Saturday, March 6, 2010

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore...Or Does She?.. (03-06-10)

Now that we're in our new home, Gary and I go about checking things out in the empty house, opening doors and drawers. The main part of the house is dusty, filthy even. The seller took the carpet runners off the stairs; something was ripped from the front of the fireplace mantel, leaving it damaged.

While I rummage around the part of the house (the family room) that had previously been used as a rental space, Gary calls me, his voice urgent. Her points to a shelf in the laundry room cupboard, where, next to a box of Miracle Grow, there is a white cardboard box. He tells me to read the printed label on top, bearing the name of a local crematorium. I open it to look inside. There is an open plastic bag filled with ashes. Looking at the label again, I realize that the seller has left her mother's ashes behind. In a cheap cardboard box. On a shelf. In the laundry room. Next to a box of fertilizer.
We call our agent, who laughs at the news of our discovery. The call he makes to the seller's agent gets an unusual response: put the ashes out in the yard and the handyman will pick them up tomorrow along with the garden stuff!

I am in shock. This is creeping me out. My heart sinks. Did we make a mistake? The accumulation of every aggravation we've experienced with the purchase of this house (which I haven't written about) is too much to bear. Gary says we'll make it work and stick it out for a couple of years and see how we feel about it then.

She's finally leaving! (03-06-10)

George, our agent calls to say that we may get the house after 5 PM (Yessss!!!) I don't know how he managed to pull this off, but the seller is finally moving out!

In the late afternoon, we load Gary's truck and take a load of stuff to our new house. George is waiting for us at the house; he gives us a bunch of keys, way more than we'd ever expect to need for this house. before leaving, George gives us a present: small figurines of a duck a bunny (totally like George to tease us like that)...

Friday, March 5, 2010

Delays...again! (03-05-10)

Guess what? We ARE the owners of record, but we don't have the keys AND the owner is not moving out!

We're supposed to get the keys and possession of the house at 5 PM. Her agent doesn't answer our agent's calls or messages.

She didn't want to move out by the date of closing and she has apparently decided to take her time as she pleases.

I am furious; Gary looks beat and sick.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

We're Homeowners! (03-04-10)

I was teaching my adult art class in Hillsboro today when I got a phone call from the escrow agent letting me know that the transaction had been recorded. I felt mixed feelings at the news. The house is now ours. Yipeee. I am a bit apprehensive; the last few months have been extremely frustrating.

Gary is getting sick.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Almost there! (03-03-10)

WE SIGNED DOCUMENTS!!!

But we're not done yet. Now, we're negotiating the date when the seller will finally move out... And, would you believe? We managed to get her to agree to not rent back beyond March 5th!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

More delays (03-02-10)

Delays...again. (And who said that I am not patient?)