As this process goes on it's becoming more and more clear that I'm really only writing about the places I'm excited about.
The first house was the first open house I went to and I started this project because separate groups of people were excited for me about the process, and I was excited, but I didn't want to rehash the same details to three or four separate groups at different times.
The second house was the first one I was really excited about, enough that before my realtor was able to get me a showing I poured through the photographs available online and worked up a rough floor plan, then revised it with notes after the viewing. It was also the first house I put in an offer on, though ultimately the owners went with another buyer.
The third house was the first house I had an offer accepted on. The same day I saw that house I also saw four others, and put in three offers.
Ultimately I wasn't super excited about that house (it was my third choice of the three submitted offers) but I was talking myself into it after my offer was accepted while I waited for my home inspection. During the inspection I had a lot more time to sit with the house and and take the quiet moment to imagine myself and where I would put my furniture, and my excitement waned. When the inspector revealed problems with the foundation, possible mold in the attic (he repeatedly stressed he was not a mold expert and was not comfortable saying definitively whether it was active mold, dead mold, or some other similar discoloration) and a couple of other minor issues. I waited until the next day when a cement company sent a representative to estimate the foundation repairs and decided I would rather back out of the offer and continue searching.
So the next weekend I saw three properties, two ranch houses and this townhouse duplex. I was excited about the first ranch house, but the buyers accepted an offer before I could submit. This duplex was nice enough and from my brief open house tour I think my furniture would fit better.
As with the previous house, I'm really only writing this now because my offer on this house was accepted and I have an inspection booked for tomorrow morning. The previous house was built in 1917 and had an unfinished basement, whereas this place was built in 1980 and has a finished basement, so I'm not expecting any major issues but we'll see.
Most rooms have the ductless mini-split systems near the ceiling, and also the electric baseboard heaters. Two bedrooms and full bath upstairs, eat-in kitchen, living room, and half bath on the ground floor, and an open finished basement with washer/dryer and bulkhead access to the backyard / parking area.
The basement, shown from opposite sides. Washer/dryer are on the wall not shown. I assume the stair lift does not come with the property; it was not mentioned in the listing. The placement of the support pillar makes the basement slightly less useful as a VR area, but I may make it my home office or something.
The kitchen is not huge, and does not have a lot of counter space, but it should be functional.
I'm not sure yet what I'll do with the deck. I haven't had a large deck almost ever.