So, we are moving forward with our dream home!!! We close on Tuesday, Aug. 12 and we can't wait. However, it's hard to balance the house (which I am doing on my own without a realtor), the craziness of work right now, pack our apartment and get ready for a wedding in which we will travel to Burlington, VT for the weekend before we close. However, I am just rolling with it while also buying stock in any kind of brewery or winery:) In all seriousness, we are getting VERY excited with the closing two weeks away and we're actually making progress on the packing situation. Thank god we're making progress on something, right??
We had both the home inspection and appraisal last week and both went extremely well. Whoo hoo!!! The few things we asked the sellers to fix, they were completely agreeable to prior to closing so we're good on that. We've got our homeowners insurance in place and we're ready to start spending some money on the house. Whoa - slow your roll, sista! If it were up to me (and I had $1 million to spend), I would be at Restoration Hardware EVERY day but Jon and I are not quite in that situation. No worries - we're doing one room at a time.
Yard equipment - just what I always wanted to spend money on - yard equipment. But, we do need those things and that's our next purchase (aside from the new flat screen/HDTV we purchased, Jon's new clutch that needed to be replaced and the list goes on!!!). Plus, we can't wait to buy the entertainment center we fell in love with last weekend and the new office stuff we found at Office Depot yesterday. Okay, so those will be purchased and delivered the daay after we move in. Why can't money seriously grow on trees?? Why??
So now, we're waiting on the final green light from my lender to let me know we're clear for closing and we can't wait - especially since our apartment is filled with boxes, etc. Anyway, stay tuned for more as we get closer to buying our dream home.......
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
WOW - It's been awhile......
Ok - well I have clearly not updated my blog in quite awhile. So, I have a lot to tell about the house hunt. First, the original 'dream home' turned into a nightmare! We were so excited about the house, we had a contract on it and we're rearing to go. Enter, the home inspection. As Jon and I pulled up that Sunday, July 6, it was rainy and we all of a sudden had a sense that this was not going to be our day. The home inspector, who is fabuluos by the way - Mike Pope with Land America, was already there.
We waited for the selling agent to show up...and waited. Ms. Chatty Kathy arrived and the home inspection began. We chatted with Chatty Kathy and then I finally asked when she was going to leave. Seriously!! Anyway, ou first tip off should have been when we found a bong in one of the storage closets. She didn't even think to remove it as it was left by the previous owners who seemingly left in the middle of the night with the amount of crap they left. About halfway through the inspection, Jon and I head to a Lowe's nearby to get some packing supplies. And, of course, so I can pick out paint and look at hardwood floors. I picked my colors and everything - we head back to the house. Jon goes up to find Mike to get a run-down so far.
I am on the phone outside when Jon comes out with a big fat thumbs-down. I immediately hang up the phone and asked what the deal was. The deal, he said, was the house needed a new roof, all new windows on the first floor, the kitchen (when remodeled) was not up to code, the wood rot was ridiculous......the list goes on. I almost puked when Mike informed us that the previous owners kept their dog in the storage space where the bong was. There was even a dog door from the small storage space into one of the cabinets in the kitchen. I had heard enough - the house was a money pit and the previous owners were clearly sadistic potheads. No thanks - contract terminated.
So, after Jon and I recovered from that blow, we reached out to our realtor and we decided to keep the house hunt alive. Before we found this house, we had seen one that I had really liked but Jon was not too enthused about. Granted, it had popcorn celings which I was not jazzed about at all but we forged ahead. Jon went back to see the house and in a hasty move, we put an offer on it. Okay - this is where our realtor should probably have said, "Slow your roll, peeps!" But no, she was all for it - looking out for us, my ass! That negotiation was quick and painless - the sellers were not motivated and clearly delusional about what they could get for their home. Moving right along....
