FYI, this post is really just sharing, rambling, going on about my dilemma of a house search and how I just don't know when, if I should pull the trigger.

A few weeks ago I went to an open house on a road a fair bit farther out from work than I wanted and a detested tri-level to boot but I was combining the open house with a recreational trip and I'm trying to open up my search criteria. The house didn't suit me but there were some other houses on the road that looked nice, not for sale. The realtor from the open house calls me to touch base and says she was at a house that she thought would suit me but above my price range.

I asked for more info in an email and never heard back. Down that way again, I decide to take another drive down that road. A nice ranch (what I've been looking for) is FSBO. I call, talk and decide to see it. (I suspect that the realtor had either been called in for a price appraisal or had called the owner herself but when he went FSBO she didn't want to tell me about it)

It has a lot of appeal. Mostly its been really well taken care of which seems hard to find in this area, anywhere near my price range. Not that everything is new but the guy has done some nice things like put in a system so you can hook up a generator safely when the power goes out, a tap filter in the basement so its easier to reach, everything nicely labeled. He apparently used to do some sort of real estate (commercial?) years ago. He seemed pretty nice and trustworthy to me and says he knows what to do, said he has nothing to hide and recommended I get inspections for peace of mind.

It is also a ranch with a basement which is pretty rare here, slabs are prevalent and thats a no-go on my list. Drawbacks, 25-30 miles from work, part of which is a divided 4 lane with lights that backs up a lot (commute time and gas prices. (This isn't a really big city, I don't feel I should have to commute this far to get a little country but hey, that's just a feeling).

The price is really at the top of my price range so if anything did go wrong I'd be sweating it. My "plan" was - close to work pay more, farther out pay less. This is sort of farther out pay more but honestly it seems fairly priced for this region from what I've seen in the last 9 months. Additionally I'm 9 years from retirement and don't want to retire here. So I need to be careful.

Its 5 acres with lots of flower beds, etc. his wife has done a really nice job. Its a lot to maintain physically and will cost, not just in tons of wood chips but also a zero turn mower etc. (Pretty sure it won't look that nice after I've lived there awhile:)

The nice front porch and front yard trees - face north - where you want to be in the summer. But I'm a backyard person. What I really want, what I'm all about, is sitting outside and watching my vegetable garden grow and watching my bird feeders - in the back. Which faces south, not much in the way of shade back there. No back porch. And with fields on either side its windy. This is what I had at the last place - where I didn't go outside much because of the hot sun and wind (I decided I really don't like wind, don't know how people in Wyoming stand it) So, if it were on the other side of the road....it'd be close to perfect.

This is where a crystal ball would come in handy. As in, is what I really want out there? I've talked to numerous realtors, worked with a couple and none seem to be able to tell me. On the one hand I don't think they want to discourage a buyer and on the other I don't think many really know the rural market very well. So I get a lot of vague assurances. Personally I think someone needs to tell me my criteria is unrealistic but I haven't heard that so I wonder/hope....just more patience? My MLS search is fairly static, same houses forever, only occasionally does something new pop up which for one reason or another (price, slab etc) immediately don't fit the bill. Two have come up that disappeared quickly, smaller homes, on small acreages, well priced, rural. I.e. theoretically what I've been looking for - but while both were out as far, they were unappealing because the direction/location didn't even take you by shopping on the way to BFE, one was too wooded, one had the same backyard situation. This is the closest to what I want that I've seen.

So.....this guy said they had others interested, 8 calls, a couple of lookers in just the last week and a half who are really interested. (The road is a rural cut through and gets good traffic for his sign, plus they know a lot of people).

What to do, what to do.