Skidding to a halt?

This is how we feel right at this very moment.
Appraisal just in.
Came in significantly under our agreed upon price.
Our Realtor is looking for other comps to appeal the appraisal.
The appraiser came from over an hour away.
What does he know?
Ugh.
Please continue to send prayers and positive vibes.
We sure do love this house.
I hope this isn't the shortest lived blog ever.
:(

How does Jack Handey fit into this?

Oh.

P.S.
Although we adore Jack Handey's incredibly deep thoughts (thanks B and Mike! See the comment they left in a previous post), we know some of you out there have thoughts that rival Mr. Handey. Do share (see comment areas). ;)

P.P.S.
Hmm. I didn't realize Jack Handey was a real person . . .




















P.P.P. S.

Toonces was his baby . . .



P.P.P.P.S.

Sounds like we have a bad case of the ta-ta-tee-tee-ta's. Only some of you will get this reference to the old-skool ta-ta-tee-tee-ta. Although we aim to please, we can't please everyone all of the time.

The Benny Hill chase

Our phones just keep ringing. Thanks for all of the well wishes! We're exhausted after running around (a la Benny) for a few days and making a ton o' calls and going on errands. I'll get back to all of you eventually. I guess I should've updated the blog earlier about inspection/termite day.

Good news is that there were no big, red flags. Overall, a really solid house. Things to ask the seller to fix, yes . . . but nothing substantial and nothing we can't really handle.

By the time we were done going around the house/upstairs/downstairs/up the deck/back to the basement to look at all of his findings (an hour and a half with us asking questions), it felt like one of Billy's cartoons from The Family Circus:



Home inspectors are interesting. They kind of wander around with poker faces and preface things a lot. Ours warmed up to us by the end though, became pretty candid and we actually shared a few laughs. Nice, thorough guy.

The inspection certainly gave us that first time home buyers reality check. There will be maintenance and upkeep, not just decorating (darn it).

The lukewarm news is that the house hasn't been treated for termites for the almost 8 years the seller has lived in it. Not sure why he didn't treat the house; it just seems like the proactive thing to do even if there isn't evidence of activity. The termite guy gave us a really good deal to get the house under bond and we are approaching the seller to cover the costs.

Still no word on the appraisal. Our lender said that the report was done, but she didn't have it yet. Tick-tock, tick-tock. Our due diligence ends on Sunday, but luckily we have an appraisal contingency. Let's hope we don't need it!

Other than that we continue to collect boxes (love Freecycle, bless it). Oh, the forts we could build!

Our mover is set and so are the cleaners.

C'mon appraisal. C'mon August 27th.

Keep us in your thoughts!

Good vibes needed from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Tuesday

9 a.m.: Inspector starts doing his thing. We meet with him at 11:30 a.m. to go over what he has discovered . . .

::inspection mantra::
no news is good news, no news is good news

::Dorothy had it right::
there's no place like home. there's no place like home







1 p.m.: termite guy starts doing his thing . . .

::repeat after me::

We don't need no stinkin' bugs!

On pins and needles, crossing fingers and toes

Appraisal day! Here's hoping that Freddie and Fannie view our 1930's bungalow favorably. I guess this is our first hurdle in the home-buying/home-owning process.

Once we get through the home inspection and termite inspection tomorrow and get the appraisal back, we will breathe more easily - and maybe, we'll settle down and get comfortable in this blog while I tell you a little more about our bungalow in the hollow.

Wish us luck!