Over the weekend, we got back out there and looked at two houses in downtown Bristol.

We saw two small houses neither of which ended up being a great fit, but one was super close.

House One

Y’all both of these houses were at the top of steep sets of stairs. Oof.

The pros

• Nice covered front porch

• Updated kitchen with brand-new appliances

• Fresh landscaping, including rose bushes, a new deck, and a brick firepit

The Cons

• Wobbly floors - yikes!

• Small living room - couch won’t fit

• Two bedrooms upstairs with very low ceilings and no 2nd floor bathroom

• No real parking - street parking and alley parking in the grass behind the backyard fence

House Two

Another house up high.

The first thing that caught my eye here was the retaining wall covered in succulents and fresh lavender in the front yard. As a bonus, I love icicles and that wall is the perfect place for them to form. DREAMY.

The Pros

• Corner lot with lots on tree-lined street

• Tall ceilings in most of the first-floor rooms

• Medium-sized living room with fireplace and built-ins

• Nice-sized dining room

• Cool features not found in newer houses - tall built-in cabinets in the bedroom, fireplace in the bedroom

• Mostly fenced backyard with deck and driveway

• Oversized 2-car garage with workshop space - huge plus

The Cons

• Only two small bedrooms - we would have to share an office, wouldn’t be able to host guests, would have to make some deep cuts to our belongings

• The bedrooms have tiny closets. The primary closet isn’t even full-height

• The primary bedroom probably won’t fit our bed, side tables, and dressers

• Laundry space is in the primary bathroom and is only wide enough for a stackable washer and dryer set, which I hate

• Gator fans across the street - lol

The first house was a pretty quick no for us. It didn’t feel sturdy or well-maintained. The second house had us seriously conflicted. We are beyond ready to be in our own space again, have our things back from storage, and get back into a routine. At the end of the day though, we just need a little more space.

House hunting is exhausting. I can’t wait to find a place that works and feels like home, because I miss home.