Have you Forsaken Me?

No! Emphatic NO! I don’t quite know why all of a sudden I ceased posting.
Quick update:
House inspection schedule tomorrow – might close with the week.
Visited Connecticut – love it, want to move. They are so educated, civilized, definitely not Michigan. Fabulous cemeteries.
Love the new Subaru, especially the CVT transmission and manual option.
Still hate realtors, find them below car salesmen, excepting Pam in Connecticut.
Got high-speed internet, result of buying an MP3 player for use in my car, but needed to update Windows Media Player, which I couldn’t do with dial-up, so went thru that whole circus and have managed to get everything straightened out, except now I can’t download new security software. This technology stuff is a bitch.
Found a woman I hated working with on Facebook and just gave her a piece of my mind. She was a stupid mingebox that didn’t hesitate to give me a piece of her mind years ago, and because I was a VP I had to shut-up. I replied now.
Let’s see how tomorrow’s house inspection goes…

Another Frustrated House Offer

Yesterday I made an offer on a house. Price was high, nearly three times the assessed value in a market where houses are barely selling at two times the AV. Couldn’t figure out what was up with that. I really liked the house, great layout, really good yard space. Did need all new windows and a bathroom update; few other issues that could be resolved.
Owners are relatively newly married (3 years) – he an airline pilot and she a dentist. They do make a lovely couple. She is pregnant (ultrasound framed and sitting on the living room coffee table).
But they are underwater on the mortgage! They can’t go down on the price. It is pointless. No one will overpay that much for a house in Redford!
Maybe instead of a big wedding and honeymoon they should have paid down their mortgage! No I didn’t snoop – the photos are all over the house! You may have such a great love, but it carries great debt.
I’m just so bummed about this housing market. At least I’m not the one underwater or foreclosed on, so it could be worse.
I’m disgusted by other people living beyond their means. Buying houses they couldn’t afford and then taking out home equity loans.
A pilot and a dentist for drying out loud! We are only talking a house that cost them $165,000 in 2001. The value has fallen to $104,000, and will fall more.
I’m so exasperated with looking for a house.

Will this be Our New Home?

Here I stand at the brink, once again. Found a house I want to bid on. Not in Livonia, but I am coming to the realization that Livonia will cost me more and leave me less money to use on other stuff like remodeling, travel, business start-up, life in early retirement without Social Security or pension.
It is in a nice section of Redford close to the private golf course. Great neighborhood for walking, bike riding. Gas stations, donut shop, restaurants in walking distance. Why do I want gas station within walking distance? To pick up newspapers and occasional food supplies without driving.
Now here is the deal. The young newly married couple did a fabulous job decorating. But I have to look beyond the fresh paint and great furniture. They have contemporary tastes, nearly European. She is Canadian and I think that explains it. Both professionals – dentist and pilot. They are too upscale for this house. Based on the sale data it seems he inherited the house and lived in it after graduating from university.
Kitchen is remodeled, but with cherry cabinets and they’re not good quality. Has the proverbial granite countertops and stone tile backsplash. But look past the HGTV style staging.
Here are the problems: need all new windows, peeling ceiling paint (moisture problem in attic?), main bath needs remodel, a few other more minor points.
This house is listed at $41,000 over the assessed value. Houses in Redford are lucky to sell at the assessed value.
Two houses away is the same model with 200 more sq ft, family room, updated oak cabinets, new mechanicals listed at $21,000 less, only $10,000 over ths assessed value; don’t like the lot and hate the family room.
I can envision myself in the nice house. Great yard for Fannie. Neighbors look okay, even though there is a built-in pool in the property behind the house (kids, noise?).
So I will be going in low. Let’s see if cash and a quick closing works magic. Of course I will require a building inspection – want to find out what the attic problem is and why there is a hole in the front yard.

