Saturday Fun!

We are going ahead!

Inspection this morning went well – some minor things were identified that need attention – in order of importance & “do list”

• Front door needs to be replaced - ASAP
• Toilet wax seal needs to be replaced (a year or so) – my plan is to replace the whole thing with a low flow toilet
• Hot water tank (is 23 years old) and needs to be replaced – 6 months to 3 years

Other VERY cool findings? 

• The original structure (that was built in 1896!!) is the living room/dining room, bathroom and bedrooms.  The kitchen, laundry room and mud room are all additions and were likely added in 1945 – which is why the build date was listed as 1945.
• The original section of the house has still got the original fir flooring underneath the carpets!!
• The original section of the house *also* has 12 foot high ceilings!!  The ceiling that is in there (that is about 9 feet, I would guess) is a false ceiling that was also installed likely around 1945 when the additions were put on.  I can blow out the false ceiling easily and re-finish the original stuff!

I spoke with my agent after the inspection was completed and we will be asking for either cash back to replace the water tank and door, or that they reduce the price to reflect this, OR that they just do the work themselves before I take possession… and, apparently, they have already taken all of the items of sentimental value, so I will also be asking that they include the mirrors that are all over the place, that they leave the yard as is (and throw in all of the planters that are all over the place) and one additional chair that is in the kitchen.

It sounds like they plan to just get rid of everything still left in the house, so I am going to go tomorrow and have a poke around & see if there is anything else that I might like them to leave behind… they may barter the stuff for the repairs, and that would be fine with me.

So there it is!

Next up, my agent contacts the selling agent on Monday so they can document this stuff and then after that, we just complete & close the deal!

Yahoo!!!

While I was over participating in the inspection, Terri Perrin (from Fine Art of Intention Feng Shui was over at the place as well.  Terri was taking pictures and plotting out "stuff" on a roughed-up floor plan I drew up the other night.  My intention here is to have the new place reviewed before I move in so that I can start fresh with good Feng Shui principles in mind while I decorate and arrange furniture.

Terri is, right now, taking a course taught by Daniel David Kennedy - one of the foremost teachers and practitioners of Feng Shui in North America.  She's going to use my new home as a case study for her course - how totally cool is that???

Anyhow, I thought you might like to check out some pictures of the new pad... there will be way more to come, but for now, let me share the jungle that is in the back yard...

With love across the waters,

Clematis and funky red flowered shrub 

Entrance to the mud room

mystery plant...

mystery shrubs

Another one of the funky red flowered shrubs 

back fence & side of shed - fence needs attention!!!

shed

trellis & cherry tree

gorgeous hosta!!

overgrown stuff - all of it - around the pond

View from the back step

another mystery shrub

Progress...

Well, progress is coming along nicely!  Monday saw two of the subjects crossed off the list (title search and property disclosure statement) those two things in hand, the financing was submitted and then approved on Tuesday.

After hugging my mortgage representative (yes, he was in the office and yes, I hugged him) and doing a happy dance, I let my real estate agent know that we are good to go ahead with the inspection - which is booked for tomorrow morning.  Work is letting me leave around 11:00 AM to go complete the walk-through with the home inspector and, provided all is good to go, I'll call the insurance company when I get back to the office to discuss insurance.  That will be the final bits done and the purchase finalized.

I'm trying hard to be very positive that the inspection will be fine.  There really is no point in worrying about what *might* be found.

I'm reminding myself, daily, what my Grannie always told me: "If its for ye, it'll, no pass ye by."

In "other" news, I got to spend a great four hours with my gorgeous nephew today.  We cuddled, we bounced, I sang to him (yep, I actually sang, out loud, where my brother AND his wife might hear me) and he slept like the little angel he is.

All in all, this has been the best summer of my life - and it just keeps getting better!

With love across the waters,

... and where on EARTH do I start?

Ok, I know I haven't got 100% confirmation that the house really is mine, but I am fairly confident it will be.  By the end of this coming week I should have a "go" decision on the house purchase...

But where do I *start* ???

I suppose I should really start by making a list of all of the things that will need doing, but gosh, where do I even start this???

With love across the waters,