Well, I sold another house...hopefully. My client and I wrote this offer the second day of February and were supposed to close the forth day of March. Obviously, that didn't happen because I'm talking about it now. Anyway, we got a contract extension for the sixth of April, but hopefully we are closing Tuesday.
Almost two months ago I get a call from a young man looking for a house. He and his best friend are moving in together because he is currently going through a divorce and his buddy just moved to Wichita from Washington state. My client and his soon to be ex-wife have a daughter who is almost three. She is really cute. Anyway, he called me because he needed a house for himself, his buddy, and his daughter. I thought that was pretty cool considering how many guys are out there not thinking about stuff like that. I was also a little apprehensive about the situation because divorce is a messy thing and not knowing him well then, I didn't want to add to the friction and cause an explosion. With all the kooth I've had my entire life I told him I was just going to level with him and I asked, "So, when is the divorce final?" It was like a light switch turning on; he smiled, giggled, and then said, "Not soon enough."
I have learned that trying to be PC in this business will not make you money; being honest will. That actually makes me happy because I tend to have an issue with being PC all the time. It was comforting to see that I could be myself.
I show my client this house and he loves it. It is basically brand new with the bedroom/bathroom requirements he wants and for less than the top of his budget. I've never seen a grown man jump up and down over a house. He called his family on the west coast and immediately took pictures on his phone to send to his family while we were still inside. He was pretty excited. Everything was going well. The listing agent, lender and I were all in constant contact...until the lender decided to kind of drop off the face of the earth a week before closing. I called and called and called to make sure we were going to be able to close on the fourth of March. I got nothing until three days before we were closing. "Ugh, Christina, we aren't going to be able to close because the divorce is not final," the lender says. I say, "No problem, we ultimately have until the twenty-fourth of March to close. I will reschedule. What do I need to do to get this thing closed?" I was calm because we were still within the confines of the contract. "Well, I am not sure what you need to do." Seriously, you are a mortgage lender, how is it that you of all people do not know what you need from me to get this deal closed. So I asked my broker. In the state of Kansas, the rule is one to buy two to sell, unless you are already married. If you are married it is two to buy two to sell.
Since my client is not officially divorced, we needed to get his wife to sign a "quit claim deed." It basically says she won't claim anything he is purchasing during the separation and before the divorce is final. Neither my client's lawyer nor his wife's lawyer mentioned this to them, to me, or to the lender. At this point, I am posing as REALTOR/lawyer. I know more about Kansas divorce law than I care to think about. We get everything we need an that hurdle is cleared.
Days go by and I have been calling the lender at least twice a week. I am sure he hates me now. Oh well, it is not like I will be using him again for ANYTHING, not even to quote an interest rate. We are now to the end of the line and all I want is to be done with this deal.
I have decided that my new found ninja skills will come into play in the morning to make sure we close. I don't want my client homeless and I definitely don't want to have to put him up in a hotel. I hate for all the things I've done right, my client choosing the wrong lender could end this deal.
I have learned a lot and will never go through this again. The last seven months have been the biggest learning experience I've ever had. Keep your fingers crossed for Tuesday!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Building Building Building
The snow melted and the birds are chirping! All the signs of spring are upon us in the Midwest. The days are getting longer and the energy of the sunshine washes over me like the first little bit of water out of a garden hose that has been basking in bright rays all day. What a wonderful time to build house!
Josh and I are in the very beginning stages of building a house. This was the only way we could come to some middle ground in the purchase of our first home. See, I could honestly care less where we live; I would just like a garage, enough room for family and friends to visit, and a neighborhood where we won't get shot...oh, wait, we are in Wichita, it is pretty hard to get shot here (knocking on wood now). He on the other hand, would like something a little more modern, meaning in this century with a three car garage, etc. So we have compromised I did some research and the things we've come to love are not outrageous.
