Monday, June 27, 2011

Progress Report (Of a Different Type)

On Saturday, Tom and I walked through two houses with Cher, though technically, it's Cher and I who tour all these houses together, sharing fun decorating ideas, while Tom lags behind, taking pictures of rusted, broken stuff for documentation to show the sellers (I guess) that their house ain't so great and our offer will reflect that.

Or something.

So anyway, Cher and I had much creative fun in these two houses, completely decorating them inside our heads before we left. But when I--excitedly--got back inside the car with Tom each time, he said, "I hated it."

Good thing we have a strong marriage. And a God who shares His strength.

Then Sunday we decided, "Yes! M______ is the town for us. Let's go there today and do some 'drive-by's' of these houses we've seen online. M_____ is crammed with cheap houses. This should be a cinch."

So we drove there. Finally spied the perfect house we've been looking for all along--and at a do-able price, too. We parked across the street from it while I imagined room sizes and colors and Tom said things like, "Look at those new gutters! And the roof is amazing." (See why I have a bit more fun with Cher on these adventures?)

Well, pretty darn quick we called Cher about that house and left a message.

She called back. Already sold. And after just three days.

"Oh, for Pete's sake! How could our chosen town do that to us?," we asked each other. And tried to keep it together while we drove around and saw bad houses in bad neighborhoods or terrific houses in neighborhoods too expensive for us.

So because we've got just a week-and-a-half left to search, Tom and I haven't been sleeping well and if you'd been at our house this morning at 4:30 you'd have seen him at his computer and me at mine feverishly emailing possible houses to each other.

And then we came across this one, a double, just minutes from Naomi's jobs so we could rent the upstairs apartment to her:

Love at first sight! And it was cheap, so even if it was all wrecked inside, we'd have money leftover to pour into it. We could drive by there today to see if the neighborhood looked at least a tiny bit safe. We made plans. I emailed Cher with the MLS# to see if it was still for sale then I went back to bed. Got up later, then Tom went returned to bed.

Cher called. There's already an offer in on that house.

Gah! After I hung up, that's when, for the first time in all this insanity, I cried.

But then I got good and mad--and determined! "We are gonna get a double in _______ if it's the last thing we do," I said with Scarlett O'Hara fervor. "We're gonna win this game and come in first for a change!"

So I returned to the computer and found three more nice doubles in that area and emailed them to Tom to inspect.

So that's where we are. All fired-up and determined! No more whining, no more wimpy, sarcastic, defeatist attitudes allowed around our house, just faith and believing we're being led by all the no's only to find the one yes we need.

We are going to win this game!

(Right???)

(heh)



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And yes, I know-- previously I didn't want a large house. Well, I changed my mind. I've changed my mind probably three hundred times so far as to what I really want, so please bear with me, ok?


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Finding a house to buy within a time-limit is either for the very young and strong or the very stupid.

(And you may quote me.)   ツ


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10 comments:

Echoes From the Hill said...

If you find a house that you really want, and there is an offer on it, can you offer full price and get it?
I really don't know how that works.
Good luck!
nancyr

Debra said...

Nancy--from our experience with that cottage house, you can put in another offer as long as the owners haven't accepted the first offer(s). Make sense? (We just recently figured that out yesterday.) Thanks for reading along with our adventures...Debra

Judy said...

I just love Love LOVE the adventures of Tom and Debra.

There IS a house out there for you. You WILL find it.

Picture me doing a cheer for you (well, please don't):
Give Debra an H - "H", give her an O - "O", give her an M - "M", give her an E - "E"! What does it spell?

H-O-M-E, Hooooooooooome!

Anonymous said...

I'm getting all nervous reading your house 'shopping' adventure because mine will start next week and I have only 7 days to find one.
Have to keep the faith...the right house will be there for you Debra and, if it happens to be bigger than what you wanted....it's always so nice to 'take walks' in one's house and just be grateful for all that space, and all the opportunities for fun decorating.

Marie

Debra said...

Awww... Judy... You are the sweetest thing this side of Blogland. Thanks much!

Marie--any way you can start looking online *today* for a house? You might want to get a head start. It's a jungle out there. :)

Thanks for following the adventure, you two....Debra

Anonymous said...

Wow...what a saga...plenty of adrenaline going these days huh? We are having a bit of excitement here too...after deciding hubby had had quite enough with working for Mr. Insane, and his health plummeting from the stress...this morning another job CALLED HIM, unasked for, with the offer of a different job, with 25% pay increase (which he does not see as even possible as he thought he was at the top of the scale for his "rank"). Wow...you never know what a day will hold. So NOW we have to reconsider the decision to retire at this time!! And figure out how we want/should live If we stay in this area. Daughter moving out this weekend (HER idea, not ours).
Blessings on your search (GOD won't LET YOU locate where it is not best for you, obviously!!)Tie a knot on the end of HIS rope and HANG ON!! Why does delivery always seem to come at the last possible moment anyway??
Elizabeth in NC

Debra said...

Elizabeth--wow! That is so amazing. Congrats to your husband-- no matter which decision he makes, that's an honor to be asked! My very best to you as you make your own important decisions in the days to come. Blessings, Debra

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

"Seek and ye shall find".......Maybe not what or when you thought, but you will find.........

Keeping your searching in my thoughts and prayers.

Pearl said...

Hi Debra if you like that house which is gorgeous, put a bid in to. You never know the others might put a really low bid in and you just might get it! I think it looks so homey and nice. Good luck I know its not easy. Hugs, Pearl

K.E. said...

I fell in love with a house when I lived in Florida; made an offer that was not accepted. Moaned and groaned about it until I made myself sick; had to just STOP thinking about it. So I did.
A friend called to check in and encouraged me to let the realtor (her name was Grace) know I was still interested.
Whatever, I thought, it's under contract, why would I torture myself like that?
On the way to the outlet mall later that day, I saw a church marquee that said "The Proof of Desire is in Pursuit". I called the realtor right then.
A few days later the other deal fell through and the house was mine.
Moral of this story - don't despair - God is the master of the "Hail Mary" deal, so to speak (ha!).