hard but you have to do what you have to do.

If it's close to Millcreek and within the Millcreek School District, we can do 700-750 if it's further south, Girard, Fairview, Albion we can only do 600-650.

You have no idea what this means that you would even write, that you would pray and that you would try to help. Just knowing that you care enough to write and say you'd pray is so wonderful.

Thank you so much!"

If any of you can possible help this family out I would be forever greatful. Thank you all.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when you are looking for a new home.

1. Does the home appeal to you when you first drive up? Like most other things in life a good first impression is important. Landscaping and paint colors can always be changed but other things such as a bad driveway or location aren't so easily remedied.
2. Does the floor plan make sense for your needs? If you like to cook or entertain you might want a larger kitchen and dining room or a big backyard. Maybe your furniture is oversized and it won't fit in the room. For example, you might have a large bedroom suite that has bookcases on each side of the headboard using up 10 ft of wall space. It might work great where you are now but if in this new home there isn't a wall with 10 ft of blank space and enough room to walk around then you might have to keep looking. A window in the middle of the wall would not be a good thing. Trust me, it does happen. Usually there is a wall designated for the bed/headboard and in an older home the larger entertainment style headboards can be a problem.
3. Can you see yourself in the space? If you can't picture your life happening in that home it may not be the right one. You wouldn't want to be in your new home and not feel comfortable. Again it's like that good first impression.
4. Are there any restrictions on the property or in the neighborhood? If there isn't enough storage for you and you are considering a yard barn or other outbuilding there might be covenants that restrict sizes, styles, or even placement. This also applies to fences and pet enclosures.
5. Maintenance for the property can be a bit daunting if you are a first time home owner or buying new construction. Planting a new lawn and landscaping requires more time and potentially more money than a home that already has most of this work done. At the same time an older home will require more maintenance to the home itself that a newer home. It's a matter of give and take.

Welcome to my blog! I have never done this before so this will be a definite learning experience. I appreciate any tips or suggestions you can give as I find my way. Stay tuned for my next post later this week.

Monica Leitch - REALTOR^© - e-PRO