So, our realtor heads out of town last week and Jon and I are left to our own devices. However, we had really been doing all of the work anyway. Now enter, last Saturday. Jon and I found some homes we wanted to check out and stumbled upon a FSBO home in a great neighborhood in Alpharetta (but even closer in). We called and asked if we could give them 20 minutes since they're little girls had just woken up. No problem! At that time, my parents had called and invited themselves to tag along. They said they wouldn't say anything. Ok, if anyone knows my fam, they know that is like telling a child to go to sleep after they've eaten a bag of candy - not gonna happen. Anyway, we go into the house and the couple is SO nice. The house was great. The great room was a nice size with a fireplace, the kitchen was really nice and I loved the cabinetes they upgraded to. The formal living and dining room were so nice although the dining room was a little small. However, that's only because our dining room table is the size of a Buick....without the chairs. The master bedroom was the biggest thing I have ever seen and I loved the master bath. And, I was completely eyeing the double walk-in closets - score!!!
The backyard was immaculate, huge and recently fenced-in. Jon will definitely enjoy his 2 - 3 hours of yard work ahead of him each weekend! Whoo hoo. We chatted with the couple and fell in love with their kids. So, Jon and I went back on Sunday with a measuring tape and a lot of excitement. Once again, they were SUPER nice and very accommodating. So, we left the house for the second time with a great feeling. But wait......
We had signed an agreement with our realtor, who was not even in town nor did she know about this great house we found. So, we fired her! She wasn't cutting it anyway and I would be damned if she was going to get a cut of commission on this house. See ya, sista! So, we fired her Monday afternoon and put in an offer on Monday night. Of course, the seller and I did a little countering back and forth but we reached an agreement and Jon and pretty much got what we wanted and even negotiated a few things to remain in the home. So, we're in the process of binding this contract and moving forward. If there's one thing we've learned, it's not to get too excited until the inspection is done. But, these people are the original owners (housse built in 1999) and they have taken EXCEPTIONAL care of this house. They even faxed me receipts that document all of the repairs they have ever had to make to the house. How many receipts......THREE! That's it, folks.
So, we're moving towards an Aug. 12 closing date and we can't wait!!! The inspection is Tuesday, July 22 at 9 a.m. so please keep your fingers crossed. And, the appraisal will happen the following day. Now, I just need my broker to get off his ass and get me a lender! So, while he's working on that, I am doing double duty as buyer and realtor which is not fun. However, it's worth it knowing that there are no realtors involved, getting some unearned commission. YAY! However, I am not a complete idiot so I have my closing attorney in place and he's over my shoulder making sure everything goes smoothly and we're not getting screwed in any way. And, on a side note, Jon has made quite the friend with the seller's wife. They chat daily and she's been giving him parenting tips. Um.....we just want the house, not the kids......yet. Although, Jon did ask if they could throw in the kids with the offer. Slow down, buddy! And, I have been dealing with the husband. Again, these are salt of the earth, really sweet people who are quite attached to the house. It was the first house they bought together and their two girls were born there, etc.
So, I know I owe pics which I will have to somehow get soon. But, the house hunting hilarity continues and we're praying that this one turns out to be 'the one.' I really throw that term around loosely, don't I? But seriously, we have the feeling and we know these peeps aren't sadisctic, so we're already ahead of the game! Check back soon.......
We waited for the selling agent to show up...and waited. Ms. Chatty Kathy arrived and the home inspection began. We chatted with Chatty Kathy and then I finally asked when she was going to leave. Seriously!! Anyway, ou first tip off should have been when we found a bong in one of the storage closets. She didn't even think to remove it as it was left by the previous owners who seemingly left in the middle of the night with the amount of crap they left. About halfway through the inspection, Jon and I head to a Lowe's nearby to get some packing supplies. And, of course, so I can pick out paint and look at hardwood floors. I picked my colors and everything - we head back to the house. Jon goes up to find Mike to get a run-down so far.
I am on the phone outside when Jon comes out with a big fat thumbs-down. I immediately hang up the phone and asked what the deal was. The deal, he said, was the house needed a new roof, all new windows on the first floor, the kitchen (when remodeled) was not up to code, the wood rot was ridiculous......the list goes on. I almost puked when Mike informed us that the previous owners kept their dog in the storage space where the bong was. There was even a dog door from the small storage space into one of the cabinets in the kitchen. I had heard enough - the house was a money pit and the previous owners were clearly sadistic potheads. No thanks - contract terminated.
