Closing Catastrophy!!

Well we closed last Monday - but it was bar nun one of the most stressful days of our lives!

Here's how it went: We arrive a few minutes early before 9am when the closing was supposed to start. It seemed like all would go well - the room looked normal enough. A table, six chairs, a small desk in the corner with....wait....who's this angry woman at the desk? Oh yah, that's our closing agent. Nice. There is a woman shuffling papers moving very quickly around the room, who barked at us, "Do you have a lawyer coming for you?" We replied, "Yes - we think so." She huffed and went back to shuffling papers. I should have known then that she would be the antagonist in our little closing. First - in my haste to get into the closing, I had left the copy of our home owners insurance in the truck - which was about 20 steps outside the closing office. When the closing agent asked for it, I said that I could go get it. She kept saying that she would get our agent to fax her a copy. I said, "but it's just right outside - it would take about 2 minutes and she would have it." And she kept saying that she would have the agent fax a copy over. Arrgggggggggggggg......I went out and got it. Easier and I got to leave the room for a few seconds.

Then the other participants started arriving. Let me introduce you to the other characters in our little story (Note: names have been changed to protect the innocent just in case they like to knit):

• Our Realtor (I later found out that she shows up because she gets paid at these things - it was not for moral support for us!) - who is a very bubbly woman with what we think has a wig...well maybe. She has the kind of hair that is either fake or has been colored so many times that it looks like a wig. In fact, Todd and I keep changing our decision every time we see her. "It's real." "It's got to be wig!" "No, I'm convinced it's just bad hair!" And so goes our discussion. Anyway, Bonnie sat in the corner and just took in the action. You could tell that she had been to way too many of these closings and was treating them as a show: get a good seat and say as little as possible.
  
• Then there's our lawyer- a very dry older gentleman in a suit and a tie who talks as though he never loses his temper...in a very even toned voice. He seems very well trained at explaining complicated documents in as few words as it would take to get his audience to understand what he was saying. Not someone who would be the life of a party - but really is exactly the kind of person you want looking over your papers in your behalf.
  
• The seller's Realtor Rina - who came in late and sat and chatted on the other side of the table with sellers laughing and joking as if we were at some kind of a party. Rina was also there for a check (oh that is cheque for my Canadian readers :-) so really it was a party that she gets paid for.
  
• The seller's lawyer who looked all rumpled and had papers just spilling out all over the place. You could tell that the sellers wanted this sale to go through as cheaply as possible. He almost looked like he could have slept in his car the night before. Our lawyer had to ask him several times for things that he should have had prepared. We were not impressed.
  
• The Sellers - Bob and "Scary Italian wife" - who sat directly across the table from us with their lawyer. We had met Bob the day before at the house when we were doing our final walk through. Bob had shown up with his kid to finish taking out the rest of his possessions out of the house. He was a contractor and really was the reason why the house is so well built - made with all the top quality materials and with pride that everything was done the right way. Bob is Italian and is kind of a know it all type - but seemed nice enough. I was actually happy that we had met - because it made things less awkward. Then there's the Scary Italian wife - she had overly died hair (I wonder if she went to the same salon as Bonnie?), tight jeans, and a leopard skin jacket - you could tell that she had not lived well - she looked tough as if she had been through a lot and it shown on her face. We later found out from Bonnie that the sellers were getting divorced and that's why they wanted to bail out of the house!! Maybe that's why the Scary Italian Woman was either swearing, crying, or both throughout the whole closing!!
• And last but not least Liza - who was our mortgage broker came and boy are we glad that she did. She is in her early 30's and was casually dressed - but knows her stuff. She used to be a closing agent and knew the process way better than the angry version that we were using.
  

So all our characters plus ourselves were sitting in this room. We were signing on one side of the table. The Sellers signing on their side. The Scary Italian Woman was crying, swearing, crying, etc. The angry closing agent would come in and take papers and leave - over and over again. The first issue came with the home owners insurance again. We had sent a check (cheque) but it hadn't arrived at the office yet - so they said that we were covered. So we had them put it on the credit card. But then the mortgage numbers weren't correct because whoever had drawn up the papers had put it in with the closing costs. So in essence we had paid 3 times - but no one knew how to handle it - so the check (cheque) would be torn up when it arrives, we were supposed to get a credit on our card - because they had to get the charges reversed (I better check on that), and to save the angry closer from having to use a calculator - we would take the money out of the closing costs. Tragedy averted - or so we thought. Then the real problem came to alight....the angry closer couldn't find the money wire transfer from the mortgage company. This is where we were so glad that Liza was there! The mortgage company contact that we used through Liza - had walked out of her job on Friday. Just walked - left undone what was undone and that was that!! So when Liza called she knew that this person had quit - but no one inside the company knew! Every time she called the company they would transfer her phone to the office of the contact who had quit the company.

