Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

We’re getting closer to electricity.

We have windows.

The view from the rooftop, doesn’t suck.

However, Brent met someone to get a quote on a fence today, and we learned that (once again) we didn’t get all the information. Can’t put a privacy fence in front of our house. The front yard fence can only be 3 feet tall. (What good is a 3 foot fall fence?!) Unfortunately, the majority of our yard is the “front” yard because of how we had to have the house set-back to “match” so I’m not really sure where that leaves us.

 We’ll be able to put up something to contain the dog – even if it is short and does nothing for privacy on this corner lot near two busy streets. The options for the hot tub aren’t looking too good though.

For now, we wait to see what the fence guy comes back with and dread what the next surprise will be. Lesson learned, universe, lesson learned.

It Just Got Real

In case there was any doubt that any of this was real, I think we can officially say we are building a house!

The construction crew has clearly hit the ground running. 

Electric and sewer was first, then foundation.

Framing will be up next

To think that we were sitting there on Sunday looking at an empty lot.

I'm going to say this blog is about to get a lot more interesting! Thanks for sticking with us through the not-so-fun part.

Heavy Lifting

I know, I know, I'm sure you're wondering where on earth my updates are if we're going to be moving into a house in 6 months. It's a fair question, but I can't deal with that today. The short version, we are in permit/zoning hell. The long version will have to wait until we are through it, when my emotional state is a little better.

However, in the meantime, we have been busy with yard work. Let's be honest, we really thought we would be off the hook when it came to mowing the lawn this summer. We thought it would be all torn up. Wrong.

Regardless, we knew there was a broken chain link fence that needed to be taken down. That fence only went around part of the lot (we have no idea what the former owners were thinking). Anyway you look at it, this lot has been in rough shape for quite some time. Admittedly, we didn't have any idea how big this project was when we started it. However, as we got into it, we quickly realized that there were actual trees growing through the fence (not tiny trees, 5 inch diameter trees).

However, thanks to great help from family and friends, we were able to knock it out. The results are like night and day. I will admit I was a little nervous we were going to have some angry neighbors due to how terrible it all looked. They couldn't have been nicer when they us there working. Plus we cut down a bush that was blocking the view when coming out of the alley - that definitely made people happy.

Before: 

  

During:

  

After: 

Next up is some more tree trimming and tree removal on the site of the actual house (you know, assuming we ever get approval to build it). If we don't, there could soon be a beautiful lot for sale. Baby steps, right? That's what I keep telling myself anyway.

A Glimmer of Hope... Finally!

I'm sure you were wondering if I was ever going to post again. I was honestly beginning to wonder myself.

The good news is we finally have a clean title!

The short version of how we got here:

We had a court date scheduled for early December but it got postponed multiple times because they were unable to serve papers to the next of kin for the guy who died but still had a contact on our lot. Why were they unable to serve papers you ask? Well, that's a funny story. The next of kin is in fact a convicted murderer serving a very long sentence in prison. You would have thought it would make serving papers easier since you know exactly where he is, but it didn't. Regardless, on December 31st the judge finally gave the stamp of approval to cancel the contact and a couple weeks ago we got the document in the mail, which means we can resume the process of securing financing.

So not a huge leap forward, but certainly a very important step!

I guess this means we'll have to shovel the sidewalk now! A small price to pay for finally, legally owning our lot!

On Hold. Indefinitely.

Well, my friends. We have nothing but more bad news. The title wasn't processed correctly when we bought it from the county. We can partially fix it, but apparently to 100% fix it we have to hire a real estate lawyer and go through a not so easy process of removing the previous owner from the title (not to mention the expense). How can Hennepin County sell us a piece of land without actually doing this first? I have no idea.

But I basically feel like someone pulled a fast one on us, and we were dumb enough to trust the system.

So, as much as it pains me to say this (and it does), the official "hold" button is being pushed. We'll pay the remaining bill to the architect and surveyor. And just hope for the best when we get this all straightened out.

I wish a miracle could take place, but I think we've used them all up. Perhaps there will be a tiny house coming in 2016. But for now, we will work on this title mess and then re-start our savings to hopefully build this house down the road.

Until then...

Cheers!

Friday night we went to the lot, parked the car, and walked around with a beer to celebrate the future site of our new home.

 It felt bigger. We have real trees, grown up trees.

We talked about what it might look like.

Next week we hope to meet with the architect to talk about design changes that might need to take place as a result of the new lot.

But this is real. It's happening.

The first part of our tiny house dream has come true.

Going once... going twice...

