Update on the Crush

Well, there's an update to yesterday's post. The house crush is now in full swing for both of us. Although the outside of the house needs some serious attention, the yard is overgrown and neglected, there is a creepy old barn (that needs to be torn down), and no garage to speak of (a necessity in Chicagoland winters) ... the house is pretty unbelievable. The inside has been lovingly and gorgeously updated. The floor plan is outstanding, it's much more spacious than other homes we've seen in the price range, it's got amazing new updates like a gorgeous kitchen and 3 updated full baths. We were both stunned by how nice it is. But there are several red flags: the house is in pre-foreclosure which is also known as a "short sale" -- a poor name for a process that can take months to reach approval from the bank that is trying to get the money it's owed and avoid the foreclosure process. This makes things more complicated (like if we made an offer, we might not get an answer for months, we might have to wait until the offer is approved to be allowed an inspection, other people can submit simaltaneous offers while ours is being considered). The house was built in 1900 and although it's been updated, we wouldn't consider it without a full inspection to make sure the rather-scary looking basement is solid and safe, that the new-looking electrical work is to code, that the wood siding that needs a paint job is okay and not rotten or full of termites ... that kind of stuff. Right now we are trying to get the ball rolling to get pre-approved so that we would be able to make an offer, our realtor is trying to get more information from the seller's agent, and we're waiting to see what the process looks like for having an inspection. Many things about this house seem like our dream home. But there are a lot of unknowns, and we don't want to end up in a money pit (new garage, new appliances, maybe new siding, removing an old creepy barn, etc.), especially at a time when no one has 100% job security. We are asking God for wisdom and a clear answer about this house. We believe that God opens and closes doors, and we believe that he cares about things like what house we buy. We want a home that will be a place of love, warmth, and life for our marriage, our children, and our community, and thus a home that brings glory to God. He alone knows where we would be best "planted" here, so we're asking for his wisdom to break through the infatuation, excitement, and fear we're feeling. We'd appreciate your prayers.