So everyone started walking away from the table....all the papers were signed, but because there was no money - they wouldn't hand over any checks (cheques) to the Realtors and the important part - they wouldn't give us our keys!!! Was it our house? Wasn't it our house? Could we get in trouble for breaking into our maybe house? So we were told that Rina had our keys and we could get them as soon as the money was found. We were told - it would be about an hour - go have lunch and they would call us. So we drove back to the apartment - even though we had planned on going straight to the house and steam clean the carpets because we had furniture arriving the next morning at 8am! So we went to a restaurant and ate. Todd ate uncharacteristically very little, while I tried to optimistically told him that after lunch we would get the keys and all would be well. After about an hour - we went back to the apartment because we hadn't heard anything. It was now about 1pm. We watched really bad daytime TV - while we sat in silence waiting......doing nothing productive on the day that we were supposed to be in our house cleaning....waiting.....it was killing us! So I couldn't take it any more and I called Liza. She said that she had gotten the confirmation from the mortgage company that the money was sent on Saturday. Eureeeka! But, wait....the angry closing woman was in another closing now - and she still couldn't find the money - in her own bank account - even though she had the confirmation number. It took another 2 hours for her to find it!!!!!!! It was now 3:30pm and we were told (after several phone calls and lots of storys and plans that never were put into place) that Rina had left her keys at her office and we were going to pick them up. I told Todd that I would wait in the truck and he could go in and do all the yelling that needed to be done to get the keys. It was a relief when he came out a few minutes later - victorious! Keys!!!! We had done it - we were home owners!!!

Now the work could begin. Because we had sat and done nothing...we had to go to Home Depot and buy the cleaning supplies and rent the steam cleaner. Then we were on the wrong side of town and rush hour was beginning. So...it was 6pm before we even started cleaning!!! Todd got all the carpet clean that night while I cleaned out the water softener container (which they had left empty and was moldy and slimy and gross (home ownership is not always glamorous) and cleaned the tile floors on the first floor, and started on the bathrooms. It was about 11pm when we finally fell into bed that night....then we were too tired to sleep. You know when you are tired all the way down to your bones - that your body almost hurts?! We finally slept until the alarm rang at 6am so I could go to work and Todd back to the house to get the furniture (which looks gorgeous by the way), finish cleaning carpets, and install the satellite dish (yes we have tv at the house and we aren't even living there yet).

We still aren't in the house yet - but we have been working every night after work on it. I have most of the apartment packed (George, the freakout is in full swing - is very needy. If you are sitting, there is sure to be a cat in your lap!), the water is back flushed in the house (it came out black and left a ring in everything - so was a big deal to get out of the pipes) and all the bathrooms are cleaned at the new house and new rugs in place. Oh yah, Todd also traveled for work Thursday and just arrived home last night (which I was worried about since we just got 8 inches of snow last night. It's supposed to be spring!!! Mother nature has a sick sense of humor).

Today we are painting the dining room and starting on the blue and red bedroom - first we have to remove the border. Then there's the lime green room with wallpaper to be removed on the bottom half of the wall. Wish us luck because the border and wallpaper has been cemented to the wall and Todd has never painted before and we are both still exhausted. The final move is scheduled for the 28th - I hope we make it because I feel like I need a nap!

One Day til Closing!

There is exactly one day until we close on our house! In fact, it may be 24 hours exactly by the time I post - because the writers cramp (closing) will begin at exactly 9am Monday morning. I can't believe that the day - which seemed to inch across the calendar at way less than a snail's pace (while in my mind I longed for it to be here already!) is finally only one day away!! In fact, we get to actually go into the house for the final walk through today. This is very exciting for us - because before this point we could only do drive by's, staring at the house as if it would change some how. Oh I wonder if the neighbor's think that house stalkers were lurking around their neighborhood when we were doing the drive bys - sometimes even changing vehicles so as to not cause suspicion....or do you think that they were oblivious going on about their day as if it were any normal day (which by the way, for them it would be). But today we get to drive up into the driveway and go inside (well with our realtor). I wonder how long we can stretch this out....hmmmmm.... I realize that our realtor is taking time out of her weekend to "have to go to this walk through" but she is going to get paid after all - so it's probably not that big of a hardship for her.

George Update: It's official - George knows what's afoot - with the moving I mean. He was skeptical when I rearranged our closet. He was concerned when we brought strange boxes into the house. But now since the packing has begun - he knows! And he doesn't like it one bit!! he wants it stopped - he likes our apartment. There's a nice deck and grass is right out the front door - ready to be gobbled up (and later spit out on the carpet!). But George will like his new house. But until then - we have to watch him like a jail guard - because like a prisoner every time we try to make a move - George trys to make a run for it. We don't know where he is trying to go - but as long as his cage isn't involved - he's all for it! Watch for further George updates in upcoming blogs.

