I'm very ready to get back a normal, mundane existence, even though I've hoped and prayed for the events of the last few weeks so long. But I just read Lag Liv's Sunday night post, about her weekly menu and her kids playing outside on the swingset, what she got at Costco and her date night-in with wine and cheese and her husband, and gosh, that all sounds sooooooo nice. So plain-vanilla.
I know we'll get back to that someday. Shawn will mow the (smaller, flatter) lawn on a Saturday and I'll make banana bread or portion out lunch snacks inside while the laundry runs, and while the kids play on their scooters all day, coming in only every few hours to get a drink or a popsicle. I solemnly promise not to say I'm bored with those Saturdays of the future, but to be grateful grateful grateful.
* * * *
For anyone following along with our real estate saga: Friday afternoon the structural engineer told us, "Those are normal cracks, nothing to be concerned about, that'll be $320.00 please." We paid him to put that in writing with his credentials underneath, and then yesterday, before we could hand the letter over.... we got a Termination of Sale notice from our buyers.So our agent went back to the other buyer (we had two offers in the same day, two weeks ago), and thank God they were still interested. We were driving back from Savannah yesterday, but they asked to visit the house again, so Emily had to go over there to make beds and pick up dirty laundry because we had certainly not left the house "show" ready. The horror!! I am glad she's a friend and not just a random agent... I think. I'm glad she's a working mom, anyway.
They sent their offer last night. This roller coaster is full of twists and turns! I am so ready to find our next house. And now the clock is even tighter -- their date was May 12, instead of May 21.
Come on, FMLS, don't fail me now.
Monday, March 24
Friday, March 21
This week in buying and selling...
The inspector found issues with our house, which we knew was part of the process, and we knew would not be 100% A-OK, everything looks perfect.... but has been one large cause of our stress this week. Many of the issues are bullsh*tty, I think, like saying "The fire alarm in the downstairs hallway DOESN'T WORK AND NEEDS to be REPAIRED OR REPLACED." Well, no, it doesn't need replacing, jerkface, it probably needs a new battery. I know that it's his job to report everything and to make the buyer BEWARE, but geez. It needs a battery. He commented on everything from foundation to retaining wall to a clogged bathtub drain to possible critters in the attic (also bullsh*t, imho), and can you tell we're feeling defensive about it all?? Urgh. We have to address -- or as our agent says, "get answers about" -- the foundation issues. There's a pretty large crack in the garage floor that I will admit is kinda disconcerting, now that he mentioned it, and I guess our back deck isn't quite level and blah-dee-blah. We're trying to coordinate a meeting with a structural engineer. Joy. I look forward to the day, truly, when all of this is just a bad memory of a tough time. I had a small vision that this is what we'll be doing someday -- looking back and saying, "Yeah, that was awful." [implied: But it's over now and we're much, much happier and better off.]
On the flip side of the coin, I gave up on the house mentioned previously with all of its issues. (Hey, at least our issues were hidden...?) There's another one in that same neighborhood and we're more inclined to like it, now, although I still don't love it. I want to love it. I want to FEEL something. I haven't yet felt anything and it doesn't seem like much new inventory is becoming available. Somehow, me checking my email four hundred times a day isn't making new ones appear. ?!? I know. But it's the first week of Spring, surely there will be something soon. SURELY.
Long story short: The clock's ticking.
The Marietta real estate scene will mostly have to get along without us this weekend, though. We're off to Savannah to visit Shawn's Mom and Dad. His Dad's been ill for what feels like a really long time, and I know his Mom needs a break. I wish we could do more to give her one, but maybe a bit of sunshine in the form of grandchildren will be a help. Maybe I can let her dog out in the mornings this weekend, so she gets to actually sleep in with no interruption.
On the flip side of the coin, I gave up on the house mentioned previously with all of its issues. (Hey, at least our issues were hidden...?) There's another one in that same neighborhood and we're more inclined to like it, now, although I still don't love it. I want to love it. I want to FEEL something. I haven't yet felt anything and it doesn't seem like much new inventory is becoming available. Somehow, me checking my email four hundred times a day isn't making new ones appear. ?!? I know. But it's the first week of Spring, surely there will be something soon. SURELY.
Long story short: The clock's ticking.
The Marietta real estate scene will mostly have to get along without us this weekend, though. We're off to Savannah to visit Shawn's Mom and Dad. His Dad's been ill for what feels like a really long time, and I know his Mom needs a break. I wish we could do more to give her one, but maybe a bit of sunshine in the form of grandchildren will be a help. Maybe I can let her dog out in the mornings this weekend, so she gets to actually sleep in with no interruption.
