I'm so nervous! We have two showings of our rental house today. I have to run in about 15 or 20 minutes while one of them comes to walk through. The other one comes later this afternoon.
The landlord came and walked through a little bit ago. She told me I did a wonderful job of taking care of the house for her. I thought that was sweet.
Cross your fingers that one of these takes the house. It would be such a load off our minds. When we looked at it last year, we were the first ones to view it and turned in our application that very same day.
Monday, April 18, 2011
June Cleaver I am not
Dear god, my landlord is coming over today to see "what needs to be fixed to rent the house." Hubby and I are puzzled over this. Does she think we're hoarders or something? And she couldn't fix things before we moved in? I think it took me about half a dozen phone calls to get them to fix the rotted mailbox post when we first moved in. The mailman said we weren't getting any more mail until it was fixed because it was going to fall on his truck.
So she's showing up any minute and I've cleaned like a mad woman on Friday and Saturday, so it all looks perfect. The first people coming to check out the rent house is tonight. Cross your fingers they take it, cuz we need someone to replace us so we can stop worrying.
Anyway, we spent all weekend working on the new house. Hubby and I are experts at replacing screens that have been ripped up by huge dogs. And....I redid the back door weatherstripping all by myself - woohoo! And then my dear husband taught me how to use the carpet cleaner my parents gave us.
I think he had ulterior motives because I've been the sole carpet cleaner since Friday night now, lol. However, it has been an ongoing battle to get the dog pee stink out of the carpets, and I think I finally have a lead on the battle. When you walk in the house, the stench of urine no longer hits you in the face and that's from an unbiased source, lol. Now...if you want to smell the pee, you must stick your nose directly in the carpet. I was worried the smell was never going to disappear, but it looks like we can make it til next year's tax return or a bonus for hubby before we replace the hallway carpets with ceramic tile.
And best of all? We went stove shopping and I got one on Saturday. My mother-in-law met us for margaritas and then we headed to Lowe's. It's all electric (blech!) so we knew we wanted a flat top range. But I was set for the cheapie ones until I found a black Maytag on clearance (the rest of the appliances are black). It had a textured top so it hides messes better, and it has a hidden heating element in the stove which we could only find in the more expensive models. We got a $600 stove for less than $500 and they had one last one in the box so no floor model for me. I'm having it installed tomorrow.
So she's showing up any minute and I've cleaned like a mad woman on Friday and Saturday, so it all looks perfect. The first people coming to check out the rent house is tonight. Cross your fingers they take it, cuz we need someone to replace us so we can stop worrying.
Anyway, we spent all weekend working on the new house. Hubby and I are experts at replacing screens that have been ripped up by huge dogs. And....I redid the back door weatherstripping all by myself - woohoo! And then my dear husband taught me how to use the carpet cleaner my parents gave us.
I think he had ulterior motives because I've been the sole carpet cleaner since Friday night now, lol. However, it has been an ongoing battle to get the dog pee stink out of the carpets, and I think I finally have a lead on the battle. When you walk in the house, the stench of urine no longer hits you in the face and that's from an unbiased source, lol. Now...if you want to smell the pee, you must stick your nose directly in the carpet. I was worried the smell was never going to disappear, but it looks like we can make it til next year's tax return or a bonus for hubby before we replace the hallway carpets with ceramic tile.
And best of all? We went stove shopping and I got one on Saturday. My mother-in-law met us for margaritas and then we headed to Lowe's. It's all electric (blech!) so we knew we wanted a flat top range. But I was set for the cheapie ones until I found a black Maytag on clearance (the rest of the appliances are black). It had a textured top so it hides messes better, and it has a hidden heating element in the stove which we could only find in the more expensive models. We got a $600 stove for less than $500 and they had one last one in the box so no floor model for me. I'm having it installed tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Part 4 - Will this ever end?
Apparently not...she has just informed my husband that she is not signing any papers...ever. Her idiot attorney told her that her name would just fall off the deed and mortgage to the house. He is so dumb. I cannot believe an attorney who claims to have been one for more than 30 years would tell somebody something so wrong.
The mortgage company says he's wrong. Our attorney says he's wrong. Everything I've read about this exact issue says he's wrong. So...I've come the conclusion that she has not told him the correct information, how else could he be so dead wrong? It's that, or we may have possibly found the two dumbest people on the planet.
The mortgage company says he's wrong. Our attorney says he's wrong. Everything I've read about this exact issue says he's wrong. So...I've come the conclusion that she has not told him the correct information, how else could he be so dead wrong? It's that, or we may have possibly found the two dumbest people on the planet.
