Boxes, Boxes, Boxes

Well, here we are. Waiting again.

Another roadblock has been thrown our way from people slacking in the government (go figure) and I am stressed to the max.

Our apartment has been slowly packed into boxes stacked high for the last 3 months. We have only two weeks left before we have to vacate and clean the apartment. Thus meaning those boxes have been multiplying at an insane rate. All that is left to pack is our dishes, cupboards and about half of our clothes that have managed to escape the boxes.

It gets to be difficult at times to know that we need to just keep packing with out really having an end spot. We have wonderful people in our life and thankfully we have been offered a place to crash if we need to. It is going to be tough. Everything will need to go into storage.

On top of all that our poor dogs will need to go to boarding. That is if any boarding facility will take an anti-social dog and a pit mix while leaving them together at all times. I was researching a few last night and some look just like a dirty run down pound. I actually began to cry. I can't do that to our poor babies. But a friend recommended the kennel he uses for his Boston terrier and his boxer. I checked them out and it seems perfect. So that feels a little better. Now we need to get them up to date on their vaccines. 

Knowing that we now have a plan makes it a little easier to keep moving forward. I don't feel as worried about our pups and I can calmly focus on the now.

Well, as calmly as possible while wanting to ring the necks of everyone working on our file!

We have ten business days, including today, to sign the papers on this damn house. Our closing date is set for the 31st and I really don't think anyone is going to allow yet another extension. We have already gone over a month past what the original date was set to be.

We received approval from USDA about two weeks ago. We could have already been in our home. But our lender, with very good intentions, decided to cancel that approval and raise our loan amount to cover some extra property taxes. Unfortunately she did this right when the boss went on vacation for a week. So nothing got done. They haven't even touched our file yet. If we don't get approval from them by tomorrow we won't be able to close on time.

I don't know what to do or what I am even able to do.

I just keep my fingers crossed everyday.

Until next time, fingers crossed for us.

oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!!!

I've been blabbering about buying this damn house since April.

It has consumed my every waking thought.

I've been packing since August and planning since May.

I have paint swatches galore and notebooks full of ideas.

But it really hadn't sunk in that we were going to be homeowners. I knew we were going to be moving into a house in a new area and I knew we would get to do whatever we wanted with it.  It never actually hit me the huge responsibility we were taking on. Don't get me wrong, I am soo game for this it just never hit me with that euphoric-holy-shit-this-is-AMAZING-jumping-for-glee moment.

When we put the offer in and it was accepted we were excited but reserved. We knew we still had so many hoops to jump through and it could still possibly fall through. Then we were happy inspection wasn't devastating, but just happy. The trend continued. When the lien holder approved our amount we were thrilled and felt so ready and so excited but it was quickly dashed with all I've wrote about in the past. Since then every little victory has been met with just a small sigh of relief, nothing too exciting.

Except for yesterday.

Yesterday I had a hell of a night at work. We had one of our busiest nights in a long time and I was pooped and on the verge of being pissy. I went and checked my phone around 9pm last night and this is what I saw:
                         Lender: I wanted to let you know I did hear something from USDA on Friday:)
APPROVAL!! The loan amount was wrong (because we adjusted it to pay some of your insurance costs) so it is being reviewed and will be fine we just need their approval. We will have it sometime next week. Maybe even the following Monday due to this Monday being a holiday. But just wanted to assure you we will have everything in 5 or so business days!!!!

Let me tell ya, I freaked out!!! I started squealing and jumping up and down. I did a cute little chicken dance and then ran out to the kitchen to tell anyone who would listen! I was shaking for a good 5 minutes or so. I felt it. I got that euphoria I wanted! I can only imagine what happens when we are handed those keys!

Now I am packing with a deadline and purpose. I am slowly realizing it. WHoo to the HOOO!!!!

scary times!!!

We have until Thursday to let our apartment know our plans on continueing a month-to-month lease, vacating or re-signing. Thursday is in 5 days. FIVE!

I started to do some math in my head and I decided that if we went month to month and paid for the month of November we would be throwing away about $95o if we only stayed for a week into the month.  It would cost us $1288 for the whole month of Novemeber, plus utilities and all that jazz.

I talked to Cory and decided we should just terminate the lease and give them our intent to vacate. I would prefer to spend that money on things we need. He, like a smart and rational man, didn't think it was the best idea seeing as how this whole process has gone so far. I, being the impatient and frusterated woman that I am, decided to veto him. I am telling this apartment to go stuff it!

I figure if need be we can crash somewhere for a week or two or we can sleep in a U-haul. I've been known to make those pretty cozy.

Cory wasn't too thrilled so I called our lender and asked her how confident she was in us closing before our closing date. (our lease is up on Oct. 31st and our closing date is Oct. 31st) She, thankfully said that she thinks our closing will start in the next week and that is should only be about 2 more until we get the actual keys. Leaving us with a week to move!!! YAY!!!

She said she was 95% sure we should be fine and that terminating will be a good idea. Now let me remind you that she also told us she was 97% sure that we would be fine back in July and then a few hours later called to say the deal was dead. We are not getting too excited but I'm still forging ahead with packing and letting the apartments know we will be bailing out at the end of the month!!

I can possibly be in my new home with paint in my hair in just a few short weeks!  It doesn't even feel real. I feel like I was meant to sit in limbo forever. I think it will all be so surreal when we actually walk in there as owners.

So thank you all for keeping those good vibes going for us!!

Ongoing.....

Since our last chat not much has changed, except for our closing date.

Again.

And for good measure, AGAIN!!

That's right, it changed twice. We extended our closing date to October 19th and then we were requested to push it even farther to October 31st. Just in case.

Just in case what exactly?

Just in case USDA closes for a week in October to do their end of year reports.  Just in case there is a nightmare with USDA boundaries. Just in case our underwriter didn't have all their shit together.

Oh I am so ready.

This is my favorite time of the year and I am being jipped. I don't get to decorate, or bake. In fact, my house has been half-packed for over a month now!

I am missing out on a great time of year, of settling in and getting cozy. A time when we still have semi long days and sunshine to dry the paint. Time before the rains to dry our crawlspace and blow insulation into the attic. The magic Indian summer that Washington always manages to snag. We don't get to take advantage.

Although, I did sneak up to the house yesterday and place gutter splash guards at the bottom of all the gutters. In our inspection we found that there is nothing directing rainwater away from the foundation. No problems with the foundation (thank goodness!) but it does cause a water issue in the crawl space that can be remedied for $30 at home depot. I wanted to get those babies down before our first big rain so that we don't have to deal with it.

In going up to the house we did find that the previous tenants are completely moved out. They even were nice enough to do a real good thorough cleaning of the place! It even looked like the carpets were steamed. On a bad note, every door was unlocked.   I went through and locked up most of what I could, the slider doors don't seem to lock but we put sticks in the tracks.

I was so nervous on the drive up that it would be trashed and vandalized but so far so good! I just want to get in. I just want my home.

For now, we wait some more. You think I would be so much better at this waiting game now that we are 6 months in to this process!!

I leave you with the listing photos until we can get the keys and take our own: