This week we’re taking a closer look at the two methods we used to find our Florida house. We explain how we balanced wants versus needs, sifted through hundreds of real estate listings, and leaned on technology to manage the search from 800 miles away. We also share how a tough phone call from our contractor unexpectedly saved us from a major future headache—one that might have left us with no functioning bathrooms when we moved in. Plus, Sherry’s way with words comes back to haunt her, and John elevates spreadsheeting to an art form.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, or Spotify.
What’s New
- Here’s a preview of the renovations underway at our Florida house after we discovered that all of the drywall on the first floor needed to be replaced. Exciting times!
- We’ll share more photos in a week or two once the house is more secure. For now, here’s the current state of the home’s only existing bathroom. We’ll add an en-suite later, but this is what we have at the moment. We originally planned to keep the existing tub/shower combo, but a leak behind the wall meant we needed a fuller renovation. At least when we move in it will be fixed and leak-free.
- If you missed the original story about how our plumbing curse followed us to Florida, you can find it at the start of Episode #168.
- You can also hear the full discussion of baskets (which inspired Sherry’s musical number “Baskets In The Attic”) in Episode #123—one of our favorite episode titles, “Baskets: Friend Or Foe?”
- Later this week we’ll post a large inspiration gallery for the Florida renovation. Expect to see a lot more woven textures like the ones above.
Game: What’s Sherry Describing?
- Thanks to listener Jeannie Rodriguez for putting together this week’s game. You can hear us interview her husband, “Dr Budgets,” in Episode #63—he shares great budgeting tips.
- Below is a list of the items Sherry was describing and the episodes where those clips originally appeared:
- The ice roller (the “zamboni” for her face) featured in Episode #142.
- Our salt lamp nightlights (the “not-rocky-cylinders”) discussed in Episode #65.
- A divided turntable organizer (pizza-shaped wedges) from Episode #76.
- Sherry’s Corkcicle water bottle from Episode #150.
- An outdoor kids’ crocheted swing appearing in Episode #48.
- The Drop Stop (a sock-like filler for the crack) featured in Episode #109.
How We House Hunted From Afar
- We discussed why we moved and why we chose the Florida Panhandle in Episode #163, and shared more details in a related blog post about the move.
- To give you a sense of how many options we had: in some areas along the Panhandle there were hundreds of listings even after filtering for key parameters like at least three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a pool—resulting in roughly 900 matches. That’s why a spreadsheet became essential.
- After favoriting homes in the Zillow and Realtor.com apps, I built a spreadsheet to compare properties and prioritize the ones that checked the most boxes.
- The spreadsheet (imagine about 70 more rows) helped us narrow down houses to see during our two-day Florida visit in February. We had limited time on the ground, so it was crucial to maximize our visits.
- As noted in the episode, online research can never fully replace an in-person visit. Elements like floor plan flow, neighborhood feel, and true walkability are hard to quantify from listings and photos alone.
- The “Walkability” scores we used were pulled from WalkScore. They’re useful but imperfect and should be confirmed with additional checks, such as Google Satellite view and, ideally, walking the neighborhood yourself. For example, our Cape Charles beach house appears to have a higher WalkScore than our new Florida house, even though the Florida location is actually walkable to more amenities in real life. Nothing beats visiting and testing the walking routes personally.
We’re Digging
- The Florida puzzle we used with the kids is out of stock, but we found several other family-friendly puzzles in the 500-piece range that balance challenge and fun for both kids and adults. A few options include crystal, flair, cats, and scientists designs. We like puzzles that are engaging without being too difficult for the kids.
- One of the podcast episodes we’re enjoying is the April 6 installment of Everything Little Thing, which interviews essential workers about their experiences delivering packages, stocking shelves, driving buses, and more.
If you’d like to revisit something we’ve featured in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, check our master list of everything we’ve dug from past episodes. You can also see all the books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page.
Finally, thank you to Social Print Studio for sponsoring this episode. Use code YHL15 for 15% off your next order through April 30th. Their Mother’s Day standard shipping deadline is April 27th.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
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