13 February 2006

Sometimes You Just Can't Go Back . . .

We found THAT out yesterday - -

Dear Hubby Steve saw a house for sale in the Sunday paper that we had looked at about 11 years ago, before we bought our present home. I totally fell in love with the house! It was located right at the edge of town, so it had city water (a definite plus!), was on a 1.2 acre lot, was all brick exterior, and had been build by a house builder for himself. As I walked through the house, I was instantly charmed by it! Not only by the quality of work, but the people selling it had a definite sense of color sceme. The walls, woodwork, everything - - just seemed to exude a "warmth" that was very comforting. We walked downstairs to the "Rec Room" area, and it was the same warm feeling - - wood accents, wood-burning fireplace - - it just seemed to radiate a feeling of "home" and "comfort" to us.

HOWEVER - - the couple selling it was really - - um - - "strange", I guess would be a good word for them. It became very obvious real soon that the husband did NOT want to sell and move. The WIFE, however - - was determined that they most definitely WERE moving, and that he could just shup his mouth and accept it!

That, and the fact that they were asking $129,000 for it (remember, this was 11 years ago, and it was NOT worth that much at that time - - not around these parts, at least) - - made for a *very* uncomfortable situation we had found ourselves in - - and it didn't help any when Hubby told them that other houses in the area were going for $100,000 or less, and that we could not consider paying more than $100,000 for a house - - ANY house - - that our budget wouldn't allow it.

S) - - we politely excused ourselves and wended out way back home.

We talked to our realtor and told her what we had encoutered and our feeling about the house. We also told her that we felt it was not worth the asking price. She agreed, but said she felt they would be willing to deal. So we discussed it, and decided that our offer would be $89,900, which we felt was more than fair. Sure, the majority of the house was in great condition - - bricks were tight with no tuckpointing needed, indoors was ready to move in to, but we had to take into consideration that we would have to do some roof repair, and run heat to the enclosed front porch, and Dear Hubby wanted to have a big outbuilding for his car "stuff". Our realtor agreed that it was a fair price, and arranged to meet with the couple to discuss it.

So our realtor met with them and gave our offer.

She was met with dead silence.

AND a deafening GLARE from the wife.

Who proceeded to ream our realtor with no mercy.

And claimed that Dear Hubby had actually OFFERED them $100,000 for the house the day we looked at it, and was now not willing to keep that part of the "bargain" . . .

HUH?!?!?!?!?????

I could have sworn I was with him that day, in that same house, with that same couple.

What "BARGAIN"?!?!?!?!?????

I don't remember any "BARGAIN"!!!!!!!

Our realtor gave us a call when she left them. From her tone of voice, we could tell she was still reeling. She asked us why we had not warned her that we had discussed a price with the couple before she went over there.

WELL - - maybe it's because we had NOT discussed a price with them.

To us, mentioning that other houses similar to theirs were in that price range, which is the most we could even cosider for a house - - ANY house - - was not "discussing a price" with them, or in any way did it resemble a "bargain" - -

These people were NUTS!

Well, we didn't pursue THAT house anymore . . . . *sigh*

They had that house on the market almost another year! And what was the price they FINALLY sold it for?

$100,000.

Yup - - that's right - - $100,000.

NOT the $129,000 they (or I should say, the WIFE) was insistent upon getting.

By that time we had already bought our present home.

BUT - - here it was - - on the market again - -

WELL - - let's just see what it looks like now.

We walked in to the kitchen area, and it had all been redecorated. All white and stainless steel. Very cold . . .

We walked through the rest of the house. ALL the walls, the woodwork, EVERYTHING - - was painted white. Stark. Plain. White. EVERYTHING.

Very cold.

The enclosed front porch had been opened up to be a part of the rest of the house, and had heat and ceiling fans and was decorated really nicely! I knew it would be a good idea to do that - -

But it was also painted white. Totally. White.

All the carpet was off-white - -

There was not "warmth" in the house anywhere! *shudder*

SO we decided to head downstairs to the "Rec Room" area, which the realtor lady was prattling on about it being the "Showcase of the WHOLE HOUSE" - -

And it was painted WHITE. With 45 records nailed to the walls. And a black & white "Steak 'n' Shake" type of floor.

And white speckled countertop.

White kitchen.

White walls. White trim.

Cold.

I just wanted to get out of there.

We managed to laugh about it a little later - - once the SHOCK had worn off!

Oh, and now the asking for that house is $174,000 - - and considering I would have to pry 45 records OFF the walls - - and tear up the Steak 'n' Shake floor, and replace ALL the trim in the WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE with wood trim, and repaint the WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE - - that is, AFTER steaming off all the wallpaper cutouts they plastered up as "border" by the ceiling (in a "woodsy", moose and bear theme . . . *sheesh*) - -

We have decided to pass on it.

Sometimes you just can't go back - - *sigh*


01 February 2006

A Hopeful Sign

Well, Dear Hubby spoke to his housebuilding acquaintance, Larry, last night. Larry is very excited about the prospect of building the house for us. He is going to get back with us by the weekend so we can start talking figures and numbers and seeing what it will take.

We are definitely looking at Plan B - - being our own General Contractor, and Plan C - - selling our house and the extra lot, and buying a lot in another location.

So we are considering this a hopeful sign - - and we sure needed one!

Keep ya posted . . . . .