Saturday, April 09, 2011
So who's ready for Part 3? We got the keys - er...not quite
Well, we got "a" key tonight. The ex calls my husband this evening because last night he finally demanded the keys by Saturday. (I thought I was gonna have to shove a backbone in him, but he suddenly found his last night.) She agrees to meet him to give him "the keys" tonight. He arrives and she can only give him 1 key and 1 garage door opener. She says she'll have to get the other ones later. [Insert eye roll here]
When you agree to give someone the "keys," that is plural -- meaning more than one. I assume her loser of a boyfriend (cough, who she cheated with, cough) has them. I don't know if this is her power play to maintain some type of control or ownership of the house in this situation, but that is not happening, not with my children in that home. But it doesn't really matter as that will all be remedied tomorrow.
But that is not even the best part. The best part is...she took the freaking stove with her! Yes...the entire range! Can you believe it? The house is just now 4 years old and amazingly since June of 2009 both the fridge and the stove quit working and she had to buy news ones, so she's taking both of them with her.
The fridge I assumed she would take, but the f*ing stove? Come on, lady! I mean, she's living in her mother's living room. Where is she going to put the stove? I told hubby to ask her if she wanted to sell it. Well, before that, he asked what broke on the stove -- she couldn't tell him nor could she remember when it was replaced. So she filed bankruptcy, I'm thinking she's hurting for money and would sell it to us. Nope, didn't want to sell it either. I'm thinking the stove never broke and she just wanted to give my hubby another kick in the ass.
At that point, he asked if she took the dishwasher and built in microwave too. She actually chuckled and said of course they were still there, like he was crazy for asking. Geez lady, who takes a stove out of the house -- it's not like if you rent a place it won't have one.
So after she told us she took the stove, we were imagining the worst like the entire house was stripped of everything. I was terrified of entering the house to see what we were dealing with when we got there tonight. But we arrived tonight, all 3 kids in tow, and...it was not as bad as I was afraid of. Don't get me wrong, it's bad. The carpet is absolutely disgusting. I refused to put my baby on the floor tonight it was so gross. She basically allowed whatever animals were living there to piss wherever they saw fit. You walk in the house and the smell of urine just hits you right in the face. One place they particularly loved to piss was right in front of the study's doors.
My wonderful father is bringing his carpet cleaner and cleaning the carpets for me tomorrow night. Thank heavens for my mom and dad. They're coming all this weekend to help us clean it up. Unless we go terribly into debt for this and I have to use next year's tax return to pay off the credit cards, I'm hiring someone to tile the living room and hallways. I think that will get rid of any residual disgusting piss. Our rental home is like that right now, with only carpet in the bedrooms, the rest of the house is completely ceramic tile and I love it and so do my allergies.
When you agree to give someone the "keys," that is plural -- meaning more than one. I assume her loser of a boyfriend (cough, who she cheated with, cough) has them. I don't know if this is her power play to maintain some type of control or ownership of the house in this situation, but that is not happening, not with my children in that home. But it doesn't really matter as that will all be remedied tomorrow.
But that is not even the best part. The best part is...she took the freaking stove with her! Yes...the entire range! Can you believe it? The house is just now 4 years old and amazingly since June of 2009 both the fridge and the stove quit working and she had to buy news ones, so she's taking both of them with her.
The fridge I assumed she would take, but the f*ing stove? Come on, lady! I mean, she's living in her mother's living room. Where is she going to put the stove? I told hubby to ask her if she wanted to sell it. Well, before that, he asked what broke on the stove -- she couldn't tell him nor could she remember when it was replaced. So she filed bankruptcy, I'm thinking she's hurting for money and would sell it to us. Nope, didn't want to sell it either. I'm thinking the stove never broke and she just wanted to give my hubby another kick in the ass.
At that point, he asked if she took the dishwasher and built in microwave too. She actually chuckled and said of course they were still there, like he was crazy for asking. Geez lady, who takes a stove out of the house -- it's not like if you rent a place it won't have one.
So after she told us she took the stove, we were imagining the worst like the entire house was stripped of everything. I was terrified of entering the house to see what we were dealing with when we got there tonight. But we arrived tonight, all 3 kids in tow, and...it was not as bad as I was afraid of. Don't get me wrong, it's bad. The carpet is absolutely disgusting. I refused to put my baby on the floor tonight it was so gross. She basically allowed whatever animals were living there to piss wherever they saw fit. You walk in the house and the smell of urine just hits you right in the face. One place they particularly loved to piss was right in front of the study's doors.
