Real Estate Soap Opera - Part 2

Okay, so let's see. . . where was I? The house . . . we put a really low offer in 2 days before my birthday. I kept telling Jon the house was what I wanted for my birthday. . . pretty big request, huh? It just so happens the listing agent is a friend of ours we go to church with, so I was very glad of this.

I have to stop and say right now that even before we put an offer in we started covering this decision in prayer . . . . a constant prayer in our lives we have always asked God to open all the right doors and close all the wrong doors because we want to be in the center of His perfect will . . . not to the right or to the left, but right smack in the center.

After going back and forth with the seller we settled on a price. When the listing agent would update me on the progress of negotiating I asked him one day could I do my rah-rah dance. He told me during one part of the negotiations to hold off on the rah-rah dance for now. When the seller accepted our final and best offer, the listing agent assured me I could do my rah-rah dance. Jon and I both were ECSTATIC!!

Immediately Jon's head flooded with ideas for the house. He spent so much time looking things up on the internet. We've been going over the things we like. Thankfully we have a lot of the same taste. We would go over there all the time planning, dreaming, envisioning. We met counter top people, flooring people, etc. When we picked out our counter tops the lady was amazed at how quickly we agreed on one. She said that most couples fuss and fight. We've picked out paint colors. Our kids have run upside and downside all through the house. Max even peed on the carpet (which we will replace, of course). Jon and I EVEN went on a run through the neighborhood. We've taken several family members by there. We just can't wait until we get closed and start giving the place a face lift.

There were a few bumps in the lending process which made Jon and I nervous. The lender we are dealing with is one of those types you don't feel like you can trust as far as you can throw. However, we're already in this thing and to start over would be tedious and long. My friend, Suzanne, used to work in lending so I have consulted her many a time about different issues that have come up. She has been a great help and has eased my mind LOTS!

Monday of this week I called the attorney to check on the title. . . . to make sure it had cleared. He informed me that he had just got back from the courthouse researching it, and he found MAJOR title issues . . . . like the previous owner still owns part interest in the house, which was due to a HUGE oversight by another attorney. There is also a $9,000 lien on the house that is unresolved. Pretty big stuff!! We can't buy a house where the owner still owns part of it. The former owners are well known in our community and so I have been asking around about them. I hear they are good people, so I am hoping and praying that if anything is required of them they will cooperate. Our attorney assured both Jon and I that as soon as he heard something he'd let us know. Poor Suzanne, she has legal experience also. . . so Monday night at basketball practice she hears my sob story of what's going on. Thanks for all your help Suz!!!

Jon's Dad is a retired real estate attorney and when our current attorney was telling Jon about all of these issues he knew that Jon use to do title work for his Dad. Jon asked our attorney, "Who is the numskull that messed this up?," Our attorney hesitated, and then said, "Well, you and I both know him." The attorney then told Jon the name of the attorney who messed it up. Jon started laughing and said, "For a minute there I thought you were going to say it was my Dad." (It wasn't) They both got a good kick out of this!!

The listing agent, our friend from church, has really, really impressed me. Jon called him Monday night on the way to our dance lessons and left him a voicemail telling him all that is going on. He is ALL over this. He has already contacted the seller and the seller's attorney who are also working on the issue. He assures me this is a big deal and can take anywhere from days, months, even years to resolve. He is working very hard, and I am just so very thankful God has put people we can trust in our path where we feel and know we are in good hands.

So from here on out it is a waiting game. We are waiting and praying. . . praying for God to still open all the right doors and close all the wrong doors.

I've been so hesitant to talk about this house on my blog. . . thinking, that if I talk about it, it may not happen. . . almost like afraid to get my hopes up. But, you know what? My hopes have already been up, and my blog is my journal, and this is life as I know it right now.

I did tell the kids the other day that there were some house issues, and there is a possibility we may not be moving. I have told them that I am so thankful that we have a nice home NOW and live in a nice neighborhood NOW. Then from there I told them what was even better is that we had a place to keep us warm in the winter and cool in the summer, no matter how nice or not nice it is . . . and, we're all together. Those are the things that matter.

We have been so blessed with things no amount of money could buy, and to be upset about not getting our "dream home" would truly be acting like a spoiled brat!!

My mom is coming this weekend, and she hasn't seen the house.

Will I take her by this house and show it to her? You betcha!

Will I be excited as I walk her through it? Oh yeah!!

Will I tell her all of our plans and where I am placing furniture and which bedrooms the kids will get? Of course I will.

Will she pick at her place to live in the house for when she gets old and gray so I don't have to send her to the nursing home? Oh, you KNOW she will!!!

But. .. what if the deal falls through and we don't get the house? Then that is okay too because that just means it was not God's will, and THAT is where I want to be, right smack-dab in the center of it!!!

I'll keep you guys posted. . . look for part 3 . . . whenever that may be!