Vacation

Spike is home, and freshly bathed. He had a good time. I gagged all the way home as he stunk, bad. In other words, he had a good time for a dog. Made it home and immediately dunked him in the tub. He smells much better and I am very happy to have him home again.
Vacation started today after I finally got out of work. I need to get a little calking done and repair a couple small items before inspection. They will inspect house on Wednesday. Figure I would try and handle a few obvious issues before they are issues. I submitted my report to the house I am buying for them to do some repairs. I knew the furnace was bad when going into deal, and the inspector agreed. I figure I will throw a new furnace, AC unit and water heater at it right away and get it over with. Have him fixing the chimney, some plumbing issues and some clean up of debris. Listed a few other minor repairs. I am going to be happy when this nonsense is over. I am hoping on a clean inspection. The only real area I worry about is the crawl space. I am too fat to get down there, so the last time it was inspected was when I bought the house nine years ago. Not really expecting issues as I don't smell anything and I fixed the drainage so it drains away from house long ago, so hopefully all is dry and well.

Spike comes home tomorrow

I boarded my dog for the week to allow for showing the house. House is sold, I start vacation tomorrow, and my dog comes home. Back to normal for a while. Hitting the butcher shop for some ribs, fire up the grill, and relax. I am so ready to relax and enjoy a bit of downtime. Still have to get some things done next week, but mostly just getting quotes from movers and such. I will make a check list tomorrow of things to do, knock them out, and hopefully be able to chill most of the week. Want to hit the range for a while. Haven't made it out there in a long time. Like to shoot my 9mm AR to test it out. Have quite a few guns I haven't had a chance to shoot yet. I want to lay them all out in the basement at the new house and do a full inventory. I will have a big bedroom that is going to be the gun room. One more month.

It's a done deal

Had the home inspection after work for the house I am buying. Making a list of repairs for them. I counter offered on the offer for my house, and, they accepted. Putting in writing tomorrow, and it should be a done deal. I get my house august first. Give up my current house august 9th. Gives me a week to get everything situated. I am anxious to get my dog back home. I boarded him for the week while showings were going on. Probably have a few odd boarding days to cover inspection and any repairs that need to be done. Hopefully all is well. Inspectors always seem to find something though. I start vacation next week. I will go back and talk to the builder about a firmer price on garage with accessories I want. Talk to banks and see which one will work out the best. I hope no snags develop. Kind of weird how smooth things are going. I am expecting something to pop up, but won't be disappointed if all goes well. I need a vacation bad. Hope to cook out a few days and just relax a bit. With the showings over, life can get a bit more back to normal.

First offer

Got my first offer on the house today. Third day of showing. Two more couples looking at it seriously. Hopefully be a done deal soon. First offer would work perfectly, if nothing fall through. They want possession eight days after I get my new house. The timing would be absolutely perfect. Have to see if their financing goes alright though. I try not to get my hopes up until all is done. Things can unravel in a heart beat. I will feel much better when all is done. I am on vacation next week and will line up movers and talk to bankers. My realtor gave me the names of a few banks that are suppose to be competitive. We will see. I am preapproved at fifth third, where my current home is through, but they have aggravated me on some of the things about the mortgage process. I won't need a bridge loan after all, but they were rather idiotic on the terms of a bridge loan.

I have enough equity in my home to more than cover the full twenty percent down payment on both houses with plenty left over. They said they couldn't approve a home equity loan to finance my new house. When the smoke cleared, they wanted me to put 5 % down out of my savings on the new house, and then transfer all equity to the new house once old one sells. Since the new loan would be less than 20 percent down, they would require a full years PMI insurance, even though I fully expected the bridge loan to be about a month.

Further idiocy, if I had a home equity loan open, I could expand that loan to get my 20 percent to put on new house. Since I don't have any bad debt, or home equity loan open, I can't open a home equity to purchase new house. How freaking idiotic is that. If I was irresponsible enough to get a home equity loan to go to Hawaii, I could expand that loan to buy a house. Since I have no debt, I can't. I do believe even though I don't need the bridge loan anymore, I am going to thank them by taking my business elsewhere. I am off next week and will be bank shopping.

I am so happy everything seems to be coming together. Can't wait to be sitting on my new patio BBQing and kicking back a bit. I am still researching riding lawn mowers to see which is the best deal. I have been warned against the John Deer riders as I guess some of them are knock offs. I have heard that from a few unsatisfied people. They say John Deere lets someone put their name on them and they sell at the big box stores. I am currently debating on the Husqvarna and the Troybilt. I have had nothing but good luck out of the troybilt products I have bought. Husavarna has a much better warranty. Don't need a huge one. Three more days until vacation. I can't wait.

Fingers crossed

Took a week of nonstop work, but the house is ready, and, I had my first open house on it today. Have two people interested. One of them is going to her bank tomorrow for a preapproval letter. She is worried the house won't be available when she gets back. My realtor says she had left and come back three times during the open house with different family members in tow. Sounds great. Realtor said there was another couple who are also interested, and, there were a couple showings after the open house was over. I am glad to be home and actually able to sit down and watch a bit of tv and relax a bit. I have been going nonstop all week, between work and moving stuff to storage, cleaning, fixing things. Not a fun week, but the end may be in sight. I get the new house august first, hopefully this one will be sold before then. The couple that is really interested in it, live in an apartment now, so no contingency, which would be fantastic.

First, and hopefully last, open house Sunday

Been getting called all week with people wanting to see the house. I am finally ready. Open house tomorrow afternoon with a couple appointments right after the open house. Houses in the neighborhood have been flipping really quick, usually within a couple days of going online. Last one that sold, sold for $1500 over list price as they had multiple buyers bidding against one another for it.  Of course, I did what everyone does. I fixed things that have needed fixing for years so it will sell quicker. Just got done fixing grout in kitchen. Looks like a new install. Really makes the house pop when you walk in. Dog is at the kennel for the week  to free house up for walkthroughs. Hopefully be a done deal really quick. I am ready to get in to the new house and get my new garage built. Just want life back to normal again. Spike will love the back yard. It is HUGE, and fenced. Plenty of romping room, and with all the mature trees, should be lots of squirrels and rabbits to annoy.

Weekend fun, not

One whole day off this week, and I spent it packing. Rented a small rental unit to store some of the clutter so the house looks nicer for showing. Today, disassemble treadmill and bowflex and take to rental unit, which is not close to home now, but really close to new house, so it works out. Then, tore my reloading table apart, packed up my Dillon press and all supplies, and took them to the unit. Came back and packed up some more boxes, loaded the truck so I can drop them off after work tomorrow. Have to have house ready by next weekend. Should be doable if I keep busy. I want to clear some of the garage as well. Lots of stuff out there. Break down the workbenches, knock down the mill for moving. Box up all the loose stuff. I can't wait for this to be over. Move into new house august first. If I sell this place fast enough, may see if I can schedule garage construction to start.

New home, and soon, a much bigger garage.

Finally found my new home. A little over half an acre. Nice neighborhood. Only a 1950s era one car garage, but, I have a quote for the soon to be three car garage that will be going up in the back yard. Six weeks of nightmare while I sell the current abode, but I move in august first. I can't wait. Don't have to paint or remodel, short of some electrical work. Being out of the 50s, it has a few rooms that lack ceiling lighting. I will be crawling through the attic putting in ceiling boxes and installing ceiling fans in the living room and bedrooms. Short of that, I shouldn't have to do much. Walk out basement finished in knotty pine, with a bar and full kitchen, half bath, bedroom and family room. Kitchen has wall oven, which I like. Has a nice breezeway between garage and house with a ceiling fan. I am counting the days :)