Monday, March 17
Under Contract
The short version is: We put the sign in the yard Tuesday afternoon around 3:00. That night and Wednesday, my phone rang off the hook with agents wanting to show the house. By Thursday morning, we had an offer, and ended up signing it -- but not without a lot of finagling all day Thursday.
My stomach was in knots all day. I didn't eat. I don't like talking about money and grown-up stuff (just ask my Dad), let alone all day long. And it was all day, dithering, counter-offering, wondering if Shawn agreed with me on things, texting, calling, plugging numbers into a homemade Excel file I had thrown together to see the ACTUAL costs and gains. (More costs.) So we countered, but knew another offer was coming in, so we sat on it until the last possible moment. The second offer looked better, but was a little more risky because it was based on appraisal. The first buyers then offered us asking price and... it hadn't even been 25 hours but we were more than ready to put the whole thing to bed. And it was an acceptable offer.
We're extremely glad that today we didn't have to leave the house spotless. Messy is much easier.
Closing is set for May 21st so we are heavy into house-hunting today. If you're a pray-er, I would appreciate a thought for good fortune. I am trying real hard to Trust. So far we haven't seen the perfect house. I don't know if there IS a perfect house. I saw a great one yesterday but its issues include:
But the positives include:
So that's going to be hard. I'm crossing my fingers that this week (first day of spring is Thursday) will see a lot of new inventory and we'll get an alert, go see it, KNOW deep down that this is it, and be able to make an offer.
I've been doing a lot of hippy-dippy visualization to make it so. And straight-up Christian prayers for help and wisdom, too. :)
My stomach was in knots all day. I didn't eat. I don't like talking about money and grown-up stuff (just ask my Dad), let alone all day long. And it was all day, dithering, counter-offering, wondering if Shawn agreed with me on things, texting, calling, plugging numbers into a homemade Excel file I had thrown together to see the ACTUAL costs and gains. (More costs.) So we countered, but knew another offer was coming in, so we sat on it until the last possible moment. The second offer looked better, but was a little more risky because it was based on appraisal. The first buyers then offered us asking price and... it hadn't even been 25 hours but we were more than ready to put the whole thing to bed. And it was an acceptable offer.
We're extremely glad that today we didn't have to leave the house spotless. Messy is much easier.
Closing is set for May 21st so we are heavy into house-hunting today. If you're a pray-er, I would appreciate a thought for good fortune. I am trying real hard to Trust. So far we haven't seen the perfect house. I don't know if there IS a perfect house. I saw a great one yesterday but its issues include:
- wood siding that needs replacing soon
- some house settling that is concerning
- upstairs carpets that need replacing (cats, gross) before move-in
- price is on the high end of our range (but we'd offer less due to all these issues)
- kids' bedrooms on the smaller side
But the positives include:
- big kitchen with updated counters/appliances
- lovely yard with fewer trees than we currently have
- house feels spacious and there are extra rooms, including a finished basement that could easily be both man-cave AND playroom
- it's in a neighborhood we really like
So that's going to be hard. I'm crossing my fingers that this week (first day of spring is Thursday) will see a lot of new inventory and we'll get an alert, go see it, KNOW deep down that this is it, and be able to make an offer.
I've been doing a lot of hippy-dippy visualization to make it so. And straight-up Christian prayers for help and wisdom, too. :)
Tuesday, March 11
For Sale
When I thought, just now, that the realtor is there this minute putting her sign in my yard, I got the butterflies.
It's our home, after all.
I've had a lot of "are we doing the right thing?" thoughts this week. People move for a lot of reasons, many of them uncontrollable -- their jobs change, their family needs them "back home," they can't take the winters anymore. Our reasons feel somewhat "first-world" to me -- we want more space (a guest room, maybe an office, maybe a media room, more closet space), our neighborhood has seen some decline. Our house is perfectly adequate. Lovely, even. My heart has felt guilty (of course) about wanting more than I really need.
Yesterday, though, I decided to let that go. Because there's a reason we've been led to do this. There's merit in going after something that will make us happier, no matter if others might call it superficial. Maybe there's a reason we don't even know, but God led us here. He knows we've wondered and wrestled and yes, asked for His help in deciding to move. So it's okay. There's nothing to worry about. Did I tell you that 2 Sundays ago when I was in the throes of this worry, the Gospel reading was, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear...." and "Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." I mean, if I was looking for an answer from God, there it was.
Yesterday, also, when I arrived home with the kids, there was a police car parked directly in front of my house. He was ringing the bell of the (rented) house next door to me (newish neighbors that we've not even really met.). He stayed there on her front porch talking to the lady who lives there for half an hour. Filled out some paperwork in his car. Went back up to the door. A second police car had pulled up as well. My other neighbors and I all peeked out our windows.