Now we begin! We wrote a check yesterday reserving the lot we've picked. All of this talk has become real. I feel like I just got punched in the stomach and like I just won a million dollars. The staff in my office always says "it is different when it is you." I thought they were shooting smoke up my ass, but I guess not. Now I know how my clients are feeling when I have them sign contracts and addendums and amendments. It is my job, with them, to stay calm and be their rock through the emotional process of home purchasing. When they say or do things that are completely irrational, I need to reassure them that things will be fine; they made the right decision.
Now, here we are. All of my expertise has been thrown out the window like yesterday's bathwater. I feel like I am in the ocean on a pool raft with my legs hanging above the shark infested water; it is the only thing keeping me afloat.
The roller coaster ride is just beginning, hopefully I don't puke before it is over.
Josh and I are in the very beginning stages of building a house. This was the only way we could come to some middle ground in the purchase of our first home. See, I could honestly care less where we live; I would just like a garage, enough room for family and friends to visit, and a neighborhood where we won't get shot...oh, wait, we are in Wichita, it is pretty hard to get shot here (knocking on wood now). He on the other hand, would like something a little more modern, meaning in this century with a three car garage, etc. So we have compromised I did some research and the things we've come to love are not outrageous.
Now we begin! We wrote a check yesterday reserving the lot we've picked. All of this talk has become real. I feel like I just got punched in the stomach and like I just won a million dollars. The staff in my office always says "it is different when it is you." I thought they were shooting smoke up my ass, but I guess not. Now I know how my clients are feeling when I have them sign contracts and addendums and amendments. It is my job, with them, to stay calm and be their rock through the emotional process of home purchasing. When they say or do things that are completely irrational, I need to reassure them that things will be fine; they made the right decision.
Now, here we are. All of my expertise has been thrown out the window like yesterday's bathwater. I feel like I am in the ocean on a pool raft with my legs hanging above the shark infested water; it is the only thing keeping me afloat.
The roller coaster ride is just beginning, hopefully I don't puke before it is over.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
On Fire
I think I am going to start a campaign here in Wichita to lay down road spikes or whatever they are called. You know, the rubber strips with pointy tire puncturing metal standing at attention, waiting for the squishy rubber to role over them. They curl up like a garden hose for portability; it would be very easy to sit in my lawn chair, role them out between the hours of 2pm and 4pm and see what happens.
I would like to place these spikes in school zones and for those who speed through these zones, they will suffer the consequences. The spikes should be speed sensitive so when someone exceeds the designated limit, POP! I don't think getting to your afternoon cocktail hour with the girls or getting to a tee time with the guys will be as important as possibly wrecking your car or having to replace your tires more often.
I am sure you have to be able to read to pass the driving test. How can you miss the words SCHOOL ZONE! I think it will be a wonderful incentive for people to slow down. If the speedsters cannot read, the big orange/yellow flashing light should indicate a slower speed.
All I can think about when people speed past my car is "what if they hit a kid?" I am sure they'd slow down then. Sitting in a 6x9 seems like a lot of fun, maybe that's why they speed. I know I love being on another persons schedule. I guess you wouldn't have to worry about whose cooking dinner tonight.
Just a little rant, I needed to get it off my chest.
I would like to place these spikes in school zones and for those who speed through these zones, they will suffer the consequences. The spikes should be speed sensitive so when someone exceeds the designated limit, POP! I don't think getting to your afternoon cocktail hour with the girls or getting to a tee time with the guys will be as important as possibly wrecking your car or having to replace your tires more often.
I am sure you have to be able to read to pass the driving test. How can you miss the words SCHOOL ZONE! I think it will be a wonderful incentive for people to slow down. If the speedsters cannot read, the big orange/yellow flashing light should indicate a slower speed.
All I can think about when people speed past my car is "what if they hit a kid?" I am sure they'd slow down then. Sitting in a 6x9 seems like a lot of fun, maybe that's why they speed. I know I love being on another persons schedule. I guess you wouldn't have to worry about whose cooking dinner tonight.
Just a little rant, I needed to get it off my chest.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Gangster Fabulous
For as long as I can remember, my parents, mainly my father, have called me a thug. My general response has been "It is not my fault, I came by it honestly." Now, I have evidence that it is not my fault when I engage in thuggish behavior. I do come by it honestly.
