We're the dreamers.

On Tuesday D and I got to drive around some and look (only from the outside) at some houses for sale around Raleigh.  Not that anyone cares about Raleigh, but let me give you the run down.

This is Raleigh.  Now see that yellow 440 beltline?  That's where you/I want to live.  We live in that beltline towards the western-center side.  We are spoiled.  We currently rent in what I believe is one of the best places to live in the city.  We can see the downtown Raleigh lights from our street at night.  We live so close to the most amazing neighborhoods.  As for buying a house in this area...impossible.  No houses in our direct area are probably going on the market anytime soon.  Who are we kidding...even if they did we could probably never afford them.  I'm starting still trying to come to terms with the fact that once we buy I will not be able to walk to the Y or be ridiculously close to our neighborhood bar or Harris Teeter.

We need to start scouting out the other good neighborhoods where we'll be happy living since we can't dish out get approved for a $300,000+ mortgage (ok right...I'm just a teacher!).  The first neighborhood we checked out was over on the eastern side of Raleigh outside the beltline.

We were intrigued by this super cheap fixer upper on a corner lot and with a "lake" in the backyard!  Truthfully, it could have been a prospect yet the distance from downtown and subdivision itself outweighed the price and lake.  We aren't really looking for something that big either.  After we left driving by this house, I mentioned to D that there aren't too many requirements in a house that I am dead set on...except a fireplace.  I quickly learned that a lack of a fireplace is not a dealbreaker for me after I fell in love with a house we stumbled upon.  We just went driving and found a pretty good neighborhood with lots of houses for sale.  I'm not going to jinx anything by telling you which I fell in love with...

Even though it looks older, this one is really nice on the inside.  Beautiful hardwood floors, large fenced in backyard (yardage is pretty much a requirement for us with the doggies and love for BBQing)

Yep...it looks tiny and I don't care.  D and I have no intention of having kids anytime soon.  We have no need for anything much bigger than 3 bedroom (which this is).  I adore the hardwoods and stainless steel and granite counter tops.  The inside is crucial for me and this one has been remodeled.  Little house, big yard, happy girl.  (Oh and let's not forget less for me to clean...and I despise cleaning)

Terrible picture but big yard.  There's a little studio apartment on the property (not sure where) that could be rented out.  Nice new appliances and granite counter tops.

Also looks tiny...but it is 3 bedroom too.  It has huge front, back, and side yards.  It has a cute little deck, hardwoods, and of course stainless steel appliances.  It's been remodeled.

Since we don't have really much money saved coming off the wedding, moving, and no summer pay for me, we're scouting out our areas and saving money with our cheap rent (while continually being spoiled in our amazing neighborhood).  All of these houses were pretty much in the same general area of Raleigh which is close enough downtown that I think we could cope.  Also the houses that are a bit out of our price range, we'll keep tabs on as far a price reductions go while we save up.  I'd rather buy smaller and cheaper so I am not dishing out half my monthly salary on a house...this bitch needs travel to exotic locales more than a house!  I'm hoping this weekend we can drive out to some of the areas around southwestern Raleigh this weekend.  I'm actually starting to look forward to saving for a house and viewing the insides! Eh...well I'm still torn on giving up our international vacay next summer for a house....