Mo' Houses, Mo' Problems

So, my husband and I are preparing to list our house. We are really coming down to crunch time. Shawn has a few things he wants to paint outside, and then we'll be ready to go. 

Now, the next obstacle: finding our next house. 

I was always very set on what I wanted our next house to be: big (at least 2500 square feet), 4 bedrooms, some sort of den, lots of land, out in the country, pretty secluded, at least one barn, garage, big eat-in kitchen, etc., etc., etc. Just your basic country oasis. 

Then, when Shawn was laid off, my priorities began to shift rapidly and my goal became to simplify. Less house, less stuff, less maintenance, less hassle. Still somewhere out in the country (or at least not right in the village), but nothing that would be overwhelming to care for or too expensive to heat. 

During the beginning of April, I was beginning to panic a little bit. There were so few houses listed in our price range, and the ones that were listed were either not remotely desirable or were in places we did not want to live. I knew that, if we are supposed to move at this time, God would provide our house and I didn't have to worry about when that would happen. Bu I was still beginning to fret. 

Now that "spring" is "here" (the quotes are on purpose because spring is sure taking her sweet time about showing up on a steady basis - at least here in upstate New York), the listings are really beginning to pop up. We now have four solid properties floating on our radar, and I'm sure more are coming. 

The problem? They are all completely different and they all have one major problem. 

House One: small ranch from the 50s that, for some reason even unknown to me, I love. Major problem: The neighbors want to buy the house for their son. We don't know if they are even qualified to do so from a mortgage standpoint. But even if they aren't, we're pretty sure they will hate us if we get this house. 

House Two: A 2 story craftsman. 4 BR, 2 BA a mile from Great Sacandaga Lake. 2 acres, a couple of outbuildings, seems pretty secluded.
Major Problem: It has tenants. Mean tenants. Tenants who can't buy the house but don't want to leave. Is this something we want to become remotely involved in? I don't know. 

House Three: A 2300 square foot, 4 BR, 2 BA farmhouse with a big eat-in kitchen, large DR, large LR on 2 acres with a barn and chicken coop that overlooks a creek.
Major Problem: It is FAAAAAR away. Really far. 33 minutes from church, 33 minutes from my parents' house, 25 minutes from work. And for people who are used to driving about 17 minutes to church and 12 minutes to my parents' house, this is a big deal. 

House Four: A 1040 square foot home that was built in 1936. 3 BRs, 1 1/2 baths, on 10 acres that borders a creek. Also a barn and another small shed.
Problem: This property is priced about $5,000 over what we want to spend. Also, it is in a very desirable school district. It was just listed yesterday, and even though I'm hoping to see it tomorrow, I'm almost positive this house will be gone before we even get our house on the market. 

So, obviously, quite a bit to sift through. All we can do in this whole process is trust God in each step. We know that He has it all under control and that His plan is perfect. But, boy - it sure is hard to wait!