Feel free to smack me if I'm whining :-)

[johnpalmer]

Okay, now, yesterday was exhausting. And it was frustrating. I had scheduled vacation for February 26th, through March 5th, returning to work March 8th.

(I'm not sure anyone knows this, but I'm a vacation hoarder, to the extent that I'm sometimes extremely grateful if I'm *just* tired and have an honest-to-goodness cold and can take an impromptu vacation/sick day, and re-coup my energies.)

I ended up canceling the Monday and Tuesday and keeping the Wednesday through Friday, again, in hopes of moving.

No dice - we can't close before the 8th, and that's if we're really lucky. The 9th is more likely.

I'm thinking I'm canceling the vacation. And, I think I'm going to pay for a full month's rent. We can't start working on the house until after closing - and it requires complete electrical rewiring (including a retirement of all knob-and-tube, and replacement of all the 2-and-3-prong outlets with grounded three prong outlets. Did you notice the extra qualifier there?) Oh, yeah, and some foundation work, which, if you're not quite up to speed on that, means they have to lift the house. Seriously, interestingly geeky, but a bit freaky. Maybe I want to see if they can finish the foundation before I move in.

The roof gets fixed later... maybe this summer. We might, if all goes well, and there are no overages on the foundation and electrical work, do more for the roof than originally planned.

And, now, there's a huge number of scheduling things, and lots of little money matters, and, and, and... wow. But knowing where we stand, I think it's all going to be a lot less stressful. Now it's just "here are some specific, objective problems to solve. Let's solve them." Figuring out how to get an apartment load of stuff from here to the house? That suddenly seems *trivial*.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

wish (http://www.real-wishes.com)

[susandennis]

Totally not whining. I'm actually fascinated by the detail and so very grateful that I don't have to go through it all. I'm really helping, though, in spirit!

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

I didn't get a chance to say this earlier, but I am so, so happy for you that things worked out and you got the house. I know that that brings with it a whole host of complications and challenges, but at the end of it all, and at the bottom of it all... this is your house, and that is awesome. Stressful, scary, but awesome.

And you're not whining. :)

[laurarey.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the house! I hope it is a place you grow to love and it truly becomes a home.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of the recent stress has come from the sheer, on-again, off-again *uncertainty* of the process to date. That's pretty much done now; from here on out, things will start to fall in line and you'll just ... do them.

Which will, no doubt, be tiring and occasionally exhausting, but not nearly so crazy-making as the whole "It's on! it's off! No, it's on again!" roller-coaster you've been riding for the past month.

(Just a thought: I know you probably don't want to push your luck and the seller's good will, but it's not impossible to start moving stuff over there before closing, if they're amenable. Hell, I *lived* in my house for a month before we closed, rent-free, because the seller wanted to make it easier for me to take care of the stuff I'd agreed to take care of in exchange for a reduction in the sale price.)

[sueschus.livejournal.com]

One little thing about moving in some stuff before actual closing - insurance. The Seller may have the house insured up to closing - and well he should! - but that will not include your possessions. Check with your agent about your insurance coverage on your belongings in another house, etc. You really are better off waiting until you have actual possession of the property. Also, if you stay in your apartment during the renovations, you may have to pay a higher premium on the house insurance since the house is empty. Things to discuss with your agent.

My son, daughter-in-law, two small children and one large dog are living with us (for the past 5 months) while their new home is being built. I understand your stress and excitement. They close on the 12th! Congratulations!!!

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Good points. I took the risk of having me and my stuff in the house uninsured for a month, but I'd never had my possessions insured to begin with.

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

Will an extra pair of hands make any difference in moving?

And I agree with the "not whining" folks. I only bought a shoe box400-square foot studio with minor issues, and I was a little twonky before the end. I think it was worth it; just the feeling of waking up in My Place makes up for being a little stressed.