Fingers crossed we get a counter before Christmas!
12.17.2010
baby steps
So not a lot to report on the house front; well, nothing major at least! We got the signed purchase contract for Orchid from the sellers on 12/8, and then yesterday we heard that Bank of America ordered a BPO (broker's pricing opinion) on the property to determine its current market value and that they will be moving forward with the process!
12.06.2010
this just blows my mind...
As you may know, on Thursday of this past week Jim, the garmin, and myself set out on our fourth bonding experience of this past 9 months. Basically, I could have had a child in the time it has taken Jim and I to find me a house...which I find oddly creepy and sad. Either way, we sped through the East Valley, and Jim got very acquainted with Gilbert and the 202. We saw 8 houses in a matter of 2.5 hours, and the day was quite a blur!
Fingers crossed...
With Wanda being so unpredictable, it was time to find a true front runner that would make me feel awesome about cheating on her and not make my bank account wince. We found that exact thing in a house on Orchid Lane (nice ring to it, right?). Orchid was an identical floor plan to Kent, except flipped and it was on the cheaper side of the subdivision in terms of HOA fees since there was not access to a community pool. This was all fine and dandy for me, since Orchid Lane had a pool, and Pebbletec at that!
The main advantage of Orchid was the price (only $2,000 more than Wanda!) and the fact that it needed zero repairs or updates. Orchid had beautiful, over-sized tile and upgraded shag carpeting that was in great shape; a kitchen island with wrap-around counters; a separate shower and tub in the master bathroom with double sinks; and an actual laundry room. I had more storage and more kitchen, but I gave up a walk-in closet in the master and some living room space; but I did gain a pool and a newer house (built in 2002!). The even better part about this house was we could close in about 50 days! They had a contact fall through on 11/10, so basically someone had already done the leg-work for me, and I reaped the benefits.
Here are some pictures of Orchid from the listing:
view from the front door
view from the edge of the kitchen
kitchen
dining room view
this color is even more hideous in person, and it will be changed
back patio, you can semi-see the pool
Now, I know that every time I write something on this blog, the next day it changes, but that is part of the fun I guess =). Our paperwork is still in on Wanda, and we are in a first come, first serve situation with 2 houses now...which is kind of exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. However, we do have a tentative closing date of January 25 and we are AWC-I with our contract right now, which means the seller has accepted it, and now the bank has to as well; Jim says we will know by Friday where we stand...
Fingers crossed...
11.29.2010
the search for excitement
so, fourth time's a charm, right?
On Thursday I will be venturing out yet again into the Gilbert area to find a house that doesn't cause me, my realtor, my loan officer or my parents to pull our hair out. Luckily for me, the housing market has continued to tank, and there are about 150 houses in my price range in the Chandler/Gilbert area. The crazy thing about this is when I first started there were literally 27 houses in my first set of listings.
To spare Jim some additional stress that already comes from working with someone who is as high-maintenance about real estate as I am, I only sent him my top 20 homes. You see, Jim has to call each of these properties and get "the skinny" on them before we go look; this way, I don't fall in love with a home that I can't have... To spare myself additional stress, I didn't look at any homes over $115,000 since there were so many. I also sent Jim an additional 11 homes that were priced under $105,000 to check on, just because the pricing is so unbelievable. So, out of those 40 homes, hopefully we will have a good selection to go look at on Thursday, and hopefully one of them will fit the bill.
On Thursday I will be venturing out yet again into the Gilbert area to find a house that doesn't cause me, my realtor, my loan officer or my parents to pull our hair out. Luckily for me, the housing market has continued to tank, and there are about 150 houses in my price range in the Chandler/Gilbert area. The crazy thing about this is when I first started there were literally 27 houses in my first set of listings.
To spare Jim some additional stress that already comes from working with someone who is as high-maintenance about real estate as I am, I only sent him my top 20 homes. You see, Jim has to call each of these properties and get "the skinny" on them before we go look; this way, I don't fall in love with a home that I can't have... To spare myself additional stress, I didn't look at any homes over $115,000 since there were so many. I also sent Jim an additional 11 homes that were priced under $105,000 to check on, just because the pricing is so unbelievable. So, out of those 40 homes, hopefully we will have a good selection to go look at on Thursday, and hopefully one of them will fit the bill.
Here are some teaser pictures from some of the homes I like:
So, check in Thursday to see how it went! Basically I am looking for these 5 main "qualities" in my house:
1) Large living room/great room
2) Wrap around cabinets in kitchen with an island
3) Walk-in closet in the master
4) Large master bedroom
5) STORAGE
It's been slightly difficult for me to emotionally detach from Wanda and get excited again, but I think I'm ready to do it; besides... as my mother would say, "Wanda is a whore's name!" =)
11.28.2010
things fall apart
...november 22, 2010...
This was the day we were supposed to open escrow. This was the day that I had been waiting for for 7 months. And it never happened...
I got a call from Jim as I was leaving work around 6:45pm on this night, and he wasn't calling with good news. Jim explained that escrow did not open today, and that the bank had made some changes. He said that the bank had decided to move up the closing date to December 6, and that this was just not possible to close in that amount of time with the type of loan I have. Basically, the deal was null and void after the 6th, and I'm assuming renegotiations would take place or they would find a new buyer. I was so disappointed, because I had no idea that they were allowed to do something like this so late in the game. However, Jim pointed out there was no point to have an inspection and appraisal done and lose out on that money if the deal was not going to go through.