We watch History Channel a lot. They have pretty interesting shows like Gangland, Jurassic Fight Club, and Band of Brothers. They also do special shows cascading an era, culture, or event. Recently, we watched a special on John Wilkes Booth and the sordid assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln. I never knew it was so involved. The government hung four people for being the ring leaders and put two or three more in federal; all in all, the government tried twelve people. Before any of this took place, the hunt for John Wilkes Booth and David Herold was crazy. People with Confederate sympathy, shunned him. He thought he would be a hero in the South, but boy was he wrong.
The government put a bounty on his head and then they went looking for him through the woods of Maryland and Virginia. No one wanted to help him because if they did, they would be considered "accessories after that fact" and sent to federal prison, like Dr. Mudd. I guess what is where the saying comes from.
Anyway, they were all thugs! JWB for the assassination of the President and the forethought that went into it; our army for setting the barn where he hid on fire to extort a surrender; the government for offering a bounty for him; the soldier who shot him rather than waiting for him to come out (honestly, there is only so much smoke you can inhale before you pass out or give up); and the crowd watching and cheering while his four accomplices were hung.
Our country as a whole is the biggest thug in this situation. People were getting pulled off the street and killed because they looked like JWB. I guess they believed "shoot first, ask questions later." Maybe they had more luck asking the dead questions than I would.
As we watched the episode, all I could think is this is gangster fabulous. It is not my fault, I was born to a country whose actions are inherent in my bones...
Hopefully, you all know my sense of humor by now. I am not running out to get my 9 or my GATT and embrace the true thug inside, just thought I'd throw that out there!
We watch History Channel a lot. They have pretty interesting shows like Gangland, Jurassic Fight Club, and Band of Brothers. They also do special shows cascading an era, culture, or event. Recently, we watched a special on John Wilkes Booth and the sordid assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln. I never knew it was so involved. The government hung four people for being the ring leaders and put two or three more in federal; all in all, the government tried twelve people. Before any of this took place, the hunt for John Wilkes Booth and David Herold was crazy. People with Confederate sympathy, shunned him. He thought he would be a hero in the South, but boy was he wrong.
The government put a bounty on his head and then they went looking for him through the woods of Maryland and Virginia. No one wanted to help him because if they did, they would be considered "accessories after that fact" and sent to federal prison, like Dr. Mudd. I guess what is where the saying comes from.
Anyway, they were all thugs! JWB for the assassination of the President and the forethought that went into it; our army for setting the barn where he hid on fire to extort a surrender; the government for offering a bounty for him; the soldier who shot him rather than waiting for him to come out (honestly, there is only so much smoke you can inhale before you pass out or give up); and the crowd watching and cheering while his four accomplices were hung.
Our country as a whole is the biggest thug in this situation. People were getting pulled off the street and killed because they looked like JWB. I guess they believed "shoot first, ask questions later." Maybe they had more luck asking the dead questions than I would.
As we watched the episode, all I could think is this is gangster fabulous. It is not my fault, I was born to a country whose actions are inherent in my bones...
Hopefully, you all know my sense of humor by now. I am not running out to get my 9 or my GATT and embrace the true thug inside, just thought I'd throw that out there!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
My New Favorite Quote
As many Americans, I was glued to the television to watch the inauguration. I thought it was a wonderful historical moment. I did not truly get inspired until the benediction was given by Reverend Doctor Joseph Lowery
This is now my favorite quote:
"...we work for that day when black will not be asked to get back and when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead man, and when white will embrace what is right, that all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen!"
This is now my favorite quote:
"...we work for that day when black will not be asked to get back and when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead man, and when white will embrace what is right, that all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen!"
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Give Me My Money Back
For the past several months all we've heard on the news is "Recession, Stimulus Plan, Lay Offs, OMG, What is America to Do?"