Too Much Info

The next major change relating to markers occurs late in the 20th century. Married date is clearly now vital information for the marker! Often the date is placed with intertwined rings, or a heart. “Together Forever” is a favorite phrase used near the marriage date. These are couples who experienced the Depression, a world war, and the prosperity of the 50’s. Nicknames now appear, and engravings of hobbies and interests primarily addressing those of the men. As for the women, well, they are busy cooking, cleaning and childbearing so how can they have time for hobbies.
Bible verses in their entirety now proliferate. Did society truly become more religious? It is perhaps put on as a talisman, to help the dead gain entry in the afterlife? Or is it now cheaper to have more text due to new stone carving methods.
These markers evolved to become very busy with loads of text; my transcription of the markers takes longer. I need to expand the column on my spreadsheet so that I can see it as I type all this information into the little column.
Someone came up with the idea of using the back of the tombstone. Just isn’t enough space ont he front for all this important detail. We’ve got landscape scenes carved on the front, but we can add even more information on the back– names of children and beloved grandchildren. Are there granchildren out there not beloved? Entire stanzas of poetry appear on the back, obscure references and sayings which might be meaningful to family but will puzzle subsequent generations. It is there for all eternity, but will it mean anything to another generation?
Another recent change is that the symbols we use show us the possessions of the deceased. We are materialistic. Maybe we want to take it with us. I’m reminded of the old Pharaohs of Egypt – they did the same thing with their pyramids. Add the beloved possessions and items to help manuver in the afterlife. We now provide a hand of cards with a full house, a sports car, gun and rod, nature scene, needle and thread, football. People choose to display the life they left behind rather than focus on what happens after death, or what they think happens.
Great scenes are now carved on many of the tombstones. These are big stones; a single one is the size of a monument that previously represented an entire family, two generations, from years past. A lot of these scenes are idyllic, nature scenes – forest, lake, evergreens, deer. Our vision of heaven has changed. Our death idyl is a weekend up north, for all eternity. One monument even has a sign carved on the back, typical of those hanging at the driveway entrance to someone’s cottage up north. Are we trying to recreate an afterlife for ourselves, one we most want to find ourselves in. No one puts a picture of a factory or an office building, or angels at the gates of heaven.

Brain Addled by Heat

Various thoughts going through my head on this too, too hot day. Nearly 100F. Yes I do have air which is why I’m not leaving the apartment.
I once ate at an upscale Deli-style trendy restaurant in Grand Rapids. Ordered their tuna salad sandwich. This is usually a very safe choice in restaurants one is not familiar with. but what came was certainly a surprise! It was tuna salad made with elbow macaroni served on thick slices of white bread! What nutritionally deficient person thought this up? After expressing shock at pasta on bread, I didn’t have time to wait for something new so just ate the tuna salad. Never went there again.
My new realtor, the Dashing Derek, wants me to wait two weeks when he should have this new listing. The house is just “perfect for you”. I have no other information about it – not city, no square footage, no real idea why it is perfect for me. This is coming for someone whose never met me and has never experienced showing a house with me. Hmmmmmm-mmmmm.
Meanwhile another house I was interested in, but couldn’t see because of some snafu with the bank re short sale, Derek at least got the scoop on. Sold last Dec. as a short sale, sheriff sale happened in May, is now a Fannie Mae home; listing soon as a foreclosure. Meanwhile is continues showing up as an active real estate listing. What a convoluted process.
I got pissed at a guy shooting off fireworks outside my building last night. Naively I went out and asked him to stop. He was firing off rockets from a metal cylinder on the ground. Little embers dropping everywhere. The ensuing dialogue did not go well. Best of all were his excuses: “Like I’m not the only one doing it” and the best “I’m just being patriotic.” You get the dumb prize. And he was shooting fireworks from a cylinder he was holding while standing next to his baby mama holding the child. Could have been his girlfriend, lover, sister, but unlikely his wife. Need to cull the gene pool.
My mother paid for the wedding dress for her oldest granddaughter back in 1996. She also paid for the youngest at her wedding in 2005 or 6. Get this, after grandmother paid for the wedding dress, the brat returned it, lost money or the return and went and purchased a new wedding dress never telling her grandmother anything. What a mingebox! And now the middle granddaughter is getting married. I don’t know if my mother purchased her dress; she has chosen to exclude all of her family from any info about the wedding. We weren’t sure we would be invited to the ceremony. This is the deal where the celebration is two days after the wedding. And we first got the invite to the celebration five weeks ago. The wedding invite arrived 10 days ago.
I’m depressed even more. Not only about not finding a house, but I checking my IRA investments. They are down even lower than two years ago. Nothing I do trying to rebalance helps. What a fucking all around mess. And not even any World Cup Games until tomorrow.

Depressed Home Buyer

Yes, I’m depressed. I live in an apartment where curry scent permeates the air outside. My upstairs neighbor sure does shower for long periods of time – 25 minutes. I consider that LONG. The guys demolishing the commercial property behind the carports work at very odd hours with their hammers, hydraulics equipment, drills, etc. There is no yard for the dog, I have to walk her all the time, and damn but I wish she would pee on command! How can she hold it that long!
And I miss my possessions. I want to do things but most of my stuff is in boxes in storage. Remember how often you amble over to grab a book off the shelves to check some info? Or take the atlas to look at the location of some place. I can’t. And all those little projects I worked on, well the fixings are somewhere, in a box, in a drawer, in a container, in the storage unit.
I believe I lost the bid on the foreclosure because of Larry Realtor. He didn’t tell me that making an offer on a foreclosed property is like bidding at a silent auction. You have no idea who else is bidding and at what amount. They don’t disclose anything. So if the deal with financing falls through I may get another chance. Larry is such an optimist; I’m not, in case you didn’t notice.
And that other new listing I found in week 2 of waiting to hear the status of my offer, found out it has an offer pending. Has to be approved by Probate court so who knows what will happen.
Unlike other house purchases I have a fixed amount of money. There is no money money that I will earn to add to remodeling or improvements costs.
I’m in doubt about every property. I want it perfect. I will not find perfect. Will I be able to compromise?
This morning I drove past 6 properties that looked good online but in person, neighbor bad, no backyard, no garage, very tight lot.
Maybe I need to take a long bike ride.

