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November 29th, 2006 at 07:34 pm

This is done by the seller I am told. I am also told that it is the only thing hanging between us and a closing. We have achieved mortgage. Is that an achievement? I keep telling myself that it is an investment. After the first house I bought cost 25,000 and I sold it for 29,000. The second was 35,000 and I sold it for 39,000 (OK not an improvement but different place and time) So if I buy this at 48,000 I should be able to sell it for more someday, or at least my kids will. I hope! At least I won't be paying a landlord anymore. I can do what we want to do in and out of the house, as long as we can afford it! Our payments will be lower even with the insurance and taxes going to escrow. So we save over $100.00 a month to put into repairs. If all works out according to plan we should have the closing costs covered by the seller, and get some money back to do windows. Our EF (small though it may be will be used if we need to to do that becuase we can't move in until it is done. We'll build it back up ASAP however. Right now the car is slated to be paid off in January at which point we can sell it or give it away. Either way that frees up several hundred between the insurance being cut in half and the car payment being gone. We will be down to one car payment and one mortgage. Our trip East for the holidays may take some credit but we can pay it back as soon as the bill comes in.

Still Waiting

November 28th, 2006 at 10:23 pm

Tomorrow I am calling the mortgage company to see if there is anything we can do to get this going. I feel like I am spinning my wheels. I am not sure if I shold pack or not. If I start, where do I start, we need to live until closing and maybe until we find another place. The date on the contract is only 13 days away. Then we need to fix windows (assuming the money is still there to do that) and clean th eplace top to bottom. Not to mention check the plumbing. I also have to decide what if anything to put out for Christmas decorations here and what to not see for a year (I hate that idea, Thanksgiving was a bummer I'd hate to make Christmas that as well)
On another note we found a cool exercise thing. We bought a dance pad and hooked it up to the laptop. It was a valid expense since I can't sell what I haven't shown very well, and I got 50% off of it. We took it to the mall show I set up at on Saturday and had a blast. It plays Veggie Tale tunes (silly songs mostly) and you have to keep up with the directional arrows by stepping on them as they fall down the screen. It has 4 levels and believe me they get harder. The medium is just my speed. It also have an exercise mode that just keeps going and a sing along part as well. We had a blast! My DH is 6'5'' and was dancing at the mall having a great time. He is alot of fun to have around. We let the kids try it and they had a blast too. We decided we'd rather do this than walk on the tread mill!

New Addition

November 22nd, 2006 at 01:57 pm

I'm crazy, certifieable now! WE bought our dog a Christmas present yesterday........... a cat. She is tiny but won't stay that way I'm sure. She is siamese/persian and absolutely adorable. I'm a dog person what am I saying? Her blue eyes are looking up at me as I type this. Her fur is perpetually wet thanks to the tongue (bigger than her head) connected to the canine in residence. She will curl up on my lap and that big nose comes over and as soon as it touches her she starts sounding like a percolator. She is having trouble navigating around the house because both the dog and DS2 think she is too little to be on her own and are constantly "helping" her around. We got her at the shelter. I figured if we didn't go now Christmas would wipe them out. I had promised DS2 a kitten when we moved.

Answered Prayer

November 21st, 2006 at 04:25 am

Thank you to all who prayed for my pastor. He returned home this evening. He was able to eat today (first time in 3 days) and we are thankful to have him back in the states. He is supposed to preach at the Thanksgivng service tomorrow evening, which should be interesting. Anyway I appreciate the prayers. I was terrified I would hav eto explain the unthinkable to our DS2 who adores him.

Packing

November 20th, 2006 at 05:01 pm

I am packing. We have had a meeting of the minds or at least the finances so we will be moving into the house assuming the mortgage goes through. It should considering how low an amount we are paying. So I am packing. I have most of the books, cds, dvds, and th e"craft" cupboard packed. I'm not sure where to go from there. We are supposedly closing on the 11th of next month. So I guess I will pick a room an dpack everything I can from that room then go to the next and keep making the rounds until everything is done. i think I will go to the kitchen next. We have some "company stuff" we can do without until we move. I have less cupboard space at the new place and no basement so I am paring down as I go. Too bad it is too cold for another garage sale!!!

Please Pray

November 18th, 2006 at 02:24 pm

Just got a call yesterday that our pastor who is on a missions trip in Guatemala is extremely ill. They have had a doctor in 3 times and he was finally able to get some rest. He is in a poor area with no hospital that I know of. Please pray that he regians enough strength to come home with the others on Monday and that he recovers fully form this episode. I know he would be happier with Jesus but we need him. My DS2 idolizes him and is not ready to lose anyone else close to him.

We may be Moving

November 16th, 2006 at 07:23 pm

Actually it seems that we will be moving. The owners met us halfway and have an estimate from a company on fixing the windows. They will credit us money back at closing to do that. So we are back in the running for a mortgage. I am told an offer will be made up today and presented to us. If it lists everything then we will sign and I will start packing in ernest, actually in boxes. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Health issues

November 13th, 2006 at 03:32 pm

Took my blood pressure this morning and was horrified to discover that I who have always had low low blood pressure is hitting numbers on that dial I don't like. No more salt or soda for me!!! I need to lose a few pounds as well (OK, Quite a few). If that doesn't fix the problem I am going to have to see a doctor. I have too much to live for to fool around. I think I'll take a bit of time for me everyday and sew or stamp as well. Started Christmas cards last night, I am making 90 of them. It isn't relaxing to make that many believe me!!