No idea what it was about, nor do I care to know. And I realize cop cars can come visiting in any subdivision, any city, any time. It may not have been a sign, butmaybe was more confirmation made me feel better. This House is For Sale!
It's our home, after all.
I've had a lot of "are we doing the right thing?" thoughts this week. People move for a lot of reasons, many of them uncontrollable -- their jobs change, their family needs them "back home," they can't take the winters anymore. Our reasons feel somewhat "first-world" to me -- we want more space (a guest room, maybe an office, maybe a media room, more closet space), our neighborhood has seen some decline. Our house is perfectly adequate. Lovely, even. My heart has felt guilty (of course) about wanting more than I really need.
Yesterday, though, I decided to let that go. Because there's a reason we've been led to do this. There's merit in going after something that will make us happier, no matter if others might call it superficial. Maybe there's a reason we don't even know, but God led us here. He knows we've wondered and wrestled and yes, asked for His help in deciding to move. So it's okay. There's nothing to worry about. Did I tell you that 2 Sundays ago when I was in the throes of this worry, the Gospel reading was, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear...." and "Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." I mean, if I was looking for an answer from God, there it was.
Yesterday, also, when I arrived home with the kids, there was a police car parked directly in front of my house. He was ringing the bell of the (rented) house next door to me (newish neighbors that we've not even really met.). He stayed there on her front porch talking to the lady who lives there for half an hour. Filled out some paperwork in his car. Went back up to the door. A second police car had pulled up as well. My other neighbors and I all peeked out our windows.
No idea what it was about, nor do I care to know. And I realize cop cars can come visiting in any subdivision, any city, any time. It may not have been a sign, but
Thursday, March 6
Check this palace out
 |
| Entryway |
 |
| Living room |
 |
| This was the room that sold us, in 2002, and it was pink then! |
 |
| Boooooo, cabinets |
 |
| Here's where we spend 90% of our time (den). |
 |
| Master. |
 |
| New pretty bathroom. Note candle-in-hurricane! |
 |
| Girly bedroom that nurseried my 2 babies! Sniff! |
 |
| Man, is this bedroom CLEAN. I still can't believe it. |
Tuesday, March 4
Sleeping 7 hours a night, week 1, and REAL estate update
The sleep experiment went well... I think.
I was taking notes the first few days but that went by the wayside because at the same time I decided to do this, we amped up the house sale prep. I know, I know, it's all I've been talking about for a YEAR, probably. I'm super sick of talking about it. But... it's finally here, so let's diverge from the sleep thing for a moment.
We have a lock-box on our front porch. (I didn't realize realtors just keep a stash of those in their cars. Ours just opened her trunk on Sunday and stuck our key in there, ta-da!) Today -- this minute, in fact, as I type, the realtor and her photographer are headed to our house to take interior photos that will be uploaded to the MLS. OMG! WTF?! I am not succeeding in the avoidance of "being a nervous wreck."
Yesterday we had the carpets steam-cleaned. It's worth grossing you out to tell you that Kate puked on Sunday night around 10:30 pm and did not make it to a receptacle -- after drinking red fruit punch with her dinner. RED. The stain didn't come all the way clean, even after ZeroRez worked on it -- they warned me that stomach acid was sometimes not save-able, and it wasn't. But I took it as a little gift from God that she did it Sunday night, and not Monday night AFTER the scheduled carpet cleaning.
I took the day at home with her (24-hour rule don'tcha know) as another generous gift, and I went ahead and did some "homecaring" even though I was laptopped and supposed to be work-working. My manager, when I emailed to tell her of the sick day, said, "No worries - hope Kate feels better - just tell HR of any PTO (personal time off) you accumulate." And I thought, yes, you know what? I don't need to sit at the kitchen table all day, I have shit to DO. So I took a half-day. GIFT. Just Windexing mirrors and wiping down toilets, but you know, it made a difference.
Last night after the carpets were mostly dried I wandered around fixing every little detail I could think of. I went digging in our basement and found a glass hurricane and a white pillar candle that, with the help of a random silvery napkin tucked around the bottom, miraculously pulled our master bath together. Haha! We have DECOR! I was feeling a little worried there towards 9 pm that things weren't Decorated enough. Some of the homes we've seen have had nothing BUT big decor. These people spend a lot of time and money at Kirkland's, it seems. Me, not so much, but last night, all my existing pretty things, ahoy. I quick-prayed to ask God to help me find do-dads and knick-knacks that I'd hidden away over the years.
