Homeless No More

Sorry for the lack of recent postings. Hopefully you'll just me just a bit of slack, as I have done more in the past two weeks than in all of 2004. I felt like my 2004 Christmas year-in-review was a bit boring, but rest assured that I will be back in form for this year's letter, what with all of these life-changing events on the heels of one another.

The bad news, since the last posting, is that the sellers of that third floor condo in the Palazzo decided not to sell after all. Something about one of the owners possibly losing their job, then not being able to qualify for a new mortgage. I was really sad for the rest of the week. I had mentally started decorating, thinking about placement of our random assortment of furniture, and actually looking at home design websites for paint colors. I knew that I shouldn't be doing it: you just can't count your chickens, can you? But, I couldn't stop myself. I felt like everything was going our way, all the pieces were falling into place, and that we were just destined to have that place. Alas.

The following weekend, there was absolutely nothing for us to look at. Seriously, there was not one single residence in our area, in our price range, that was two bedrooms. Even the terrible place with fluorescent green walls and a random extra hallway leading to a bathroom with no ventilation on the ground floor had sold. I was really disheartened, and started thinking that maybe we'd have to move out of our neighborhood or something drastic.

On Monday morning, our realtor Warren sent me one lonely new listing for a place that was too expensive, too small and too far away. How depressing.

At about 10:30 that morning, I took a little break from the computer, and glanced at the listings. Much to my surprise, there was a new listing! In the Palazzo - the same building that we had put the offer in on the other place! And it was the same size unit! And it was cheaper! And it was on the top floor!

My heart was thumping in my chest. For about 15 seconds, I circled my mouse across the screen as I tried to get myself to think and act. Then, I sprang into action. I called the realtor, who pulled up the listing, and agreed that it was perfect. He had a closing after work, so that was no good. I said that it had to be lunch time then, because we had to put in an offer today before something happened to it. Warren said he would see us there, and would bring all the paperwork with him. I hung up with him, called Michael and told him the situation. Said goodbye, and all of us scrambled to get over to the building to see the place, and sign the offer.

We convened, traipsed through the house for all of 90 seconds, hastily signed the paperwork, and dashed back to our regular lives. Then, throughout the rest of the work day, little dribs and drabs of information kept coming back to me:
1:00 pm: We are the first offer
3:30 pm: There is another offer, so we will have to submit the escalation clause.
4:15 pm: They will review all the offers they have tonight and make a decision.

I had a lecture at The Kennedy Center at 6:30, the same time that they were slated to review the contracts. The Concert Hall has no cell phone reception, so as soon as the lecture ended, my phone started whirring, flashing, and beeping, telling me that I had voicemails and text messages from Michael and Warren. Then I had to get on the elevator...no service again. Finally, I got Michael on the phone. "What's going on?" I asked breathlessly. Michael replied, "I think I just bought us a house."

We had the highest escalation clause, but another seller agreed to waive the appraisal, which we couldn't do because we needed the financing. The sellers called back and said that if we'd kick in a few thousand extra, they would let us have our appraisal. Michael kept his cool well, even if he was freaking on the inside, and made the call: we would beat their offer.

Michael had to scramble into the city to collect me from the lecture, and we dashed back to Warren's house, where he was getting the revised paperwork faxed to him. Over very stiff drinks, we signed our lives away for our first home together. It was a hell of a day.

Since then, we have been working double time to get everything in order for the impending move: T-minus six weeks. That means painting, cleaning and doing some small repairs on my apartment so it can be rented out on April 1. Fortunately, that was the main priority this weekend, and the space is all ready to go. Next, starting to pack our things so they can be moved to the new building, cleaning and prepping Michael's house for rental, finding tenants for his house, finalizing the mortgage paperwork, closing, prepping, cleaning and maybe even painting the new house.

Plus, I signed up for summer school. Just to keep things interesting.