My wonderful father is bringing his carpet cleaner and cleaning the carpets for me tomorrow night. Thank heavens for my mom and dad. They're coming all this weekend to help us clean it up. Unless we go terribly into debt for this and I have to use next year's tax return to pay off the credit cards, I'm hiring someone to tile the living room and hallways. I think that will get rid of any residual disgusting piss. Our rental home is like that right now, with only carpet in the bedrooms, the rest of the house is completely ceramic tile and I love it and so do my allergies.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Part 2 in the "free house" deal
So...we are jokingly referring to this nightmare as our "free house." While yes, technically it's not free since we got that damn mortgage to catch up, but we don't have to pay closing costs or earnest money or hirer an inspector. Yes I know it sounds completely idiotic, but hey, it's my way of dealing with this crap and not crying.
Back to the story -- our attorney made it sound so easy in our meeting earlier this week. The bankruptcy trustee isn't going to want the house because it has no equity. The ex and bankruptcy attorney should just easily want to sign the papers so we can all get on with life. Um, no, it's not that easy. Just when I'm thinking this situation cannot turn into a bigger headache...well yes it can.
We finally get an email from our attorney today. He uses the word "adamant" in the refusal of the bankruptcy attorney to have her sign the deed over to us. So he says the only alternative is gonna cost a lot of money to take her back to divorce court after the bankruptcy crap is over. Doesn't that sound like fun? Well, the best thing about that idea is that the mortgage company is going to start demanding their mortgage payment the second her bankruptcy is over, so my dear husband's credit is gonna get screwed over if we do it that way.
So hubby sucks it up and decides calling her and asking ourselves is a lot better than paying an attorney to just anger her and her attorney. Apparently, she was under the impression that the date in the divorce decree to have his name off the mortgage and refinance it signified to her that he would just kick her out of the house if that didn't happen and take it for himself. How would you even come to that conclusion?
After talking to her, it was realized that her bleeping bankruptcy lawyer never even asked her if she would sign the deed over to us. He apparently decided that answer all for himself. Don't you want an attorney who makes decisions for you? I certainly don't.
Anyway, hubby asked her if she wanted to get this over with as quick as possible and be done with it, and she agreed, so she decided for herself to sign the house over to us. So cross your fingers and hold your mouth just right that this part of this crap deal goes smoothly.
Now tomorrow night I need all the people in the world to send my landlord positive thoughts that she will not hate us for having to break our lease and be nice and understanding and let us off the hook so this nightmare can end somewhat happily. I cannot wait to get over the landlord issue, it's just making me sick to my stomach.
Back to the story -- our attorney made it sound so easy in our meeting earlier this week. The bankruptcy trustee isn't going to want the house because it has no equity. The ex and bankruptcy attorney should just easily want to sign the papers so we can all get on with life. Um, no, it's not that easy. Just when I'm thinking this situation cannot turn into a bigger headache...well yes it can.
We finally get an email from our attorney today. He uses the word "adamant" in the refusal of the bankruptcy attorney to have her sign the deed over to us. So he says the only alternative is gonna cost a lot of money to take her back to divorce court after the bankruptcy crap is over. Doesn't that sound like fun? Well, the best thing about that idea is that the mortgage company is going to start demanding their mortgage payment the second her bankruptcy is over, so my dear husband's credit is gonna get screwed over if we do it that way.
So hubby sucks it up and decides calling her and asking ourselves is a lot better than paying an attorney to just anger her and her attorney. Apparently, she was under the impression that the date in the divorce decree to have his name off the mortgage and refinance it signified to her that he would just kick her out of the house if that didn't happen and take it for himself. How would you even come to that conclusion?
After talking to her, it was realized that her bleeping bankruptcy lawyer never even asked her if she would sign the deed over to us. He apparently decided that answer all for himself. Don't you want an attorney who makes decisions for you? I certainly don't.
Anyway, hubby asked her if she wanted to get this over with as quick as possible and be done with it, and she agreed, so she decided for herself to sign the house over to us. So cross your fingers and hold your mouth just right that this part of this crap deal goes smoothly.
Now tomorrow night I need all the people in the world to send my landlord positive thoughts that she will not hate us for having to break our lease and be nice and understanding and let us off the hook so this nightmare can end somewhat happily. I cannot wait to get over the landlord issue, it's just making me sick to my stomach.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Do you ever have a day where you think - can it get any worse?
Well yes my dear friends, the sh!t can hit the fan so forcibly it will end up in places you never imagined. Once upon a time, your husband was previously married and in that marriage they bought a house. Now fast forward to the present, and you are happily married with three wonderful children living in a great neighborhood and your kids love where they live and their friends and their schools and your husband only works 15 minutes down the road, and it's all finally good. Then suddenly, you get collections agencies mailing the ex-wife bills to your address, and she's never lived there, ever. Oh dear....
