I thought I'd update on our house-hunting ventures. This one's not going to be a literary masterpiece because I am typing it out on my phone. I got 10 slightly-interrupted hours of sleep last night, and it's still too early to get up.
Anyway, a lot's happened since my last blog. I am glad I wrote it. Getting all my jumbled feelings out was cathartic. It helped me to part with the idea of staying in our current house so that we could make the decision to proceed with sticking the sign in our yard. It really just all boiled down to that "it's now or never" thing.
A recent sermon that struck me was about in Christian culture how at some point we quit asking what we can do for God and started asking what God can do for us. Faith has become a selfish thing about how good it can make us feel and not about what we can do to serve God. I've been trying to change the way I pray with that in mind. The last few nights, though, I've been like "God, I'm sorry, but I'm going to be completely selfish here and pray that we get this house we want. Please please please!" I might have also selfishly asked for sleep. Well, maybe that one's not selfish - if I could get some sleep, perhaps my kids would quit being like "what is UP with our mom??
Anyway, we were planning on listing our house Sunday or Monday. On Sunday we went to see a new listing. We almost didn't go because it was ever so slightly over budget, but we went anyway. And we fell in love. We sat in the house strategizing with our realtor as to how we could make it happen. In the end, we decided to let it go because it was pushing our comfort zone on price, and we couldn't qualify for the loan without being under contract on our house anyway.
We went home and put in our pre-qualification application and put our focus on selling our house. We finalized the paperwork on our house Monday morning. I got home and was sitting down for a few minutes before picking up the kids, and in that 15 minutes, two things happened. We got an email back saying we were pre-qualified without the sale of our current home, and our realtor had spoken with the selling realtor for our perfect house (this is a different perfect house from my last entry - I guess more than one perfect house exists).
The selling realtor told our realtor that an offer was accepted on the home, but it was suggested that if we really want it we should put in a back-up offer. You basically negotiate a contract as you would under normal circumstances but with an addendum form that puts it in a holding pattern, ready and waiting when and if the current contract falls through.
So we made some snap (but no worries, not irresponsible) decisions. We put in our offer and have since negotiated the contract.
Of course, I woke up in the middle of the night after that in a panic because we have, of course, done all this without even having listed our house yet. The contract on the other house is not one bit binding while we're in a back-up position, but my brain doesn't listen to reason at 2 in the morning.
Our house hit the market Wednesday at about 8:45 AM. Thursday evening we were sitting at my parents' house with our realtor going over the 4 offers we'd received (3 of which were actually viable). I think we've finalized one, and it's waiting in our inbox for our e-signatures of acceptance.
Boy! That's the kind of market we're in. It's a breeze to be a seller. To be a buyer - not so much. Four years ago we sat on the market for four months without a single offer (I concede we were a bit overpriced, but we were also undermotivated).
So I guess (pending due diligence) it's really happening. The funny thing is, this wasn't even an inkling of a thought a month ago. I NEVER looked at the real estate sites because I never liked dreaming of what couldn't be. It was the morning of Liam's birthday, on 2/4, when something in me spontaneously went to the site. And then everything from financials to market concerns just started tumbling and all fell into place to get us to where we are currently. It's by no means over and done with. I shouldn't say all this until we've been through 2 closings and the movers deposit our stuff into our new home.
For now we hope and pray that the current contract on our perfect house falls through or that we find another perfect house quickly. I'm feeling a little homeless, and it's not good for the ol' insomnia. :)
4 comments:
Having just gone through this process, I wish you strength and persistence on your journey. It is never as easy as it seems, but few people regret buying their perfect house at a reasonable price. I hope it is smooth!
Feeling excited for you guys Abby.... and selfishly hoping that ours goes as quickly as your offers came in. We just have to get the thing listed! You are right, two mortgages is never fun and if you think the Thought of it causes insomnia, you can only imagine what the reality does. If the perfect house falls through, I have one that might interest you ;) - sabra
Thanks guys! Emma, I know the journey was stressful and tough, but well worth it I am sure (jealous it's done with!). Sabra, I am sure it'll be quick. You have a lovely house to offer and I know you have worked hard on it. Listing it WOULD be a great first step. I'd love to live there, but you KNOW there is an impenetrable wall between Gwinnett and Cobb :)
Isn't it CRAZY how fast the house sold? Stephen and I blinked and had four offers back in October. It was so fast that we weren't sure what was happening. Fingers crossed for your dream home. Good luck with the move. It is a pain in the rear, but will be well worth it in the end. :)
Post a Comment