More house hunting

Tom got a little stressed last night. We could not have a civil conversation. Time is running out. The movers are coming in less than three weeks and we have no home to go to yet. He wants me to line up a rental and wonders why I haven't already done so. I chewed him out that he was the one up there. He could be looking also, since I was home packing.

I have no doubt I can find something to rent in a pinch. I was planning to go up and look at a rental already the next day, and also some other option homes. I couldn't back track and make it already happen. I was mad to say the least. He was so unreasonable. I am pulled in multiple directions with lots of balls being juggled, and he wants things to happen yesterday.

We are still making extensions on the house he loves. The bank still has to approve the sale. The renters have to have access to our house mid July. We don't have a place, this is the week to do a deposit on a rental. We still have hopes of closing in a week. I don't want to lose a rental deposit if I can help it.

What really made me cranky was when he said people at the club were telling him about a great house down by the lake that would be perfect for us. He wants me to check it out. So I ask for the address and he doesn't know it. Does he even have a phone number? "No". How am I supposed to check out a house if I don't know where it is or who to contact about it. I looked for it today and I still don't know where it is.

I did see another house. A great big place up on the hill. I stopped by to get a key from the property manager and took my friend E with me. We wandered through this great big old place. The interior had red shag carpet in some rooms. Victorian wall paper in the bathrooms and halls. Purple shag rugs in other rooms. There were many rooms and it was spacious. Just awful ugly. The owner had grown up in the house so to him it all is good memories. My friend E said she thought it might have been a house of ill repute in a previous life. It reminded me of a frat house full of make out rooms.

The grass was a foot tall. Birds had ripped off the air screens to the attic and started roosting. It was only slightly better than the dive. But a little better can go a long way. It just needed paint to tone down some of the striped walls and counter the carpets. perhaps there was hard wood under that neon shag. The house was a converted Victorian to a 1970's Hippie Hilton. I fell in love with the possibilities. Too bad the owner thinks its so special. But we could rent it without worry of damage with teen age boys and pets.

When I returned the key I told the guy I thought it was asking a bit much considering the interior and the yard condition. He said make an offer, they would consider it. Hmmm, owner wont sell, but again great no stress rental.

I also saw another house, but it was in a not so nice area of town and probably the nicest house on the block. I didn't love the neighborhood. Besides it had a ton of carpeting, sigh. I went to lunch and then hooked up with my realtor to see a couple new listings just in case. We also checked out the big house to make sure it was still in fair contition, which just reaffirmed my wanting to continue the fight for it with the bank, to do another extension.

Up until the day we move, I will probably do the good fight and keep up the offer on the big house. There was another house that has come down in price, but it is a bit small for us. I am dwelling on it as I think we could close in two weeks as it doesn't have any encumbrances and is empty, an estate.

I started crying as I drove up the other two addresses, as they had belonged to friends that had passed away. It caught me off guard to see their homes vacant and for sale. I had memories of decorating the Christmas tree at one with my boys. The other had hosted our year end nine holers golf party and my going away party. Those two houses made my day long and sad. I missed those people and knowing I will not being seeing them again was very draining.
It is one thing to know you are seeing an estate house for sale. It is another feeling entirely to visit a friend's home who has passed away. Now the house is empty and unloved when once it had lots of laughter filling the rooms.


I went up to the Club and had diet coke with a friend to unwind from my funk. We hung out until after I knew rush hour would be over and I could drive home with no traffic. I had had enough stress for one day. I have a potential rental that I am pretty sure will still be available next week. I am ripping out my finger nails with stress as we wait on the bank.

I also found out that even after the first bank accepts, then the offer has to go to the bank holding the second and have them sign off. Add another week potentially, if not longer. 19 days before the movers arrive. The boxes are getting packed either way we leap. Should we offer on the one that is a bit small but can close in two weeks. Do we get the rental. Do we wait for the big house great deal.

Every house we saw only affirmed the big house is a great deal. It may be worth moving into a rental and waiting on the banks, though they could reject the offer, but we are thinking that is unlikely. It is taking too long for a rejection. Rejections usually come quickly.
I am intrigued by that wild rental on the hill. What fun and improvements I could have with it, even if it is for a short time. I just hate the thought of moving into a rental and the next day finding out we can close, or it could be months more without knowing.

Bank of America lost a case in Florida. The judge ruled they owed the home owners their legal fees. When the Bank didn't pay the Lawyer he got an injunction and had one of their branches shut down for a day until they cut him his check. We are dealing with Bank of America. Everyone I talk to says they are the worst in the business right now. Patience and my new mantra "Positive Vibes, Baby, Positive Vibes. "