So, after Jon and I recovered from that blow, we reached out to our realtor and we decided to keep the house hunt alive. Before we found this house, we had seen one that I had really liked but Jon was not too enthused about. Granted, it had popcorn celings which I was not jazzed about at all but we forged ahead. Jon went back to see the house and in a hasty move, we put an offer on it. Okay - this is where our realtor should probably have said, "Slow your roll, peeps!" But no, she was all for it - looking out for us, my ass! That negotiation was quick and painless - the sellers were not motivated and clearly delusional about what they could get for their home. Moving right along....
So, our realtor heads out of town last week and Jon and I are left to our own devices. However, we had really been doing all of the work anyway. Now enter, last Saturday. Jon and I found some homes we wanted to check out and stumbled upon a FSBO home in a great neighborhood in Alpharetta (but even closer in). We called and asked if we could give them 20 minutes since they're little girls had just woken up. No problem! At that time, my parents had called and invited themselves to tag along. They said they wouldn't say anything. Ok, if anyone knows my fam, they know that is like telling a child to go to sleep after they've eaten a bag of candy - not gonna happen. Anyway, we go into the house and the couple is SO nice. The house was great. The great room was a nice size with a fireplace, the kitchen was really nice and I loved the cabinetes they upgraded to. The formal living and dining room were so nice although the dining room was a little small. However, that's only because our dining room table is the size of a Buick....without the chairs. The master bedroom was the biggest thing I have ever seen and I loved the master bath. And, I was completely eyeing the double walk-in closets - score!!!
The backyard was immaculate, huge and recently fenced-in. Jon will definitely enjoy his 2 - 3 hours of yard work ahead of him each weekend! Whoo hoo. We chatted with the couple and fell in love with their kids. So, Jon and I went back on Sunday with a measuring tape and a lot of excitement. Once again, they were SUPER nice and very accommodating. So, we left the house for the second time with a great feeling. But wait......
We had signed an agreement with our realtor, who was not even in town nor did she know about this great house we found. So, we fired her! She wasn't cutting it anyway and I would be damned if she was going to get a cut of commission on this house. See ya, sista! So, we fired her Monday afternoon and put in an offer on Monday night. Of course, the seller and I did a little countering back and forth but we reached an agreement and Jon and pretty much got what we wanted and even negotiated a few things to remain in the home. So, we're in the process of binding this contract and moving forward. If there's one thing we've learned, it's not to get too excited until the inspection is done. But, these people are the original owners (housse built in 1999) and they have taken EXCEPTIONAL care of this house. They even faxed me receipts that document all of the repairs they have ever had to make to the house. How many receipts......THREE! That's it, folks.
So, we're moving towards an Aug. 12 closing date and we can't wait!!! The inspection is Tuesday, July 22 at 9 a.m. so please keep your fingers crossed. And, the appraisal will happen the following day. Now, I just need my broker to get off his ass and get me a lender! So, while he's working on that, I am doing double duty as buyer and realtor which is not fun. However, it's worth it knowing that there are no realtors involved, getting some unearned commission. YAY! However, I am not a complete idiot so I have my closing attorney in place and he's over my shoulder making sure everything goes smoothly and we're not getting screwed in any way. And, on a side note, Jon has made quite the friend with the seller's wife. They chat daily and she's been giving him parenting tips. Um.....we just want the house, not the kids......yet. Although, Jon did ask if they could throw in the kids with the offer. Slow down, buddy! And, I have been dealing with the husband. Again, these are salt of the earth, really sweet people who are quite attached to the house. It was the first house they bought together and their two girls were born there, etc.
So, I know I owe pics which I will have to somehow get soon. But, the house hunting hilarity continues and we're praying that this one turns out to be 'the one.' I really throw that term around loosely, don't I? But seriously, we have the feeling and we know these peeps aren't sadisctic, so we're already ahead of the game! Check back soon.......