I am OVER IT! First of all we have seen worse times; remember the Great Depression. That was a time when people making minimum wage would never buy a brand new Mercedes just because they got approved for the loan. People didn't write checks their asses couldn't cash. No one lived in a million dollar home unless you had money like John D. Rockefeller. Where has our pragmatism gone?
It frustrates me when I think about how Americans spend their money. What makes me want to live on an island with an unending supply of pina coladas and music, is how much money we have loaned to other countries and never gotten back. I know, I know, it is for the good of the world and we should help our fellow man blah, blah, blah! Well, screw that! Where are they when we need help? Where were these countries when Katrina hit or when we began sending troops to the middle east? Half of America is highly uneducated. Children grow up to be ineffective uneducated adults who might have to pull me over because I have a tail light out or something. If you are going to give me a ticket, it might be a good idea to know what it says! I digress.
My stimulus plan goes as follows: First, hire all the Shylock's/loan sharks in our country and send them out on "special assignment" to do what they do best: collect money from the people who owe us by any means necessary. Second, the Bank of "I'm gonna loan a bunch of money to people I know can't and won't pay it back"closes for good. The only way this particular bank is to be reopened is if all recipients of these loans agree to pay 10 percentage points for every month they are late repaying the debt; or they can immediately hand their country over to the U.S. with no hostility (or you all will be shot and fed to the sharks) and we will call it even. If there is any derivation from the plan on the borrowers part, we will annihilate the entire country and start over from scratch. Third, survival of the fittest applies everywhere. If you can't make it, I guess you are SOL. You may ask for a modicum of help, but we draw the line at millions of dollars. You know, when people get hungry, they WILL find a way to eat. I don't understand how any of this is our problem. I think we should take care of our own and then when we are all taken care of, reach out to those in need.
The point of this stimulus plan is for these countries to just give me my money back! The sooner they do that, the sooner Christina's stimulus plan will be lifted.
I am OVER IT! First of all we have seen worse times; remember the Great Depression. That was a time when people making minimum wage would never buy a brand new Mercedes just because they got approved for the loan. People didn't write checks their asses couldn't cash. No one lived in a million dollar home unless you had money like John D. Rockefeller. Where has our pragmatism gone?
It frustrates me when I think about how Americans spend their money. What makes me want to live on an island with an unending supply of pina coladas and music, is how much money we have loaned to other countries and never gotten back. I know, I know, it is for the good of the world and we should help our fellow man blah, blah, blah! Well, screw that! Where are they when we need help? Where were these countries when Katrina hit or when we began sending troops to the middle east? Half of America is highly uneducated. Children grow up to be ineffective uneducated adults who might have to pull me over because I have a tail light out or something. If you are going to give me a ticket, it might be a good idea to know what it says! I digress.
My stimulus plan goes as follows: First, hire all the Shylock's/loan sharks in our country and send them out on "special assignment" to do what they do best: collect money from the people who owe us by any means necessary. Second, the Bank of "I'm gonna loan a bunch of money to people I know can't and won't pay it back"closes for good. The only way this particular bank is to be reopened is if all recipients of these loans agree to pay 10 percentage points for every month they are late repaying the debt; or they can immediately hand their country over to the U.S. with no hostility (or you all will be shot and fed to the sharks) and we will call it even. If there is any derivation from the plan on the borrowers part, we will annihilate the entire country and start over from scratch. Third, survival of the fittest applies everywhere. If you can't make it, I guess you are SOL. You may ask for a modicum of help, but we draw the line at millions of dollars. You know, when people get hungry, they WILL find a way to eat. I don't understand how any of this is our problem. I think we should take care of our own and then when we are all taken care of, reach out to those in need.
The point of this stimulus plan is for these countries to just give me my money back! The sooner they do that, the sooner Christina's stimulus plan will be lifted.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Marriage #2
The 22nd of January marked the anniversary of our time here in Wichita. It crept up really fast. So, since we have been here a little over a year and I have worked in my office just over 6 months, I guess minding my business is still really important to some of the people I work with.
