...are going to be many. We're going to paint the rooms. The downstairs rooms don't need that much love - but oh the upstairs! I can't believe how badly stained the carpet in the guest room was. Good thing we planned to rip it up anyway. We didn't plan to rip up the carpet on the 3rd floor, but that needs to go too. I think it may have been the cat's domain. We had planned to paint everything but the kitchen. The bedrooms are what really need it most. While the previous owners weren't pigs, they clearly didn't care about what they spilled in the bedroom. It's kind of weird because the downstairs had been re-done so beautifully- not necessarily to my taste, but very attractive. The upstairs was neglected. Not nearly as badly neglected as the yard though. There is grass in the left section (if you are facing the house) of the front yard. The rest of the yard is green, but it's not grass for the most part. The gardens are overgrown and have been unattended. There's going to be lots of ripping out and cutting down going on. They - I should say we - have this beautiful hydrangea that has been overgrown with other less attractive bushes.
Today's plan is to go clean the lower trim in preparation for repainting it. I will also paint samples of the colors we have chosen for the dining room & living room to make sure we're happy with those choices. They will be the first rooms painted. Then I've got two colors to try out in the stairwell. Hopefully one will work and we'll do that after the living room.
Tomorrow's plan is for A. to rip out the carpet and tape up the walls so that I can start painting on Tuesday.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
Pictures of what will be
Okay - I'm going to try and post pictures of some of the furniture we've picked out. This is the stuff for the living room. We're not sure yet if we'll be able to go with the chaise lounge. Depending on space and the layout we go with, it could also be a loveseat or a big chair. The sofa is very comfy and big enough for A. to lay out on. The wood is kind of dark, which will go with the coffee table and end tables we have currently - if we decide to keep them.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
So - where was I?
Maybe if I switch to titles for my posts I'll be better about blogging? Doubtful - but it could be fun anyway.
Well - a lot has happened in the last 20 days. We are homeowners! We decided that since we wouldn't be closing the week of the 4th, we would head to the Cape for a little R&R. We got there Thursday night, planning to stay until Sunday or Monday, depending on the weather. Then - Friday afternoon we get the call. "Can you close Monday at 3:30 pm?" YES, YES, YES! Of course, we recognize that the seller is not exactly moving out right away. So the deal is going to be, she pays our per diem interest until the end of the month, at which time she gets out or pays us big bucks per day. We don't know the specifics of the deal at this point, but yes, we will close.
Fast forward to Monday, closing. We finally get to the point of the closing costs - after signing our lives away 4 dozen times. I notice the "rent" is not quite what we expected and rather than a few bucks back, we have to pay $177. Not a big amount - but it's the principal of the matter. We go out into the hall to discuss this with our attorney - actually it's our attorney's partner who is not familiar with all that has gone on with this deal. And I must mention that the seller's attorney is such a loser that he has to borrow another firm's conference room for the closing. So - our attorney is saying well - we decided that was a fair amount since they are doing you a favor by closing early. HELLO? FAVOR? I pointed out to him that, by contract we were supposed to have closed on the 3rd. His partner, our real attorney, said that the seller was in breach of contract. Okay - go back in - lawyer's get their heads together again. Now the loser lawyer is saying it should stay where it is because the seller couldn't move out on time because she couldn't get started on her construction on time because our mortgage commitment letter got to her late, so she couldn't get her financing. Um HELLO! The time from our offer to the planned closing was just over 60 days. No way that they were waiting on our commitment letter getting to them to start construction. Tell me what house takes only 2 months to build? Please. That lawyer was such a sleeze. We agreed to just call it even with us not paying any more at closing, which meant we came out about $200 on the losing side. Not worth losing the house over.
So now - she needs to be out by Sunday the 30th, or she pays us $200/day. I thought I heard her say that the movers were coming on the 27th - so she may be out even earlier. By Saturday - but definitely by Sunday - we should have the keys to our house!
Then the fun begins. We've picked out paint for each room, furniture for the living room and a new bedroom set. I'll have to find pictures and post them! So I'll be taking some time off work to paint my little heart out. Then we'll have the floors done. I also plan to strip the top of my dining room table - it was my grandparent's - and refinish it. I actually did this about 10 years ago, but I never finished the leaves. I would prefer they match so, I will do it all again. I'm debating on my dining room chairs. We have four now. I would like at least 6. My debate is do I stick with the style that I have - or something similar - or do I go for a new style. If I go for a new style, do I get 6 new ones or just two? Last dilemna - for now anyway - is the bathroom. The tiles on the tub and wall are beige. The floor is more white with these mauve diamonds in the center. We have rugs in navy, cream and I think there are green ones in storage. We have a really cool shower curtain - it's from the New Yorker. If you remember the New Yorkistan cover they did after 9/11, that's our shower curtain. That has a lot of color. I don't know what to paint the walls. Right now, it's khaki and either a dark green or dark blue stripe. The stupid mauve diamonds on the floor are the problem. I'll figure it out or rip out the floor! :)
Well - a lot has happened in the last 20 days. We are homeowners! We decided that since we wouldn't be closing the week of the 4th, we would head to the Cape for a little R&R. We got there Thursday night, planning to stay until Sunday or Monday, depending on the weather. Then - Friday afternoon we get the call. "Can you close Monday at 3:30 pm?" YES, YES, YES! Of course, we recognize that the seller is not exactly moving out right away. So the deal is going to be, she pays our per diem interest until the end of the month, at which time she gets out or pays us big bucks per day. We don't know the specifics of the deal at this point, but yes, we will close.
