Sunday, December 26, 2010

Not Home For The Holidays

It's the end of the year, practically, and I'm in a horrible mood.  My dream of home ownership for 2010 is unattainable, and I don't feel that things are promising for 2011.  Typical me, I want to blame someone for this.  When I'm angry or hurt or slighted, I must direct my emotions to someone.  I feel better doing this.  The person solely receiving all the blame this time is my realtor.  Around the time of my birthday, the middle of December, the promise of closing on a house fell apart.

On that day, my birthday, my realtor called me and told me to contact my mortgage broker because I had to close before the end of the year.  So, on December 13, with approximately 12 working days left until the end of the year, I had to get my loan originated, underwritten, approved, and closed.  I told my realtor this was nearly impossible.

The house I was purchasing was a short sale, and I knew that my loan officer would need to see the short sale approvals as a part of the loan process.  When I requested those from my realtor, they never materialized.  I could see that this closing was not really going to happen by December 31, and I would be left holding the bag for the cost of a survey, appraisal, and home inspection for a home that would never really be mine.

We didn't give up right away; our realtor convinced us to submit a new, lower bid for the house, and it was quickly turned down by the sellers.  And, in keeping with the mess that this whole process has been, my realtor informs me that the sellers are not approved for a short sale.  Therefore, this means that some time between December 13 and December 23, ten days, the sellers went from a short sale approval to no approval at all.

I am frustrated because I feel helpless and stressed because I'm worried that there is not a house out there for us.  I am also sick of living in this small apartment and anxious to move out.

I've not done much knitting this holiday season but I'm planning to expand my craft during the new year and tackle a bigger project.  Perhaps something like a simple cardigan.

I will blog again before the actual end of year.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Future Impatient

My sweater wrap is off the needles but it needs to be blocked.  What worries me a bit is there appears to be some pulled stitches and I don't know if blocking will take care of that.

Only a small portion of the completed wrap
I bought mats and pins for blocking, so I'm really going to try to do this correctly.  This means I'll be back on the Internet, researching blocking procedures.  I think I'll go to the store and get some Wool-lite because I'm hoping that will fix the problems with the pulled stitches.

I started another cat blanket in order to use up some of my stash yarn and to practice knitting stripes.  The blanket is coming along great (it's so easy - all knit stitch) but I messed up by running out of a color in the middle of a row.  I'm not sure how to fix it and, of course, this glaring error almost ruins the blanket for me.  Then I remember, it's for the cats.  I'm going to have a bigger problem getting them to actually use it.  I'm just going to look at the error as a lesson learned.  

Ran out of pink and messed up the stripes
There are only four weeks left in this year and it looks there will not be a closing for us.  Realistically, I knew a  short sale would be a longer process, and my frustration stems from having a lazy realtor.  I never get updates from him and he randomly returns my emails.  I know he can't make a closing happen when there are a ton of variables out of his control.  However, he could and should be updating me on a weekly basis, even if it is to say "there's nothing new".  I am quite annoyed that I have to stay on top of him about everything.  I already do this as a matter of practice for Mr. Grumpbump but that's because I love him and he's my husband.  And sometimes, even doing this for Mr. Grumpbump pisses me off.  So, having to take care of a lazy realtor, who is supposed to be working for me, makes me completely insane and I have a hard time controlling my anger.  

After I sent him an email, telling him that, "while I don't expect you to make a closing happen, I am very disappointed by your lack of initiative in getting updates and information on these deals."  He responded after two days and said that he has sent me over 20 emails since October 7, including new market comparable listings. And that I have to be "patient".   I can't imagine being more patient with this fool, who has ignored me for the whole month of November.  My expectations are realistic, but his interaction with me has been disappointing.  Of course, his answer to tell me what I need to do.  I am so unhappy with him and just hope that one of our contracts is accepted and I can't get out of this business relationship with him.


Meanwhile, we are in a holding pattern with our apartment.  There are several things we need to buy but we have zero storage space (when we have people over, we have to use our closet as a temporary hiding place for junk using left out in the open).   I did break that rule and buy a cat condo over the Thanksgiving. Mr. Grumpbump wanted to wait but I couldn't see a good reason why we should.  I bought it hoping that Delilah Cat would like it so much that she would stay inside more.  I know you can guess what I'm going to say next, but Delilah is underwhelmed by it and makes no moves toward it.  Do not put it past me to pick her up and put her on it.  She quickly jumps out and runs to the door, yelling at me to allow her outside.    


Before you pity me for wasting money on this carpeted condo, remember that Miss Macy is a very good housecat.  And she loves the new views she has from the perches.  Also, in even better news, she actually uses it as a scratching post.  As if it is a part of my contract, the camera comes out and I've taken so many pictures of her in the condo that it even bores me now.


When I get close to her, she looks HUGE in this little perch
Macy The Spy.  

Finding My Treasure

Now that my shawl is complete (yarn purchased during the Orange Blossom Yarn Crawl in March), it is just hanging out in my foyer until I de...