We Finally Closed on Our New Home!

After a long journey filled with both highs and lows, we officially closed on our new home—and what a day it was! While the process had its challenges, overall, it was a positive experience. We’re especially grateful for Kristi and Zach, who were consistently helpful and understanding every step of the way.

Closing Day: May 28th

Our closing date was May 28th, and of course, Texas weather had to make it memorable. It was storming badly that morning, and we had a bit of trouble locating the title company office. Thankfully, we made it inside just before the skies opened up in a full downpour.

It was also the first time I got to meet Meagan Harrison in person—she came from Natasha Tessier’s office and had been my main point of contact via text for weeks. It was great to finally put a face to the name. Sharon Larson from Priority Title handled the closing process, and wow—there was a mountain of paperwork to sign! We had heard it could take up to three hours, but we were out in just under an hour, which was a pleasant surprise.

A Few Kind Gestures

On our way to the title office, Jessica from MCTCU called to congratulate us, and she called again afterward to celebrate with us. She has truly been a joy to work with throughout this process. Even though the weather stayed gloomy for most of the morning, it eventually cleared up into a beautiful day—just in time to continue checking things off our list.

Settling Logistics

Back in Magnolia, we got a P.O. box at UPS (a decision we’re now very thankful for). Then we stopped by the gas company to get our final utility in our name, followed by the post office to sort out our mailbox. Unfortunately, that part was a mess. The clerk couldn’t give us our mailbox number or key. Apparently, the builder now holds the keys, and the post office will eventually leave ours under our doormat—definitely not the smoothest process. Thankfully, having the P.O. box gave us peace of mind.

Waiting Game

Still no word from Kristi, so we grabbed breakfast at Magnolia Diner. Later, Jessica let us know she had received and approved the final paperwork for the title company, which meant we were officially funded and ready for keys! We stopped by the office, but Kristi hadn’t yet heard back from the title company and couldn’t release the keys until she did. However, she did give us our new homeowner gift baskets—one for us with coffee, treats, and home décor, and a sweet little one for the dogs with snacks and a blanket. It was such a thoughtful gesture.

Finally—Keys in Hand!

After some more waiting (and a quick drive to town), we finally got the call from Kristi: everything was official, and we could come pick up our keys! We rushed back, only to find the cleaning crew still finishing up at the house, pressure washing the driveway and garage. Once they wrapped up, we were finally able to start unloading and begin the next chapter in our new home.

We drove out today for our house inspection and introduction, and everything is looking great! There were only a few minor items to blue tape. The air conditioner was cooling much better than on our previous visits, which was a nice improvement.

A couple of things still need attention—the back door hasn’t been fixed yet, and one wall in the master bedroom still has outlets that aren’t working properly. Zach will get these issues addressed with the crews, and we will do a second walkthrough on the 27th, and if all goes as planned, we should be able to close on the 28th. Ricky is worried about the outlets that aren’t working, but hopefully it’s not a major ordeal getting it corrected.

Natasha met us at the house and brought us a beautiful welcome mat for the front door.

Afterward, we headed to Lowe’s and ordered our refrigerator, washer, and dryer, which are scheduled to be delivered on June 2nd. Exciting times ahead!

The Home Stretch: Our Closing Date Is (Almost) Set!

We thought we were locking in May 15th as our official closing date… but of course, in true new-construction fashion, there was a hiccup. The gas meter hadn’t been installed yet, so the date had to be pushed back. After a bit of a wait (and some crossed fingers), the meter was finally installed, and we got a new closing date: May 28th. Not ideal, but at least we’re moving forward!

The builder has already completed their initial blue tape walk-through, checking for any major issues or final touch-ups. Next up, we’ve scheduled our third-party inspection for May 12th to get an independent set of eyes on everything—just to be safe.

Then comes our turn. We’ll be doing our own blue tape walk-through on May 20th. Zach takes this process seriously and is known for being extremely thorough, which gives us a little peace of mind that we won’t be left hunting for flaws with a flashlight and sticky notes. Natasha will be joining us for the walkthrough too, which will be great to have another sharp eye.

We’re so close now—we can almost feel the keys in our hands!