House and Home

house buying woes

So… once again I’m at that crucial point where I have an offer on the table and things aren’t going well. In this case, the seller isn’t willing to give anything in the negotiations at all, and I’m basically walking in screwed from the start. Looks like I’m going to lose another one, which will be the fifth offer that falls through, and the eighth house I’ve tried for and gotten screwed on (three that people paid cash before I even had the ability to make an offer).
So… I’ll probably end up building, and again paying way more than I should have to for much less house than I need to get. And who knows what I’ll end up paying in rent while I’m trying to get the house built.

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My Hobbit Name: Peony Smallburrows of Sandydowns

Okay, so my Hobbit name is: Peony Smallburrows of Sandydowns. Cool.

I didn’t get the house, so I guess I’m going to build after all. Should be fun. (2014 update: I didn’t build. Spoilers)

Also, here is the comedy website/magazine that hosts my favorite movie reviewer ever, The Self-Made Critic: The Brunching Shuttlecocks. They have a great review of Vanilla Sky.Plus they have a bunch of other good comedy as well. You should check it out. And go through the archives and read all the movie reviews by The Self-Made Critic, especially the one for Josie and the Pussycats. It sounds like something I would have written.

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house hunting

So, I saw the house and took photos and made an offer on it. I’m not going to put any of the photos on the site yet, because every time I do that, I find out I’m not getting the house. This time I’m waiting until I know more, which may be awhile. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the holidays. The annual dinner/white elephant gift exchange at Buca Di Beppo’s is tonight. I’ve got a great thing to give away, (no hints until it’s over) so it should be fun.

This was the house. I did not get it. It sold to some investors for $40,000 and the flipped it for $250,000. Then the new owners got into trouble and it sat empty for a long time. I believe it may be a rental.

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house update, and Sims

Well, that house didn’t work out. I have one more possibility, and then if it doesn’t work, I’m going to just give up and try to build a house in Fall Creek Place instead. I’m going to do an official tour of those tomorrow.
I installed the “livin’ large” expansion for the Sims; more addiction, more fun. I really should try to do some socializing with others, though.

UPDATE: Fall Creek Homes I looked at.

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Visited with Cate

I made an offer on the house… it’s pretty cool but needs a lot more work than I had expected. So now we wait. Again.
Seeing Cate was great- we went to P.F. Changs and ate and plotted my next visit to Europe, which I hope will be in the fall of next year, and will cover London, Paris and Münster. Cool. Somehow I think “big things” will be few and far between in Europe, but I’ll have to scout out, just in case.

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The Sims

So tonight I get to see another house– maybe the one I’ll buy. Cool! Also, Cate’s in town and she’s coming over to see it with me, then we’re going out to eat.

This would be the house at the north end of New Jersey St. in Herron-Morton Place.

I bought The Sims this past week, and I’m very addicted. I have a whole little neighborhood built to manipulate… fun fun fun! This really takes the stress off looking for a house.
(2010 Note: This would be the Sims 2. When they came out with 3, the aging time limits made it no fun anymore. To much anxiety trying to get ahead before my characters got old. Too much like real life.)

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Interest rates

Damn. Interest rates have been jumping the last couple of days, so if I do find a house, it won’t be as good a deal and I’ll be paying a higher mortgage rate than I would if I’d gotten the Talbott house.

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investors buying houses

Pretty much everything I want to look at in Herron-Morton Place is currently being being bought by investors who are planning to renovate with the bare essentials and then try to flip the property for a profit. The house on 16th that was one of my other possibilities is pending with a deal with investors, too. This sucks, because they usually have cash on hand, where I have a loan, so their offers are more attractive. Sadly, it’s not as good for the renovation and preservation of house in the long run, because it won’t be purchased by someone who wants to live there long-term.

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burglaries

There’s been a whole string of burglaries in Herron-Morton Place this week, and yesterday, Dan and Doug’s house got broken into. But they caught the guy running away, and they think they can link him to all the other burglaries. It looks like it will all work out alright.

Photos of the damage to their house:

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house news

So, my offer is still on the table. (actually, we re-wrote it, but it’s all still up in the air) and I may not know anything for a week or two. Which makes it really hard to plan, but… we’ll see.
Stacy moved into an apartment in Old Northside this weekend. Actually, she’s mostly moved, but we still have to move a chair and desk & computer. So I got to rearrange the entire house and move my library into her room. The house is much neater and more organized now. Stacy’s apt is pretty cute, too.

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