Fast forward to Monday, closing. We finally get to the point of the closing costs - after signing our lives away 4 dozen times. I notice the "rent" is not quite what we expected and rather than a few bucks back, we have to pay $177. Not a big amount - but it's the principal of the matter. We go out into the hall to discuss this with our attorney - actually it's our attorney's partner who is not familiar with all that has gone on with this deal. And I must mention that the seller's attorney is such a loser that he has to borrow another firm's conference room for the closing. So - our attorney is saying well - we decided that was a fair amount since they are doing you a favor by closing early. HELLO? FAVOR? I pointed out to him that, by contract we were supposed to have closed on the 3rd. His partner, our real attorney, said that the seller was in breach of contract. Okay - go back in - lawyer's get their heads together again. Now the loser lawyer is saying it should stay where it is because the seller couldn't move out on time because she couldn't get started on her construction on time because our mortgage commitment letter got to her late, so she couldn't get her financing. Um HELLO! The time from our offer to the planned closing was just over 60 days. No way that they were waiting on our commitment letter getting to them to start construction. Tell me what house takes only 2 months to build? Please. That lawyer was such a sleeze. We agreed to just call it even with us not paying any more at closing, which meant we came out about $200 on the losing side. Not worth losing the house over.
So now - she needs to be out by Sunday the 30th, or she pays us $200/day. I thought I heard her say that the movers were coming on the 27th - so she may be out even earlier. By Saturday - but definitely by Sunday - we should have the keys to our house!
Then the fun begins. We've picked out paint for each room, furniture for the living room and a new bedroom set. I'll have to find pictures and post them! So I'll be taking some time off work to paint my little heart out. Then we'll have the floors done. I also plan to strip the top of my dining room table - it was my grandparent's - and refinish it. I actually did this about 10 years ago, but I never finished the leaves. I would prefer they match so, I will do it all again. I'm debating on my dining room chairs. We have four now. I would like at least 6. My debate is do I stick with the style that I have - or something similar - or do I go for a new style. If I go for a new style, do I get 6 new ones or just two? Last dilemna - for now anyway - is the bathroom. The tiles on the tub and wall are beige. The floor is more white with these mauve diamonds in the center. We have rugs in navy, cream and I think there are green ones in storage. We have a really cool shower curtain - it's from the New Yorker. If you remember the New Yorkistan cover they did after 9/11, that's our shower curtain. That has a lot of color. I don't know what to paint the walls. Right now, it's khaki and either a dark green or dark blue stripe. The stupid mauve diamonds on the floor are the problem. I'll figure it out or rip out the floor! :)
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
July 5, 2006
I can't believe it's been so long since I have blogged! Wow!
I should be posting about how we have closed on our new home and we spent yesterday painting and how I'm going there after work to paint some more. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Our sellers aren't ready to get out. They now want to wait until the end of the month to close. I'm presently waiting for a call from our lawyer telling me how his discussion with their lawyer went. I'm not known for my patience. This is trying.
We are going with the friendly approach right now. We are going to say "okay, we'll work with you, but you need to compensate us for the costs we are going to incur as a result of not being able to get in when we planned." At best, it's probably going to cost them at least $2,700. We could reduce that if they would close by Monday. We would then consider renting the house back to them for the month, if all the insurance details could be worked out.
I could handle whatever is going to happen, if I could at least plan for it. If I knew what it was. Tell me we're closing August 1st and I can deal with it. Because then I can figure out what to do next.
I should be posting about how we have closed on our new home and we spent yesterday painting and how I'm going there after work to paint some more. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Our sellers aren't ready to get out. They now want to wait until the end of the month to close. I'm presently waiting for a call from our lawyer telling me how his discussion with their lawyer went. I'm not known for my patience. This is trying.
We are going with the friendly approach right now. We are going to say "okay, we'll work with you, but you need to compensate us for the costs we are going to incur as a result of not being able to get in when we planned." At best, it's probably going to cost them at least $2,700. We could reduce that if they would close by Monday. We would then consider renting the house back to them for the month, if all the insurance details could be worked out.
I could handle whatever is going to happen, if I could at least plan for it. If I knew what it was. Tell me we're closing August 1st and I can deal with it. Because then I can figure out what to do next.
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