The saga continues

November 13th, 2006 at 03:30 pm

Today we are to learn what counter proposal the seller wants to give us. This weekend we went to a home type store and looked at prices for what we would have to replace to come up to snuff for the home study. We got a good idea on prices for the window stuff and I think DH was a bit surprised at the prices for the plumbing stuff. We may be borrowing more than the price of the house (not more than the assessed value though) to pay for some of this which I do't like but the price is less than anything else around that has any kind of yard.

Winter

November 10th, 2006 at 08:42 pm

It is breathtaking outside. We are having our first real snowfall of the season and it looks like a Christmas card. The snow has been falling steadily for about 3 hours and the branches are quite heavily laden. Tiny tracks cross the yard where our intrepid squirrels have been out playing. My world is white and glistening. inside I have a roaring fire to cut my heat bill and lend itself to the ambiance of the day. Hot soup simmers on the stove which twill soon have cocoa as well waiting for my DH to burst in the door covered in white. Both my DS2 and our resident canine are yearning to get out to romp around in the frosty expanse. When he gets up from nap we are going to take glue and scraps of stuff and spend the afternoon creating presents for those we love to bring special smiles to their faces next month.

Frustration time

November 10th, 2006 at 04:35 am

We went to the house and decided that the only things on the long list the inspector gave us that has to be fixed were the windows and the asbestos tape that is fraying. We put that in writing and gave them to list of things that were also needed we weren't asking for and sent it off. We offered to fix the windows ourselves if they gave back 1000 at closing. WE don't have it or we would just go ahead and close as is. in order to adopt we must have working windows with screens. There is no way around that. So their answer so far is nope, can't do it. Our realtor asked what they were able to counter offer and we are waiting for an answer. Right now it looks like the deal will die here. I have some stuff packed and there is a rental sign in front of our house. Now what??!! Oh well if God is closing this door he will open a window somewhere I'm sure and it will be even better. Right now it is hard to imagine a better yard but we'll see what God has in mind, He knows best.

Next step

November 7th, 2006 at 08:35 pm

Ok, We have an appraisal, a home inspection, and are going out to see what the defects really look like. Our realtor suggested that we ask for them to give back 12 to 1500 at the closing so we can do all the repairs ourselves but I'm not sure that will cover it. We decided to go look at the house agaoin and see what the problems may take to fix. Some of them we may be able to do ourselves. I'm already sure we are replacing the toilet ourselves as well as the vent problem with the plumbing. It ocurred to me that the reason th ewindows might not open may be that the people nailed them shut. They have 4 rather boisterous boys and that may be how they guarentee no defenestration occurs. We ar egoing out tomorrow or later today to take a look and see what we have to have fixed in order to still buy the house. The good news is that the amount we are borrowing is close to the value so we will have some money to use for closing and repairs. I wish we had been able to save a bit more ourselves but considering where we were 4 years ago we are doing well to be able to afford a house at all. It will be cheaper than renting and the difference will be used to work on a monthly "project"

too soon to tell

November 6th, 2006 at 03:06 pm

We got the report from the home inspection. Keeping in mind that when you buy an older home there are always problems and that we knew it was a fixer upper it isn't too bad. The house is sturdy, roof within 2 years, electric updated within 2 years, newer hot water tank and furnace. The catches are, asbestos tape fraying (means if is friable and needs to be removed) under the crawl space, windows are either broken or do not open which is a big safety hazard, especially on the second floor. The garage roof needs new shingles. The upstairs toilet needs to be replaced and the downstairs shower needs a control dial. The plumbing vent on the roof must be lengthened.The front and back porch need to be shored up sometime in the next couple years. Little things include outlet covers and switch covers. All the walls need to be painted and patched and the cleaning will be impressive. They also noted defects in the siding on corners. Of all that the non opening windows were a surprise, and the asbestos was a shock. I turned it in to my realtor and we'll see their thoughts on what needs to be fixed before we buy. The asbestos is a must I think the plumbing needs to be addressed and I vote the windows be operable or they take the estimate of costs off of the bill for the house. I sure don't have enough to buy a house and fix all the windows. The rest of it I can deal with.

This doesn't sound good!

November 2nd, 2006 at 10:03 pm

We were supposed to meet the guy who did the home inspection at noon at the playground in the mall (distraction for DS2) He never showed but did call. It seem he had so much to write that he needed to go home and do so and could he come over tonight to talk to us about the house. OK, we expected a problem with a couple broken windows and a semi minor plumbing problem. This however doesn't sound good. I may be house hunting again. I have planned the kids rooms though. DS2 is space happy so we want to do a navy (or so) ceiling for stars and planets, and continue it a bit down the walls. The walls will have the space shuttle ready for launch or flying in the sky as well as some space stuff, like the space station etc. Maybe a luner lander on the ground. I have been trying to figure out how on earth I would do this (no artistic talent here at all) and a friend of mine mentioned at church how much she loves to draw on walls. I was thrilled (make that THRILLED) and screamed in delight. The girls room is to have a tree with a flower border and the sun shining and a swing from the tree and butterflies and... Our room I haven't quite figured out. The playroom downstairs will have Veggie Tales stuff in it. On every door I want to write a significant Bible verse (they are all significant I know but some apply to my son more than others as well as us...) On th efront door (outside) I want "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord." I think I can stencil that if I find a good set of letters. The kitchen hopefully will have a vine going around th eroom continuing into the dining room with "You are the vine, we are the branches." on it. I hope to trim the library (small hallway but big enough for several bookcases) with books of the Bible trim. One of bathroom will have sea life in it (I have a net from when we went crabbing) and the other maybe birds. Haven't figured out th eliving room yet, but someone did offer us a free couch today. That should make the living room more comfortable since we only hav etwo chairs so far.