A place to hang our hats..........

We still don't know where or if we are moving this summer.  I have read "Home Buying for Dummies" from cover to cover, and I have researched houses and housing costs and school districts from Colorado to Virginia.  I have asked friends for input on buying a house, and for neighborhood information.  I have a friend who is a realtor in Northern VA, and I know if we go there, she would be a tremendous help.  While I have researched our Basic Allowance For Housing rates at our potential duty stations, I realize there are a lot of costs associated with home ownership that we haven't had since living in base housing.  We are not handy people, so a fixer-upper would not be a good choice for us.  We haven't paid for utilities in a long time!  Closing costs and a home inspection can be expensive.  Buying a home in an area we might not stay in for more than a few years is a risk.  But I am excited about the possibilities!  It would be nice to have a home big enough for all of us (but not too big....).  Colleen and Megan have chosen their sibling roommates, and drawn their future bedroom floor plans.   It still looks like there are plenty of houses on the market that we can afford.  School districts are a big consideration, especially since I would like Mick to continue to in inclusion classes.   We used to say that we would only send our kids to Catholic schools, but were soured by our experience with the local Catholic elementary school last time we lived here.  Now with two kids needing special ed services (one middle school, one elementary), I think they are better served in public school.  I don't think a private school would even take Mick, but I don't know.  I did hear of a brand new Catholic High School, John Paul the Great, opening up in Dumphries, VA, near Quantico.  If it were affordable, that might be a good place to send Molly and Jack if we do end up stationed there.  I am ready to move!