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
We felt it was our dream home...... and guess who's got a contract on the dream home?
So, we have a contract on our dream home!!! Talk about moving fast - Jon and I are clearly winners in that right now. After much negotiation, excitement and nervous jitters, we decided to take the plunge and we now have a contract on the house you see to the right of the page. Yes folks, our dream house - so we think!!! We finally came to an agreement with the seller today and we could not be more excited. In our wildest dreams, we never thought we would find and have a contract on this house in such a short period of time. My parents think I'm crazy and shooting from the emotional hip, but they happen to be at the beach and haven't seen this house in person. We feel we got a good deal and can't wait to close and be official homeowners. So, what's next???
Oh you know, just a home inspection, termite inspection/letter, etc. As much as we LOVE this house, we're still cautious about the home inspection. In the words of Forrest Gump, 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.' Hopefully, in our case, what we get is no crazy stuff like a leaky roof, foundation sinking, ghost in the attic, etc.. We're hoping to have the inspection on Monday, July 7, since I am off work that day and you can be sure I will be there, in full force, with a notebook, pen and open ears!! You really just never know - so we're hoping for the best, knowing the house will not get a 100 percent clean bill of health:)
Needless to say, Jon and I HAD to go out this evening and celebrate the biggest investment of our lives to this point. WOW - the excitement and anxiety is actually settling in. Oh, and did I mention we're closing on July 25. YES - you heard it right, folks - we're closing in a little more than three weeks. Ummm.....boxes, bubble wrap, time - are we absolutely CRAZY!?!?! All of a sudden, we feel a little overwhelmed....and we stated the terms of the contract!! In all seriousness, Jon and I could not be more excited and ready to move in than we are right now.
As we move towards a closing date, I will continue to keep everyone posted on our progress. Jon and I actually started making a 'to-do' list. And, what do you think that consisted of? Let me break it down for you:
What size flat screen will we buy for the great room (Apparently, it must be bigger than the one in our bedroom)
How big of an entertainment center will we buy?
Stainless steel grill, right? (No worries that our own kitchen applicances are not or that the roof might be caving in (joke, MB!). It's almost football seaon - priorities now:)
I'll be sure to post later this weekend - wish us luck! And, thanks SO much for all of the encouraging and positive words and thoughts we've received from our friends and family!!!
Oh you know, just a home inspection, termite inspection/letter, etc. As much as we LOVE this house, we're still cautious about the home inspection. In the words of Forrest Gump, 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.' Hopefully, in our case, what we get is no crazy stuff like a leaky roof, foundation sinking, ghost in the attic, etc.. We're hoping to have the inspection on Monday, July 7, since I am off work that day and you can be sure I will be there, in full force, with a notebook, pen and open ears!! You really just never know - so we're hoping for the best, knowing the house will not get a 100 percent clean bill of health:)
Needless to say, Jon and I HAD to go out this evening and celebrate the biggest investment of our lives to this point. WOW - the excitement and anxiety is actually settling in. Oh, and did I mention we're closing on July 25. YES - you heard it right, folks - we're closing in a little more than three weeks. Ummm.....boxes, bubble wrap, time - are we absolutely CRAZY!?!?! All of a sudden, we feel a little overwhelmed....and we stated the terms of the contract!! In all seriousness, Jon and I could not be more excited and ready to move in than we are right now.
As we move towards a closing date, I will continue to keep everyone posted on our progress. Jon and I actually started making a 'to-do' list. And, what do you think that consisted of? Let me break it down for you:
What size flat screen will we buy for the great room (Apparently, it must be bigger than the one in our bedroom)
How big of an entertainment center will we buy?
Stainless steel grill, right? (No worries that our own kitchen applicances are not or that the roof might be caving in (joke, MB!). It's almost football seaon - priorities now:)
I'll be sure to post later this weekend - wish us luck! And, thanks SO much for all of the encouraging and positive words and thoughts we've received from our friends and family!!!
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