These are Interesting Times

Okay, so, given the number of e-mails I got correctly guessing my "big" news, I guess I wasn't as subtle as I thought I was.  Y'all don't seem shocked at all.

I'm freaking the frak out.

Because you know that curse, "May you live in interesting times"?

Apparently, someone cursed us with it.

This is my life and as is usually the way things happen in it, our house, which was not on the market, is now under contract for sale.

A realtor, who had shown our house several times when it was on the market, knocked on our door two weeks ago (when Coop was out of town, of course) and said she had the perfect buyer.  So, what the heck, I let her show it on Saturday, he brought some family back on Sunday and then put in an offer on Monday. The inspection was Wednesday and, although we won't really know for sure until the appraisal comes back, it looks like everything is a go. (That appraisal number is a big deal because if it comes back low, the buyer is going to ask us to lower the price further and I have seen that look in my husband's eye a time or two and I can tell you right now, it's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.  Might as well give up and go buy someone else's house and save yourself a lot of time and effort.)

Anyway, if the house does sell, it would be a blessing because, although we are losing a lot of money, we can finally stop worrying about selling it in this economy.

BUT... (there's always a big but, isn't there?)

BUT, now we have to make plans for the future.

That's a big but.

We are still committed to giving our daughters at least one year at an academically advanced private school, the tuition for which we just paid. Plus, Coop's job is here and it's a really good job in this, the worst economy of our lives.

SO, I immediately started searching for rental properties. Traditionally, there hasn't been a large supply of rental properties in this area, but the economy has everything topsy-turvy and a lot of people with big houses they can't sell are now renting them out. I went to see a house on Thursday, loved it so much I took the girls back to see it that night, and took Coop to see it Friday evening after he returned to town.  He really liked it.

(Oddly enough, when I found our beloved house in Austin, Coop was also out of town. We were so happy in that house in Austin --it kind of makes me feel like this is a good omen.) (I'm sorry that the print on that page is really small. I would fix it but it's been so long since I updated that website, I no longer remember my password. Just a technological MARVEL-- that's me.)

We met with the landlord on Sunday, who turned out to be this delightful guy now living out of state, with whom we had an instant rapport. The house is his baby so he's pretty picky to whom he will rent it, but I think he liked us, too.  The girls were on their best behavior, which may or may not have been influenced by promises of potential ice cream.

Now, assuming the appraisal comes back at a number we can all live with, a hundred things have to come together and the planets must align and fairies need to sprinkle magic pixie dust over us while house elves magically pack all of our stuff into boxes. Ideally, I want to be moved by the time the girls start school on September 8, which means that we have to assume the house sale is going to close, sign the lease on the rental, and get packing and moving.

Only what if it doesn't close? It wasn't until I started thinking about this that I realized how 
cynical living in New York has made me. I can just see us packing up and committing to the rental and then having the deal fall through. I am refusing to pack even one box until we hear about the appraisal.

Waiting is not what I do best.

It's a little stressful.

Which is why I'm up at 3:00 in the morning doing laundry.

Um...Magic Fairies? Hello?

Comments

Ei said…
Hugs honey. Its all going to be okay in the end.
Becca said…
Having been through something similar, except involving a husband who may have had to move without us if the house didn't sale and the threat of termites, I can say freaking the frak out is really the only possible thing to do.

BUT - in spite of the freak potential, those are all still really good things you've got going on. What if you hadn't found any decent rentals and were facing living in a hotel or a double wide?

I am concerned about your garden, though. I hope you can make it to LOTS of yoga this week.
LaDonna said…
Well, my mid-west optimism can counter your New York cynicism and things will be hunky dorry! Right? As Ei already says, things are going to work out in the end...and for the better :)
Mrs. G. said…
Waiting is not a talent of mine either. This is the time to go out and by a hardback book you've been wanting, the kind you can't put down and force yourself into it until you get the go ahead. Or the time to get involved in a series on dvd...the main idea distracting yourself to protect yourself from the rumination. All that said, GOOD LUCK. I hope it all shakes out.
tanita✿davis said…
I just stopped in from BOX HELL where I finally found another place to rent after having lived with trying to keep this one perfect for a month. I gave up and ripped it apart and started packing -- and of course right then people decided to take it.

Whew.

Six more days, and the trucks come.
I know the feeling of stress, but it will all come together!

Fingers crossed, candles lit, etc., for you. Good luck!
Anonymous said…
Now if mine will just sell.
Ei said…
I wanted to say more but I was posting from my phone and...well I just hate typing with my thumbs, okay?

What gave it away was the number of times you said "it could still fall through" You wouldn't phrase it like that if you were waiting on medical testing results or dealing with rebelious teenager crapola or waiting to see if someone got a raise...and we all knew you'd had the house on the market and you started getting more showings when you took it *off.*

So anyway...this can only be good stuff. Someone wants to buy it, and really wants to buy it, it seems. You found a really nice place to rent and your girls have an awesome school to attend this year. Its GOOD. But the waiting, that will give you ulcers every time. I just bought a house, I know, I know.

Should we have some kind of mindfulness expiriment to try to help you through the waiting? Like all of us find some small way to incorporate mindfulness into our days and report back on how we're doing with our stress? It could be fun to cope with the help of your blogfiends.
Susan said…
I completely understand - I have been through similar domino tipping waits. I sure hope it all falls in place for you - and soon!
Annabanana said…
I didn't quite guess right - I thought for sure you were headed back to Austin. (might be my own dreaming getting in the way) - in any case, I am thrilled for you and feel it will all go through just fine!
I'm sending you special Irish faerie dust (the best kind) plus blessings and good thoughts and everything else I can throw in! xx Ró
hokgardner said…
I so wish you were here so I could sit and knit and share house worries with you. We have found our dream house, but we can't do anything about it until our house sells. And it's killing me!