Offer Counteroffer

Larry can’t seem to get an answer from the listing agent re the status of my offer. We submitted it last Friday. Is there a problem, does Chase accept or reject? Is there another internet malfunction at Coldwell Banker like last time?
since Larry can’t get answers I called the listing agent. First left a message, calling on behalf of Larry Realtor to check the status of an offer. Then an hour later I called that office and asked it Lynn, the listing agent was in the office. She was! And now she was on the phone! This is the woman whose voice mail says she only answers calls between 2 and 5 each day. I have her live!
So I inquire as to the status of the property. She asks if I’m with Larry’s office. “Yes,” I replied. Hey, this isn’t national security and it’s my money.
Turns out there is another offer and the bank is leaning towards the other offer but there are questions. And she really doesn’t know any more.
What’s got me more peeved is that I had to sign a buyer’s agency agreement tieing me into this realtor. I didn’t notice that he stuck in an expiry date of Sept 25; it covers the usual 6 mo. time frame. I can cancel it but have to allow ten days to make an offer on anything. If I don’t get the house, or pull the plug, I’ll cancel this agreement also.
Larry and I have been together three months. Time to move on. And the only house I am really interested in is a listing I found without Larry. Just as soon not be tied in to a specific realtor. Don’t like any of them, really. Used car salesmen, flaky on contracts and details.

Home on the Range

I made an offer on a house! Found a great foreclosed property the first day it was listed. Wonderful subdivision, backs to a ravine, great floor plan. I can actually envision living in this house with my worldly possessions and Fannie and the cats (and the bird).
Now just have to wait to hear from the bank. Gonna get nervous and I ponder the possibility of a second offer coming in.
The house doesn’t have some problems that go with foreclosure. The owners were angry. They left the bathroom fixtures but took the kitchen sink, and all the appliances and cabinetry. They also removed knobs off the closets, took some doors and damaged others. Slit the screens in the porch. In taking out the kitchen cabinets they damaged the ceramic floor.
Still, the asking price is less than the purchase price in 2006. Sad they only had less than 4 years in the house; bought it at the peak of the bubble.
But the backyard includes part of the hillside down to the ravine! That’s exciting. Can do some interesting landscaping.
Think it is US Bank holding the mortgage. Gonna see if the cash offer incents them to get this inventory off their books, quick.

House Hunting

I’m getting depressed. Perhaps I’ve already gotten there.
I’ve got 3 builders I’ve contacted re the house I’m interested in that news work. None have returned my calls. Granted, one has to be contacted through his sister who I doubt even talked to him yet.
I’m now going back through the reject pile re-evaluating houses. When I find something I might want to look at, it has a bid on it – contingent showing status.
Hard times, eh, when homes supposedly aren’t selling, I don’t find realtors to be very aggressive or men wanting construction work to be go-getters. They want work but don’t want it to interfere with their other activities – free time, playing with the kids, etc. They’ll call me back on their cell phones when they are at some job site working, right?
Plan B? I need to find a house to rent. I have 3 1/2 months yet. Here I have cash to buy a house and am paying monthly rent. It is costing me. On the bright side, come August I can start drawing on my 401k/IRA. That will be my income.
Oh yes, I know I am still so much better off than so many others. But I worked and saved! I did not buy expensive cars or wardrobe or take extravagant vacations or eat out all the time.How do I tell Larry the Realtor that I want to move on. He shouldn’t send me any more new (not that new any more) listings. I don’t feel he understands my needs. Maybe we need couples therapy.
And of course there is my mother always really with unsolicited tips on what I should do. “You can buy a house to fix up. You don’t have anything else to do!”
“If the price is right, you can put money into a house.”
This all from a woman who never buy a house or remodeled one. And I’m twenty years older than last time I did the fix up bit.

New Listings

All the houses are starting to look the same. I’m asking to see houses I’ve already looked at. I can’t tell them apart.
I’m on hiatus from viewing any more homes online.
There is a dearth of new listings.
And I can’t seem to get call backs re two builders I want to check out the one home I saw that might work, but it needs work. Question is how serious is the work that needs to be done.
I’m going to swim some laps.