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Closing was an interesting experience for me. I’m not sure how it would be normally in a non-COVID era, but for me it was definitely not what I expected…

For starters, the entire pre-closing process was both easy and a disaster hahah. I’ll probably end up writing a whole blog post on all that went into it, but essentially, the hard parts (eg. home inspection, mortgage requirements, etc.) were the easy part and the hard part came with what should have been easy (eg. agreed to repairs that came out of the home inspection, water, and much more).

Secondly, most everything was done online. I signed all my papers (except some at closing) online and all communication was handled by email or on the phone. Even at closing, the normal stack of papers you sign your life away on was significantly smaller and I only signed what couldn’t be signed beforehand.

While all that was different than expected, I would have to say the strangest thing was closing day it’s self. I think because of everything being taken care of before, and the limiting of people, it didn’t really feel like I “closed.”

When I got to Cambridge, after making a quick stop at my family’s favorite bait and tackle shop Anglers in Annapolis, MD, I went to the house and did the walk through the morning of by myself with family. There were no relators or inspectors or anyone else present. We looked to make sure everything we discussed was fixed or credited and then took the keys and headed to a restaurant for lunch.

After lunch we went to the law office, walked into a room and signed all the papers. We handed them over after signature and they gave us the remainder of the keys and we left. The sellers and everyone else did their closing on different days so once we signed the papers, we were done.

I will say, while it felt strange to have it so simple in the moment, it was also kind of nice looking back. While it didn’t really set in until the next morning, having it small allowed me to really pay attention, ask questions and feel more comfortable with the process. Additionally, all the people I worked with from the mortgage company to the closing attorney were all great, so when I think that also helped with feeling comfortable closing.

After closing, we went to the house and toasted. It was myself and Stacey, who is essentially my second mom, and it was prefect. We built two beds for us to go to sleep on and then kicked off the renovations in the guest bedroom..

It may have been small and different, but it was perfect for me and a perfect way to break in the new house.

Now…on to the fun part! Stay tuned for an update on the guest bedroom and all the work we did during our first 48 hours in the Cottage on the Bay..

xx

Katie

AHH! It’s official – this little cottage on the bay I have fallen in love with is officially mine. But first, let me back up and tell you a little more about how I came to love this little house of mine.

I had been looking for a house on the bay for a couple years. I originally knew I wanted to be on the water in Maryland, but wasn’t sure exactly where. I started looking at Deep Creek Lake (which I LOVE), but eventually came to realize it wasn’t that practical. I mean, I love lake life as much as the next girl (and the town is super cute!), but if there is one thing my family consistently does every summer, it’s crabbing – and you can’t go crabbing on Deep Creek Lake.

Next was the random Zillow searches which lead to the more questions I had to think about. What side of the bay do I want to be on? Do I want to cross the Bay Bridge each time I go somewhere? How close to a town can I be without being “in the town” and losing that sense of peace I so desperately craved from the Bay… I looked at multiple towns on both sides of the bridge and eventually picked Cambridge.

Cambridge was appealing to me for multiple reasons…We have family in Taylors Island which is only about a 15-20 minute drive, it’s part of a larger town with both restaurants and grocery stores, it has things to do as a family, like movie theaters and bowling alleys…and it’s the the last “main” town before you start heading to Ocean City/Rehoboth.

Once I picked the area, the search became easier. I knew there were certain things I wanted – a dock, at least 2 bed/1 bath (with room to add on if needed), no HOA, and an open floor plan. Looking back, I think I also had fixer-upper on the list without realizing it because every house we looked at I pre-planned what I would change so it was only fitting we settled on a house that needed a little love.

That said, even with knowing the town the search was not an easy one. Back in June, I found a house I thought I loved. It was a 2 bed/1 bath recently renovated kitchen with a large lot on the water. It didn’t have dock, but it had the framework outlined and even had a boat ramp to the right on the house on the property. I truly thought “this is it!” Well, it wasn’t. This was right during the time when the COVID housing market blew up in certain areas because people wanted out of large cities and were moving to more rural towns since they were mostly working remote (if they could).

Long story short, I was in the middle of written a check for the estate money to submit my offer and my relator called and said they had an all cash, above asking offer with no home inspection – aka, game over.

So back to Zillow I went. A couple months later, I found another house I loved. I truly felt like this house was perfect. It was white and with black shutters, had a large front porch, it was on the bay in the back and a river that overlooked the marina from front so you had both a sunrise and sunset on the water (which is unheard of!) – to say I was sold was an understatement. However there was one problem. I was over budget and pretty far from where I wanted to be. Ultimately, we didn’t get that house and I was a little heart broken but tried to tell myself I would find something else – something better for what I wanted and that worked better for my family.

AND…we did! Only two weeks later I found the house that I would call mine. And ironically enough, it’s the house next door to the first house I thought I loved!

It’s funny to look back on my first visit to the street when I was looking at the other house because I didn’t even notice this one and now I can’t imagine being any where else! It’s 3 bed/1 bath and just over 1700 sq. ft. It has a large living room and dining room/kitchen combo that opens to the mudroom. The lot isn’t perfect – especially because, it’s not flat at all – but it has a dock with water big enough for our jet skis and boat. It also has a large shed and 2 car garage with an outdoor kitchen, which is something none of the other houses I found had.

While there are definitely changes I want to make, this house had really good bones and was clearly loved and well taken care of. It’s the perfect little house on the Bay for us and I am so happy the other two didn’t work out because I truly think this house was meant for my family to restore and make memories in.

The Bay House, as my nephew named it, has character, AMAZING hardwood floors, and is the perfect little getaway for us – and I couldn’t be happier.

All that’s left to do now is…get to work!

xx

Katie

Hey there! My name is Katie and I am currently renovating my first house on the Chesapeake Bay with my family!

I grew up in Maryland outside of Baltimore but currently live in New Jersey for work. I work for a media company in NYC, so renovating this home not only accomplishes a dream of mine, but allows me to stay close to the things I love – friends, family, and GREAT seafood!

The Chesapeake Bay has always held a special place in my heart being from Maryland, but it wasn’t until a few years ago I truly fell in love with all the Bay has to offer.

Being in my late twenties and buying my first home (out-of-state) is definitely not something I had cut out on a vision board, however one thing I have learned this year is to expect the unexpected.

The Chesapeake Cottage is located in Dorchester Country in the town Cambridge, MD. The house is 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1700 sq. ft., and LOTS of potential!

I can’t wait for y’all to follow along as we bring this house back to life!

The Chesapeake Cottage is located in Dorchester Country in the town Cambridge, MD. The house is 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1700 sq. ft., and LOTS of potential!

I can’t wait for y’all to follow along as we bring this house back to life!