He advised me to start looking again.
I laughed, I cried, I was dumbfounded and angry all at the same time. All this work, by all these people, for nothing...
This was the day we were supposed to open escrow. This was the day that I had been waiting for for 7 months. And it never happened...
I got a call from Jim as I was leaving work around 6:45pm on this night, and he wasn't calling with good news. Jim explained that escrow did not open today, and that the bank had made some changes. He said that the bank had decided to move up the closing date to December 6, and that this was just not possible to close in that amount of time with the type of loan I have. Basically, the deal was null and void after the 6th, and I'm assuming renegotiations would take place or they would find a new buyer. I was so disappointed, because I had no idea that they were allowed to do something like this so late in the game. However, Jim pointed out there was no point to have an inspection and appraisal done and lose out on that money if the deal was not going to go through.
He advised me to start looking again.
I laughed, I cried, I was dumbfounded and angry all at the same time. All this work, by all these people, for nothing...
She was going to be a good house!
11.27.2010
this is the week!
...november 15 to november 20, 2010...
On November 15, while I was out to eat with Drew, I got a call from Jim and he left a lengthy message for me that caused me to scream inside the half-empty restaurant. Jim had said that Chad Alfano had the full contract and approval, and that he was waiting on a re-written acceptance letter from Chase dictating that the seller was not legally obligated for his deficiencies. Basically, we could move forward.
The next night, I met Tom at Zipps to sign all my loan documents and drink a long-awaited beer! I was stoked to have gotten this far, and Tom said we were shooting for a closing date of December 15th. The clock was ticking...
The next day, I called around for insurance quotes and scheduled a home inspection for the day after Thanksgiving. On Monday, Tom scheduled my appraisal and Jim informed me that we would be opening escrow. According to Chad, it was smooth sailing from here...
On November 15, while I was out to eat with Drew, I got a call from Jim and he left a lengthy message for me that caused me to scream inside the half-empty restaurant. Jim had said that Chad Alfano had the full contract and approval, and that he was waiting on a re-written acceptance letter from Chase dictating that the seller was not legally obligated for his deficiencies. Basically, we could move forward.
The next night, I met Tom at Zipps to sign all my loan documents and drink a long-awaited beer! I was stoked to have gotten this far, and Tom said we were shooting for a closing date of December 15th. The clock was ticking...
The next day, I called around for insurance quotes and scheduled a home inspection for the day after Thanksgiving. On Monday, Tom scheduled my appraisal and Jim informed me that we would be opening escrow. According to Chad, it was smooth sailing from here...
half a year later...
...october 29 to november 13, 2010...
On this day (which I believe was a Friday) I got a call from Tom letting me know that Webster had finally approved the offer, and we would be hearing next week about a closing date. At this point, the mortgage company still had to sign off on everything, but it appeared to be optimistic. But as Tom kept reminding me, it wasn't time to get excited just yet...
On the 4th, we got an extension from the mortgage company until November 29th, which I believe was a tentative closing date by the end of the month. Panic set in, as things were moving along at a steady rate, and I prepared myself to possibly be out of my parents house by Christmas... This same weekend, my amazingly fantastic uncle sent me a 30% off entire purchase coupon for Bed, Bath & Beyond! Well, house or no house, I couldn't pass this offer up! My mom and I went on a 2 hour shopping escapade on the 6th, and I basically robbed the store blind. I purchased a Calphalon cookware set, a slow cooker, silverware, a Shark vacuum and steamer, a George Foreman grill, a Magic Bullet and the list goes on... all in all, it was pretty awesome!
The next week, it looked more like we would be closing the first or second week of December, as the steady pace started to slow on the paperwork side of things. Either way, still went and bought my dining room set from Fry's Marketplace =). There was a 20% off furniture purchase coupon in the paper, and I couldn't help myself! My parents ended up storing quite a few things for me in November...and regardless of which house I purchased, I would need all of it!
On this day (which I believe was a Friday) I got a call from Tom letting me know that Webster had finally approved the offer, and we would be hearing next week about a closing date. At this point, the mortgage company still had to sign off on everything, but it appeared to be optimistic. But as Tom kept reminding me, it wasn't time to get excited just yet...
On the 4th, we got an extension from the mortgage company until November 29th, which I believe was a tentative closing date by the end of the month. Panic set in, as things were moving along at a steady rate, and I prepared myself to possibly be out of my parents house by Christmas... This same weekend, my amazingly fantastic uncle sent me a 30% off entire purchase coupon for Bed, Bath & Beyond! Well, house or no house, I couldn't pass this offer up! My mom and I went on a 2 hour shopping escapade on the 6th, and I basically robbed the store blind. I purchased a Calphalon cookware set, a slow cooker, silverware, a Shark vacuum and steamer, a George Foreman grill, a Magic Bullet and the list goes on... all in all, it was pretty awesome!
The next week, it looked more like we would be closing the first or second week of December, as the steady pace started to slow on the paperwork side of things. Either way, still went and bought my dining room set from Fry's Marketplace =). There was a 20% off furniture purchase coupon in the paper, and I couldn't help myself! My parents ended up storing quite a few things for me in November...and regardless of which house I purchased, I would need all of it!
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