We sold our home!

I’ve been keeping a little secret — we sold our home!  It’s been a wild few months for us, and I’m finally starting to catch my breath.  We knew that our Roscoe Village was not our forever home; however, we thought we would be there for at least 5 years.  If the pandemic taught us all something, it’s that things can always change on a dime.

We are pro movers since we’ve done it four times now.  However, our Roscoe Village home really takes the cake for a fast move. All of that work for our fastest stint yet…. 18 months.  That’s OK though.

While I loved all the work we did to our home, there was something about it that never felt like ours.  It felt like a home I made for someone else and we just got to enjoy it for a while.  It’s really hard to describe.  Maybe it’s because there was always a higher purpose for that housing project.  I still don’t know, but when I figure it out, I’ll share it with you.

Last summer, we debated whether we’d sell our home in 2021 or 2022.  As we were living there through the pandemic, life changed.  Matt and I will both primarily work from home now, and we knew we needed a different layout.  In order to get the ideal layout, we would need to invest quite a bit more, and for that investment, we’d rather get a new project.  So, it was a matter of time.  I wanted to stay longer and Matt was ready to go.  By spring of this year, we were both ready.

With the market so hot and interest rates so low, we knew it was time.  Our supersmart realtor, Brooke Vanderbok, has always told us to take photos in the warm months when the house is in bloom.  So, last Fall I scheduled photos just in case.  We were ready.

We left for a weekend so our agent could show it as much as she wanted and sold it over a weekend, which we’re still really grateful for.  Having to move all of Emmie’s “classroom” and stage for sale was a major pain, so I am so glad we only needed to do that one weekend.  On top of it, the entire process was unbelievably smooth.  Both sides were so agreeable and amenable — it made me think, “This is who is supposed to be in this home.  I made the home for these people.”

Since I’ve literally seen inside all of the walls, I wanted to share a guide to the home.  It gave me the opportunity to meet one of the sellers, and I’m so glad I was able to.  She was soooo excited for the home!  So happy, so thrilled with the design, and so grateful for a smooth transaction.  It was the best closure I could have asked for.

So what’s next for the Herrmannitos?? Good question!  We’re not entirely sure, but we’re in an AirBnB in the area while we figure it out.  We’re narrowed in on a few areas.  You’ll be happy to know we still disagree on how much of a project to take on. The Matts Construction is excited, and I hope to get the band back together because I want another killer kitchen.

Living in the AirBnB isn’t quite the adventure I’d hoped for.  It sounds like a lot more fun until all of your things are in storage and you’re working off of weak internet HA. so, I’m hoping this phase is quick, but I’m also trying to soak it in and enjoy all that Chicago summer has to offer.  Emmie, on the other hand, is thriving.  We wiped the wheels to her bike and she scoots from room to room in the AirBnB thinking it’s the coolest thing.  I’m usually the cheerleader, but Matt has by far and away taken the title over this time cheering us on every day and finding the silver lining.  Here’s to hoping we find something soon!

A HUGE thank you to Lauren Michelle Photography for capturing these photos.  If you’re in Chicago, I highly recommend her!!

Jen Naye Herrmann

Affectionately known to her friends as Millennial Martha for her love of DIY and decorating, Jen can’t help but pour her heart + soul into everything she touches. She’s loved to entertain since acquiring a table and chairs, and giving gifts is one of her favorite hobbies. Jen is the creator of Girl Meets Party. Her dream is to share her passions with the world in hopes to inspire others by making the seemingly unattainable attainable.