You are NOT going to BELIEVE THIS!
Sundays are for family and bacon-and-egg breakfasts, but I missed writing yesterday not for my loved ones, or my triglyceride-laden repast. No, I didn’t write yesterday because we had a house to show. Just like Saturday. I have big news…but…
First allow me to catch up…
Saturday morning I had plans to meet MB & family for breakfast and shopping at Ikea. I also planned to go grocery shopping later that day in anticipation of dinner plans with Prickly Rickly and Pissy Pants. We had two showings: 9:30-10:30 am, and 1:00-2:30 pm., for which, of course, we were to be conspicuously absent.
The buyers for the first showing (again, due to start no earlier than 9:30 am!) pulled into our driveway at 9:05. I’m vacuuming and picking up baby toys, whipping around the house with my microfiber towel catching dust, lint, and fingerprint smudges on furniture and mirrors-yes, all at the same time-when Tim announces, “They’re here!”
WTH?? I didn’t know what to do-so Tim apologetically asked/told them to wait for their agent, and then he left to stow the Jet Ski/Dirt Bike trailer (with a giant radiator on the back) behind the garage at my mom’s house. Finally two eyesores would be salved. I finished tidying up as quickly as I could, getting the boys ready to go to Ikea, my nervous energy spreading in waves around my otherwise serene home.
I didn’t know if I should walk out the door, locking it behind me, wave to the potential buyers and take off. OR, if I should stay until their agent got there (even though there’s a lockbox, I didn’t want to seem rude!) So, at 9:35, confused, I called Jim, who advised leaving promptly, and giving the head’s up to the buyers (be friendly, but say as little as possible) that their agent would surely be there soon.
So, while I attempted to communicate this, not tipping my hand that I have a conversant knowledge of their language, their agent arrived. I heard the bilingual agent pay a compliment to my “adorable” children and to my “lovely” home. And she’s working for them. Sweet.
Ikea was a blast-I am always surprised what you can find for so little money! I got a few items (magazine organizers, some matching boxes, and a toy for Jack [I would provide links, but I’m in a hurry!]) and a hip-ache from the miles and miles of concrete floors. You’d think I was 80 years old. Ugh.
Anyway, after we left Ikea, we met up with Tim for lunch at Merichka's. Fun and deep fried mushrooms were had by all. It was strange-I could envision shared meals (next time we’ll pay-I swear!) in Chucktown, and the flood of ticklish expectation overtook me. I can’t wait!!
A phone call from Prickly & Pants and dinner plans were cancelled-Pants’ mom went into the hospital. She IS 80 years old. We wished them well, and reorganized our evening accordingly.
MB & family got to see our house, and hang out for awhile chatting. Again, it felt so much like a precursor for the future, I couldn’t help but smile. Except when sad stories were told, of course, because that’s just knowing your social cues.
Sunday we got a call for a showing, and set to work tidying up the place. I swear to GOD, I’m there with a vacuum in my hand and the kitchen waste can setting out to be taken out when they show up.
You apparently have to assume that if the appointment is for a certain time, people WILL show up early. It honestly reminded me of a yard sale I had once (once), where people were casing the joint and stalking my stuff at 4:30 am. WTH is that???
SO, as the perky agent, a doe-eyed young couple and a friendly but shrewd older couple (presumably the parents of the girl), filed in one-by-one, and I’m wrapping up the cord to the vacuum, and trying to herd my family of four out the door as quickly and quietly as I can. I apologized, Tim scooped up the dog, and Conlon was stuck upstairs corralling his army men back into their plastic tub.
Finally he came down and we left for the grocery store. “What did they say? What did you say? What did you overhear?” I grilled him like a narcotics interrogator. I got about as far with the info, too.
When we came back, we put away groceries and had lunch. No sooner did the last bite go into my mouth and the phone rang-it was the showing service, and could the couple that was there earlier return for a second showing in about 10 minutes! *gasp*
“Um…sure!!!”
I kicked it into high gear, wiping counters, straightening placemats, etc., and exactly 90 seconds after the phone call, I see them walking up the sidewalk. JeeeeeZZZZZUSS!
WTH???
In my swirling eddy of deja-vu and baby jackets straining to fit over wiggly arms and clenched fists, I apologized again. They insisted we stay. So we did. They asked a few questions (“How does the garage door work?” And, “What are the power bills like?”) and left after about 15 minutes or so of inspection.
We knew it was a good sign-but I told Tim that I was a little disappointed. I had told his Mom last Sunday that I thought we’d at least have an offer a week from that day. It was a week from that day.
I assuaged my anxiety by going over our own contract/bid-making adventure. “Well, it took us four days to make an offer from the showing…” I reasoned.
Just then, the phone rang. It was a second showing from the second appointment on Saturday (the people we haven’t actually met), would I confirm for Monday at 2:15 pm. Of course!
I hung up the phone, pleased. And made about three steps when the phone rang again. This time it was Jim.
“You can expect a contract-maybe two-by tomorrow.” OMG!!!!
One day off-not too bad, I reasoned.
While Jim and I talked about bids and contracts and contingencies and about our contract on the church house…I could hear the distinct tones of a fax machine in the background.
“Ah, here it is…” Jim said.
I held my breath.
“Well…they just faxed the contract and they they’re offering….”
I sucked in again. Pleeeeze let it be at least $164,900…..
“Full price.”
I breathed out like an untied balloon.
“What???”
“The only bad part is they want to close in May.”
“But WE want to close in May, too!!”
So…how do you like them apples???? FOUR and a HALF DAYS. Oh, and we’re expecting the second contract tomorrow. We must not be beggars, ‘cuz we can be choosers. ;) Thank you all for your support!!!
Now I have some serious ducks to get in a row…
Until next time…