Then I stashed the toaster. Fluffed the drapes. Removed my jewelery. Boxed everything I could lay hands on. This morning after the kids left, more of the same, didn't care about getting to work late (and I WAS late).
The selling of a house is no joke, you guys. I had no idea.
I guess it's good I've been getting more than 6 hours of sleep each night or I would be beside myself. That's my basic sleep report. I haven't been on the scale (I just know the sleep thing is going to take 10 pounds right off immediately, LOL) because it's neatly stored at the moment, where no one can see it. I haven't been exercising because at lunch breaks I've been buying fresh (cheap) throw pillows at TJ Maxx. I haven't been sitting on the couch so I don't know if I've been sleepier or less sleepy (although I did manage to stay awake until Midnight this past Saturday so we could watch Gravity). That's a pretty good indication. But I know it's better for me to sleep more. Onward, with week two! Amen and hallelujah.
I hope to show you today's photos soon. Here's the exterior (from last August):
The paperwork is being finished later today/tomorrow, the photos will be back at the same time, the decks are being stained and exterior trim painted Thursday/Friday, and we are GO for LAUNCH. Say a prayer!
P.S. Realtor just called and said inside looks "perfect." Thank God! Eeee!
I was taking notes the first few days but that went by the wayside because at the same time I decided to do this, we amped up the house sale prep. I know, I know, it's all I've been talking about for a YEAR, probably. I'm super sick of talking about it. But... it's finally here, so let's diverge from the sleep thing for a moment.
We have a lock-box on our front porch. (I didn't realize realtors just keep a stash of those in their cars. Ours just opened her trunk on Sunday and stuck our key in there, ta-da!) Today -- this minute, in fact, as I type, the realtor and her photographer are headed to our house to take interior photos that will be uploaded to the MLS. OMG! WTF?! I am not succeeding in the avoidance of "being a nervous wreck."
Yesterday we had the carpets steam-cleaned. It's worth grossing you out to tell you that Kate puked on Sunday night around 10:30 pm and did not make it to a receptacle -- after drinking red fruit punch with her dinner. RED. The stain didn't come all the way clean, even after ZeroRez worked on it -- they warned me that stomach acid was sometimes not save-able, and it wasn't. But I took it as a little gift from God that she did it Sunday night, and not Monday night AFTER the scheduled carpet cleaning.
I took the day at home with her (24-hour rule don'tcha know) as another generous gift, and I went ahead and did some "homecaring" even though I was laptopped and supposed to be work-working. My manager, when I emailed to tell her of the sick day, said, "No worries - hope Kate feels better - just tell HR of any PTO (personal time off) you accumulate." And I thought, yes, you know what? I don't need to sit at the kitchen table all day, I have shit to DO. So I took a half-day. GIFT. Just Windexing mirrors and wiping down toilets, but you know, it made a difference.
Last night after the carpets were mostly dried I wandered around fixing every little detail I could think of. I went digging in our basement and found a glass hurricane and a white pillar candle that, with the help of a random silvery napkin tucked around the bottom, miraculously pulled our master bath together. Haha! We have DECOR! I was feeling a little worried there towards 9 pm that things weren't Decorated enough. Some of the homes we've seen have had nothing BUT big decor. These people spend a lot of time and money at Kirkland's, it seems. Me, not so much, but last night, all my existing pretty things, ahoy. I quick-prayed to ask God to help me find do-dads and knick-knacks that I'd hidden away over the years.
Then I stashed the toaster. Fluffed the drapes. Removed my jewelery. Boxed everything I could lay hands on. This morning after the kids left, more of the same, didn't care about getting to work late (and I WAS late).
The selling of a house is no joke, you guys. I had no idea.
I guess it's good I've been getting more than 6 hours of sleep each night or I would be beside myself. That's my basic sleep report. I haven't been on the scale (I just know the sleep thing is going to take 10 pounds right off immediately, LOL) because it's neatly stored at the moment, where no one can see it. I haven't been exercising because at lunch breaks I've been buying fresh (cheap) throw pillows at TJ Maxx. I haven't been sitting on the couch so I don't know if I've been sleepier or less sleepy (although I did manage to stay awake until Midnight this past Saturday so we could watch Gravity). That's a pretty good indication. But I know it's better for me to sleep more. Onward, with week two! Amen and hallelujah.
I hope to show you today's photos soon. Here's the exterior (from last August):
 |
| Front, obvs. |
 |
| Backyard |
 |
| Side yard |
The paperwork is being finished later today/tomorrow, the photos will be back at the same time, the decks are being stained and exterior trim painted Thursday/Friday, and we are GO for LAUNCH. Say a prayer!
P.S. Realtor just called and said inside looks "perfect." Thank God! Eeee!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)