Surprise! You get a notice in the mail that she's filing bankruptcy. Your husband calls her to see what is going on. Now why didn't she feel the need to share this with you since she has been unable to refinance the house and his name is still on the mortgage? Oh that's right, because according to her (in between her screaming tirade), it's none of your business because it has nothing to do with you because she's exempting the house in the bankruptcy. You talk to an attorney and he calms your fears and you think everything is okay.
Fast forward two months later. Here is where it gets super fun! You get an amended bankruptcy notice from her and now, exactly 11 days before the exact date she has to have your husband's name off the mortgage, she's decided to surrender the house to the mortgage company. Holy mother of god...WTF? It just seems way too convenient, if you know what i mean.
And now after our very long meeting today with an attorney who specializes in divorce and bankruptcy....our only option to save hubby's job (as allowing the house into foreclosure and filing bankruptcy ourselves will destroy his career in finance) is to move to the house and take over the payments pronto.
But wait, there's more! Not only do we have to figure out how to get out of a 2 year lease right this second and move, we also just called the mortgage company tonight and unlike the story we were told by the ex-wife who said the mortgage was current, it's going to take about 2 months of mortgage payments on top of next month's payment for us to get it current.
Now the moral of the story is...don't ever buy a house with a spouse that you could ever possibly have any inkling for the potential to divorce. Chalk this up as another reason homeownership is not what it's cracked up to be. Geez, what a headache.
My sweet and wonderful 11 year old tween wanted to know why both of us were picking her up from school today, so I tried to prepare her as best I could. It didn't work too well because she just went to her room and cried. If there was anyway I could fix this horrible situation for my incredibly shy little girl so she would not have to start all over again in the 7th grade in a completely new town at a completely new school, I would. I feel incredible guilt. I think we're going to make a trip to Build-A-Bear tomorrow night for some retail therapy.
Now I try to be a glass half-ful kinda girl, so I'm trying to think of the positives of this situation. We did want to be able to finally buy a house again, so I sort of got my wish. And, it is a four bedroom house so each kid has their own bedroom. And it has two living areas - one for the family and one for sewing and crafting - yay!.
Hubby keeps reminding me that in a couple of years we'll look back at this and laugh. I've just felt numb all day, past the point of even crying. He's been trying so hard to be silly and giving me giggle fits all day since our meeting with the attorney to take my mind off it. Sigh...gosh, I love that man, and I don't know what I'd do without him.
Surprise! You get a notice in the mail that she's filing bankruptcy. Your husband calls her to see what is going on. Now why didn't she feel the need to share this with you since she has been unable to refinance the house and his name is still on the mortgage? Oh that's right, because according to her (in between her screaming tirade), it's none of your business because it has nothing to do with you because she's exempting the house in the bankruptcy. You talk to an attorney and he calms your fears and you think everything is okay.
Fast forward two months later. Here is where it gets super fun! You get an amended bankruptcy notice from her and now, exactly 11 days before the exact date she has to have your husband's name off the mortgage, she's decided to surrender the house to the mortgage company. Holy mother of god...WTF? It just seems way too convenient, if you know what i mean.
And now after our very long meeting today with an attorney who specializes in divorce and bankruptcy....our only option to save hubby's job (as allowing the house into foreclosure and filing bankruptcy ourselves will destroy his career in finance) is to move to the house and take over the payments pronto.
But wait, there's more! Not only do we have to figure out how to get out of a 2 year lease right this second and move, we also just called the mortgage company tonight and unlike the story we were told by the ex-wife who said the mortgage was current, it's going to take about 2 months of mortgage payments on top of next month's payment for us to get it current.
Now the moral of the story is...don't ever buy a house with a spouse that you could ever possibly have any inkling for the potential to divorce. Chalk this up as another reason homeownership is not what it's cracked up to be. Geez, what a headache.
My sweet and wonderful 11 year old tween wanted to know why both of us were picking her up from school today, so I tried to prepare her as best I could. It didn't work too well because she just went to her room and cried. If there was anyway I could fix this horrible situation for my incredibly shy little girl so she would not have to start all over again in the 7th grade in a completely new town at a completely new school, I would. I feel incredible guilt. I think we're going to make a trip to Build-A-Bear tomorrow night for some retail therapy.
Now I try to be a glass half-ful kinda girl, so I'm trying to think of the positives of this situation. We did want to be able to finally buy a house again, so I sort of got my wish. And, it is a four bedroom house so each kid has their own bedroom. And it has two living areas - one for the family and one for sewing and crafting - yay!.
Hubby keeps reminding me that in a couple of years we'll look back at this and laugh. I've just felt numb all day, past the point of even crying. He's been trying so hard to be silly and giving me giggle fits all day since our meeting with the attorney to take my mind off it. Sigh...gosh, I love that man, and I don't know what I'd do without him.
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