Monday after the closing - we are going to be working our fingers to the bone (Work your fingers to the bone and what do you get? bony fingers! Sorry an old country song from my childhood just ran through my head). The carpets are getting steam cleaned, the floors are all getting mopped, the bathroom as all going to be cleaned in preparation for the big move. I know...we had to take a vacation day to do all this cleaning - but at least we know that our house is going to be clean before we move in. In fact, Todd is having the septic tank cleaned out - because as he explained to the grumpy old honey wagon guy - we want to get rid of their sh** and start fresh! He laughed and became more friendly - Todd knows the secret language of the honey wagon man!

Well I gotta go because it's almost time!!!

Sit on It !

Now that we have the house, we definitely needed some new furniture. Ok, Ok - so I realize that we don't close until March 17th, but I have had some money burning a hole in my bank account since last August when I had received a bonus at work, even though I wasn't supposed to. So in my mind it was free money to do anything I wanted. And what I wanted more than anything else in the world was to buy some new furniture. So I haven't spent a dime in anticipation of buying a new house and being able to go into any store (that I could afford) and pick out anything I wanted (within a budget). Well at least I wouldn't have to make payments and that is worth something right there! Our current couch and love seat Todd had bought second hand from a buddy of his. They weren't in the best shape then - not bad - but not new. But now, they look very well used. George likes them because they are soft - but they are made for giants! They are over sized and are easy to get into to - you just fall right in and they are so soft that you kind of mold right in. However, when you have completed your sitting experience - is when you have a little bit of trouble. You almost need help to get out of them because they are way to soft and way too close to the floor. I have on occasion (when no one is looking) rolled out of them onto the floor. Plus these things are massive. We couldn't even fit the matching chair into our current living area - which isn't a tiny room (not large but I would call it a medium sized living room). Then there are the pillows. The back has really soft cushions that become malformed after one sitting experience. Then there are 3 pillows per sitting station that are there for your enjoyment (and annoyment). I like them - but there are too many and they are too large and they end up on the floor or piled up at one end and we are forever picking them up. Ok - enough furniture bashing. For all those that I may have offended - I apologize. Please don't call the ETF which is the ethical treatment of furniture - because when we go we are just leaving this set by the dumpster here at the apartment. It's kind of funny - but I would have loved to have furniture when we lived in North Carolina! Just for a reminder for those that are not aware - we lived on 2 chairs from our deck furniture, an air mattress for a bed, and we had a cardboard box table that the tv we bought came in. Yes - now that I think about it - I deserve new furniture!

So we went furniture shopping. Poor Todd - I drug him out shopping for the past two weekends. There are a lot of choices. I don't cope well with lots of choices. Like the restaurant that has too much on their menu...I have trouble picking what I want...do I want steak..no wait chicken...how about ribs....a soup and salad would taste good.... For everything I pick - it means that I don't get everything else. I don't want to be disappointed and I always second guess my choice because there could be something better out there. Michelle says that I'm always looking for the "BBD" - that is the Bigger Better Deal. It's a sickness and I'm working on it. So it got down to 2 choices: a sectional that was on sale that came with a free rocker recliner (which was exactly what I had in mind when I decided to buy the furniture) from Harlem Furniture and a couch, love seat, and recliner from Ashley furniture. It was a tough decision - but it was lucky that the stores were right next door to each other and we were able to walk back and forth between the stores - which we did several times. Both sales people watched us like they would a tennis ball at a tennis match - going back and forth between stores. We even took a break and went to Jamba Juice and got Cold Buster drinks (Oooooooh - I'll have to tell you that we are hooked on those cold, delicious drinks that may also be good for you. Yummm....now I want one right now). So after our "break from the decision" we went over the details and decided to go with Ashley - because it was cheaper (a big plus - now I could get a dinette set too for the same money), they deliver for only $70, and they have an excellent protection program so if we spill or rip or break any of the furniture for 5 years - they will fix it! Plus the salesman was far and above superior at Ashely.

So I bet you are dying to see it - aren't you. So here it is:

It's microfiber even though it looks like Leather. WE decided that George may hurt the leather.

Here's the table - the top also pops up to be tall enough for the table to be used at the couch - for eating (which won't be happening any time soon) or using the computer (a much more likely scenario).

We got two of these end tables! Cute huh? I live the tile that if someone does set a glass on won't ruin the table.


And here's the new dinette set that will be going in our sun room. I can't wait to have breakfast on it! I decided to go with a wood top because glass top although would have been beautiful is a pain in the patudy! I had a glass top table and I ended up having a table cloth on it all the time because the glass was too hard to take care of. This I feel like I can just put some place mats on it will be good.

Now - I have a reason to knit again because I have decided to make place mats for the dinette set. Any one have a good pattern - or ideas about what color I should make them? Let me know what you think. I may also make some rugs. I found a pattern to felt a rug - but again - colors? Help! Let me know what you think.