So I’ve been keeping something from all of you and I’m so excited to finally share!!!!  We are the proud new owners of my mom’s house, it seems surreal to even say it.

Without going into all of the personal details  (There are 4 of us siblings) Ray and I were able to keep it as an investment property, this did not come with a whole lot of emotional ups and downs, lots of stress, and maybe a few small panic attacks on my end.  We were 5 years away from paying off our house so to start all over again was a really hard decision but the numbers just made sense, (hello low-interest rates) so we took a leap of faith and couldn’t be happier with our decision.

I never could have imagined while Ray and I  were working so hard on the house, getting it ready to sell that it would actually become ours. (A huge thank you to my brother for painting the whole interior!)  This has literally been a dream of ours to buy property, fix them up, and sell.  However, living here in California, that really isn’t a reality for us, so we truly feel blessed to have this opportunity.  We have zero intention of selling this house any time soon, as it is a long-term investment, but that extra income from the rent could possibly make our dreams a reality to begin flipping in the future, we shall see.

My parents bought this house in the 90’s, it’s located less than a mile from the beach in a little town called Carlsbad, it was the perfect size for just the 2 of them and my mom’s dog Georgie.  My memories of this home are not childhood memories, they are memories of the last place both my mom and dad were healthy and living life fully.  A place I would bring the kids when they were just babies to go see Grandma and Grandpa a place where I can envision them both able body. And that is how I try to envision them in heaven today, healed and happy, looking down on us and proud.

So here is the before and afters of the house all in one place, if you click on the subtitle it will bring you to the tutorials.  I still have lots of tutorials to put up, in time, I promise!

The Fireplace

We tore down all of the pink marble and Ray updated it with a new tile, a rustic beam, and brought electrical and cable up above the fireplace.

The French Doors

These doors had shutters on them but were chewed up by our previous renter’s dog so we had to throw them away.  I painted them black for a fresh new look.

I also painted the front door to match and a new light fixture.

The Stairs

I updated the stairs and railing with a fresh coat of black and white paint and changed out the light fixture

The Kitchen

In The Kitchen, we removed bulkhead lighting, added recessed lighting, painted the kitchen cabinets, and Ray added a backsplash to match the fireplace. Someday we would like to completely remodel the kitchen but for now, it’s perfect for it being a rental.

Dining Room

In the dining room, we simply added a new light fixture and replaced the old baseboards that had water damage.

The Loft

In the loft, we added new carpet and a new ceiling fan.  We don’t have AC since it is by the beach so the house definitely need fans.  The carpet was delayed everywhere for months so I was able to find a remnant piece for half the price, not the color I would have chosen for a rental but I didn’t have much of a choice.

 

Bathrooms

 

The bathrooms all had the overhead bulk lighting so we had a contractor remove those and run new electrical.  I painted all of the cabinets and walls to give it a fresh new look.  I still need to take some after pictures.  This is also a project that will someday need a full demo, but for now it works.

Bedrooms

In both bedrooms, we simply gave it a fresh coat of paint.

The best part is how close to the beach it is!
The day it became our’s I posted it on FB marketplace looking for a renter,  waiting to get torn apart, because for whatever reason people think that’s OK.  I received the exact opposite (well except for 1 person questing the amount and everyone came to my defense).  I interviewed the first person out of a dozen applications and it was the perfect fit. She will take pride in the home and I know will treat it like it’s her own.  We couldn’t be more thrilled to have found the most perfect renter.  Someday I’ll ask If I can share how she decorated it, it’s truly beautiful!

Thank you to everyone who has shared this journey with us without really knowing what the outcome would be.  This has honestly been the most stressful and emotional year of my life, so many things I want to share that will hopefully help others when traveling down this very lonely road.
It was my greatest honor the last few years to make sure my mom had a quality of life, to be her advocate, to keep her alive, to care, and to love her with all of my heart.  And when all of that is gone you question yourself as to what your purpose is, in this exact moment. Other than the obvious, my greatest, joy, my family, I’m working on the rest.
There is not one person that is close to me in my life that hasn’t said Kristin, you need to write a book.  Who knows, someday I just might.  For now, all of the wonderful memories of my mom sit closely near and dear to my heart.