So this has been my weekend:
Paint colors, trim, crown molding… We have had a whirl wind housing adventure this past week. As you may have read, I recently got a job. Because I am now gainfully employed, Mr. MedSchool and I decided to see if we could get preapproved for a loan to purchase a home. Due to the first time home buyer’s tax credit, if we were to buy, we would get $8000 in cash money (1). However, this means that we would have to close on the house by November 30th. After getting preapproved and speaking to our loan agent, she informed us that we would need to have a contract on the house by October 30th in order to ensure we close by November 30th. Normally this would have been fine. However, we are told this on October 15th, giving us 2 weeks to find a house.
After a bad Realtor experience before we moved to Small Town, South, we decided to do this “on our own” and purchase a home for sale by owner. Things that we did not take into account:
1. We only had two weeks find houses ourselves, set up appointments and then go and view the house and fit it in to our busy schedule.
2. We know nothing (2) about purchasing a home.
3. We don’t have the greatest negotiating skills (3).
So we went and saw a few houses on our own over the weekend. Then on Monday, Mr. MedSchool informed me that he didn’t think he could do this on his own (4). I had somewhat gotten the gist that he might say this after I overheard him speaking to his dad, who had just sold his house, on the phone. “What you need an attorney? Why? Closing costs are how much?” Needless to say, our loan officer had suggested a Realtor who could “work fast,” and Mr. MedSchool had already called her.
Our new Realtor, Amy, was perky and upbeat. She was young but knew her stuff. We set up to meet with her on Thursday to look at houses. We were lined up to view 6 houses. We trudged through several houses that we would be happy with but weren’t overjoyed with any, until house #4. We walked into the 3 bed room/2 Bath, brick ranch style home and we found love. First off, finding 2 bathrooms in a town full of older homes was pretty much impossible (5). Secondly..a newly renovated kitchen was the stuff that dreams were made of. We did go and see a couple of other houses that day but knew that #4 was our number one (6). We went back at the end of our tour of homes to look again, just to be sure. We put in an offer and signed the next afternoon. We did feel a little risky because our offer was $2000 under the list price, which had already been dropped $8000, and we asked them to pay closing costs. We waited about 3 hours, planning out our next counter offer but then we got an exited call from Amy. They had accepted our first offer! (7)
We cracked open a bottle of wine (8) and celebrated our victory (and our Realtor’s mad negotiating skillz). So barring any horrible issues that the home inspector may find, we will be bonafide homeowners on November 25th.
So back to our weekend, after looking at the house again…we came to the realization that it may need some minor tweaks. Paint…garbage disposal…new front door. So Mr. MedSchool and I made a quick trip to Home Depot to price items. Do you realize home much doors cost…seriously? $500? Mr. MedSchool, pointed out that it is the first impression that someone gets of your home. To which I countered that a $300 door would make a good impression, and I could blind company with my new $200 Marc Jacobs dress which I could also take away from the home, making good impressions throughout the neighborhood (9).
We also priced paint. Now I LOVE color and bright décor. Mr. Medschool, however, is a beige kind of guy. However, he bestowed free range of painting upon me because I had never been able to paint a home that we have lived in (10).
Anywho, we have 4 weeks to come up with paint colors and Google “How to install crown molding.” I am sure that may interesting “do it yourself” posts will come in good time. So look out.
1. Thank you Uncle Sam!
2. And I mean nothing
3. Somebody call William Shatner .. Priceline Negotiator (musical theme…)
4. I wish I had recorded it too. He admitted he couldn’t do it on his own .. this may never happen again. Oh well.
5. And one thing we have learned over the last few years is that our marriage doesn’t work without 2 bathrooms…it just doesn’t
6. Oh I kill myself…hahahaha
7. Yeah for desperate home sellers!
8. Who cares it was only 3pm. It’s 5 o’ clock somewhere.
9. How’s that for negotiating?
10. He’s gonna be sorry for that one when he sees the lime green guest bedroom
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