Just a quick "Whooo hooo!"

Guess what I just discovered? Free internet access at my house!!! I am about 1 block from the library and they don't have any restrictions on their WIFI access so I am typing on my laptop in my living room. Later I am going to carry my laptop to the studio and see if I have access from there. If I do, I may give some serious thought to dropping my Verizon DSL account.

Back to unpacking...

Notes from the Homeowner!

It's mine...all mine! My parents met me at the house late yesterday afternoon, we opened a bottle of champagne and started moving stuff into kitchen cupboards.

I have discovered a few things that totally escaped me to this point - there are no RJ11 jacks just RJ45 so that was a surprise. There are no towel bars in the bathroom. There are no door stoppers anywhere which I discovered when I shoved open my bedroom door (little, tiny dent in the wallboard!) I also noticed that the paint job on the trim is pretty shabby so I see some painting in my very near future.

I have enticed my brother into coming over on Sunday to help me hang shelves in the sewing studio. I can do it by myself but it will go so much faster with help. I will also tap into his expertise on a couple of other projects. Thankfully, he is easily tempted with a case of Corona!

Nothing...

For those of you who don't read my other blogs, the news on the house is that I didn't make settlement today. The beam is not sound so the owner is fixing the problem tonight. It will be inspected again tomorrow, the certificate will be signed and I will make settlement at 2pm. My "packing party" is tonight so I am thinking that a glass or two of wine is necessary. ONE MORE DAY!!

Things that make you go "Huh?"

Two days BEFORE closing, the underwriter requested a structural engineer inspect the beam under the house that had been treated for wood borers. 2 days...

If the engineer finds that there is a problem with the beam supporting the floor joists, I will not close tomorrow. If we don't close by Friday, I will have to pay a months interest on the house when I close AND another month's rent on my apartment.

Guess who isn't happy?

I am NEVER buying another house!

I am supposed to close a week from tomorrow. I just now found out that I still don't have a loan. The paperwork still hasn't gone to PHFHA. 1 week from tomorrow, people! Does this stuff happen to everyone? It supposedly will take 2 days for the underwriter to review and then it goes to PHFHA...which means they won't get it until NEXT MONDAY!

Everyone keeps telling me to relax...not to worry...rest easy. Oh, good grief!
If it were just that easy I would be doing it!

12 days and counting

I have a new loan officer. Yes, this late in the game. It's a really long story so I will cut to the bottom line...I LOVE my new loan officer! Everything is good. Everything is a "go"! I honestly am starting to relax.

Now, if I just didn't have to pack!

One decision made

This is the pendant that I have decided on for the kitchen. One large one like this for the center and then 3 small ones to illuminate the sink and counters. You can't tell from the photo but the glass part of shade is faceted. It has an "old" feel to it without being too country. For the dining room, I have a brass chandelier that I pulled out of my son's trash can. It didn't go with their decor so they replaced it. I don't like the look of the shiny brass so I am going to paint it white and antique it. This should be interesting!

Now the search is on for a Windsor chair for the dining room. I have one antique that has been passed down in the family and I KNOW I can't afford to buy even a good reproduction. I am thinking maybe a pseudo-Windsor chair that come in a honey oak finish that I could paint. Know what I mean?

What I really need is a good yard sale in my area. They do the community yard sales in May and I don't think I want to wait that long!

Finally

The appraisal for the house is set for tomorrow (Monday). I spoke to my loan officer on Friday and the last thing I have to do before closing is pay my house insurance and send a copy of the receipt to the bank. I know the house is FHA compliant so the only hurdle is the appraisal and I am feeling pretty confident that that will not be an issue.

I am packing boxes like a crazy woman. Why do I have all this stuff?!? I have a file cabinet full of paper that I have not looked at since I left Seattle nearly six years ago. I don't have the time now to sort through everything but that will be a priority after I move. (I have a shredder and I am not afraid to use it!)

When I speak to my sons, they inquire about the packing situation. Yes, boys...I promise it will be done before you get here!

Finally - photos!!

I finally was able to get into the house and see the finished product! There are lots of things that I am going to have to change...almost immediately after purchasing...however, for the most part, I am pretty happy. The big room with the railing in the slide show is the studio. There are doors leading to storage under the eaves on both sides of the room (hence the little doors!) I think they must not have had any small baseboard heaters in stock since there are huge ones installed everywhere. I am going to have to take those out and put short ones under the windows or my furniture will never fit. There is a shot looking from the living room through the lower floor. In that you can barely see the kitchen chandelier which does not go with the decidedly modern blue pendant lights. I love the carpet. It is a couple of shades of beige/tan and is one of the new short shags. My sister had it installed in her family room about 2 years ago and really likes it. Thankfully, there are ceiling fans in all the rooms upstairs and in the kitchen. Since it doesn't have central air, I am going to try to locate air conditioners in windows that are not "obvious" - like the dining room window, the window in the studio and probably one in the little bedroom in the back of the house. I don't like to see units on the front of a house.





The appraisal will probably be at the end of the week. I hope he likes it!!

It's just one surprise after the other...

Well, I went over to the house on Sunday just to see what had been completed since I last looked. Unfortunately, the seller wasn't there so I had to peer into the windows. The lights in the kitchen are up and I am not happy. The center light is glass and copper and I like it very much. The pendant lights to illuminate the kitchen counters are brushed silver with cobalt blue art glass. Is it just me or IS THIS NOT THE MOST BIZARRE COMBINATION? Good grief! I also could see that the electric baseboard heaters have been installed. I asked specifically where the one in the kitchen would be placed. I was assured there were two small ones that would be under the side windows. Oh no, that's not where they are. There is one large unit centered on the wall between the windows...exactly where my dry sink is supposed to go. I could not see where they are in the dining room or living room. I swear, if they are not under windows in those rooms I will lose my mind! Now I have to hire an electrician to come in, move whatever units are not placed correctly and then get my brother to replace baseboards. I will also have to purchase pendant lights for the kitchen and have those installed.

Warning to all - NEVER buy a house until it is finished unless your contract specifies that changes cannot be made without your permission. Oh, well..it's just money...

It's always something...

Well, the appraiser went over to look at the house on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the seller has not completed some items that are necessary...like heating! I have an appointment for settlement on August 27th. We absolutely have to settle by the 29th because I do not want to pay an entire month of interest on the house AND make a partial rent payment.

The loan officer told me that there is no reason to believe it won't appraise at the price I offered as the appraiser would have alerted her to that after he looked at the house. That makes me happy but I really won't feel secure until I know all the little stuff has been finished so that I can move in!

I know the seller will be there this weekend so I am going over to take a look myself. I am dying to see the kitchen with all the appliances, cabinets and lighting finally installed!