If you use an earlier post titled Marriage as a reference, this is the continuation of that wonderful story/event/time I will never get back/brain shrinking conversation.
Setting: The work room in my office. This is where the computers, staplers, tape, blank contracts, etc. are in my office. It also poses as a general gathering/gossiping place for the staff.
Lady in my office: How are you?
Me: Good. How are you?
LIMO: What are you doing?
Me:Looking for houses for Josh and I. We are slowly beginning the search for a house of our own.
LIMO: (Eye roll then face scrunch) Well, when is he going to put a ring on your finger?
Me: Probably after we buy a house.
LIMO: Well, why would he get married, you know, why buy the cow when you get the milk free.
Seriously lady! WTF! It took everything in me not to square off and punch her in her dentures, then laugh while they slid down her chicken neck looking throat.
Me: (Smiling) You know, this has been the only place we've lived where people care that we aren't married. It is really weird.
LIMO: Does that bother you?
Me: No, I am just shocked people care so much about my business. It is really weird.
I got up and walked out of the workroom. I fumed for about five minutes. Now, looking back on these conversations she engages me in, I laugh. I have decided this is the beginning of a game for me. This will begin my slow mental destruction of old ladies who have too much time on their hands so they feel obligated to mind my business.
The game will go as follows; she will ask me a question about my relationship with Josh or she will ask me what happened to my hair/clothes/shoes/whatever and I will immediately respond with something ridiculous. It can't be totally outrageous because I want her to think about what she just asked me and then go talk about it with the other agents to see how long it will take to get back to me.
Example:
LIMO: When are you getting married?
Me: When we have another black person in the office.
I am sure she will be appalled.
Example 2
LIMO: What happened to your hair?
Me: I don't know, I just woke up like this.
I am sure she will look at me like I am crazy.
Example 3
LIMO:...why buy the cow if you can get the milk free.
Me: We have a 2 bedroom apartment for a reason, he has his room and I have mine.
I am actually excited to see how this all pans out. That post will probably be Marriage #3!
If you use an earlier post titled Marriage as a reference, this is the continuation of that wonderful story/event/time I will never get back/brain shrinking conversation.
Setting: The work room in my office. This is where the computers, staplers, tape, blank contracts, etc. are in my office. It also poses as a general gathering/gossiping place for the staff.
Lady in my office: How are you?
Me: Good. How are you?
LIMO: What are you doing?
Me:Looking for houses for Josh and I. We are slowly beginning the search for a house of our own.
LIMO: (Eye roll then face scrunch) Well, when is he going to put a ring on your finger?
Me: Probably after we buy a house.
LIMO: Well, why would he get married, you know, why buy the cow when you get the milk free.
Seriously lady! WTF! It took everything in me not to square off and punch her in her dentures, then laugh while they slid down her chicken neck looking throat.
Me: (Smiling) You know, this has been the only place we've lived where people care that we aren't married. It is really weird.
LIMO: Does that bother you?
Me: No, I am just shocked people care so much about my business. It is really weird.
I got up and walked out of the workroom. I fumed for about five minutes. Now, looking back on these conversations she engages me in, I laugh. I have decided this is the beginning of a game for me. This will begin my slow mental destruction of old ladies who have too much time on their hands so they feel obligated to mind my business.
The game will go as follows; she will ask me a question about my relationship with Josh or she will ask me what happened to my hair/clothes/shoes/whatever and I will immediately respond with something ridiculous. It can't be totally outrageous because I want her to think about what she just asked me and then go talk about it with the other agents to see how long it will take to get back to me.
Example:
LIMO: When are you getting married?
Me: When we have another black person in the office.
I am sure she will be appalled.
Example 2
LIMO: What happened to your hair?
Me: I don't know, I just woke up like this.
I am sure she will look at me like I am crazy.
Example 3
LIMO:...why buy the cow if you can get the milk free.
Me: We have a 2 bedroom apartment for a reason, he has his room and I have mine.
I am actually excited to see how this all pans out. That post will probably be Marriage #3!
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