Back on the Hunt (Really.)

My down payment check came in the mail yesterday. Along with the bill for the attorney. Double burn – no house plus fat legal fee.

I think I’m moving on as best I can though. Getting the check back is starting to put me in a moving-on frame of mind. The house feels farther and farther away and less and less like it was mine in the first place. It was never really mine because it was never really theirs to sell.

I’m looking at two houses on tuesday, one of which is five doors down from a place one of my bff’s just moved into on a cute little block right near the train. For a full 100k less than the other house.  I’m trying really hard not to take it as a sign.

Last weekend, on president’s day, I looked at a house one train stop away from the train stop I actually wanted to live off of. You could say I was getting a little desperate, on the rebound even.

The neighborhood became less charming and more, um, uncharming, as we walked to the other train stop. We wandered through the house and every floor had a different, but very distinct funk. Every single room was rented to a different person.

That sealed the deal – I only want to live off one of two stops. That’s it. No more compromising.

The realtor called me the next day and told me about a new financing program he offered that allowed me funds to fix up the house if I needed them.

You mean a 203k loan? I retorted back. I already looked into that. I can’t wait six months to have a house fixed up and try to pay a mortgage and rent.

No, no, you wouldn’t have to start paying the mortgage until all the construction was done.

Oh. Really?

Yeah, I don’t know what you’ve heard about it, but the payments would start on the loan until you could move in.

Oh. Wow. Cooool… I’m still not interested in that house.

Okay, tell me what you are looking for.

I want to live only 3-4 blocks – blocks not avenues – from either this train or this train.

Hold on, let me look at a map.

I want at least a two family, with a backyard, in my price range.

Pause. You’re asking for the impossible.

Pause. That’s what I want.

Okay. I’ll look through my listings and see what I can find.

Okay, thanks.

I hope he couldn’t taste the skepticism in my voice. Every realtor I’ve ever had tell me they would get back to me – even to the point of saying “I will get back to you shortly” in an email – I have yet to hear from.

A few hours later, this guy sends me a listing. I look up the address and it’s not quite what I want, but I have to admit, I am a little impressed.

He looked at a map when I told him where I wanted to live. Believe it or not, not one realtor has ever done that.

I’ve been in contact with him for about a week now. He communicates through email, text, and phone. He checks in every day. I feel like he cant wait to find me a house.

Also very close to getting some sort of pre-approval for my mortgage. This basically means they put me through the financial ringer (i.e. Underwriting) and I have to do none or very little of it when I do finally find a house.

Writing that ridiculous check to the attorney was also stranglehold cleansing. I’m done with her. No more chasing after her in voicemails, emails, and her fortress of receptionists. No more having to strong arm any form of contact. So done.

I’m ready to put more time into this whole house hunting thing. At the same time that I want it now (and I always have i-want-it-now syndrome), I also feel even more strongly that something even better and more perfect and more in my price range will magically find it’s way into my life.

And I really believe that.