Sunday, May 25, 2008

Seven Days

it's now Sunday - the last ten days have been a worl-wind of changes.



I went out looking (the 14th)- not a new to-do item on the weekend for me. I've been looking seriously since last summer. We, Agent Lee and I, pick six places to view and I added a last one when I was doing my homework the night before. The search put #7 in Wethersfield, yet the address was in Newington?

What are my criteria - ranch style; garage; 3 bedroom so it is big enough room to have my office, my bedroom and a guest/den; fireplace would be nice; a deck for some outside living; newer kitchen and bath (I could dream), no underground basement.

Okay with notebook in hand, lots of print outs that Agent Lee supplied, she drove, I navigated (call me garmin), around to view each property. The first. #1, was really great, fantastic , so much light, great first floor and a second floor! - not finished being built, though I needed to be age 55! -oops, not going to work. #2, kinda nice, not a great set-up for an office at home; #3 - wallpaper, wallpaper, and scented candles everywhere - hmmm? one really must wonder what they were hiding; #4 - they didn't leave the screen door unlocked - duh - move on; #5 cute, though I'm having trouble recalling it - too much vanilla; on to #6 - omg - while some dramatic architecture (my style) it was dirty, worn out, and needed too much work; then up 200 yards to another unit in the same community.

#7 - it is literally next door to a good friend of mine, Jules, and her family. We walk in - it's clean, phew, it's a townhome, walkout basement; living floor; and bedroom floor. Now I'll have to do stairs - not a big deal, I've lived for the most part in ranch style abodes, so back to excercise - just like at the West End Oxford St office I "lived" at for so many years. This unit is unoccupied, yet it was staged. For those real estate virgins - that means you have depersonalized & placed furniture around to allow the propective buyer to see themselves as the owner in the home. Remember, right now it is truly a buyers market. By now, I had talked with Jules the night before and she had been able to give me the skinny on the unit. So with the papers in hand - we began the tour.

Living Floor - Foyer nice with hardwood floors and two stories high; half bath - no personality; kitchen is clean - old - all original circa 1989; living room - fine with a fire place, yet I'm not sure about the wall of floor-to-ceiling mirrors - but the loud dark rose carpeting has got to go!; dining area - same thing with the carpeting, and the chandlier must go or at least get spray painted something other than bright brass; doors out to the balcony - nice view!

Basement Level - it's a walkout - large windows on one side; doors out to a little cement pad on the other; the ceiling and floors are completely finished and a lovely navy blue, almost commercial, carpeting; mechanicals are enclosed in a closet; a big closet the width of the unit for storage.

Bedroom Level - hallway full bath - no personality; 2nd bedroom - nice size, great closets, faces the street (private road) good windows; washer & dryer - omg - could there be no more quarters in my life?; master suite - a bedroom area attached to a large sitting area with a walk-in closet, so big that I could rent it out!, then the master balcony off the sitting area - nice!. Oh, the master bath - not a master LOL - and again, you guessed it, no personality.

It started to wear upon me - was this the unit I looked at back in '89 that I thought I'd like to buy, remember the real estate boom? Anyway, I went home, exhausted, and confused as to what went with each home we viewed. #1 and #7 are the contenders!

By Monday a.m. I emailed Lee, lets go see #7 again. We did. Back & forth, up and down, this time I took Stanley with me. He did a great job, assisted with the discussions in each room, unjudgemental, just the facts kinda guy. Time to make a decision - the unit is still listed in Wethersfield - I knew I needed to move quickly.

By Tuesday p.m. I had secured complete financing for the unit and I can close in about ten days!!!!! Times have changed. It took me five months to close on the Woodsedge unit years ago! As you can imagine, financing is always a bug-a-boo with me. One really great part of this financing - or my ability - I don't have to sell my unit before I buy this one! Thank you Nat Nat - I did learn well! Always save some of your money! I called a good ole friend of mine, Frank, from college days - he does real estate appraisals, and he's very successful! With his advice, thought about the price I'd offer and where it may appraise at - I slept on it.

Oh Lee, I want to make an offer!

It's Wednesday - we meet at 4pm - write up the offer and tic toc, tic toc, tic toc....... by 10pm - several back and forth phone calls - it is a done deal! Of course, I still need the inspection, the appraisal and the condo docs - all items that can mucky the works. ..... Count - it is seven days!

PS - for those of you that follow my 'dating' life - Stanley has agreed to move in with me!

1 comment:

Cousin Sherri said...

okay cousin, yes I'm obviously not following the "Dating Life", where's that blog????? Congrats on both the new pad and the new man. The big question is, can he survive the Caselli picnic????? Soon, I will know his underwear size! Would love a tour of the new pad when it's totally your new "Patty Place". You are just about he only address card I own that hasn't changed except for my parents and your parents. Cudos. Can't wait to see everyone, including stanley!