I'm pleased to announce that we have quite the update for you today! But first, let me rewind. The last post I made was that we were on hold. Someone else had submitted a proposal before we were able to. We knew that was always a possibility, and as it turns out, the process was more challenging than we anticipated (definitely designed for builders not regular humans - they wanted an actual list of every material going into the house, where you were buying and how much it cost, which wasn't an ideal for two people who wanted to used a lot of reclaimed and re-purposed items). Anyway, there were tears, and we started looking for other options... privately owned lots or really anything that didn't have to do with the City of Minneapolis.

We knew we were in a bit of a time crunch due to the school trying to plan their curriculum, but certainly this was a big decision that we weren't going to rush into. We weren't willing to compromise the location of our long term home. 

Our builder recommended that we check out the upcoming Hennepin County real estate auction of tax-forfeited properties. There was a cute little lot in the same neighborhood of Minneapolis, not that far from the original lot. I will admit I scoffed initially. City owned? No thank you! Until Brent did some research. We found out that the way the auctions works are pretty simple. You're the highest bidder, you win the lot. Period. Still have to go through normal procedures for building permits and such, but that's it. 

Friday morning Brent headed down to the auction with a cashier check with our earnest money in hand. We all figured emotional, anxiety-ridden me would be of no help at the auction so I went to work. At 8:30am (auction started at 9am) I got a call from Brent. Closing is immediately following the auction for the winning bidder. Two problems. One, the checkbook was at home. Two, I wasn't there to sign. So I hopped in the car and headed back downtown. Grabbed the checkbook and booked it through the streets of Minneapolis, while I got updates from Brent about how crowded the room was getting. By the time I got there, I was a sweaty ball of stress, but I made it before the initial item. 

There were more than 50 properties for sale that day. Ours was in the middle of the list. So we sat and watched. Some properties got no bids, some had bidding wars. It was stressful. That doesn't even sum it up sufficiently. Our hearts were beating out of our chests. 

Finally our lot came on the screen: 

Brent was ready. I was just trying not to pass out. Brent made the initial bid. We heard going once... going twice... and inside our heads for a brief moment we allowed ourselves to think that we would get it for the minimum bid. Then someone from across the room took the next bid. Back and forth, back and forth. Then they passed. And inside we got excited again, and then behind us came the next bid. Back and forth, back and forth. 

At this point I must say we were nearing the dollar amount we had set as our limit. So I could really just hear my heart pounding in my ears. Back and forth. Back and forth. And then they passed, and we heard, "going once... going twice... sold! To bidder number..." and Brent held up his number and that was it. We gathered our things, walked out the door, and dared to breathe. 

Then there we were, signing the papers and writing a big check (and check half as big as the one we would have had to write if we got the original lot). Official land owners in the City of Minneapolis. 

Tiny house dream back on track.

On Hold

Well, our tiny house dreams are officially on hold. The lot is no longer available. The lot we designed the house around.

I'm not sure what the next move is going to be anymore.

Every bone in my body said we had to have the proposal submitted by the end of October. Brent went to call today, and of course, it was too late.

It's still our dream to build a tiny house, but perhaps Minneapolis isn't meant to be its home.

We shall see.

(If you know of any lots near the Beltrami area of NE Minneapolis, please let us know.)

Dream Lot

Looking for lots is not easy. It's not like searching for a house. For some reason, it's more difficult. We would find one that sounded good and do a drive by. Too small. Weird shaped. Bad neighborhood. Trashy neighbors.

Hours were spent on the couch with Brent looking up lots and me searching the lots on google maps. You'd think there was a better way. One day he changed the price range a little just to see what happened...

and the most wonderful lot appeared. Wooded. Great neighborhood.

We talked to friends about it and they were shocked it was the price it was for the area it was in. It seemed too good to be true.

We fell in love. We drove past it. Then we walked past it. We loved it.

Until we didn't, which didn't take long.

Because we realized the whole point of building a tiny house was so that we could have less, do more. Pay off the mortgage faster. Lower monthly payment. And while this lot was a steal at $150,000. It was at least $50,000 more than we planned to spend on the lot and house together (on the high side!).

So we moved on and went back to searching city owned lots (which come with their own challenges that I will get into another day). Now we found one (again) that we like. Good size, end of a cal-de-sac, great location. There are some sacrifices, but we'll get to that later.

The point is... we have to keep reminding ourselves of the big picture when building tiny. The financial freedom that will come with it (sooner than later) is among the top so a $150,000 lot, no matter how perfect the neighborhood, is not, in fact, perfect.